Brenda awoke late in the morning on Tuesday. She'd had such a marvelous sleep that she'd been loath to rouse herself from it. Her dreams had been so wonderful, she thought with a mixture of excitement and guilt. She had dreamt of dancing on the balcony in the moonlight with Jax and sharing indescribable kisses with him. In other words, her dreams had merely echoed the reality of last night, she realized.
Brenda slid out from beneath the pale yellow, silk sheets of the bed cloths and swung her shapely legs over the side of the bed, sitting there and recalling, with a grin that refused to behave itself, how she had put up such a fuss about riding home in the Prince's coach last night. She had at first physically tried to elude him and race over to the carriage her sisters were in, but Jax had caught her easily as the Knights of the Realm with him had fought to suppress their grins of amusement, and Brenda recalled having to suppress her own mirth, too. Seeing the futility of trying to just barrel her way past him, she had then turned to being argumentative and insisting to Jax that it was unseemly for her to ride alone with him and that her parents would never allow her to go unchaperoned in a coach with any man, not even His Highness. Jax had just grinned at her, his fabulous blue eyes challenging that claim.
And sure enough, to Brenda's shock, her parents had not objected to her riding home with Jax. Brenda had shot a glare at the Prince as she reluctantly took his hand and allowed him to help her inside of the luxurious coach. She remembered the sound of Jax's soft laughter as he had watched her place herself as far from him in the coach as possible. And to her chagrin he'd caught her sneaking gazes at him on at least five occasions as they headed back to the palace. She recalled trying to stubbornly stay awake and ignore him, but growing sleepy and somehow gravitating towards him, her head resting on his shoulder. She remembered that the minute she had touched him, she never wanted to be apart from him.
And so when he gently shifted her into a very comfortable -- but probably entirely too intimate -- position in his arms and on his lap, she had not protested. In fact, she had simply snuggled up against him, amazed at how perfect it always felt to be with him like this. She had closed her eyes to the feel of the back of his hand gently running along her face and the vision of marvelous blue eyes that did the strangest things to her heart. The last thing she remembered was hearing a soft melody (intoned by a suspiciously familiar voice of a certain young wizard) carried on the night breeze as she drifted into the most incredible sleep of her life there in his arms…
You were meant for me
And I was meant for you
I'm content the angels must have sent you
And they meant you
just for me
Brenda got up off the bed, wondering if this wild fluttering in her heart was *ever* going to cease. This little adventure in the palace had certainly turned her life on its end, she thought with a sigh as she opened the windows to yet another gorgeous day of azure blue skies, wispy white clouds, and sparkling sunshine. She peered out below and saw three of the Realm Knights -- Lance, Owen, and Steven -- sharing riotous laughter over something. Then her heart leapt with involuntarily delight as she spotted the golden blonde head of a kneeling Prince Jasper, who was regaling the three knights with some tale or other.
He was down on one knee, his head bowed demonstrating something to them, and Brenda realized he was joking about his first coronation practice, which he'd had at the age of four and had botched in every conceivable way. She recalled, in school, hearing the endearing stories of the four-year-old Prince running mischievously amuck during a coronation rehearsal. It was those types of charming stories that made the royal family so beloved, Brenda realized. They were not a cold, unapproachable, aristocratic line of royalty, who looked down their noses upon their subjects. Having gotten to know them over the past few days, Brenda would say that they were a most unconventional royal family, to be sure. They truly loved each other, for one thing. There was no backstabbing or vying to be the next in the line of succession, or any of the usual palace politics that plagued most other kingdoms.
They were fun, too, which was something one simply did not associate with members of royalty. The image of royalty was one of stoic, highbrowed, cold, emotionless people. But not the Fahrlane royal family. They flew in the face of that stodgy convention. They were witty and playful and warm, and the Prince and Princess both had the most appealing wild streaks. They all did have that air of regal elegance, though, Brenda had to admit. There was no disputing that they were of royal lineage, but theirs was a breed of royalty that far outshone the others.
Jax rose to his feet, grinning as the knights doubled over in laughter. Gazing down at them with a smile playing on her lips, Brenda had to confess to being so very impressed with Prince Jasper. These men were not just knights who fought battles with him and for him, they were his friends. He liked them and they liked him. No, they loved him, she amended. He was the youngest among them, and it was obvious that they all loved him dearly. That was a good thing, too, she decided. Because given Jax's lack of skill with the sword, it was imperative to have skilled knights, who could and would defend him to the death. The fact that they would all be willing to die in a heartbeat to protect Jax somehow was a very comforting thought to her, although she had no idea why.
Brenda was distracted from the window by a rap on her door, and then Kayla entered, her constant companion, the smiling stuffed peach, tucked beneath her arm.
"Brenda!" Kayla said, rushing in with an excited smile lighting up her little face. She was dressed in an adorable, forest green velvet, riding outfit and looked too cute for words. "The Prince said I could get a ride on the horsy with him today!"
Brenda could do nothing but smile at her little sister's exuberance. "Did he really? Well, I'm sure you're going to have a wonderful time." Brenda said as she began to get dressed. "But you know that man has a propensity for wildness, so I had really better go outside and just tell him to be careful with you."
Kayla giggled, thinking Brenda had her own reasons for wanting to go downstairs and see the Prince -- especially given the way Brenda was fussing with her appearance.
"But he said I could only go with him if you come with us, too, Brenda," Kayla informed her sister.
Brenda was halfway done with lacing up the front of her dress, when she began to unlace it. "Well, he has a lot of nerve passing around ultimatums to a six-year-old," Brenda muttered even as she undressed and put on a riding habit instead, thrilled at the prospect of going riding again.
Kayla frowned. "What's an ulte made him?" Kayla wanted to know.
Brenda laughed as she slipped on the soft black leather, riding boots. "It just means that The Prince can be very bossy sometimes," Brenda explained.
"Oh, no, he isn't bossy at all," Kayla said shaking her head. "I think he is very wonderful!"
Brenda rose a perfect dark brow and gazed down at her little sister. "Hmmm. This love sickness must be contagious," she murmured, sliding her tall, dark curls into a ponytail. Then she took Kayla's hand and led her downstairs for breakfast.
The remaining Barrett sisters greeted Brenda with a glower, as she sat down to the delectable morning meal. They were still stinging from the fact that she had ridden back to the palace in the coach with the Prince all alone last night, and now to see her come to breakfast attired in her riding habit, obviously set for another outing with His Highness, filled them with envy. Brenda was getting quite good at ignoring her sister's glares and hostile stares, however, so she was scarcely aware of the daggers their eyes were shooting at her. What she did notice, however, was that Prince Jasper was not present at the table.
The Queen smiled knowingly, as she saw Brenda's eyes nonchalantly seek out the empty chair where Jax normally would sit - right across from her. {My son's absence drives the beautiful child to sheer distraction,} the queen said to herself, a soft chuckle escaping her lips.
"You are going riding once again today, my dear?" King John inquired as he noticed how both Brenda and Kayla were dressed.
"Yes, Your Majesty," Brenda responded. "Your son apparently decreed it, my sister tells me. He seems to be quite fond of handing out decrees, that son of yours."
Princess Georgina giggled behind her cup of tea. Brenda's mother and father gasped, appalled by what their daughter had just said to the very King himself! But King John merely gave Brenda a dashing, rather impressed smile.
"He seems to be quite fond of many things, that son of mine," the King said, gazing at her with a wry smile. "One thing - or person - in particular, I daresay."
The king grinned a tad when he saw the attractive, soft blush of rose beneath Brenda's golden complexion. *{Ah, so she did glean my meaning,}* he thought, his grin widening.
"My brother, who you should know is a very difficult person to impress, is *very* impressed with your riding skills, Brenda," Princess Georgina informed her. "He said that you are a natural and truly remarkable."
Brenda could not hide her smile of delight. "He did?"
"Yes, I did," The Prince said, as he walked into the dining hall looking absurdly attractive, and took his seat. "I apologize for my tardiness," he said, addressing the entire table, "I was er... giving instruction to the Knights."
Brenda stifled a grin at that excuse. Giving instruction? He had been having a grand, old time exchanging wild stories with them! Jax saw her watching him and struggling not to laugh, and a smile touched his lips -- a smile that went straight to her heart with a speed and intensity that shocked the living daylights out of her.
"Brenda, whatever happened to that bangle you were chasing down at the ball?" Geneva asked, trying to ignore the uncontrollable feelings of envy at the way Prince Jasper always looked at Brenda. Why, he looked at her as if she were his life's breath.
Brenda stared down at her wrist with startled eyes. Oh, no! What had become of her *engagement* bangle? It seemed that once she had run out onto the balcony at the Danvers estate and seen Jax, she could recall nothing else, except dancing with him in the moonlight and shivering with glee at his nearness, and melting into sweet oblivion as he kissed her and kissed her and kissed her . . . What on earth had happened to the bangle?
Michael Carruthers held the warped, gold bangle in his hand, staring at it with cold, dark eyes. Was Brenda frantic, wondering where the bangle was? he wondered, his thoughts dark and terrible. Or was she too preoccupied, staring into eyes that put the blue of all skies and oceans to shame? Was she staring into those eyes and dreaming of intimate entanglements with the owner of those eyes? He hurled the bangle violently into the Baylis Ocean. Jewelry was not what he needed to claim Brenda as his own. There was a far better way to see to that. He'd sent a note to her today, which he guessed she would be receiving at any moment. After she read it, Michael expected that everything would fall into place as planned thereafter. He would see her later that night. For now, he would head over to the gloomy kingdom across the ocean and conspire with King Thomas. Michael's desire to annihilate the royal family of Fahrlane was deeper than he could ever remember.
The horses galloped along the beach, Brenda flying by on Sheba, while Jax kept Excalibur at a moderate trot, the little bundle sitting in front of him giggling with joy.
"Is Brenda going too fast?" Kayla asked, tipping her head back to gaze at Jax.
Jax gazed down into her huge brown eyes and shook his head. "Your sister was born to ride that horse," he assured her. Then he watched carefully as Brenda easily handled a tricky turn, glanced back to grin cockily at him, and then impulsively coaxed Sheba into leaping over a large boulder. Jax felt the breath catch inside of his chest with panic at Brenda's reckless daring, and then felt the breath whoosh out of him in relief as she landed perfectly safe on the other side, gracefully dismounting from Sheba and taking a bow. Jax felt a rush of admiration for the crazy girl. He handed Kayla over to Steven, who was next to him. "Kayla, Steven will take you back to the palace now, all right? And Brenda and I will be right there."
"All right," Kayla said contentedly. "Thank you for riding me on your horsy, Prince Jasper. It was so much fun!"
Jax smiled at her. "You're very welcome, munchkin."
Steven gave Jax a knowing glance. "If I may be permitted to say something, Your Highness . . ." Then Steven let go of the formality. "Do not be too hard on her, Jax," he said, his eyes shifting to Brenda, who was still taking bows to her imaginary audience. "She was magnificent, after all. It would take anyone else months to learn how to jump like that. And she did not hurt herself, nor the horse."
Jax glanced at Steven through narrowed eyes, as if reprimanding him for his unsolicited comments, but then Jax smiled. "She was magnificent, wasn't she?" he agreed with a grin.
Steven rolled his eyes and laughed. The Prince was completely besotted with the girl. "I shall see you back at the palace, Your Highness," he said, settling Kayla on the horse and then turning to head slowly back towards the palace.
Jax dismounted Excalibur and led the horse over to where Brenda was.
Impatient with his leisurely approach, Brenda raced over to him. She was going a little to fast and had to brace herself against his chest when she reached him, an action that garnered a provocative smile from him.
"Did you see me?!" she asked excitedly, her hands still splayed against his chest, he noticed.
"You could have broken your neck," Jax said pointed out to her. "Or my horse's neck."
"No, I don't think so," Brenda disagreed. "I can't explain it, but I really felt as if I knew exactly what I was doing. Besides, Sheba and I have this kind of understanding -- we work together. I would never let her get hurt, and she would never let any harm come to me -- very much the way you are with Excalibur," Brenda finished.
Jax rose a dark blonde eyebrow. "I see. You and Sheba have discussed this then?" he teased her.
Brenda stared at him. "Wait a moment, you don't mean to tell me the horses can talk, too!" she whispered in astonishment. "Are they enchanted?"
Jax laughed and impulsively brushed his fingertips against her chin. "No, I was just teasing you, Brenda." Then he leaned forward, and she held her breath in excitement as she closed her eyes and felt his lips touch her forehead. "Are you aware that you talk in your sleep?" he asked her.
Brenda's eyes flew open. "I do? How would you know that?" she demanded.
"Have you already forgotten that you fell asleep in my arms last night on the way back to the palace?" he reminded her.
Of course, she hadn't forgotten. It was unforgettable. "I am sure I did not talk in my sleep," she said, glancing away from him. Oh drat, what was the use of this silly denial? She *did* talk in her sleep. Her sisters were always joking about it. She sighed. "What did I say?"
Jax grinned. "My . . . name," he said slowly
Brenda looked at him suspiciously. "What?! Is that the truth?"
"I would not lie to you. Never to you."
"Your name?" she repeated, looking confused.
"Repeatedly," Jax told her.
Brenda scowled. "Was I perhaps cursing you with my last breath?" she asked hopefully.
Jax laughed and shook his head. "No, I am afraid not."
She looked both curious and mortified to hear that. "No? Well, then why in the world would I say your name over and over again in my sleep?" she wondered out loud.
"Why indeed," he murmured. And the tone of his voice -- soft, deep, and dreamlike -- alerted her to the oncoming kiss before his lips ever reached hers. But when they did it was a thing of electrifying beauty. The fire sparked between them instantaneously, as they both surrendered to the hot, intoxicating passion of the kiss. It was a very long, slow, deep kiss, savored like the prefect meal. And when it was over, instead of licking his lips, as one would do after a perfect meal, Jax licked hers instead. "Tonight," he said, caressing her face, "every dance will be with you."
Brenda was still in a fog of rushing desire, and took a moment to garner his meaning.
"At the Braxton's Ball you mean?" she said. "Oh, no. No, no, no. You cannot dance with no one but me, Jax. You… you cannot *do* that. What will people think? No, you cannot do that," she decided.
"I can, and I will, Brenda," he informed her. Then he gave her a smile that melted her insides and chucked her beneath her chin. "Do not pretend as if you will not like it," he said and got the adorably mutinous glare from her that he had expected he would get.
"You are the very epitome of arrogance, Your Highness," she said, walking away from him and over to Sheba.
"Why, thank you," Jax said, going over to assist her in mounting Sheba, but as he watched she gracefully leapt up on the horses back all by herself. Jax got up on Excalibur and maneuvered the horse next to hers. "Would you like to race me back?" he offered.
Brenda glared over at him. "I would like to run you over," she responded.
He laughed.
"Jax," she said, and he had to grin at the way she was switching between calling him 'Jax' and 'Your Highness,' depending on her mood with him. "Do you *truly* intend to dance with no one else tonight?" she asked, pleading with him to change his mind.
"You and only you," he reiterated, slapping Sheba on the backside so that the horse began to trot off with the still-protesting Brenda, while Jax followed close behind on Excalibur.
Brenda was up in her room reading the note that the servants had said came for her. She read in disbelief Michael's suggestion on the perfect way to ensure that they would be together and the Prince would be incapable of choosing her: they had to be intimate with one another. That was his brilliant idea! For her to allow him to take her virginity! She was furious as she read the note, which told her he would meet her at the gated palace entrance tonight after the Braxton Ball. All she had to do was sneak out and meet him there, and they would then go to the Winford Inn and 'do the deed.' He pointed out to her the fact that royal law decreed that the Prince had to marry a virgin, and therefore, if Brenda were not one, they would have no worries about Prince Jasper choosing her. Not only that, but her being compromised in such a way would also force her father to have to support a marriage to Michael. It was the perfect plan, Michael insisted.
"Perfect plan, my foot! Of all the disgusting, despicable, deplorable. . . !" Brenda fumed, crumbling the offensive note and hurling it against the wall. "He is mad! Does he think I would ever really do such a thing?" And in that moment Brenda knew that she would never marry Michael Carruthers. Not now -- not three months from now -- not ever. It was an omen, her losing that bangle, she decided. It was an omen warning her that he was not the man for her.
Brenda got dressed for the Braxton Ball, practicing ways to tell Michael that she had changed her mind about a future with him.
Several hours later, as the guests were departing the Braxton Ball, the talk on everyone's lips was about His Highness and how he had not danced with a single woman, save for the young Lady Brenda Barrett, all evening. Savvy observers had noted that Lady Brenda's reactions to this unprecedented honor had been at first disbelief that he was really doing this, then silent fury, then amused exasperation as she realized Jax was perfectly serious about dancing with her and only with her, and then finally, absolute delight at her 'predicament' had been the one emotion that had banished all the others.
And for Brenda the night had indeed been a roller coaster of emotions, but all she felt now as they entered the palace was a mad rush of delight. And then suddenly trepidation.
Michael would be waiting for her by the palace gate now. He would expect her to change and sneak out and come to him to put his sordid plan into motion. She was not going to do it of course. But she wondered if she did not show up would he somehow find a way to sneak to the palace and seek her out? He was a Knight of the Realm, she reminded herself. That surely meant he could gain access to the palace if he really wanted to. She had no way of knowing that Michael was not any part of the Realm and could never hope to breach the palace and reach her. Had she known this, she would have rested easy. But she was plagued with horrid images of him bursting through her window and leaping upon her in the bed. Unable to sleep in her bedroom with those vile thoughts in her head, Brenda took the covers and pillows and quietly made her way downstairs and into the sitting room. She curled up by the velvet window seat, feeling better about being in this room for she knew that two Realm Knights, Ian and Glenn, normally stood guard outside this window. She would definitely sleep better here, she decided.
Jax, who was taking his leave from the palace to return home to his castle, stopped in the sitting room to retrieve his sword, where he'd left it earlier. He noticed movement in the room and placed his hand on the handle of the sword carefully but swiftly. The he head a little female "ouch" as Brenda, trying to make herself comfortable, knocked her head against the window pane.
"Brenda?" Jax said, going over and keeling in front of her. "What the devil are you doing down here?"
Brenda sat up, wrapping the sheets around her as she scrambled to think of an explanation that would appease him. "I . . ." she began. "I cannot sleep in the bedroom tonight," she said, as if that would satisfy him. "Are you leaving now? Goodnight then, I shall see you to . . ."
"What do you mean you cannot sleep in the bedroom tonight?" Jax interrupted her. "Why not?"
"It is . . ." she stammered. "too cold."
"Cold?" he repeated in disbelief? It was a very warm night.
"Hot, I mean," she said quickly. "Too hot."
"Really?" he got up. "I'll go take a look and see if . . ."
"No!" she said reaching out and taking a hold of his arm. "I mean … It isn't too hot. The truth is, Jax, that I just do not wish to sleep there tonight. Just tonight. So I would like to sleep down here. Is that not allowed?" she asked.
"I cannot allow you to sleep by the sitting room window, for gods' sake, Brenda. This is absurd. You have a perfectly fine bedroom upstairs, and that is where you are going," he said, eliciting a tiny squeal from her as he lifted her up into his arms.
"No," she said. "No, Jax, I do not want to sleep there tonight." she said, and he realized how dead serious she was when she managed to wriggle out of his arms and race away from him, refusing him to allow him to carry her up those stairs.
Jax gazed at her, completely baffled by her behavior. "What is wrong?" he asked her softly. And the tenderness in his voice propelled her to toss herself into his arms, believing that he would never force her to do anything she did not want to do, including sleeping in the bedroom upstairs.
"I do not wish to sleep in that bedroom tonight, Jax," she said, her head resting on his shoulder.
"There are several other bedchambers in the palace, Brenda. You can sleep in any one of those," Jax pointed out.
"No."
He did not understand the girl's stubborn refusal.
"You cannot sleep in the bloody sitting room," he insisted. "I cannot leave you here alone."
"But this is where I want to sleep," she insisted. "I do not see why you are so upset about this. I was perfectly comfortable by the window seat."
"You do not see why I am *upset?!*" Good god, but there were all manner of male servants and guards and attendants wandering the palace, and if they were to come upon so delicious a sight as Brenda, could they really be trusted to behave? Jax held her in front of him so that their eyes met. "You refuse to sleep in your bedroom?"
She gazed at him and nodded. "Only for tonight."
"You refuse to tell me why?" he asked next.
She chewed her lip thoughtfully, saying nothing.
"I see. Well, here is what I refuse, Brenda. I refuse to leave you here, acting as if you are half out of your wits, dragging sheets and pillows around the palace, and sleeping against windows!"
Brenda rose a challenging eyebrow at him. "I do not see what you can do about it," she shrugged. "Unless it is against the law for me to sleep down here."
"You will sleep in a bedchamber," Jax insisted.
"No, Jax, I . . ."
"If the bedchambers in the palace are suddenly not to your liking this evening, then I really have no choice, do I?"
Brenda furrowed her brows. "What do you mean by that?"
His response was to once again swoop her up into his arms, but this time he did not head for the stairs to return her to the bedroom. Instead, to her shock, he took her outside and headed towards his coach, where she saw the waiting Knights shifting their eyes away, and into his coach, where he then told the driver to take him to the castle.
"Jax!" Brenda said. "You cannot *do* this! What will people say? I cannot be alone with you in your castle! Oh, my goodness - they will think we are -- what if your servants see me? No, you cannot do this!"
"Will you sleep in your bedroom tonight?" he asked her.
"Yes," she lied, thinking the minute he left she would just return to the sitting room.
But Jax was onto her. "I do not believe you," he said as the coach headed out of the palace gates and towards Windsor castle. Brenda watched in disbelief as the palace disappeared behind her, and there she was in her nightgown seated sideways on Jax's lap, his arms holding her there and preventing her from trying to scramble away -- not that she wanted to. Yes, his dragging her off like this irritated her, but his arms were one place she never wanted to flee from.
As Brenda watched the palace disappear behind them, Michael stood in the shadows watching the Prince's coach and its accompanying four Knights leave, and then glanced back to the palace waiting impatiently for Brenda to emerge for their arranged tryst.
When he stood in the darkness of night alone by the palace gates two hours later, it became abundantly clear that Brenda was not going to show up. Livid, Michael stalked off, vowing that if she did not have a remarkable explanation for this she would pay dearly. Very, very dearly…
"Why didn't you just tell me this before?" Jax was saying to Brenda. They were sitting on a comfortable chaise lounge in a large, exquisitely furnished room in his castle. Jax was lying on the chaise lounge and a sleepy Brenda was in his arms, her back and head resting against his chest.
"I already had it figured out," she told him. "I would have been fine in the sitting room."
"No, Brenda, you would not have been. Do you intend to end things with Carruthers?"
"Yes," she said. "I was very wrong about him," she admitted with a sigh.
"You see, he is the troll I told you he was."
Jax thought he heard her giggle, but he wasn't sure.
"You should have told me about his vulgar proposition, Brenda. If anything like this occurs in they future, you are to tell me or one of the Knights, alright?"
"There is a reason I did not tell you," Brenda said.
"Yes, I know. You did not think it was any of my business," he murmured, knowing her too well.
"Yes, there is that fact. But also I did not wish anyone to be… harmed," she said, thinking that if Jax ever ended up in a sword fight with Michael, Jax would lose. "Why did you take me here, Jax?" she asked, covering her mouth as a tiny yawn escaped her lips.
"To protect you from your own stubbornness," he said.
"Oh. But this is perfectly scandalous, isn't it? You took me from the palace in the dead of night in only my nightclothes and took me unchaperoned to your castle, where I am now laying on top of you on a chaise lounge in only my nightclothes."
"Would you like me to take you to one of the bedrooms? You will be perfectly safe here, I promise you."
"I feel perfectly safe right where I am," she murmured sleepily, turning in his arms so that she was now on her stomach on top of him.
Desire hit Jax like the most pleasant whiplash, but he controlled it. His hands reached to automatically stroke her hair, although the feel of the silky, long tresses sliding in between his fingers did nothing to calm his excited urges.
"This is perfectly scandalous though, Jax, isn't it?" she repeated as her eyes fluttered closed
"Perfectly," he agreed, lowering his head and touching his lips to hers.
"My mother would need her smelling salts," Brenda murmured, kissing him back, her lips moving sensuously over his.
"I will have you back before anyone knows you have been missing, including your rather high-strung mother," Jax said.
"But if your staff finds me here – especially with you -- like this, they will jump to all sorts of wrong conclusions, and we shall be forced to get married, won't we?" she said with a melodramatic sigh, feeling the sweet lure of slumber.
"No. My staff is extremely discreet, and they are steadfastly loyal to me. You won't ever be *forced* to marry me, Brenda," Jax promised her.
"Oh," she said quietly, and he could have sworn she sounded disappointed. He gazed at her angelic face curiously, but her even breathing told him she had at last drifted off to sleep.
Jax closed his eyes. His body was on fire, having her with him like this. Here in his home, lying on top of him in thin silky nightclothes that molded a body so beautiful it was sheer madness to think about it. Her thigh slid between his, one of her arms curved around his neck, the other lying across his stomach, her breasts, which were even now having an innocently aroused reaction to his nearness, pressed down against his chest through the soft, cool material of her nightgown, driving him insane. This was a temptation *no* man should have to endure, he thought, letting out a long, controlled breath as he prepared himself to somehow get through the night.
Song Credit: "Storybook" written by Frank Wildhorn and Nan Knighton, available on the album entitled The Scarlet Pimpernel on Angel Records.