The Consummation (Unexpected Circumstances 3)

“Well, I’m sure you didn’t have much time for such things before,” Branford said. He shrugged his shoulders. “You will have time for it now.”

“I don’t, um…” I didn’t know what else to say, so I finally just blurted it out. “I know nothing of reading!”

“You don’t know how to read?”

“No, my lord.”

“Of course you don’t.” Branford grumbled and sighed. He reached up and rubbed the bridge of his nose, his fingers against the corners of his eyes. “Sunniva is right. There is so much I need to teach you.”

Branford reached out and touched my cheek.

“All in good time, my wife.”

I took a deep breath and let it out slowly. My heart had calmed with his words though my mind had not. Branford lay back against the blanket and drew me close to his side before reaching for the cloak and pulling it over the top of us. For a few moments, we lay on the blanket in silence while I wondered about how he may have sinned in the past and the reasons he had me stop touching him. I had heard about a man’s seed and how it would be expelled from his body when he was in the heat of passion, but I had certainly never witnessed such a thing. I was both curious and apprehensive. I wanted to ask him more of it but did not know what to say.

“So, that is why you want to, um…to put, um…” I was babbling, not sure exactly what I wanted to say, and I certainly didn’t know what I was supposed to call…it. I finally gave up and just neglected to call it anything. “You want to, um…so you won’t be sinning?”

“Yes, my wife,” Branford said with a smile. He raised an eyebrow at me, and his eyes sparkled. “Though that is not the only reason. I want to be with you the right way every time I am with you.”

The right way.

I wondered if he meant that there was more than one way to complete the act itself, or was it only because he would be taking me as his wife and not just someone he came across at a tournament? For what must have been the thousandth time, I wished I could be more like them—those women he had been with before—sure of what I wanted and willing to give him what he desired without any reservations.

“You may…if you wish,” I said. Feeling the heat rise to my skin, I ducked my head against his chest. My voice had been so quiet, I could hardly hear it myself. Branford cupped my face and turned me to look at him. He slowly shook his head.

“I do wish,” Branford said softly. “I want you, Alexandra. You will undoubtedly discover I have an…an appetite…but I am not so insatiable I cannot wait a few more hours.”

“When we return to the castle?”

“Very soon after we return if I may have my way.” He raised his eyebrows at me.

“You will,” I said softly. Branford traced along my jaw and neck with his fingers before he captured my mouth again. I could feel his smile against my lips.

“I will need to make sure you are well-fed beforehand,” Branford said with a chuckle. I wasn’t sure what he meant, but I didn’t ask. I wondered if he would take me to our chair again tonight, and if so, maybe I would ask him what he meant then. The thought had me wondering what else I might ask him the next time we sat there.

He moved his hand up and down my arm as he repositioned the cloak to cover my shoulder. The afternoon sun shone down upon us, and it was quite warm under the cloak. I relaxed against him and did not tense when he placed his fingers against my chin and turned my head so he could kiss me. I smiled as his lips brushed mine, and he dropped his head and held me close to his body. I felt his chest rise and fall with his steady breaths and found my thoughts drifting. My eyes closed soon afterwards, and I let the warmth of the sun and my husband’s strong arms lull me to sleep.

*****

“Alexandra?”

I heard the sound of my name, but it wasn’t quite registering with my brain. I was warm, sleepy, and content. I could feel the soft brush of a finger over my cheek.

“Alexandra?” I heard my name again. I blinked as bright, warm light penetrated my vision. Branford gently teased the side of my face with his knuckle as I looked up into his jade green eyes. We were still lying on the blanket in the middle of the meadow, our clothes scattered off to the side. My cloak covered us like a warm, woolen cocoon. Branford smiled and placed his lips against my forehead.

“It’s getting late, my wife,” he said. He pushed a stray piece of hair off my face and around the back of my ear. “We need to head back lest you be out after nightfall, which I will not allow. I want you safe and indoors when the sun sets.”

“I’m sorry,” I murmured with a yawn. “I didn’t mean to fall asleep.”

“Do not worry yourself, Alexandra,” he said. “You looked so comfortable lying there, I couldn’t bear to wake you sooner. That was the first time you seemed peaceful in sleep since we were wed. You obviously needed it.”

Branford pulled the cloak around my shoulders as he rolled to his side and reached for his clothing. He dressed himself while I stared at the ground, trying to keep myself from examining the bare skin across his shoulder blades and the line of his spine as it dipped to the base of his back. I pulled my dress up my body while Branford collected Romero and strapped the blanket and picnic basket to the horse’s back. Once we were ready, I looked back on the little meadow as Branford hoisted me onto the stallion.

“Would you like to come back someday?” Branford asked as we left the little meadow and entered the thick, wooded forest.

“Yes, please!”

He chuckled at my enthusiasm.