Castles

'Hot?'

She blushed. He laughed. Then he pulled her into his arms and let her hide her face against his chest. 'It's a little late to become embarrassed, isn't it? Or have you forgotten how wild you were a few minutes ago?'

She hadn't forgotten. She blushed to the roots of her hair just thinking about her wanton reaction. His chest rumbled with amusement. She didn't mind that he was laughing at her. The most wonderful thing in the world had just happened to her and she wasn't going to let anything ruin it. A warm glow still surrounded her, making her feel both blissful and sleepy.

'I wasn't very dignified, was I?'

'Do you mean you weren't dignified when you begged me not to stop?'

He rubbed her backside in a lazy fashion while he waited for her answer.

'I did do that, didn't I?'

The wonder in her voice made him smile. 'Yes,' he drawled out. 'You did.'

She sighed. 'It was nice, wasn't it?'

He laughed. 'It was a whole lot better than nice.'

Long minutes passed in silence. He broke the peaceful interlude when he let out a loud yawn.

'Colin? Did I… was I…'

She couldn't seem to finish her question. Her own vulnerability made her too timid to find out if she had been satisfactory.

He knew what she needed from him now. 'Alesandra?'

The way he whispered her name felt like a caress. 'Yes?'

'You were perfect.'

'It's good of you to say so.'

She relaxed against him and closed her eyes. The sound of his heartbeat mingled with his soft laughter soothed her. His one hand stroked her back and his other gently rubbed her neck. She was just drifting off to sleep when he called her name again.

'Hmm?'

'Would you like me to begin explaining now?'

He waited several minutes before he realized she'd fallen asleep. His fingers threaded through her hair and he shifted positions just a little so he could kiss the top of her head. 'A woman's body is like a temple,' he whispered.

He didn't expect an answer and didn't get one. He pulled the covers up, wrapped his arms around his bride, and closed his eyes.

His last thought before he drifted off to sleep made him smile. The nun really had been right when she'd told Alesandra men would want to worship. He sure as certain had.

~

He was neither mad nor out of control. He still had a conscience. He simply chose not to listen to it. Yes, he knew what he was doing was wrong. It still mattered to him, or at least it had mattered that first time. She had rejected him and had deserved to die. Rage had guided his hands, his dagger. He'd only wanted to kill her. He hadn't expected the rush, hadn't known how powerful he would feel, how invincible.

He could stop. He raised his glass and took a long drink. He would stop, he vowed.

His scarred boots were in the corner. He stared at them a long minute before making up his mind to throw them away tomorrow. There were flowers on the table… waiting… ready… taunting him.

He hurled the glass at the hearth. Glass splintered to the ground. He reached for the bottle while he chanted his promise.

He would stop.

Chapter 9

Alesandra awoke late the next morning. Colin had already left the bedroom. It was just as well because she didn't want him to see her pitiful condition. She was so stiff and sore, she groaned like an old woman when she got out of bed. And no wonder, she thought to herself when she saw the stains of blood on the sheets. No one had warned her that making love would cause her to bleed. She frowned with worry and irritation then, for it was a fact that no one had told her anything. Was it a usual occurrence to bleed? What if it wasn't usual at all? What if Colin had accidentally torn something that couldn't be repaired?

She tried not to panic and succeeded until she bathed. The tenderness and the additional blood on the washcloth frightened her, though. She was embarrassed, too. She didn't want Flannaghan to see the stains when he changed the sheets, so she stripped the bed herself.

Alesandra continued to fret while she dressed. She put on a pale blue dress and matching soft leather shoes. The gown had a white border along the square neckline and around the cuffs of the long sleeves. It was a very feminine dress and one of Alesandra's favorites. She brushed her hair until it crackled with curl, then went in search of her husband.

Their first encounter in the light of day after the intimacy they had shared the night before was going to be awkward for her and she wanted to get it over with as soon as possible. If she tried, she was certain she would be able to hide her embarrassment.

Colin was sitting at his desk in the study. The door facing the corridor was open. She stood in the entrance, debating whether she should interrupt him or not. He must have felt her gaze on him, however, because he suddenly looked up. He was still frowning with concentration over the letter he was reading, but his expression quickly changed. Tenderness came into his eyes when he smiled at her.

She thought she might have smiled back. She couldn't be certain. Dear Lord, was she ever going to become accustomed to having him around? He was such a handsome man. His shoulders seemed wider to her today, his hair appeared darker, his skin more bronzed. The white shirt he wore accentuated his appeal. It was a stark contrast to his coloring. Her gaze turned to his mouth and she was suddenly flooded with memories of how it had felt to be kissed by him… everywhere.

Alesandra hastily lowered her gaze to his chin. She wasn't about to let him know how embarrassed she was feeling. She would be dignified and sophisticated.

'Good morning, Colin.' Her voice croaked like a frog. Her face felt as though it was on fire. Retreat seemed the only choice. She would try to face him later, when she was more in control. 'I can see you're busy,' she told him in a rush as she backed away. 'I'll go on downstairs.'

She turned and started to walk away. 'Alesandra.'

'Yes?'

'Come here.'

She walked back to the entrance. Colin leaned back in his chair and crooked his finger at her. She straightened her shoulders, forced a smile, and walked inside. She stopped when she reached his desk. That wasn't good enough for him. He motioned her over to his side. She maintained her nonchalant attitude as she circled the desk. Colin was never going to know how awkward she was feeling.

He looked at her for a long minute. 'Are you going to tell me what's the matter with you?'

Her shoulders slumped a little. 'You're a difficult man to fool,' she remarked.

He frowned. 'Since you're never going to try to fool me, that fact isn't significant, is it?'

'No.'

He waited another minute or two, and when she didn't explain, he asked her again. 'Tell me what's bothering you.'

She turned her gaze to the floor. 'This is… awkward for me, seeing you after…'

'After what?'

'Last night.'

A faint blush turned her cheeks pink. Colin found her reaction delightful-arousing, too. He pulled her onto his lap, then nudged her chin up and smiled at her. 'And?' he prodded.

'In the light of day, the memory of what we did together makes me feel a little embarrassed.'