He moaned, deep and guttural. The sound heated her blood. She turned her head and opened her mouth to him. He drove himself into her but stopped just before she would gag.
He pushed her down gently and pulled down her underwear. She watched him, eager for him, while he pulled out of his breeches.
Poised above her, she nearly wept looking at him. He spread her with his knees and pushed against her wet opening. When she resisted slightly, he slipped his hand under her and cupped her bottom. He heaved himself up on his knees, taking her with him. He moved her under him, and she held on, unable to do much else as he eased his way into her and they rode his deluge together.
Much to her surprise and delight, he only required five minutes to recuperate before he was ready again. This time, she took control and made him sit up against the slick rocks. He held on with his arms over the ledge behind him and waited for her.
Did she just purr? She couldn’t wait to straddle him. Coy was not in her twenty-first century vocabulary. She flung her leg over him and let him impale her.
He cried out and lifted his hips, taking her deeper, almost tossing her off. But she wouldn’t let go. She felt small in his arms and lifted herself off him then back down until he had her gyrating like a flame atop him, her cries echoing through the cavern.
They rested but not for long as the water, without the sun on it, was cold and they soon began to shiver.
She let him clean her, rubbing her and licking her swollen lips.
“We need to find a priest,” he ground out. “I want you in my bed tonight.”
Kes wanted to be there as well. She loved being at Walter’s, but she was ready to go back to Scarborough. Two hours ago, she wanted time for both of them to think about what they were doing. Now, they’d done it and she thought about it enough. She wanted to be with Nicholas.
When they were done dressing, she put her arms around his neck and looked into his eyes. “I never thought I’d find anybody like you. I’d become caustic when it came to men and cynical of love. Everything is so complicated in that century. But not you. Oh, I’m sure even here, you’re still a rare kind of man. How I mean anything to you at all, I don’t know.”
“No?” he asked, tightening his arms around her waist. “You do not think yourself interesting and humorous, beautiful and ravishing?”
She laughed, dipping her breath to his shoulder. “No, I don’t.”
“You are. And surely you know how your words, your stories captivate me.” He lifted his arm and held his hand as if he were holding his phone. He took a picture. She struck a pose with her head against his chest, thrilled and happy in his arms.
“I love the flare of your temper and the glint of fire it sparks in your eyes. But most of all, my beloved Kestrel, I love your humility. ’Tis very pleasing to my eyes to see the goodness of your heart, and to my ears to hear of it. Everyone at the castle has noticed it. You are well loved there already. The servants ask for you continually.” He laughed shortly. “Even if I wanted to forget you, I could not.”
“I love them all, too. Come on.” She let go of him and took his hand. “Let’s ride back and give them the good news. Of our eng…betrothal.”
He agreed and followed her into the water. They swam out of the cave and through the falls. Kes lost her breath from the heavy rush of water spilling over the side of the cliff. Nicholas was there, still holding her hand. After making sure she was unharmed, he splashed water in her face and swam off. They laughed, playing and basking in the warmth of the sun.
They returned to the food and found it being enjoyed by some forest critters. Kes squealed with delight at the chance to feed some deer and groundhogs—or gophers. She couldn’t tell. She didn’t care.
“Hello!” she said softly and held out her hand to one of the deer. “Do you want this apple?” She sat still and asked Nicholas to do the same. “Come now, baby, don’t be afraid.” She spoke softly and waited patiently for the skittish deer to come closer.
“Toss a piece of black bread to those squirrels, will you, Nicky?”
She didn’t think about what she called him, but rather if the scurrying little gophers had gotten enough.
When the food was gone, along with the animals, Nicholas set her atop him on his horse and headed for home.
“This has been a perfect day!” she breathed, leaning against him. “I wish I had my journal.”
“Journal?”
Her face contorted as if she were in pain. “Oh my gosh, there are no journals here. It’s a notebook. Bound pages of blank paper that I write in.”
“A note book. A book of notes!” he exclaimed as if he’d just figured out the secret to happiness.
“Yes,” she told him with a small smile.
“We can have a bound book of papers made for you, Kestrel,” he promised. “Do not be troubled by this.”
“Thank you, Nicholas.” She hugged his arms around her. “You are making this all so easy.”
“Aye,” he muttered softly, looking up at the long wall and his castle at the top of it. “I have decided not to return to Nottingham to fight, but to wait and join the army at Bosworth Field.”
The Battle of Bosworth Field. It was coming. What would happen to Nicholas? Would he fight against Tudor’s men?
“I’m thankful that you’re not leaving right away for battle, but I still wish you would think on this.”
“I will,”
