Page 52 of Lord of Misrule

“You don’t need to remind me.” He retrieved the goblet from her and took a big swig of wine. “That is what I wanted to talk about, Kit.”

“It is?” She didn’t understand what he meant.

He finished off the wine and put the cup down next to the chair. “I like you. I really like you. You are a strong, beautiful woman, a good mother, and a fantastic baker.”

“Thank you,” she said, blinking several times in succession. The wine started to help her to relax. “You are a handsome, interesting lord.”

“Interesting?” He raised a brow and chuckled. His blue orbs reflected the warm hue of the fire from across the room. “I’m not sure what that means, but I’ll take it as a compliment, I guess.”

“As it was meant to be,” she quickly added.

“Kit, what will you do now that your bakery has burned down and you and your family have nowhere to live?”

“I—I’m not sure,” she said, brushing back her hair. She felt tension inside her growing. “But we’ll manage. We always have before.”

“There you go being strong again. I like that.” He put his hands on his knees and patted them. “Put your feet up here, Kit.”

“What?” she asked, aghast that he would even suggest such a thing.

“I see my question has upset you and only made you more anxious. I know of a way to help you release all your worries.”

“By putting my feet on your lap?”

“I like to walk around barefoot when I can. It relaxes me.”

“It does?” She really didn’t understand this. “How is the thought of possibly stepping on a stone or something sharp relaxing?”

“You’ll see. Just give me your feet. Please,” he said, looking her directly in the eyes.

“All right,” she said, not wanting to disobey a noble. She hiked up her skirt slightly and rested her feet on his lap. Tolin took off her shoes and put them on the ground. “What are you doing?” Panic started to fill her.

“Shhhh,” he said. “It feels freeing to have bare feet. But first you need to rid yourself of your hose.”

“M-my hose? Oh, nay. I could never remove them. Not here, not now.”

“Then allow me to do it for you.”

Before she could object, he’d put his hands around one of her legs and slowly slid them upward higher and higher, until he got to her undergarment where her hose was attached. His lithe fingers untied the strings and then he rolled the hose from one leg downward, slowly slipping it off, leaving her foot completely bare. Then he repeated it on the other side. This time when he had his hands up her skirts she felt the tip of his finger flick against her womanly mound, not sure if it was an accident or on purpose. Neither did she care. It felt good and was awakening a part of her that had been dormant for many years now. She moaned slightly and closed her eyes while he removed the hose from her leg.

“You like that, don’t you?” he asked, in a voice that sounded sultry.

“Yes. The air on my toes feels invigorating,” she said, her eyes popping open. He was staring at her with hooded eyes, making her feel lustful.

“If you think that feels good, wait until you feel this.” He took one bare foot in his hands and started rubbing her foot between his large palms. It was absolute heaven! She moaned again in pleasure.

“I figure since you’re on your feet all day in the kitchen, you must need them rubbed.”

“I do admit it feels good, Lord—” He frowned at her. “I mean, Tolin,” she corrected herself with a giggle. One foot was ticklish while the other wasn’t. He smiled.

“That is better,” he said.

She giggled some more. “Oh, please, you are tickling me.”

“It is a good thing to laugh, is it not?”

“You shouldn’t be rubbing my feet,” she told him.

“Then mayhap there is another part of you that needs rubbing instead?” His eyes drank her in and he stilled his hands. There was a connection between them that neither one of them could ignore. It felt right to be here. She liked his touch and longed for more.