Chapter 10 #2
Now his own irritation was getting the better of him, he thought in disgust. In this position, his lips were close to her ear, and he deemed it only proper to murmur an apology for his overzealous action, though just as he did, he could have sworn he caught a glimpse of her smile.
But when he looked more closely, she seemed composed, merely nodding in acceptance of his contrition. If anything, at that moment he thought she looked serious and ready to get to work.
Taking care not to breathe in too deeply, for fear of being captivated anew by her delicious scent, Damien stared straight ahead and set his jaw. “Do you remember what you must needs do first, lady, should anyone come upon you like this?” he asked gruffly.
“I believe so,” she answered.
But she did not follow that statement with movement, and in another moment he almost growled, “Is something amiss, then, that you do not begin?”
“Nay.” She sounded cool and unperturbed, despite the fact that they were locked in a close and quite sensual embrace. He did not know how she remained so steady in the face of it, for the feeling of her pressed against him like this was sending molten fire undulating to his core.
“I am not quite ready to begin yet, for I was just thinking,” she continued.
“Once we leave for court, day after next, we will no longer be able to pursue this kind of training in public. It would be more awkward there, even, than it has been here—yet I believe we should proceed with it, as I have not mastered enough in these few days to warrant ceasing my instruction.”
As she spoke the last bit, she turned her head against his chest to look up at him, her eyes wide open and innocent. “What do you think?”
For the second time in this quarter hour, Damien choked.
Gazing down at her, his lips mere inches from her own, he took in a shallow breath, then exhaled just as gradually, not making any other kind of movement or sound.
At last, he blinked and somehow marshaled enough strength to murmur, “I think you are likely correct.”
She gave a slight nod, seemingly unaware of the chaos she was unleashing inside him, a state that only worsened when she added, “I am glad, for I have been musing a good deal about this, and I must tell you that, despite my initial reluctance, I now realize how grateful I should be for the opportunity you have provided me. And because of it, I wish to repay you in kind.”
She smiled again, sweetly, and Damien could not help but stare at her. His trepidation rose with every second, as he knew by instinct that whatever she was leading up to, with such a complete and unexpected turnabout in her demeanor, could not be good.
“What, exactly, did you have in mind?”
He spoke because she seemed to be expecting him to say something, though he groaned inwardly as soon as the words were out, well aware that it was likely the most ill-advised thing he could have asked her at that moment.
Alissende, however, seemed thrilled with the question; she smiled more brightly.
“I thought we could undertake an activity that you might find as stimulating as I have found my instruction. Though it, as well, would need to be undertaken in private, I think.”
She tipped her head as if considering, and Damien struggled to hold still. It went against every masculine instinct to do so when her words stirred the fires inside him anew, sending heated jolts along familiar paths.
“Aye, privacy would be best,” she added at last, looking up to cast him a glance of pure dalliance, “for I find it difficult to believe that you would want anyone watching us at the activity I have in mind.”
Disbelief rocked through Damien at the immediate, erotic images that sprang into his mind. She could not be contemplating what he thought she was. Nay, it couldn’t be. He was insane even to consider it…
“Actually, I suppose we need not wait until we arrive at court to begin,” she continued in that cheery voice, while the implication of her words pounded into his stunned brain like iron nails. “In fact, I do not see why we cannot start as early as tonight, in our own chamber here at Glenheim.”
Through the shock that kept rising higher and higher inside him, Damien somehow heard her say just after that, “There. Now that that’s settled, shall we commence our lesson?” He even managed to grunt out a kind of response that seemed appropriate…
A reaction he immediately regretted, when she did exactly as he had bid her do during her instruction yesterday, taking hold of the smallest finger of his right hand and yanking painfully back on it, causing him to involuntarily loosen his grip on her, while at the same time using that opening to drive her elbow directly into his midsection.
Hard.
Damien’s breath left him, for good, it seemed, just as was supposed to happen with this move, and he staggered back, bent over double and gasping in his effort to regain his wind.
Through the haze that covered his vision, he saw Alissende turn around, her startled expression quickly shifting to one of triumph.
She dug her fists into her hips, and just before he dropped to his knee, having been defeated this afternoon, he realized, in more ways than one, he heard her gentle laughter.
The sound of it washed over him, impish and merry all at once.
“It seems you were mistaken about one thing, in regards to my training, Damien,” she teased, still laughing. “I did manage to catch you unawares. However, I must admit that you were quite correct about another.”
“Oh, yes? And what was that?” he rasped after another moment spent catching his breath; in spite of his discomfort, he found himself unable to keep from smiling up at her obvious glee.
“That move does work, just as you said it would.” She grinned even wider. “Far better than I ever might have imagined.”
Evening couldn’t come soon enough.
Alissende could not remember the last time she had so looked forward to something.
She burned with a sense of purpose. Of course, that her purpose this day had been to sweetly torment Damien, exciting him to the same feelings of desperation he’d subjected her to for nearly the week prior, was likely wicked.
It was sure to earn her the penance of completing a slew of novenas and good deeds were she to admit it to her confessor.
In the meantime, she was enjoying every moment of it.
When she had suggested that she return the favor of Damien’s training instruction tonight, and in the privacy of their bedchamber, the look on his face had been beyond price.
And seeing him react to every little nuance of her movements, her breathing, even the way she ate and drank…
well, it had all gone a long way toward assuaging the feelings that had been bruised with his public sporting at her expense.
She was beginning to understand why he’d enjoyed dallying with her so much.
Aye, almost to the point that she’d considered forgiving him and letting up on her cruel torment of him. But that would have been far too easy.
“You seem in high spirits this evening, Cousin,” Michael said, calling her thoughts back to the here and now.
He was standing in the door to her bedchamber with his arms stretched around a large basket full of used vellum, some inkhorns, quills, and other writing implements, smiling in response to the outlandish grin she herself was sporting.
His eyes crinkled at the corners as he added, “Surely it cannot be at the prospect of copying letters.”
When she shrugged, he shook his head, laughing as he set down his burden.
“I am well aware that your beauty is more than matched by your wits, amie,” he chided, “and I am happy to oblige you in any way I can, but even I cannot fathom why you asked for these things. In my mind there are few prospects less stimulating than an evening spent hunched over a table, getting a crick in your neck and ink stains on your fingers.”
“Oh, I don’t know,” she murmured, picking up one of the quills he’d brought and twirling it in her fingers. “I fully expect it to prove quite stimulating tonight. Far more than ever before, in fact.”
Michael just shook his head again, chuckling and mumbling something about the whims of females. Alissende schooled her answering smile long enough to help him set up the things he’d brought. When they were done, she turned to give him a quick, fierce hug.
“Thank you, Michael,” she said, kissing his cheek and ruffling his hair. “I know how very dear these items are, and I will make good on my promise to send to the parchmenters and procure a dozen pieces of fresh vellum to replace these castoffs from the monastery.”
“I do not doubt it, Cousin. The brothers will not miss these pieces in the meantime, and the scribes will be greatly enthused to have unmarked vellum upon which to work, once it arrives.” He gave her a wink.
“In truth, they are the only others I know who become even more inspired than you do at the prospect of working at their letters.”
Laughing in response to his gentle gibe, Alissende linked her arm with his and began to walk back toward the door with him. “Ah, Michael, I am going to miss you so. Are you certain that you must remain here at Glenheim when we leave for court? Can you not come with us?”
“Nay, Cousin.” He paused in their progress to cup her cheek in his palm affectionately.
“Someone must stay to keep watch over your mother. And besides, there is naught for me there except for Hugh, and he would as like drive daggers through his eyes as be forced to acknowledge our kinship. More so now that he realizes my part in keeping you from him.”
Alissende frowned. “Aye, he was none too pleased. He may turn against you because of it, Michael. You must be prepared. Your brother has never reacted well to being thwarted, and I fear blood will have no bearing for him.”
Michael pulled back, gazing down at her in mock dismay. “What is this? Are you worried for me, Alissende?”
“I would not put anything past Hugh.”
Pausing, Michael took her shoulders in his hands before leaning forward to press a kiss to her brow. “Do not fear, amie. I will try to remain vigilant.”
She nodded, walking with him toward the door.
“Take good care of Mère while I am gone, Michael; if aught goes amiss, send word to me quickly. Odiham is but two days’ ride away, do not forget.”
“I will remember, Alissende. Godspeed to you as well.” His gaze fixed on her, and he raised his brows to accentuate his words as he added, “And tell Sir Damien that I will be praying he proves the victor in the upcoming tournament. Perhaps he may finally teach that brother of mine a lesson in humility.”
Flashing another grin, Michael waved and ducked through the door.
Alissende waved back, watching him go with a mixture of fondness and anxiety.
She had always considered Michael more a sibling than a cousin, and though she was pleased that he had found peace and contentment in the priesthood, she could not help worrying about him.
It distressed her that he had none to turn to, truly, except for other holy men, her mother, and herself.
For all of his jesting, Michael knew as well as she that his brother could not be trusted; Hugh had made no secret of the vague contempt he felt for his more sensitive and physically weaker sibling.
Alissende did not doubt for an instant that Hugh would use any means at his disposal to get what he wanted. Even Michael.
But Hugh would be dealt with soon enough, in an arena that he would not find easy to sway to his own liking with intimidation or even brute force.
Nay, the tournament results were determined by only one thing: finely honed battle skills.
If Damien’s talents in that regard were anywhere near what they had been when she had known him before—and she had cause to think if naught else that they had improved—then Hugh would be fortunate to leave the field unscathed.
And yet before that satisfying conclusion was reached, she had other satisfactions to gain…namely the one that would come to fruition tonight, when she offered Damien the surprise he had earned by tormenting her with his public seductions this week.
Alissende smiled to herself, walking over to the table upon which were arranged all the writing tools Michael had been kind enough to provide for her.
She ran her fingers along the smooth contours of the wood, thinking about what she had planned.
Aye, this evening was sure to be a pleasurable one, for if all went as she hoped, then Damien would learn his lesson as well, in a way he had never imagined he would.
She was going to make sure of it.