He laughed. “Come with me to Therese’s tonight.”
“It is enough that I am not within the walls of the workroom now!” I answered. “I only hope Duir is distracted and finds me not absent.” The elation I’d felt when we left the castle thrilled my heart, now on the streets I found myself wanting to retreat behind the familiar safety of caution.
Seton seemed disappointed in my denial of his request. He moved away, so I moved closer. Our bodies touched. He tried to move away once more, but this time I grabbed his arm. “Don’t begrudge me this trepidation. You are so free and I have only just found the key to my cage. I beg your patience now.” My words were so full of longing I felt my face flush with the naked want they expressed. “I will work into the witching hours this eve and all day and night tomorrow if I am to have Duir’s vest ready in time for his coronation, but know with each stitch, my fingers will be wishing it were you they touched.”
“Come this night,” he insisted.
I shook my head, sadly.
“I am unable to do what I so long to, and if you ask me once more, I will be unable to deny you. I beg you to say no more and join me here for a pint.”
Seton brazenly took my hand, and as I tried to pull away, I felt his grip tighten. “I will say no more and welcome any time we can be together. I will not stop wanting you. I will await your relent and savor the moment when you can no longer deny yourself.” He dropped my hand and walked past me towards the alehouse a few yards from where we stood.
Alone, the velvet by my side, I felt trapped between my talent and the needs of my heart and body.
Have mercy, I pleaded silently. The twilight dark sky stared down at me and under its mysterious shade I prayed for my plea to be heard. Have mercy on my soul.
* * * *
We left the alehouse later than I expected, but I stayed my hand from the ale with steel reserve, in anticipation of a night’s work.
Seton stumbled drunkenly out onto the quiet streets. He had not taken the same course as I.
“I am a musician in the court of an animal!” he shouted crazily.
I rushed a hand to his mouth. “You are mad shouting such things. Be glad the streets are empty or you would be hung for treason with such talk.” Thankfully, a stray dog set up a howl, and Seton’s words were eclipsed.
“No, listen,” he continued, lowering his voice dramatically. “Listen, we are both in the hands of a mad animal. True, we are all animals, but he, this king, he is a special kind of beast.” He pitched forward but I grabbed him to stop him from falling. “I have come so far to end up in such a court, but what am I to do?”
“You could leave. But don’t leave. But do let us hasten our pace.” We were less than a mile from my home.
“How could I leave now? I must see my role through and win your heart!” He broke free from me, and gathered his lute as if to play. “I am happy to make music and be paid to do what I love most.”
I rushed upon him and stayed his hands. “You mustn’t play now. Come, my home is here.”
Seton abandoned his lute and fell against me. I savored the weight of his body pressed to mine. When we came to my door, we rested. The moon, bright and silver, cast its light across the trees in the yard, making lacy shadows creep along the house. The alluring smell of honeysuckle made the darkness sultry. I could make out the line of Seton’s face, the rough edges of his chin and the curve of his shoulders. How I longed to stand and stare at him eternally.
“I must go.”
Seton chuckled. “I am a free man and must go where my heart lies.” He reached a hand to my chest and attempted to trace a heart symbol there.
I backed away. “You can sleep here if you wish, but in the shop on the couch, I cannot risk—” Before I could say more, Seton grabbed me and pressed his lips hungrily to mine. I wanted to resist, but with each thought of doing so found myself deeper in his kiss.
If I was uncertain in his embrace, my lips and mouth were secure in their need, for I kissed him and parted his lips with my tongue. His tongue responded and returned the wet lashings mine delivered.
If this is wrong, I will die for it! This declaration came not from my mind, but from my heart. This is not wrong, it cannot be! My heart pumped this message through my veins and in its hot, noisy rush, I drowned. Fear disappeared into silence, and the warnings hushed. This kiss, this moonlight and the smell of this man close to me, these were all I knew.
“You’re mad,” I murmured as our lips parted. I longed for him to touch me. There wasn’t enough time to think of everything I wanted.
“I want you,” he whispered into my ear, “without clothes.” He reached and grabbed my swollen cock. Seton slid his tongue across my ear, his words followed wet and insistent. “Without fear.”
This taboo invitation of sex mixed with overwhelming male need saturated any sensible reactions left within my being. In a second, I would relent.
Seton’s hands grew more fervent, his fingers searched for the laces holding the leather together. “Virago, let me have you, let me satisfy your needs.”
I felt the laces of my breeches loosen and groaned at the release. I had never felt a man’s hand on my cock before and shuddered as his hands sought my naked flesh. I would let him seduce me. I would know true
