Page 33 of Katherine the Vixen

“Be that as it may, what happened that night was a sad parody of what lovemaking should be.”

He should have pleasured her before taking her. What an insensitive bastard he had been! Even when he had thought she was Lady Malpas he had wondered if he was not being too inconsiderate. Only, to his shame, he had allowed his dislike of her to cloud his judgment.

“You mean that it should have been more like what happened on the second night?” Katherine whispered.

His whole body caught fire at the memory of their explosive joining. It was clear from the wonder in her voice that she, too, remembered that night with awe.

“Yes,” he said hoarsely. “That was a lot better.”

There was a silence. Then a tentative question.

“You knew it was me that night, didn’t you?”

“Yes. I knew.”

She nodded and touched the place on her neck where he had bitten her, causing his groin to tighten further. “Why didn’t you say anything? Why did you…bite me?”

Why did you make love to me so exquisitely instead of taking your anger out on me?

The question she hadn’t dared ask was implied.

“I was not absolutely positive whether you were Lady Malpas or someone else,” he admitted. “And I wanted to…”

“To brand me so you could identify me later on,” she supplied when he faltered. “That is why you removed my cloak to check whether there was a mark on my skin the following day in the courtyard.”

“Yes.” Could he be made to feel more wretched? “I ask for your forgiveness. I hope I did not hurt you.”

“No. I did not even feel it.” She reddened when it dawned on her why she had not registered the bite. She had been too lost in her release to notice what he was doing to her neck. Perhaps being nibbled on had even increased her pleasure. It had certainly increased his to suckle at her while he pumped his seed into her. “It was only when my friend Mel pointed the mark out to me the next morning that I realized what you had done.”

“Good.” Siaspar was relieved to hear he had not hurt her. “So you bought your family’s salvation with your innocence that night. This is terrible. I knew Lady Malpas was not someone I would ever get on with, but this is shocking. I gather you have not told your father what happened?”

“No. How could I?”

No, of course not. The man would die a thousand deaths if he knew what his daughter had endured to save them.

“Worry not. Now that I know what happens every time I go to Lady Malpas’ bed, I will not go anywhere near her.” He gave a bitter smile and glanced at his wrist where the wound had started to heal. “You will not have to endure my touch anymore.”

Endure. He saw Katherine wince at the word.

“You need not fear I was hurt or even inconvenienced by your lovemaking,” she said hurriedly. “As I said, you showed me unexpected kindness, even the first time, despite who you believed me to be. As to the second time, I… It was…”

He tilted his head when she stopped in confusion. She had liked what he had done to her, he realized. More than liked it.

In the blink of an eye, Siaspar became hard as rock. And he agreed with what Katherine had not been able to say out loud. That second time had been special. He remembered how her tight core had encircled him and her spasms of pleasure had squeezed every last drop of seed out of him.

“If we are being honest, I will tell you that I agree with you about the second time,” he purred, fighting the urge to draw her closer. “It was indeed special.”

“Thank you.”

They remained silent a long time.

“Now,” Siaspar said, determined to get back in control. “Would you like me to read out the exact contents of the letter to you?”

Katherine was touched by this unexpected offer. She would never have dared ask but it would indeed please her to hear all the details her father had judged would be of interest to her. Siaspar had given her the gist of it and answered her most pressing question but she craved more news.

“Yes, if it would please you.”

And so it happened that she heard all about her beloved family in Siaspar’s lilting Welsh accent and deep voice. Though they had made love twice already, this felt like the most intimate thing that had ever happened between them.