My blood ran hot and fast and I felt more than human, like I were powerful beyond every measure. His mouth opened more and his tongue ran against my lips, and my whole body sparked like tinder. I bare had a thought, but I wanted more of him, so much more, and my hands were desperate for it, fingertips running like they could keep whatever they touched.
My back nudged up against a wall, somewhere shaded from the sun and prying eyes, but I didn’t never remember moving. His head twisted and our lips broke for a bare instant before he touched them back again, twisting his head the other way. His lips pressed my bruise and I jerked.
His arms went tense and hard around me, and the kiss broke apart. His nose nudged me like a dog giving orders, and I obeyed, moving my face to one side. Hot hands running my sides, his mouth touched impossible gentle to the bruise by my mouth from Gisbourne. Rob’s lips left, then dropped soft small kisses on the bruises that he had laid. He kissed my closed eyes and without wanting it, water dripped out from my eyes. He kissed that away too.
“I’m sorry, sweet,” he whispered into my ear. “I’m sorry I pushed you to this.”
My hands twisted to fists in his shirt. “I never should have married him, Rob. I should have found another way.”
“We’ll get out of this,” he said. “I’ll get better, and you can walk away.”
I shook my head a tiny bit. “I’m getting that annulment. They call me Marian, Rob, and they act with so little honor it’s a horror to call them nobility.” I pushed my head to his. “They took my name, Rob.”
His lips touched mine again, more puffed and soft now, burning against mine. When he stopped he didn’t go nowhere, speaking straight into my mouth. “They can have your name. I know who you are, with or without it. And I won’t ever let you lose that. My love. My Scarlet.”
I pressed a kiss to his mouth. “Say it once more?” I asked.
He kissed me. “Scarlet,” he breathed. Another kiss. “Scarlet.”
I didn’t need strength. My heart were so full to bursting that I could have run to London and back without food, drink, or rest. My body were burned over and over with the feel of him, and it were all I needed to stay strong.
It were an awful sin, and I didn’t care. Kissing Rob made me an adulterer, but wedding Gisbourne when he weren’t the one in my heart made me an adulterer too. I didn’t for a breath believe a kiss would make Robin better, but it were all I needed to hold on to everything I were doing this for.
Church bells rang out, and I broke the kiss, listening for the hour. “I have to go,” I whispered against his mouth.
His nose rubbed mine slowly, then his mouth pressed against mine once more. “Do you know how often I’ve imagined kissing you?”
My breath stopped, and I opened my eyes to search his. “And?”
“You cannot tell me to stop now and watch you walk away,” he said, his breath running into my breath. Another kiss. “Especially to him.”
My ring felt heavier then, and I pulled back from Rob. I stroked his cheek slow with my good hand. “I’ll make it right, Rob. I’ll get the annulment and then I can kiss you in public. All day long. Till the village wives wring their hands at us.”
He smiled, leaning into my hand. “We’ve always been good at causing a bit of chaos.”
I stepped away from him with a sad smile, but he tugged my good wrist and brought me back for one more kiss. Then he let me go and I walked back to the castle, every step dragging and slow like I were fighting against a tide.
Chapter Nine
The servants were laying out a fancy dress and brushing it flat and free of dust and dirt when I came back to the room. The long bit were gold, shimmering and bright, and the shorter bit that fit over it were tufted red velvet, the same color as my old ribbons. It were an awful expensive thing, and it felt like soft moss beneath my hand.
“You would like to dress now, my lady?”
“No,” I said quick, pulling my hand back from it. “Where can I bathe?”
“We’ll fetch the bath for you, my lady.”
I forgot about this—the silly labor of baths. Fair shamed by it, I stashed my knives by the shutter as they left, then watched as the servants first brought the basin to the chambers, then pail after pail of water warmed in the kitchens and sloshed cold by the time it made it to me. I didn’t mind that much—I were used to bathing in colder waters—but I were meant to sit in the half-empty basin while they poured it over me, slow and waiting for more water.
Then the lady servant set upon me with soap and cloths, and that part were a far cry better than bathing in the lake.
Course, Gisbourne walked in half through this ordeal, and I weren’t none too pleased by him seeing all my bits again. And he just folded his arms and watched me. I covered myself in the water as best I could with my knees and such, but it didn’t make me feel much better.
“Quite a gentleman, aren’t you,” I spat at him.
“What?” he asked. “A man can’t look upon his wife? From what I’m told it’s the same as looking upon my arm, or my foot. You belong to my body, Marian, and I shall look at you how I choose.”
Blood were creeping up my neck and cheeks, and I stared at the water as the maid finished, fetching a sheet for me.
“You were missed at supper last night,” he said.
“I’m sure.”
“I realize I wasn’t specific about this before, but court suppers are part of our bargain. Every function you are expected to attend as my wife you shall attend, or our deal is off. Do you understand?”
The servant shook the sheet open, standing off to the side. I motioned her over, to stand between me and Gisbourne, but she just looked confused.
Gisbourne laughed, damn him.
Full of hate and shame, I stood, wrapping the sheet round me as quick as I could. Gisbourne came forward as I stood there, putting his hand on my stomach where the big bruise lay, pulsing and sore under the thin cover of the sheet. My whole skin shivered with the touch of a hand through so little fabric.
He looked at me, his eyes dark. “Seems you know a lot of gentlemen.”
It should have shamed me, but that weren’t the way of it. It made me think of Robin, of his mouth and his hands and his body all along mine.
“Hold on,” he ordered abruptly, and without more word he grasped my middle and pulled me from the bath. Swallowing a gasp, my hand shot out to his shoulder as he lifted me up over the edge and set my feet down.