Chapter 7 #3
“Thank you, my lord,” said Jonathon, hurrying off the dais, not able to wait to get out of there.
As he left the great hall, he could not only hear everyone talking about him, but he could feel their eyes burning into his back as well.
He wanted to run from the room, just like Raven had, but he wouldn’t.
Instead, he held his head high and left the great hall with the poise and grace of a noble, even if he was naught but a common man.
Jonathon headed across the courtyard, making a beeline for the blacksmith’s shop, pulling off the surcoat with the Blake crest on it as he walked.
He entered the smithy, thinking he heard someone sniffle from within.
His bet would be on Gerold, if he hadn’t just seen the boy sitting next to his brother in the great hall, so it couldn’t be him.
Slowly, he entered the room, having just enough light from outside to see a candle and flint on a table.
He put down the surcoat and lit the candle with his back to the rest of the room, slowly closing the door.
Then, without bothering to turn around, he spoke.
“I know you’re here, so you might as well show yourself.” When he turned around, Raven walked out from behind a cupboard, but said nothing to him.
“Why are you here and what are you doing?” he asked in a low voice, using the candle to light the logs on the hearth. After getting the fire going, he got up and turned to see Raven sitting quietly at the small table.
“I’m only here because I need something from you and I’m running out of time,” she said, staring off into nothingness instead of even looking at him at all.
“Really.” He found that interesting yet confusing at the same time.
He approached her, pulling off the gloves he wore, holding them in one hand.
“Now, what could a woman like you possibly need from a man like me?” He took a step closer, his legs brushing against her knees.
When she didn’t answer, he reached out and tilted her chin upward until she was looking directly at him.
Something told him that what she really needed was a kiss.
That must be it, he decided. This woman was complicated, but why else would she be here in secret, waiting for him to return?
Throwing caution aside, Jonathon leaned in to her for a kiss, but it never happened.
Instead, Raven pushed him hard, sending him falling back, hitting the cupboard.
The gloves he’d been holding fell to the ground.
“Stop it!” she warned him.
“Stop it? I don’t understand.” He slowly righted himself. “One minute you act as if you like me and the next as if you hate my guts. I don’t like this addled game at all.”
“Is that what you think?” she asked, slowly standing and walking over to him. “You thought I wanted you to kiss me, didn’t you?”
“Why the hell else would you come here in secret and wait in the dark if you didn’t?” He bent down to pick up his gloves, but she did so at the same time, taking one while he picked up the other.
“What are you doing?” he asked, knowing it wasn’t proper for a noble to pick up something for a commoner.
Hunkered down, they faced each other. The firelight from the hearth splashed across her face, making her eyes seem to glow.
Her raven-colored hair glistened in tones of blue-black, looking soft and silky.
The woman’s skin was smooth, and she smelled intoxicating.
Like roses, if he wasn’t mistaken. God’s eyes, the wench was beautiful.
Why was she playing these games with him?
Was she purposely trying to make him go crazy?
“I’m picking up the gauntlet,” she said, standing, slapping the leather glove against her palm.
“Huh?” He stood as well, still holding the matching glove.
“When I am faced with a challenge, I embrace it.”
“I don’t understand what you mean.”
“You’re an armorer, aren’t you?”
“You know I am.” He started to wonder if the girl was addled.
“Then I want you to make me a set of armor.”
“I see.” He nodded, thinking she really meant it. “For whom shall I make this armor?” he asked, bewildered why she would be asking him, instead of the man who needed it.
“It’s for me, you fool. I want armor that is lightweight and proportioned appropriately for a lady.”
“For you?” He made a face and chuckled. “Nay,” he said, shaking his head. “Women don’t wear armor.”
“But they could if they wanted to, couldn’t they?” She seemed flustered, and sounded like she wasn’t going to give up this crazy idea. She really wanted this armor for herself. God’s eyes, the woman was an anomaly. He’d never met any female in his life who thought the way she did.
“I-I suppose a woman could wear armor. That is, if she had some to fit her.”
“Good. That’s what I thought.”
“However, I have no idea how to do it, so I have to object to your request.”
“I see.” She paced back and forth, still slapping the glove against her palm. The sound of it hitting her skin oddly made his loins tighten. “It’s not a request, it’s an order.”
“I’m sorry, my lady, but I have to object. It’s not proper for a lady to wear armor. Besides, your father and brother would kill me if I did what you ask.”
“Nay, that’s not true,” she said, looking sly all of a sudden. “They won’t know about it, so there is no harm in it.”
“I won’t lie to them, if that’s what you’re asking me to do.”
“You’ll do what’s best for both of us, and I’ll hear nothing more about it.”
“What in the world does that mean?”
“I mean, if you don’t make the armor for me, then I will—I will tell them that you cornered me here in the forge and kissed me.”
“That’s ridiculous. I never kissed–” His words were cut off as Raven reached out and pulled him to her by the shoulders, forcing her lips up against his in one hell of a kiss.
That took him by surprise, and left him speechless.
All he could think about was that her lush lips tasted like honeyed mead, and he wanted a second helping.
His arms encircled her waist and he pulled her closer, never breaking their connection.
He hungrily kissed her back, letting his tongue slip into her mouth, getting carried away and feeling as if he were enchanted. Bid the devil, he was excited!
She didn’t push him away at all. Instead, her head fell back and she moaned aloud, sounding ever so sexy.
When he broke the kiss, he noticed her eyes were closed and she looked like she was in ecstasy.
Her long, smooth neck was so enticing, that he needed to touch her.
Running his fingers down her neck, his hand stopped at the neckline of her bodice.
Not able to stop himself, he brought his mouth to the small hollow at the base of her neck, kissing her gently.
She moaned again and pressed up against him.
His mind went crazy with want. His groin tightened with an erection.
Damn, he wanted this siren of a woman, and it was taking all his control not to throw her down on the table and push up her skirts and thrust into her right now.
The door to the forge opened, bringing Jonathon back to his senses. He released her so fast that she lost her balance and ended up falling and sitting on the floor.
“Brother?” asked Avery, walking in with a plate of food in his hand. “Did I interrupt something?” His eyes shot down to Raven.
“Nay, not at all,” said Jonathon, reaching out and pulling Raven to her feet. She didn’t look at all happy. However, her cheeks looked rosy and her lips swollen. Her chest moved in and out with each deep breath she took. Damn, it wasn’t helping matters any. He quickly looked the other way.
“Your brother just kissed me and started to fondle me too,” said Raven. “Thank goodness you walked in when you did, or who knows what he would have tried next.”
“What?” Jonathon’s head snapped around and his mouth fell open. It was a bold-faced lie since she was the one who kissed him, and he hadn’t fondled her at all. It was a simple grazing of his fingers down her neck and a couple of harmless kisses. What the hell was she doing?
“Y-you did that, Jonathon?” Avery looked over to Jonathon and his mouth hung open in surprise.
“That’s not what happened. I mean, not exactly.” He adjusted his tunic, hoping no one noticed the bulge beneath his trews. When he looked back at Raven, she had a smirk on her face. Then she reached out, handing him the glove.
“I’ll expect that little project finished before the tournament begins,” she said, turning and walking to the door. It was now clear what was going on. She used her wily ways to make sure he couldn’t deny her stupid request. There was no way of getting out of this now.
“Wait. Don’t do this to me,” said Jonathon, causing her to stop in the doorway and look back over her shoulder.
“You will always address me as ‘my lady’ or Lady Raven when speaking to me,” she corrected him.
“Don’t make that mistake again. Remember, I am a titled woman.
Now, if you don’t do what I want, I’ll tell my brother and father you cornered me and kissed me.
” She looked over at Avery next. “I have a witness to strengthen my claim.”
“Don’t try to blackmail me, because it won’t work,” snapped Jonathon, losing his patience with the wench and becoming madder than hell. “My lady,” he added as an afterthought. “Avery didn’t see anything, so dragging him into this isn’t going to help matters any.”
“That’s right. I didn’t see a thing,” said Avery nervously, still holding his plate of food that he’d brought with him from the meal.
“Besides, we both know your father and Rook like me and will think you are lying.” Jonathon kept trying to change her mind.
“Mayhap you’re right,” she said with a shrug. “But even if you and your brother stay quiet, it doesn’t matter. I have a witness that will prove my claim and won’t be able to keep quiet about what just happened here.”
“What does she mean?” asked Avery.
“Nothing,” said Jonathon. “Her threats have nothing to back them up, don’t worry.”
“Oh, I would worry if I were you.” She reached out the open door and yanked Gerold into the room. The little boy looked up with frightened eyes. “What did you see, Gerold?” asked Raven. “Don’t lie to me or I swear you’ll be punished severely.”
“Nay,” shouted Jonathon, not wanting the boy to agree to having seen something, and not wanting Raven to use a child in this manner. It just wasn’t right.
“I-I saw you kissing Jonathon,” said the little boy, causing Raven to smile.
“You mean, you saw Jonathon kissing me, don’t you?” she corrected him. She let go and crossed her arms over her chest as she waited for Gerold’s answer.
“Aye, that’s what I mean, my lady.” The little boys eyes were wide as he looked over to Jonathon and then back to Raven. “He kissed you. I saw it.”
“Well?” said Raven, glaring at Jonathon. “What do you have to say now?”
Jonathon knew he had no choice. He’d been lured into the vixen’s trap and taken the bait.
Now he would have no choice but to do her bidding.
He couldn’t risk it when the child was involved.
Gerold was frightened of Raven, there was no doubt about it.
Most of the castle’s occupants were scared of the wench.
If Raven forced the boy to confess to her father and brother that he saw them kissing, Jonathon could lose his head over this.
Commoners weren’t allowed to kiss nobles and get away with it.
He was hired to guard the girl, and with her silly story, it was going to ruin everything for him, since Corbett and Rook trusted him.
He didn’t want them to think he betrayed them, because none of this was really his fault.
“I’ll get started on the armor right away, my lady,” said Jonathon, throwing down both gloves on the table. He was always up for a challenge, but didn’t like being blackmailed or having a woman throwing down the gauntlet at his feet.
At least, not when there were conditions added.