Page 14 of A Knight for Gwenllian

The fire in the hearth in front of him had been reduced to embers that glowed like rubies lit from the inside. Alexander’s eyes started to flutter shut as he watched the light dim. How would Gwenllian look adorned with rubies? Her skin was so pale and creamy, they seemed the best gem to complement her. Or perhaps emeralds would be better? Though, trying to find stones that could rival the green in her eyes would be a pointless exercise. Better to stick with rubies; the contrast between the fiery stones and her flawless skin would be most fetching. More than fetching. His cock stirred when he imagined the blood-red stones cascading down her chest, between her breasts. Having her in bed wearing nothing but a decadent necklace was the most arousing thing he could imagine.

Damn and blast, would he have to stroke himself again tonight, here in the main hall? No. He would simply have to come back to his senses.

The door creaked open behind him. Alexander tensed. Who was coming down here at this hour? Please, let it not be Gwenllian. He didn’t want her to have been awoken by the sound of his brother and his blasted French mistress fucking. Besides which, he didn’t want her to enter the room while he was hard. Not that she would know it was due to imagining her in bed wearing nothing but a ruby necklace, of course, but still.

It was bad enough that he had stroked himself the last night because he’d imagined licking her after her bath.

He turned around. Behind him was none other than Colin, looking rather red-faced and out of breath. Alexander did not say a word, while his brother collapsed into the chair opposite him.

“Bloody hell.” With that curse, he helped himself to the ale. As there was no cup for him to use, he drank straight from the jug.

Alexander clenched his jaw. Dear God, but the man had the manners of a boar. How could he be related to him? Nothing had changed in the last few years, it seemed. Hugh was still an arrogant, scheming bastard, Roger a pathetic, aggressive drunkard and Colin an entitled, spoilt pup.

He gave an inward snort. He liked to think of himself as efficient and honorable, but perhaps his brothers would see him as sanctimonious, lacking in ambition and even dull. There was no knowing. Not that he cared anyway.

“Jesus, Isabeau almost killed me in there,” Colin sighed.

“So I heard,” Alexander said dryly.

Far from being shamefaced, his brother stared straight at him. “She is rather demanding, and at times I can hardly satisfy her. You know, men’s limitations, and all that?”

Alexander toyed with the idea of telling him that he had no idea what he was talking about, that he could go on for hours and pretend he often took two women to his bed, just to annoy him, but instead he asked, “Am I supposed to feel sorry for you?”

“No.” Another sigh. “You’re supposed to help me.”

“Help you? How?”

“She’s sent me to…erm, get you.”

Alexander stilled. Had he heard that right?

“Lady Isabeau, your mistress, wants me to go fuck her?” He could not believe what he was saying. “While you watch?”

“While I take part, actually. She’s insatiable, I told you. Tonight, two men will barely be enough, and she took a liking to you.”

No word could have described the confusion whirring in Alexander’s mind—or the revulsion roiling in his guts. For the first time in his life, he was truly speechless.

Silence stretched in the room, thick with tension. After another swig of ale, Colin asked, “Well?”

“Well, nothing. Even if she appealed to me, which she doesn’t, far from it, I would not do it. You and I are brothers,” Alexander said slowly. “How do you imagine I would ever want to rut with you in the same room watching me, or even worse, in the same bed, touching me?”

Colin made a grimace. Clearly, he hadn’t thought of that aspect, and the idea of touching him didn’t appeal to him either.

“I know, but I need to see to her needs. I don’t want her to leave me because she’s unsatisfied. She does these things with her mouth that have me⁠—”

“Christ, what is wrong with you?” Alexander exploded. “I don’t want to hear what you two do in bed. If she is that desperate for a man, go find a groom in the stables or my squire, or both. I’m sure they will oblige you, and her. Go! Just leave me alone.”

Colin stormed out of the hall, eyes dark with fury.

Alexander allowed himself to relax in his chair. Dear God, he’d thought after all these years that nothing would surprise or appall him coming from his brothers. It seemed he had been wrong and they had barely scratched the surface.

It was not long before the door opened again. He shot to his feet and rounded on his brother. “I told you to go to hell and⁠—”

He stopped mid-sentence, for it wasn’t Colin standing in front of him this time but Gwenllian.

“Forgive me. I didn’t realize you would be here as well,” she said as she made to retreat. “I will not disturb your peace.”

He stopped her with a raised hand. “No, it is I who should ask for your forgiveness. I didn’t mean to be so rude. I thought you were my brother.” She nodded, as if she agreed that fact was enough to justify his rudeness. “Why are you here?”