Chloë was giggling as she removed her cloak. “If my father knew you were here with me, he would have something to say about it.”
Keir cocked an eyebrow, spying a pitcher of wine in the corner and moving for it. “I am your betrothed now and, by God and the law, already your husband. Your father cannot do anything about it.”
Chloë’s grin turned somewhat shy as she put her cloak away. “Do you have lascivious intentions then, my lord?”
He laughed softly. “The first moment I saw you, I had lascivious intentions.”
She gasped in feigned outrage. “How can you say such a thing? We were battling one another when first we met.”
He went to her, wrapping his arms around her. “Do you remember when you ran from me at first? I chased you and you ended up tripping. I fell atop you. Do you recall?”
She did, sort of. “I believe so. Why?
He gave her a seductive expression, pulling her closer. “I remember feeling soft flesh beneath me, even through the layers of armor.”
She blushed furiously. “You did not.”
“I did. Soft, warm, delicious female flesh.”
She giggled again and tried to pull away but he would not hear of it. He pulled her close, nuzzling her neck, running his hands through all of that miraculous hair. He adored her hair. He bent down to kiss her, gently at first, but as his passion roared, he picked her up and held her fiercely against him. Chloë wrapped her arms around his neck and held on tightly as he carried her over to the bed.
The bed was massive, four posters with a great curtain around it, and it sat back in the corner in the shadows. A low fire burned in the hearth, flames licking at the fireback and sending undulating golden light into the room. Keir laid Chloë upon the bed, his mouth fused to hers, trying not to jab her with the armor still on his body. Keeping his mouth on hers, he began to remove the cold steel pieces.
Chloë’s arms were around his neck as he kissed her and she could feel him moving about unstrapping pieces of armor. She could hear things falling to the floor. When he was down to his mail coat, he pulled his mouth away from hers and silently stood up, bending over and deftly removing it. The big mailed garment was very heavy and he tossed it aside, listening to it make a big commotion as it fell on the floor. Clad only in a damp tunic, breeches and big boots, he returned his attention to Chloë.
She was sitting up on the bed now, watching him practically disrobe before her. Without a word, he sat down beside her on the bed, his eyes drifting over the dark bronze damask surcoat that so deliciously emphasized her shapely torso. White cleavage daringly peaked out from the neckline of the surcoat and Keir’s gaze was lustily drawn to it. One arm went around her shoulders as the other went to her torso, and he pulled her close again, his mouth on her neck as the hand on her torso began to gently stroke her belly.
“You are so incredibly beautiful,” he murmured, kissing her sweet flesh. “I do not know what I have done in life to warrant such a prize as you, but rest assured that I will never take you for granted and I will always treat you with the greatest respect.”
Chloë’s eyes were closed as he nuzzled her neck, the hand on her belly moving gently to her ribcage. She was so overwhelmed with his hot breath on her skin and his delicate touch that she threw her arms around his neck, falling back onto the bed and pulling him with her. Keir gladly lay down, his enormous body half-covering her own.
His seeking lips found her mouth and he resumed kissing her with the greatest of passion. The hand on her belly moved to the underswell of her breast and she gasped softly as she felt his hand against her bosom, pausing a moment with wide eyes to look at him. Keir gazed back at her, steadily, before dipping low to gently kiss her cheek. As he nuzzled her soft skin, his hand moved up and fully enclosed her right breast against the palm. He squeezed gently, fondling her, and Chloë groaned softly when she realized how good it felt.
Keir heard her groan and his kisses resumed with force. He couldn’t seem to kiss her enough, taste her enough, and the hand on her breast grew bolder. Fingers slipped along the neckline, trying to pull it away somehow, but the bodice fit snuggly against her body. As his passion grew and their kisses grew more heated, Keir didn’t have the patience to properly disrobe her. He took hold of the top of her bodice and ripped it in half in one swift, clean motion.
Chloë gasped with shock as her bodice fell away and her pure white flesh was exposed. Before she could make any manner of protest, Keir’s mouth was on her soft white cleavage and his palm was against her naked breast. A pink nipple, soft and taunting, rubbed against his hand and, with a growl, his hot mouth descended upon it, suckling furiously.
Chloë cried out softly as his hot, wet mouth pulled her nipple into a hard little pellet. He had somehow managed to wedge himself in between her legs, his big body overwhelming her, and Chloë knew that she could not stop him. Her passion had run away with her also and everything he was doing to her was new and wonderful and wicked. She craved it.
Keir paused long enough to rip his tunic off before collapsing back against her, his mouth on her breasts. Chloë held his head against her bosom as if nursing a starving child, feeling each suckle send bolts of dangerous excitement shooting through her body.
Keir was in haze of lust and attraction. Her flesh was sweet and delicious and he nursed hungrily at her breasts, first one and then the other, before getting a grip on the tear he had started in her surcoat and giving a big tug, ripping the entire thing in half. Her shift was torn too, the edges of it clinging to the damp flesh of her breasts, wet with his saliva. Keir ripped at the shift until it was in tatters, peeling it off of Chloë’s body until she was completely nude beneath him.
He paused a moment to admire her naked body, the voluptuous lines of her breasts and hips, and he’d never been so wildly aroused in his entire life. He fell back atop her, his mouth on her breasts and belly, somehow managing to remove his boots and breeches in the process. He didn’t even remember doing it but the next thing he realized, he was naked, too, his hot manly flesh completely covering her soft, feminine curves. From where he was, he could smell the delicious musky scent of her woman’s center and something inside him snapped; grabbing her buttocks with both hands, his mouth descended on the sweet pink folds and he feasted.
Chloë shrieked softly as Keir put his entire face between her legs, his tongue forging into virgin territory. Shocked, embarrassed, words of protest died on her lips when she very quickly realized how marvelous it felt. He was stroking her strongly, grunting softly with every stroke of his tongue as if devouring the most delicious thing God had ever created. Overwhelmed, Chloë panted and wept softly, becoming acquainted with Keir on a level she could have never imagined. It was all so new and shocking but in the same breath, she had never known anything so wonderful existed.
Keir lapped and suckled her tender pink folds and her body jerked involuntarily as he repeatedly pleasured her woman’s center, that taut bud of pleasure that would take her to a new level of ecstasy. Chloë could feel heat building in her loins, something that promised complete and utter pleasure should she only submit, but she truly had no idea what would bring her such release. All she knew was that Keir was doing wondrous and wicked things to her body and she was fully submissive to his desires. She didn’t care that the man, her betrothed, was taking shocking liberties with her. All that mattered was the feelings he was creating within her. She was a willing captive.
Something was happening deep in her loins; she could feel something pulsating and warm starting. Keir gently insert a finger in to her virginal passage and Chloë was so wet that there was no pain or tightness at all; in fact, she groaned softly and brought her knees up, reacting to his touch, opening her legs wide for the primal ritual of mating, instinctive to men and women since the beginning of time. Realizing how ready she was for him, Keir could no longer refrain from claiming her. He had to feel her around him, her warm and wet tightness that would pleasure him like no one else ever had.<
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Lifting himself up, Keir’s lips found Chloë’s once again as he carefully guided his manhood into her tender, virginal walls. Thrusting gently with his hips, he seated himself halfway on the first thrust and then completely on the second. Beneath him, Chloë cried out softly at the sensation of his enormous member inside her, the realization of their first coupling, so distracted by his sweet kisses and heated body that all she could do was encourage him as he thrust into her. It seemed like the most natural of things, his body buried deep within her as it was always meant to be.
She was so highly aroused by Keir’s tongue and decadent attentions that by the third or fourth thrust, she gasped sharply at the thrill of her first climax. Keir could feel her wet heat throbbing around him, pulling at him, milking him for his seed and it was the most supreme struggle of his life not to answer. He would, but not now.
At this moment, he simply wanted to savor the event of their first coupling. It was more than he had ever dreamed, her heated, wet body responding to his as he’d never known a woman to respond in his entire life. He wanted to experience her, just a little, before succumbing to his lust.
His thrusts were measured and deep as he held Chloë’s pelvis against his, his mouth on her lips. His fingers were in the crack of her buttocks and he could feel all of the moisture from her body running onto her flesh, dampening the linens beneath them. It was coupling beyond his wildest dreams and as he continued making love to her, he could feel another climax wash over her and still another. Chloë was gasping beneath him as if she couldn’t breathe, her body stiffening as wave after wave of rapture coursed through her.
Finally, Keir could feel his own climax approach and he accepted it, thrusting into her with one hard, final thrust, releasing himself, filling her womb with his hot seed and mingling her body with his. Even after he released himself, he continued to grind his pelvis against her and continued to feel her ripple with climaxes. He’d lost count after five. His hands, his mouth, were all over her flesh, her breasts and belly, arms and head. As he lay on top of her, still joined to her body, he knew without a doubt that it had been the most miraculous experience of his entire life. Nothing he had ever sampled had come close, not ever.
“I love you, Chloë,” he mewed as he kissed her ear. “Until the end of my life, I will love you and only you. You are my angel, sweetheart. You are my life.”
Exhausted, overwhelmed, Chloë opened her mouth to respond but ended up bursting into tears. Concerned, Keir lifted his head to look at her but she covered her face with her hands. Deeply worried, he pulled her tightly against him and held her close.
“What is wrong?” he whispered. “Did I hurt you?”
She wept softly, wrapping her arms around his neck as he pulled her closer. “Nay,” she sobbed. “You did not hurt me. But I never knew… like this, I never knew it was like this. I feel… I feel like everything has all come down upon me all at once and I am frightened.”
He held her close, her soft body against. “What are you frightened of?”
She sniffled, trying to compose herself. “I… I am not sure,” she sniffed again, pulling her face from the crook of his neck and gazing up at him. “I think I am afraid of losing this. Of losing you. What if I wake up and this was all a dream? I would want to die.”
He smiled faintly at her, kissing the end of her nose. “You will never lose me,” he assured her. “I will always be with you, Chloë, no matter what. Put your mind at ease, sweetheart.”
She was trying to. She wiped at her watery eyes and he kissed her forehead, the tip of her nose, smiling gently at her until she smiled in return. Then he pulled the curtains closed around the bed so they were safely shut in and snuggled down into the bed with her. With Chloë cuddled safely in his arms, Keir drifted off into the best sleep of his life.
CHAPTER FOURTEEN
Soft knocking on the chamber door roused Keir from a deep sleep. Blinking his eyes, he oriented himself, realized where he was, and then looked down to see Chloë curled up against him, warm and cozy.
Warm, fluid feelings rushed over him as he gazed down at her, remember their night of passion. He didn’t think it was possible to love something as much as he was coming to love her. She was sleeping quite soundly and a second round of knocking on the door didn’t rouse her. Keir gently shook her awake.
Chloë groaned and tried to ignore him but he shook her again, kissing her on the cheek. “Wake up, love,” he whispered. “Someone is knocking at your door and I do not think it would be wise for me to answer it.”
Chloë yawned and blinked the sleep from her eyes, smiling sleepily when she realized Keir was beside her.
“Good morning, sweetheart,” she snuggled up against him and closed her eyes. “Did you sleep well?”
He grinned at her half-awake antics as he wrapped his arms around her and sat up, taking her with him. The pounding on the door was growing louder and Chloë popped an eye open as Keir pulled back the curtains.
“Ask who it is,” he whispered to her.
Chloë frowned at the intrusion, rubbing her eyes. “Who in the world would be knocking at my door at this hour?” she grumped.
“Ask, you silly wench,” Keir grinned.
Chloë was sleepy and unhappy. She rubbed her eyes again. “Who is it?” she called.
“Kurtis, my lady,” came the muffled reply. “I am looking for Keir. Perhaps you might know where he is?”
Keir was immediately up, grabbing his leather breeches as he approached the door. Chloë remained in the bed, wide-eyed, as Keir pulled on his breeches and went to the chamber panel, throwing the old iron bolt. Carefully, he opened the door so that only his eye was apparent. If there were more people in the landing beyond, he didn’t want anyone else to see him.
Kurtis was alone. He didn’t seem shocked or surprised to see his brother in Chloë’s room. In fact, he had expected it, which was why he had come straight to her chamber.
“You are needed downstairs,” he told him. “A messenger has come.”
Keir opened the door wider. “A messenger?” he repeated. “From whom?”
Kurtis looked as if he had been woken up, too at this ungodly early hour. He did not look happy, rather slovenly dressed for the usually letter-perfect knight.
“A rider bearing Edward’s banner rode in about a half hour ago,” he lowered his voice. “There is a missive addressed to Coverdale but it concerns you. You had better come.”
Keir didn’t like the sound of that at all, mostly because he couldn’t imagine what the king wanted from him. That association had ended nine years ago. He gave his brother a disbelieving expression.
“Are you serious?” he said, surprised. “What on earth could Edward want with me?”
“The only way to know is to come downstairs and find out.”
Keir cocked an eyebrow as he nodded pensively, fighting down ominous feelings. He eyed his brother. “Where were you last evening?”
Kurtis gave him a knowing expression. “Doing the same thing you have been doing,” he told him, “but at least I had the good sense to return to my own bed. That is where they came looking for you and you, my brother, were nowhere to be found. It did not take a great intellect to figure out where you were.”
Keir grunted, conceding the point, and scratched his scalp. “Do her parents know?”
“They are asleep as far as I know. I doubt anyone other than me has figured this out, mostly because you and I think alike and I have been doing the same thing.”
Keir grinned. “I will meet you downstairs.”
He shut the door in Kurtis’ face and locked it, making his way back over to the bed. Chloë was sitting up with the bed linens pulled up around her, more awake by this time. She looked sweet, cozy and inviting. Keir smiled at her as he reached down for his tunic.
“I have been summoned,” he told her quietly. “Go back to sleep and I will see you at the morning meal.”
She was watching him with big, bottomless eyes as he
pulled the tunic over his head. “Did the king really send you a missive?”
He could hear the fear in her voice and he leaned over, kissing her on the mouth before he began pulling on his boots. The great mail coat was next.
“I do not know,” he said honestly. “But I will find out and report back to you right away, General.”
He was trying to make light of it but Chloë was not amused. Clutching the bedcovers to her breast, she crept over to the edge of the bed where he was straightening up the mail coat that hung heavily on his big body.
“Do you think he will call you to London?” she asked with uncertainty.
He shrugged as he popped on the pieces of armor he wore last night. “I must admit, I am curious to know why he has sent a missive mentioning my name,” he said. “I served Edward in Wales many years ago but I have not had any contact with him since.”
She was watching him more closely now as he deftly donned his armor. Since there was nothing more she could press him on regarding the missive awaiting him, she focused on something she had never seen before – a knight donning his armor. Keir was a very big man in his natural state but compounded by the armor, he was positively surreal.
“What do you call those pieces of shield on your arms?” she asked softly.
He glanced at her as he tightened the straps. “These are called a vambrace,” he showed her the armor on the lower part of his arm. “Have you never seen these before?”
She shrugged her soft white shoulders. “My father does not wear armor,” she said. “We had two knights at Exelby but I was never around them enough to ask them what they wore. I have never seen a knight dress before.”
He winked at her. “Well and good that you have not,” he muttered. “Were that the case, I would be forced to kill someone.”
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