“I am in no position to pass judgement. And I must admit that having a bride who knows what will happen but has never experienced the joys of coupling excites me. We can try anything you’ve seen and wondered about, or we can make up our own way to pleasure one another.”
“I never considered I would admit such things to anyone else. I’ve never even confessed them.”
“You don’t need to share those things with anyone. Not even me, if you don’t want to.”
“I do want to. Only with you.”
They looked at each other for a long moment before they beamed at one another.
“I can’t bind our hands, but you can place my plaid over them,” Edward suggested.
Edward regretted not being able to offer Elizabeth one of the most revered parts of the handfasting tradition. If they waited until they arrived at the inn, it might be too late. Without a ribbon or chord to wrap around their wrists, Elizabeth nodded and pulled the corner of Edward’s plaid to cover the hand he laid upon her lap.
Elizabeth looked into Edward’s eyes and saw tenderness that took away the chill, if only for a moment. Edward inhaled before squeezing her hand and beginning his vows.
“I vow to give you the first cut of my meat, the first sip of my wine, from this day it shall only your name I cry out in the night and into your eyes that I smile each morning; I shall be a shield for you back as you are for mine, nor shall a grievous word be spoken about us, for our marriage is sacred between us and no stranger shall hear my grievance. Above and beyond this, I will cherish and honor you through this life and into the next. I plight thee my troth.”
Edward swore a vow of fealty to Robert when he was a young man. Until that moment, it was the most sacred pledge he had ever made. As he gazed into Elizabeth’s eyes, he understood the significance of his commitment to his bride. He would place her before all others and above all things.
Elizabeth’s heart felt like it tripled in size as she listened to the reverence in Edward’s voice. She prayed her voice would convey the depth of her emotions. She entwined their fingers as best she could before placing her other hand over his heart.
“You cannot possess me for I belong to myself, but while we both wish it, I give you that which is mine to give. You cannot command me, for I am a free person. But I shall serve you in those ways you require, and the honeycomb will taste sweeter coming from my hand. I plight thee my troth.”
Together, the intoned the last verse of their vows.
“Ye are Blood of my Blood, and Bone of my Bone. I give ye my Body, that we Two might be One. I give ye my Spirit, 'til our Life shall be Done.”
Neither moved as they gazed at one another, absorbing the devotion that passed between them. When the moment passed, Elizabeth raised her chin as Edward slipped his hand from hers and cupped her jaw. He leaned in and brushed his lips against hers before she parted them. Their lips fused together in a kiss unlike any they had shared before. It was an achingly tender exchange that expressed the love they had just professed.
Chapter 8
They arrived at a small inn as the sun began to set. Edward helped her dismount and a stable boy took their mounts. Edward led her inside and tucked her arm through his. He scanned the room’s occupants and was mildly reassured that it was not full. The weather was not fit for man nor beast. There were a couple of drunken men in one corner, but they had not noticed Elizabeth yet. They approached the bar, and Edward arranged for a chamber.
“Please have someone bring the food up along with a tub and as much hot water as you can manage. My wife was traveling in our carriage when it overturned. It’s by the grace of God that she survived, but she was badly jostled. I would have her soak in a tub.”
“Aye, ma laird.”
Edward and Elizabeth followed the innkeeper up the stairs to the last room on the left. The man opened the door, and the couple was greeted by a surprisingly well-appointed room. The bed was large enough to accommodate them, and a fire already burned in the grate. It was clean, and the linens looked fresh.
“The bath and meal will be up shortly,” the man said as he backed out of the chamber.
Edward came to stand behind Elizabeth and placed his hands on her shoulders. She reached up and drew them around her waist. He intended to give her time to get accustomed to the idea of them sharing a chamber. He had seen her eying the bed.
“Will you help me undress, Eddie?” her hushed tones were almost too soft for him to be sure, but when she looked over her shoulder, he was certain he had not misheard.
Edward was once again surprised by his young bride’s fearlessness. He also recognized her practicality. She had so many layers on that it was hard for her to reach.
“Gladly, wife.”
Her smile dazzled him, and he almost forgot what he was supposed to do. He gave her a peck, but she caught him and wrapped her hand around his neck to hold him for a longer kiss.
“If they don’t hurry with that water, they will be kept waiting in the passageway.” She murmured as Edward straightened.
He helped her take off every layer until they reached her chemise. He peeled the last pair of leggings from her as he kneeled before the chair in which she now sat. He ran his hand along the inside of her thighs as his rod twitched when she squirmed. She tried to move her sheath closer to his hand, and he obliged her by swiping his thumb along her seam. As he ran his fingers over her heated skin and slid between her folds, he pushed her chemise up to her hips. Elizabeth’s knees fell wide, and Edward received his first view of his wife’s treasure. He nipped his way along the inside of her thigh until he reached her juncture. He swiped his tongue along her sheath then kissed a trail back down the other thigh. Elizabeth’s hips jerked as his tongue made contact with her sensitive skin. He tested her with one finger, and her hot channel drew him in as her muscles clenched.
“More. I can take more.”
Edward stretched to kiss her lips as he slipped two more fingers in. She was unbelievably tight. He fisted his cock through his breeks and rubbed as his fingers worked in time. He leaned forward and flicked her bud with his tongue before sucking it into his mouth. He grazed his teeth along it as Elizabeth moaned and gripped the arms of the chair. She pressed her heels into the floor and lifted her hips in offering. Edward sunk his fingers into her hips and pulled her toward him. His tongue lapped at her as his fingers sped up.
“Eddie, I’m close. Oh, Lord. It’s never been like this before. Oh, I’m so close. Please don’t stop.”
Edward had no intention of stopping until she screamed his name and he tasted her release. Neither had long to wait.
“Edward!”
Elizabeth’s cry was one of pleasure and capitulation. Edward sank back onto his haunches, and Elizabeth slid from the chair to straddle his knees. She pulled at the waistband of his breeches.
“Now,” she growled. Edward tried to stay her hands, but she slapped them away. She unlaced his breeches and pulled the flap wide as his cock sprung free. She gasped when she saw its length and thickness. It surpassed anything she ever spied. She licked her lips as a knock came at the door.
“Five minutes,” she bellowed, and Edward chuckled.
Elizabeth examined his cock, and Edward wondered if something was wrong.
“Beth?”
“I’m trying to decide if I want to suck it first or ride it.”
Edward spluttered.
“What have I unleashed?”
Edward lifted her hips and lined her sheath up with his sword but paused until she nodded. She sank down onto him as he surged up. Her nails dug into his shoulders as she whimpered.
“Beth, I’m sorry. It will stop hurting in just a moment. I promise this is the only time it will hurt.”
“Be quiet. I’m fine.”
She held his jaw as she swooped in for a kiss. She began to rock her hips, and Edward cupped her bottom as he guided her. She picked up a rhythm they both wanted.
“Beth, I’m close, but I’m not coming without you.”
Elizabeth offered him her breast, and he latched on as he pinched the other nipple. She shattered around him, yelling his name once again.
Edward followed her over the cliff.
A knock came at the door once again, and this time the couple gave in because if they turned away the servants they would go without a meal and their bath. Elizabeth stood on shaky legs as she made her way to stand behind the screen, and Edward pulled his breeches back into place. He let the servants in, but paid no attention when the three young women tried to flirt with him. He went to stand by the screen to talk quietly to Elizabeth.
“Are you all right? That wasn’t how I pictured making love to you for the first time,” he whispered.
“I’m fine. More than fine actually. That was indescribable.”
“I agree. I had no idea how--” Edward snapped his mouth shut, but Elizabeth’s direct look prompted him to finish. “I had no idea how different it would be with someone I care about. Someone I love. It was unlike anything I’ve ever done before.”
Once more, Elizabeth’s beaming smile nearly blinded him. Edward did not care that the servants were still filling the tub. He stepped behind the screen and pulled Elizabeth into his arms. She rested her head against his chest, and he kissed the top of her head.
“You’re my wife now, to have and to hold forever more. Beth, I love you.”
“You’re my husband now, to love and honor forever more.”
Edward smiled as he nipped at her nose.
“I’m the Highlander. I thought I was the one who staked my pledge on honor.”
“I can think of something you staked.”
“Shh. Lass, you’re horrible. I never would have imagined you had such a randy sense of humor,” Edward laughed. “I rather like it.”
“I had no idea I did either. I never had anyone to share it with before.”
“Not even Deirdre?”
“No, not even her. She might have a similar mind, but we never dared talk about it. Being separated from Magnus was a tender topic for her, so I tried not to bring up a discussion of men. And what women do to them, or I suppose with them.” She winked at him.
She received a pinch to her backside as he plucked the ribbons at her shoulders, and her chemise pooled around her ankles. It was the first time Edward saw his bride completely bare. His cock surged back to life once again. He seemed to be in a permanent state of semi-arousal that flared to life whenever she was near. As he looked at her broad hips and rounded backside that he enjoyed grasping, he unfastened his breeches and let his cock spring free. He sighed as the pain of having it trapped within his breeches eased. He stroked himself as he watched her look at his cock again. She made a soft mewling sound as she pushed her breasts together and kneaded them. She stepped forward and tugged on his tunic, trying to lift it over his head, but she was far too short. She sank to her knees and unlaced his boots. She pushed his breeches to the ground as he shucked off his shoes. Slowly, she reached out to take Edward’s rod into her hand. Her tongue darted out and lapped up the shiny liquid that dripped from his tip. She savored it a moment before running her tongue the length of his cock. She whirled her tongue around the tip before sliding her mouth onto him. She took as much as she could and forced herself to relax when she worried she might gag. She had seen women do this before when she spied on other couples. She recognized the motions, but she never imagined the sensations. When her initial panic subsided, and she settled into a rhythm with her mouth and hand, she found she enjoyed it. Edward scooped her hair away from her face and listened to his own groans, but she kept her eyes closed as she concentrated.
“Beth, stop.” Edward pressed on her shoulder, but she batted him away and sucked harder.
“Dear Christ on the cross. Beth, I’m not coming in your mouth. Let go, or you will get that spanking you so richly deserve and so badly want.”
Elizabeth was not deterred and picked up her pace until Edward lifted her under the arms and she was off the ground. He pulled her legs around his waist and impaled her. His hand came down with a hard swat to her bottom. She moaned as she pressed against him and took him deeper. He repeated the spanking as he alternated sides. He walked them toward the wall and braced her back against it.
“You asked for it, little one.” Edward drove into her over and over as her moans grew louder. Neither was aware of whether the servants were still there or had left. The more Elizabeth moaned, the more aroused Edward grew until he realized he must be hurting her. He slowed his pace only to have her yank his hair in protest.
“Why are you stopping? What did I do wrong?”
“I’m not stopping, and you did nothing wrong. I’m moving us.”
Edward held her nestled against his chest as though she were something precious and fragile. He only believed the former, not the latter. He peered around the screen and found they were the only occupants in the chamber. He walked to the tub and stepped in while Elizabeth clung to him. Water sloshed over the sides onto the towels placed around the tub. He lowered them into the water, and the mood transformed from urgent to erotic as they soaked in the warm water. Joined, they bathed each other and washed one another’s hair. It was only when they were finished with their ablutions that they began to move again. The motions slow and drawn out as they both inched toward their peak. They shattered together as they held onto one another.
Bone weary but finally warm and well fed, the couple climbed into bed to doze, waking throughout the night to make love before falling back to sleep in one another’s arms.
Chapter 9
It was early the next morning when they set off again. This time Elizabeth rode her own mount. Edward bought a saddle from the innkeeper after he helped Elizabeth dress in her many layers. She worried about how he would stay warm with so few clothes, and he attempted to soothe her worries by reminding her that he suffered far worse on more battlefields than he could count. When she looked ready to burst into tears, he realized telling his brand-new bride how many times he nearly died was not the best way to calm her fears.
Once they were underway, both agreed it was much easier on the horses and safer for them both with separate mounts. The weather held and no new snow fell, but it was already deep which made the journey arduous on man and beast.
They rode for most of the morning, but the blowing snow and wind made the horses stumble often. Ice formed around the horses’ noses, and Edward kept watch over Elizabeth to make sure she was awake. He feared she would give in to sleep like she wanted to the day before. They made little progress, and by midday, Edward accepted it was too dangerous to continue on. He needed to find them shelter as the temperature kept falling. It was nearly impossible to make out anything more than an arm’s length in front of them, but Edward took the reins to Elizabeth’s horse and kept them moving. Elizabeth knew better than to argue, even if she was as good a rider as, if not better than, Edward. She understood he wanted to keep the horses from drifting apart.
Edward shielded his eyes when he thought he saw a dark mass off to the left. It was unclear what it was, but it looked more like a building than a hill or trees.
“Elizabeth, over there,” he called over the howling wind. He nudged his horse off the road into even thicker snow. He dismounted, but insisted Elizabeth remain on her horse. He led the two animals through the snow drifts until they approached what looked like a deserted cottage.
“Don’t get off your horse yet. If I call to you, be prepared to ride. If I tell you to go, don’t look back.”
“I’m not leaving you.”
“Yes, you will. Beth, I can’t be sure what may be inside. I can’t protect you if you insist on disobeying me. I’ll send you away if it’s the only way to keep you safe.” Elizabeth opened her mouth but snapped it shut when Edward continued. “I won’t be gainsaid on this. Your safety is far too important to me to give in to you.”
Elizabeth nodded as she pulled her cloak and hood around her. Even with the extra layers of clothes, the
wind bit through and chilled her to the bone.
Edward drew his sword and moved toward the cottage. He circled it twice before testing the door. It opened with a shove, but he was able to get inside. There was no one there, and he did not see any animals that posed a threat. Edward did not see any snow or wetness accumulating anywhere inside, so he was reassured the roof was in good condition. There was wood stacked near the fireplace, but little else was there. One table and a stool stood in the middle of the room, and a straw tick mattress lay in the corner, but it had seen far better days. Once he poked around to make sure no critters would dart out, he went back for Elizabeth. He lifted her from the saddle and carried her into the tiny dwelling. Once on her feet, she busied herself making a fire while Edward found a bucket and collected snow. He unsaddled the horses and brought them inside. There was no place else for them, and they would not risk the animals freezing to death. It did not take Elizabeth long to get the fire roaring, and the chill began to ease from the room.
“This is not quite the honeymoon I would have liked to offer you.” Edward pulled Elizabeth into his arms as he found a small uncovered patch of skin by her temple to kiss.
“I’m with you, and we’re safe. I don’t need anything else.”
“You are an unusual woman for one who has spent so many years at court. I’m not acquainted with another lady-in-waiting, or any courtier, who would be so accepting of this lot.”
“Would it do me any good to turn my nose up at a shelter that may be what keeps us alive? Would it do me any good to curse and rail at you for something you cannot control? Would it do me any good to be ungrateful to the man who risks his life to find me and then professes his love to me? I don’t think it would.” Elizabeth tilted her head back and looked into his eyes. “I’m not thrilled about the weather or the reason for us being stuck here, but I won’t deny I like having this time with you. No one is here to stop us. I don’t have to watch Lady MacAdam or any other score of women fawn over you, and I don’t have to hold my breath waiting for my father to yank me away from you.”
Once Upon a Christmas Wedding Page 232