Page 29 of Viking in Love

He laughed. “M’lady, you have been a bother from the moment you first arrived.”

“I made a wager with my sisters that the first thing out of your mouth on your return would be a demand to know why I am still here.”

“I am saving that for later.”

“Did you win the fair maiden?”

“Nay. She preferred Geoff.”

I doubt that.

“Wulf and I were not even in competition with the blond god present.”

Will he ever let me forget that I referred to his friend in that way? “Are you very unhappy about losing the fair maiden?”

“Not at all. And Sybil is far from a maiden. She is closer to your age.”

“In other words, long in the tooth?”

“Precisely.”

She slapped him weakly on the chest for his teasing. “To my eyes, you are far more attractive than Geoff.” Oooh, did I say that out loud?

He chuckled and squeezed her closer in his arms.

“One can take only so much of a blond god afore one’s stomach starts to roil. They love themselves too much.” Mayhap I am getting the lung fever, too, if my tongue cannot control itself. Be still, tongue. Be still.

“Black-haired gods are so much better.”

“Yea, they are.” Tongue, you must needs stop. Oh, gods! I am talking to my tongue.

“You are going to hate yourself on the morrow for these revelations.”

“No doubt. I could give you lessons in wooing so you might better compete in future.” I surrender, tongue. Do your worst.

“What makes you think I am interested in wooing anyone?”

“Pfff! All men are interested in wooing, as long as it gains them what they want.”

“Bedsport?”

“I was thinking more along the lines of marriage.”

“Methinks you think too much, wench.”

And talk too much.

And then he kissed her lips ever so gently, causing her to nigh swoon, even more than she already had. The man was beguiling her, pure and simple.

Once she was rested, she was going to berate him for taking such liberty, but for now she was enjoying the tingling too much.

CHAPTER SEVEN

Can’t we all just be friends?…

For about the tenth time that day, Caedmon crept into his bedchamber at the far end of the upper corridor to check on the sleeping princess from hell. Not only was she still sleeping, for six straight uninterrupted hours, but soft snores emanated from her open mouth.

’Twas a sign of his crumbling control that he found her snores charming. Not that he would tell anyone that, least of all this feminine plague on his life.