Page 30 of The Protector’s Promise

“What of you? As the daughter of an earl, you must have had enough marriage proposals to be wedded and bedded thrice over by now.”

“Wedded, nay. Bedded . . .” She shrugged her shoulders.

She deliberately goaded him.

Court reached for her and pulled her toward him. “You have not—”

“And what if I had?”

The thought of Marion lying with another man . . . “No.”

Her scowl was fierce and instantaneous. “You’ve no claim on me to say such a thing.”

“And yet I’ll say it just the same.”

When he brought his lips down on hers, neither of them softened the impact. The kiss was rough and uncompromising. Court reached for her back, her hips, and brought her even closer, showing her the evidence of his words.

“I want that claim,” he said, gasping as he pulled away.

She didn’t even hesitate.

“Then it is yours.”

* * *

After an eternity, Marion finally gathered enough strength to pull away. She could not think with Court’s lips on her own. This was the second time she’d come to speak to him of the attack—and ended up in his arms instead.

Trust the stone.

Court was not the enemy. He could be if she didn’t stop him, but the same stone that had given Marion her ability had been guiding her all along. They were not enemies. Court meant no ill toward her, or even to her country. Not truly. If he had, she would have sensed it. He only thought to follow orders—in part because he wanted that which he already had. He simply hadn’t realized it yet. He may have been given Camburg, but even that had been earned. Court was already a man to be admired. There was nothing left to prove.

Court still held her shoulders. “You don’t know what you’re saying.”

He looked terrified. Understandably so.

His expression softened. “Marion, I—”

A brief knock landed on the door, and it then swung open.

“My lord. A visitor has been spotted approaching the gates.”

Marion looked at Court as the many possibilities ran through her mind.

“Who?” Court demanded, his eyes locked with hers.

“The king’s regent,” the guard said with more than a tinge of fear in his voice.

“Edmund of Almain.”

The man nodded his acknowledgement and then turned to leave. “Aye, my lord.”

The implications of her failure to convince Court to abandon the attack finally began to penetrate.

And now it was too late.

9

What was Almain doing here? This was not part of the plan. Court’s mind raced as they walked toward the hall together.