Seduced by Sophia Johnson Read Free Book Online Page B

could not sleep. What woman could after
doing such a thing? She held tight to him and tried to make sense
of her feelings.
    Warin had always been gentle with her. He
took time to assure she was ready to receive him so she would have
no pain. But not once had their coupling been as the one tonight.
On hearing young servants giggle with excitement when they talked
of swiving, she had not understood. Nor why they would cast such
admiring looks at the warriors they had bedded the night
before.
    Tonight, she had learned why.
    Never had she sensed Warin needed a tight
rein on his ardor. Tears came to her eyes realizing now how ill he
had been since they wed.
    She had feared coupling with Raik, feared he
would mistreat her. The moment he sensed her afore him, she had
expected him to throw her to the floor, mount and thrust into her.
Instead, he had gently drawn her to the bed and taken time to make
slow, passionate love.
    Would he have been so caring and gentle had
he known who lay beneath him?
    At first, when he stoked her passion to such
great heights, her feelings frightened her. Would she harm herself
with the pressure, the tension, when it exploded? She couldn't
catch her breath; her body had become rigid. Then she had started
to quake. Lights flashed in her mind.
    Aye, she exploded for certes. But not the way
she'd feared.
    'Twas the saddest thing of all. The worst
kind of betrayal.
    She had known ecstasy.
    o0o
    Warin knew Leofwan had believed he slept, but
he had not. He had schooled his body to relax, his breathing to
slow, even to snore gently. He stared up at the forest green canopy
above the bed. They had not pulled the bed curtains, for he
preferred a bit of light in the room. Tonight it made no
difference, for the sky remained dark and gloomy.
    Like his thoughts.
    His clenched fingers near drew blood from
nails digging into his palms as he waited to know Letia was
unharmed.
    Not that he believed Raik would harm her. If
he had harbored any such doubt, he would have killed him in the
forest. He'd ordered Maud to stand outside Raik's door, just in
case Letia became upset and wanted to flee. She would be there to
aid her.
    To be truthful, he hoped Raik was half the
man he had heard from his cautious inquiries. Every woman he had
ever coupled with wanted to repeat the act. He prayed it was true,
that Letia would finally know the fulfillment of being a woman.
    His own careful loving had brought her to a
climax, but it had taken his skillful fingers and kisses to do so.
His body had begun to betray him even before he had wed Letia. When
his heart pained him so. The healers had said 'twas because his
blood did not flow as it should.
    He near stopped breathing, hearing her
entering the solar. He barely heard the soft sounds of splashing
water. Soon after, the chamber door opened. It would be best to
feign sleep. Let her compose herself, for she would feel more shame
if she had to face him.
    He pressed his eyes tight when her arm snaked
around him, when he felt her sweet kiss on his back.
    Ah. She did not hate him.
    He had feared she would.
    Finally, after what seemed half the night, he
knew she slept. He slowly turned and gathered her in his arms and
pulled the soft blanket up around her back. He cradled the back of
her head in his big hand and buried his face in the curls atop her
head.
    Silent tears fell as he kissed her and
prayed.
    Please God. Do not let her sacrifice to
have been for naught
.

CHAPTER 8
    Raik squinted and forced his eyes to open
when a shaft of sunlight flowed through the window opening. He
gripped his pillow and rose on his elbow to peer around for the
woman. She wasn't there. His brows arched as he noted the bed.
    The sheets were neat and tidy as if he had
slept quietly. The pillow on the opposite side of the bed still lay
as plump and without a hint of a crease as when the laundry girl
had freshened his bedding the day before.
    Not one thing lingered that suggested anyone
had entered after he settled for