Goddess of Legend (Goddess Summoning #7)(41)

"Even though they have - "

He leaned forward and put a hand to her lips. "They have followed their desires. Would I ask for a different outcome? Perhaps. But 'tis done, and cannot not be undone. Now I must secure their safety. And truth to tell, all will be well."

Isabel ran her hand through her hair. "I honestly don't understand."

"'Twould be a horrid price both would pay if they are caught. I will try to guard against this to the best of my ability."

"You are a good man, Arthur. With a big heart. We have a saying in my land. 'What happens in Dumont, stays in Dumont.' Unless you're dumb enough to talk about it to every person you meet outside of Dumont."

"I very much enjoy the thoughts of the people of Dumont."

"As do I," she said, which was a bit of a whopper of a lie, considering, hey, she didn't know a single citizen of Dumont.

She took a last glug of her wine and stood. "Now perhaps I should go and greet my men."

He took her hand. "You have not yet heard my third passion."

"Maybe later, Arthur."

"Please, it is short."

She nodded and sat back down. In fact, she was ready to lie down. This drinking so early in the day was not good for her equilibrium. "Your third passion?"

He kept hold of her hand, running his thumb over her palm. For a moment he seemed to waver, but then he looked her straight in the eye. "To lie naked with you. To make love with you. To kiss you so passionately that 'twill make you dizzy. That is my third passion. And of the passions I have mentioned, 'twas not necessarily ordered properly. It just took me some time to build up the courage to voice this one."

Thank the gods she was sitting, because sure as hell her knees would have caved on her. And for maybe the first time in her life, she was totally speechless.

They stared at one another for so long that the sun could have set and she wouldn't have noticed.

Finally he broke the gaze and stood. "I should have not said such a thing. It was untoward." He bowed. "My deepest apologies."

Isabel grabbed his arm and pulled him closer as she stood, so they were face-to-face, body-to-body. "I bet you one of our horses that you cannot get me out of this contraption called a gown faster than Mary can."

He grinned, then cupped her face. "Oh, Countess, how you underestimate me."

Chapter Fourteen

OH, how Isabel had underestimated him. In every single way. Arthur had her gown off in record time, kissing her senseless the entire way.

"You're good," she said, as her gown dropped to the floor.

"I very much hope, lady, that you feel the same way in a while."

Other than the gown billowed around her ankles, she was naked, and suddenly felt shy. She covered her br**sts with her arms.

"Oh, Isabel, please, no. You are so beautiful."

Isabel had no idea how the workings of men's tunics, breeches or other stuff worked. She was only able to shed him of his outer vest before being at a total loss. "I'm afraid I don't know what to do."

Arthur, who'd been fixated on her body, went still and drilled her with his gaze. "Are you telling me you are still untouched?"

She had no freaking idea how to respond. She was at a total loss for words.

Viviane?

No answer. And it suddenly occurred to her that Viviane had promised her privacy at times like this. Great. Really f**king great.

"Does it matter?" she asked. "I just have no idea how to deal with men's clothing."

"It matters very much to me," he said, looking and sounding angry.

He pulled her gown back up over her body. His heaving breaths no longer sounding full of lust and longing. They sounded full of an attempt to resume control of his body.

"Please tell me what's so wrong, Arthur?" she asked, holding the unlaced gown around her. "What did I do?"

He picked up his vest, the only garment she'd managed to strip from his body. "I will not take away something that is the province of your future life mate."

He headed to the door, shoving his vest back on with every stomping step.

"You wait just one minute, buster! Get your ass back here and talk to me."

He turned back, just as he was about to switch the latch on the door. "What more can I say? I am not upset with you, madam, I am upset with myself. I deeply, deeply apologize for what I was about to do."

"If you hadn't noticed, I was a very willing participant."

"Which was heady indeed. Truth be told, it overruled all else."

"Then why are you taking it out on me? And why am I suddenly madam instead of Isabel, or even Izzy? You might believe you're punishing yourself, but you are punishing me more. Why?"

He deflated just a bit, which hurt Isabel's heart. Abandoning the door, he approached her. "Let me help you with the laces."

"Fine, while you do, why not help me to understand what just happened here."

"'Tis not a nice story," he said, as he began lacing her like a pro.

"As if we all don't have many of those. Spill, Arthur, please."

"'Twas a time I was a bit too full of bluster. Too filled with my newfound power and fame. I was but a lad but wanted quite desperately to be a man."