Page 9 of A Knight for Gwenllian

He gave a wry smile.

If she thought his cock big after a dip in the barely warm water, she should see it now. It had started to lengthen during their conversation, and it was now fully hard, straining upward, demanding attention. Alexander might well have to grant it the release it craved if he wanted to get any sleep tonight.

Could he stroke himself with his little guest in the next room? As desperate as he was for relief, he didn’t want her to hear his grunts when pleasure overtook him. Because, aroused as he was, he would find it impossible to remain silent. After witnessing the desire in her eyes, he knew that this release would be explosive.

The door of the room to his right closed shut, signaling that his guest had found her accommodation for the night. Dear God, why had he sent her to sleep in the room next to his? There had been other options, and he didn’t think she would have minded a smaller room. But, wanting to impress her with Audley’s grandeur, he had chosen the room with the most impressive furnishings.

Which meant he was going to have to sleep with just a wall separating them.

Alexander swallowed. Any moment now, she would be undressing and slipping into the bath he had ordered for her. And he would be able to hear everything, the splashing of the water when she left the tub, the creaking of the bed when she climbed into it later on, her skin still damp from the wash. What he would not hear, he would just imagine. The rustling of the clothes when she undressed, the sigh of relief when she sank into the warm water, her delight at slipping between clean sheets after a trying day.

What soap had Ellie brought her? Was the skin of his little Buttercup going to smell like heather or like the exotic, costly spices they had used as an experiment in the last batch, a cake of which he had just used on himself? Would that he could find out by sticking his head between her thighs and inhaling her curls, where the scent would linger for a while. Perhaps he would also lick her. Yes. If he ever found himself with his head between her slender legs, he would not be able to resist the temptation. He would lick her. And he wouldn’t stop until she had come undone.

That did it.

After imagining himself burying his tongue in such sweet delight and feeling painful bolts of need shooting through his veins, he definitely needed release.

Alexander grabbed his cock.

Chapter Four

“Have you heard anything about Gwlithyn?”

Gwenllian had stood up at Alexander’s entrance to ask the question that had been burning her lips all day while she was waiting for him.

Last night, despite her fatigue, it had taken her a long time to fall asleep. The knowledge that Alexander was naked in the room next to hers had kept her in a feverish state long into the night. As a result, she had slept for longer than she usually did. When she had finally made her way downstairs, Edward had informed her that his master had left at dawn and she was free to explore the castle while she waited. This declaration had stunned her. Rather stupidly, she had imagined that Alexander would be here when she woke up. But, of course, he’d no reason to stay with her, a woman he didn’t know.

Well, at last, here he was.

“Goo li thin?” he repeated carefully, walking up to her. “No. I’ve never even heard that word before. What is it?”

“My mare’s name. I was wondering if your people had found her.”

“Ah, I see.” He sighed. “I’m sorry, not yet.”

“No, of course not. It’s too soon,” she mumbled. She had suspected that would be the case but had wanted to make sure

Alexander crossed his arms over his chest and examined her. “So, you remember the name of your horse? That is good news. I told you you would start remembering. What else do you recall?”

Go drapia! Gwenllian bit her lip. How had she forgotten that she was supposed not to remember anything? She could only blame the love she bore the animal for this unfortunate slip.

“Yes. I remember the name of my mare,” she said with a frown, as if surprised herself. “But I’ve had her for years, so I suppose ’tis little wonder.”

“Mm. Of course, the same could be said about your own name, could it not?”

“Of course.” She did not dare meet his eye. Was he saying that he didn’t believe her loss of memory to be genuine? Perhaps.

“Gwlithyn. It’s an odd name. It sounds…” Alexander stilled, as if he’d understood something important. “Welsh.”

Oh, Lord, everything was falling apart, fast. “Yes, I think it might be.”

“And those green eyes… I thought I had seen them somewhere before, and I have. Your mother, Lady Sheridan, has the same eyes. You must be Gwenllian or Seren Hunter, her daughter. Lord Sheridan’s English residence is just a few miles to the east. Sheridan Manor. I know of your family, even if I haven’t met all of them. Siân, Christopher, Jane, Griffin, Rhys, Connor, Esyllt.” He took her by the shoulders and forced her to look at him. “Do any of these names mean anything to you?”

Gwenllian was faced with two choices. She could lie and pretend she had no idea what he was talking about, which would put her in an impossible situation before long, or she could admit she had been lying all along, which would make her look like a fool. Neither alternative was appealing. Still, she didn’t think she could sustain the farce any longer, not when she didn’t even know what she could gain from it.

And so, she decided to tell the truth.

“Yes, they do mean something. Everything. I’m Lady Gwenllian Hunter.” She swallowed. Would he get enraged at her deception? “I don’t know what came over me when I said I didn’t know who I was. I suppose I didn’t want you to think me ridiculous, so I thought it best to pretend I didn’t remember.”