...Guy opened the door to the cottage, tossed
the bag through the opening and then pointed
inside. "Elizabeth, do not make this harder
than need be."
Certain he would do nothing to further embarrass
her, she crossed her arms against her chest.
"No. I am going back to Hartford."
Her certainty died a quick death when he raised
his eyebrows. "So be it." He then
nodded. One of the guards wrapped his arms around
her waist from behind and lifted her from the
ground.
Shock that one of Hartford's guards would
dare lay a hand on her held her silent for half
a heartbeat. Rage instantly replaced shock.
Elizabeth kicked at the man behind her, struggling
to gain her freedom, she shouted, "Put
me down!"
He ignored her until they were directly in
front of Guy. Only then did the guard lower
her to her feet. She spun around and lifted
her arm to slap his face for such an open display
of disrespect.
But before she could make the contact, Guy
grabbed her wrist and pulled her back to face
him. "He acted on my orders. Direct your
anger at me."
Her fingers itched to do just that. But he
still held her wrist. "If any of the guard
ever touches me again, so help me God I will
gut them with their own sword."
Both guards backed a way. Guy blinked at her
warning, but he finally released her wrist and
conceded, "So noted."
Her heart pounded in her ears. She gasped
for breath. "I have never been so mistreated
in my life."
"Mistreated?" Guy tipped his head
and ran his gaze down her body, before again
meeting her stare. "You do not appear harmed.
Angry? Yes. Harmed? No."
"I--"
"Take off your shoes."
His quietly issued order chased away what
she'd been about to say. "I beg your pardon?"
"Your shoes, take them off."
She looked around. "We're in the middle
of the woods, why would I take off my shoes?"
A smile sent surely from the devil himself
lifted Guy's lips and shimmered in his eyes.
"See how quick you catch on? Without your
shoes you won't be able to leave these woods
will you?"
She'd be neatly trapped if she did anything
so foolish. "I will do no such thing."
He shrugged before catching her unaware and
pulled her up over his shoulder, knocking the
wind from her. "I will do it for you then."
Deftly removing her shoes, he tossed them to
the guards. "You are dismissed."
She had no time to catch her breath to issue
a cursed protest before he marched into the
cottage and kicked the door shut behind them.
"Guy, don't do this."
"I haven't even begun." He dumped
her onto the bed. She landed on her back and
when she moved to rise, he towered over her.
"Do not."
Something in his voice held her still. She
swallowed her anger and closed her eyes against
the deep, deadly tone.
Dear Lord, what had she done to provoke this
attack from him? A whisper from the depth of
her soul supplied the answer. She'd committed
adultery and then lied to him. How could she
have expected anything from him besides anger
and disgust?
"A good commander always stays one step
ahead of his enemy at all times. Especially
if he intends to win the war."
A tremor of uncertainty rippled down her spine.
"Is that what I am? Your enemy?" Elizabeth
despised the weakness evident in her whisper.
The mattress dipped. And the warmth of his
body hovered a breath over hers. "If you
believe that, you have lost all ability to reason."
Elizabeth braced herself to meet a gaze full
of anger, rage and perhaps, after his actions
of this day, even a measure of hate. She took
a deep breath and clenched her jaw before opening
her eyes.
The shimmer in his gaze spoke not of anger
or rage, but of desire and heat. The expression
on his face was not one of hate, but of longing.
His dangerous tone of a moment ago and the
confusion she'd expected from being in this
cottage buffeted her. She hesitantly wound her
arms around his neck. "I don't know what
to believe anymore."
He lowered himself to the bed alongside her
and pulled her into his embrace. "Right
now, this moment, I care only that you believe
this." He took her lips in a kiss that
was neither gentle, nor harsh.
But it was steady and sure, demanding her full
attention. She'd been correct. They didn't always
need words to communicate with each other. And
right now, Guy's kiss and his touch beckoned
her to accept what he offered.
She wasn't naïve enough to believe that
his caress against the back of her head, or
that the sweeping warmth of his tongue along
hers spoke of love. But she'd learned enough
of him to recognize the restrained passion awaiting
her response.
Perhaps it wasn't everything she wanted. Though,
maybe it could be a place for them to start...
