Page 49 of Torin and His Oath (Torin and the Princess #2)

LEXI

H e rolled slowly to his side. The planes of his face lit by the moon glowing through my open window. The only sound the faint hum of my ceiling fan and crickets outside the window. I had my head on Torin’s chest, my hand resting over his heart, feeling the steady rise and fall of his breath.

I felt safe.

I lightly ran my fingers across his broad chest, touching every plane, caressing up his neck to his hair. I kissed his chest, lingering my lips on his skin.

But he was quiet, too quiet. It might be that he was falling asleep, but I could feel tension running through him.

“What are you thinking about?”

He turned and smiled at me. “Wondering what I should do in this New World — if I was at Glume I would go tae the walls tae take up guard duty and clear my mind.”

“Your mind is not clear? I sort of thought the power of all that sexy stuff we just did would clear it right up.”

He kissed my forehead.

“Och aye, twas marvelous, ye are verra amorous, Alexandria. I can scarce keep up with ye. I am a fortunate man.”

“Oh, you can keep up with me, you kept up with me very well.” I whistled, low.

He raised his head. “Och, ye liked it?”

“I loved it, I loved every minute of it, let’s do that all the time.”

“I might be the most fortunate man in the world.”

I teased, “That is true.” I put my chin on his chest to look at his face. “But I also see what you mean, your thoughts might be heavy because you’re trying to understand this world and your place in it.”

“Aye.”

I followed his eyes.

He was gazing up at the ceiling fan. Possibly seeing it, wondering about it, or not seeing it because he didn’t understand it.

I decided to tell him about something. “Do you like this quilt?” I pushed it further up on his chest.

“Aye, tis verra smooth.”

“My grandmother quilted it, it might be one of my most prized possessions.”

I rose up and crawled on him, sitting down straddling his lap. His hands went to my hips, settling me well. “And do you like this mattress?”

“Tis verra soft.”

I bounced a little, his eyes widened. “Och aye, ye are desirous again?”

“I just wanted to show you, husband, what fun we can have on this bouncy mattress.” I bounced again, slower this time.

Then I said, “You can take that as a promise.” I kissed his lips and rolled off him.

“Where are ye goin’?”

I grinned. “Right here, I think I want to entice you a bit, really draw it out, before I let you take me again.”

“Och nae, Alexandria, dost ye ken how enticin’ ye hae been?”

I put my head on the pillow beside his. “I enticed you?”

“I saw ye in the wee dress with blue flowers and I was verra keen on havin’ ye.”

“You were keen?”

“Aye, when I saw yer wee undergarments?—”

“When?”

“When ye came off the horse, ye remember?”

I grinned. “You liked that?”

“I liked it verra much. They were the hue of a rose petal, yer cheek when ye blush. For a time I couldna think of much else.”

I blinked, amazed by his words. “You were thinking about my panties while we were riding?”

“Aye, twas why I rode lookin’ back on ye so much, I had tae keep ye in my eyes.”

“Did you think you would get another glimpse?”

“I wouldna dare dream I would get another glimpse.” He grinned. “But more than once I wished that I might.”

I took his hand, we were both on our sides facing each other.

“You got to see them again when I was naked in front of you at the wayside.”

His face turned down. “That dinna count. I almost let ye freeze tae death, and then ye grew ill over the next day. Twas as if I couldna see ye anymore, ye were nae longer the flesh I longed for — I couldna see anything but that ye were goin’ tae die and twould be my fault.”

I reached out and trailed my fingers down his cheek as he spoke. “I’m really glad you returned. Or you wouldn’t know that I was okay.”

He nodded, then smiled. “Or that I would get tae not only see yer undergarments, but ye would invite me tae take them off ye, and I would get tae see what lay beyond.”

I raised my brow. “What lay beyond?”

“Yer lush garden.”

“Oh my.” I pulled up the edge of the quilt exposing myself.

He looked down, his eyes gazing almost hungrily. He reached out to pull my hips close, but I shook my head. “Enticing?”

“Och aye... verra.”

I put down the edge of the bedding. “But you still have to wait.”

“Och nae, ye are a cruel wife.” He reached for my thigh and drew it over to rest on his hip. “There, ye hae tae do it. Ye winna let me stroll through yer gardens I hae tae at least be near enough tae touch them.”

“I notice that you aren’t worried anymore.”

“Aye,” he teased, “I ought tae go on guard duty, but I can think of naething but yer gardens. I believe they might be beckoning, ye ken, they might need yer husband tae visit them. I wonder if they are in bloom. Och nae, ye hae broken yer Torin.”

I giggled. “You are very enticed, but still you have to wait. Because I want to plan what we’re going to do tomorrow.”

“I want tae learn more about yer grandfather’s battles.”

“You’re in luck, near here is a war museum.”

He said, “What is a museum?”

“A collection of artifacts...?” His face screwed up. “You’ll see, don’t think about it, it’s on the list. We’ll start with breakfast. We need to go out, we ate all my eggs. We can go to the diner and introduce you to a menu.”

“What dost these words mean?”

“It’ll be like a tavern, but you will be able to choose from omelettes, pancakes, biscuits and gravy...”

“Och, now I am desirous of ye and hungry as well.”

I looked at the clock. “It’s one am. The diner’s not open yet. You’ll have to wait. I, on the other hand, am right here...”

I pressed my hips closer.

He kissed my lips, a deep press, then our lips parted and my breaths came quicker.

He exhaled. “Tis time?”

My lips just a breath away. “A little longer...”

“Och, ye are tormenting me.” He put his mouth on my throat. “I want ye, I hae been waiting for so long.”

“So long?”

“Aye, Alexandria, I hae been waitin’ for centuries.”

I pressed against him and teased, my arms wrapped around his head, “We have all the time in the world, husband. You are a time traveler. You have to learn to pace yourself.”

He raised his brow and his head and looked down on me. “Och, ye want me tae pace m’self? But ye are a temptress, enticin’ me in our bed! Yer gardens are just there, within reach!”

I wrapped my legs around him.

He chuckled. “And ye are verra keen on having me, ye are the one tae need pacing.”

“How can you tell?”

“The way ye are pressin’ against me.”

I pressed again.

Then he pulled away laughing. “But... ye are enjoying the torment. I winna beg.”

“You won’t beg? That is a terrible thing to say.”

“Nae, ye are right, wife. I will pace m’self, and I winna beg. Ye are tired from my stroll through yer garden. We will wait. We will talk of the weather and our breakfast in the morn.”

He rolled onto his back and fluffed the pillow under his head. “I will watch the trees through the window and tell ye that I love ye and wish ye a good night’s sleep.”

I laughed. “Oh God, Torin, it’s our wedding night, you can’t go to sleep, it’s cruel! Are you going to make me beg?”

He pretended to sleep. “Ye might hae tae, I am pacin’ myself.”

I playfully huffed.

He opened one eye, a bit of a smile on his lip.

Then I said, “Please, husband, will you?—”

He growled, grabbed me, and pulled me onto him.

I laughed. “That was easy, I didn’t even finish.”

“Ye win, I just want my bonny wife tae show me the bounce of the bed once more.”