Authors: Kathryn Loch
Alyna only stared at him, mute with surprise.
He stopped pacing his shoulders bowed. “Alyna forgive me, please.”
“
Garin, I....” she snapped her jaw shut, not knowing what to do or say.
He sighed heavily. “You know I must survive by cre
ating mental images in my mind and it was that which caused my body to betray me.”
“
What do you mean?”
Garin winced. “I saw not her, but you.”
She stared at him, her jaw slack.
He rushed on. “A man has needs and desires, Alyna. But I have not asked for
my husband’s rights because you do not deserve....” he paused and sucked in his breath. “You do not deserve to suffer a blind man’s touch.”
Her heart twisted painfully. By the saints, what could she say? If she encouraged him she would be thought as wan
ton as the whore who had thrown herself at him. If she denied him, Garin would be hurt. Tears flooded down her cheeks as she made her decision. “Garin, I fear you will think ill of me.”
“
Ill because you are angry at my actions with a fool wench, or ill
because you do not desire a blind man?”
She choked on a sob. “Nay, none of those reasons. You will think
ill
of me when I tell you I very much want to be your wife in more than name.”
Garin froze before her, looking as if she had slapped him.
Alyna burie
d her face in her hands. She knew he would not take her words well.
“
Alyna,” he said, his voice agonized. “How can you love a blind man?”
Abruptly her head came up and she blinked at him. No retribution? Wait a moment. What this all about? Had Garin’
s confidence been so terribly stripped away that he could tumble with a serving wench but fear to touch his own wife? It made absolutely no sense. Of course, the stunt with the practice dummy made no sense either, except to other men.
She slowly rose and
crossed the room, lightly gripping his arm. “Garin, you should know when I look at you, I do not see a blind man.”
He turned, his hands closing about her shoulders. Alyna’s heart lurched at his nearness, his masculine scent and the faint odor of sweet w
ine mesmerized her. His huge shoulders and heavily muscled chest filled her vision.
“
Then what do you see, Alyna? A helpless baron whose lands you can control?”
Anger and pain cut through her, destroying the heady sensations within her. “Nay,” she said
tightly, tears threatening again. She tried to back away but his hands
tightened on her shoulders.
“
What do you see, Alyna?”
Again she tried to twist away but Garin refused to release her.
“
Tell me. What do you see?”
She choked on a sob. “I see a young
knight who must fight a battle far more difficult than any he ever faced in the Holy Land. I see a man who must learn he does not need his vision to possess his dreams.”
He stiffened, his nostrils flaring slightly. “And there are more to my dreams than j
ust this barony. Do you see a man you could love?”
Alyna swallowed hard, praying he would believe her. “Yes, Garin, I do see a man I could love,” she whispered. “But I also see a man afraid to love in return.”
His eyes widened in shock and he suddenly r
eleased her. “Afraid? You think me a coward?”
Sweet Mary,
she thought,
wrong word choice. Never suggest the possibility of a knight being afraid of anything.
“I...uh....” she sighed and folded her arms over her chest, an unexpected anger pricking her.
Abruptly she
threw caution to the wind. “Aye
, Garin, you are afraid.”
He froze but only for a brief instant. “We shall see about that,” he growled. His hand caught the small of her back and pulled her closer. Alyna stiffened in surprise. His sheer si
ze and strength overwhelmed her. His nearness dizzied her senses. She put her hands on his chest to push him away. That was a mistake. She felt the huge muscles bunch under her fingers.
“
What are you doing, my lord?”
His fingers touched her face. Alyn
a felt her skin prickle and he pulled her even closer.
“
Kissing you, my lady,” he whispered and crushed his mouth to hers.
His lips, velvet soft and powerful swept over her mouth. His hands wrapped around her waist and pulled her firmly against his hard f
rame until every inch of her body folded against his. Alyna’s world tilted at a crazy angle. She opened her mouth to breathe and Garin’s tongue plunged inside.
The taste of him was better than any wine. His mouth fit perfectly over hers. His hands spre
ad over her back, engulfing her. His tongue swept through her mouth encouraging a battle with hers. His powerful arms could easily crush the breath from her but the thought did not frighten her. A strange energy coiled in her belly, making her limbs fee
l heavy.
Garin slowly pushed her back against the wall. His hand slid down her side to her skirts. He tugged them up and his fingers lightly caressed the outside of her hip and thigh. His body pressed hers against the wall. She became aware of his grow
ing arousal hard under his thin braies.
Her fingers moved of their own accord, exploring the hard muscle of his chest. She responded instinctively to his kiss, returning it with a passion she never knew she possessed.
Garin’s fingers deftly unlaced her
dress, pulling it from her shoulder. His lips moved from her mouth, tracing down her throat, his tongue laving at her tender skin. She squeezed her eyes closed and lifted her head, her body quivered uncontrollably.
His free hand again moved, untying the
ribbon which kept her hair in its braid. Gently he worked the locks loose and pulled it over her shoulder. He surprised her by burying his face in it then nuzzling her ear, nipping lightly on the lobe.
A soft groan escaped her. Slowly, he pulled her dre
ss lower, exposing her breast. Alyna’s breath caught as his lips continued their journey downward. Her nipple drew tight as his warm breath caressed her skin. He lightly flicked his tongue against the small bud and she gasped as a glorious fire exploded
within her.
He swirled his tongue around the sensitive place and lowered his head even more. Alyna held her breath, having no idea what he was going to do.
A low wail of a horn from the watch tower broke the silence.
Garin stiffened and lifted his head,
his breath coming in ragged gasps.
Alyna froze against him, trying to grab her reeling senses.
They heard the shouts of sentries.
“
What the devil?” Garin asked, his voice deep and husky. For a moment, he rested his forehead against hers, his eyes squeezed
shut, still panting for breath.
“
Baron,” Simon called, pounding on their door.
Alyna jumped.
Garin did not back away, instead he only turned his head slightly. “What is it?” he growled.
Alyna’s heart lurched, his voice sounded angry and primitive.
“
Baron
Naworth, his son, and Baron Vaux approach with their entourage.”
This time Garin did release her. “What?” he bellowed.
Alyna remembered the scroll Juliana had given her. “But that was only this morning,” she muttered.
“
They are requesting entrance,” Sim
on said through the door.
Garin muttered a colorful oath. “Open the gates. Wake the servants and have them prepare food and drink. We will be down in a moment.”
“
Aye, Baron.”
Alyna tried to pull her dress up, feeling suddenly embarrassed.
Garin turned b
ack to her. “Wait,” he whispered, gripping her hand. Suddenly he lowered his head and drew her breast into his mouth.
A riot of pleasure exploded, an intense heat blooming deep within her body. “Oh God,” she whispered, her legs suddenly weak.
Garin backe
d away, a tiny smile tugging at his lips. “My promise for later.” His sensitive fingers gently helped repair her dress. “We shall see if I am indeed a coward.”
“
Garin, I didn’t mean....”
His smile grew. “I know, my sweet. I’ll throttle Naworth for thi
s untimely interruption. But I promise you, we will continue what we started.”
He finished tying the laces of her dress and Alyna reached up to braid her hair.
“
Nay,” he said. “Leave it loose and do not cover it.”
“
Garin, it would be unseemly for me--”
“
Nothing about this sudden visit is seemly. Leave your hair. I do not mean to use you like a pawn but I want them to know full well what they interrupted.”
The blood drained from her face. “What?”
“
Nay, my sweet
wildefyr
,” he whispered, touching her chee
k. “’Tis not they will think your honor besmirched, but mine will be raised.”
She rubbed her eyes, her mind too muddled to comprehend his words. “I don’t understand.”
“
Alyna, consider the hour, it is
well-nigh
to midnight, what else would a husband and w
ife be doing in their bedchamber?”
She blushed furiously but understood his point. A hot barb of anger pricked her when she fully realized Naworth and Vaux had stopped what she had been awaiting for a very long time. “All right. But I vow I don’t unders
tand this ill-timed visit, Garin. Juliana only gave me the scroll this morning.”
He scowled. “What scroll?”
Alyna moved to the table and lit the lantern, handing him the scroll case. “With...uh...the fiasco today, I didn’t get a chance to tell you. Jul
iana gave me this while you were in the barn with--” Abruptly she bit off her words, there was no need to revisit that pain. “She said Naworth and Vaux wanted to visit. I told her you would reply. In fact,” she said thoughtfully. “Juliana was acting a
bit strange about the whole thing.”
He opened the scroll case and withdrew the parchment. “’Tis Naworth’s seal,” he said, his fingers moving over the wax. He handed it to her. “What does it say?”
Alyna quickly scanned it, her eyes widening. “It is a r
equest to visit but it’s dated the day after our wedding. Juliana must have kept it.”
Garin muttered something under his breath and started to haul on his clothes. “A surprise inspection.”
“
A what?”
“
By dropping in unannounced, they have a greater chance
of discovering something amiss.”
Alyna thought for a long moment, still remembering Juliana’s odd behavior. “She acted like she didn’t want me to go into the barn but then changed her mind.”
“
What do you mean?”
Quickly, Alyna explained her conversation w
ith Juliana. “She kept watching the barn, even grabbing my arm to stop me, then she let me go.”
Garin stiffened. “And that’s when you...?”
“
Aye.”
He rubbed his eyes. “Now I see her plot.”
“
What do you mean?”
“
Juliana was the only person who knew about
M
ariotta
when I was a boy. She drew you out of the barn, so
Mariotta
could pounce. If I had fallen to her wiles, Naworth and Vaux would have arrived this night to either discover a huge rift between us, or perhaps worse.”
“
Grounds for annulment.”
He nodde
d, tugging his tunic over his head. “Alyna, again I am sorry. ‘Twas my own foolish mistake. I hope you forgive me.”
She sighed and stepped forward, touching his arm. Her pain was still a hot barb within her, but now she understood so much more. “I do
forgive you, Garin, and trust me, I don’t take kindly to being manipulated like that.”
Garin cupped her face in his hands, kissing her powerfully. “I do not take kindly to it either,” he whispered, his lips brushing hers. “We are both stronger than this.
”
Garin started to kiss her again when they heard the groan of the gates opening and the loud creak of the portcullis. “Damn their rotten timing,” he muttered and pulled away to finish dressing.