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I shook my head. “Think about it. Father Benedict thinks he has me trapped. That gives me a certain advantage.”
Tuck looked like he wanted to shake me. “Advantage, how?”
“It will take the urgency off his rush to contact the prince, and in the same way, the prince will think he doesn’t have to hurry to get me. He has until next week.”
Tuck gaped. “How close do you dare cut this exactly?”
I shrugged. “The longer I wait, the more time I buy. Just consider… Prince John’s enemies — and there are many— are my allies. And I haven’t spent the last months idly. I’ve been visiting my family’s closest associates, building a network…”
Tuck listened intently. “How big a network?”
“Big. So far, they’ve been hoping for King Richard to return and take care of Prince John himself. So, I haven’t been able to get them to commit to making a move. But if they see Prince John preparing to make his own power play…”
“Like a wedding,” Tuck mused. “The perfect place to make a grand announcement…”
I nodded. “February 24. A few days away.”
Tuck rubbed a hand over his jaw. “I see your point, but…”
I took his hands. “There is no but. Making myself a sitting duck will embolden the prince to make his move — a move that will be obvious to everyone. So obvious, my allies will act quickly.”
Tuck shook his head. “Too much can go wrong.”
I snorted. “Is that what knights say on the eve of battle?”
He looked at his feet. “I suppose not.”
I poked him. “So what do they do?”
He studied me, then stared into the darkness. “They plan. Gather intelligence. They prepare to live or die for their principles.”
I nodded grimly. “And then they launch their attack. Exactly as we will.”
He looked surprised — and honored. “We?”
I flashed a warm smile. “You, me…and hopefully, a hell of a lot of backup.”
He laughed softly, then cupped my cheek, going all serious.
“You, Maid Marian, would make a fine general.”
I chuckled. “And you, Friar Tuck, would make a fine knight.” I let a beat go by, then smiled. “A kiss for good luck?”
He broke into a huge grin. “Well, seeing as you’re the general…”
“True,” I murmured, inching closer. “And since orders are orders…”
A beam of moonlight separated us, but I cut through it, pressing my body against his. Then I leaned up and forward, touching my lips to his. Wrapping my arms around him, too, and squeezing hard enough to erase any space between us. The kiss went deeper and deeper, hungrier and hungrier, until my whole body burned for his. I squeezed my hips closer and my arms lower…
A loud flutter sounded, and we both whirled, then relaxed. Just a bat leaving its perch outside.
I gulped, kissed Tuck more softly, and finally shot a glum look upstairs.
“All right, then.” I did my best to sound confident as I turned back up the stairs. “Time to lock me up.” Then I laughed. “Never thought I’d say such a thing.”
Tuck grinned. “Desperate times call for desperate measures.”
We kissed again on the threshold — a kiss so deep and full of longing, I nearly invited him in for the night. And I might have, if the bells hadn’t rung for prayers.
