Chapter 4 Bold Decrees

• I was stunned to find her at my door so late. I unabashedly let my eyes rove over her while she hesitated. Enjoying that pretty silhouette so clearly revealed.
• I braced a thick arm along the doorframe next to my head as I peered down at her.
• Wondering why she was here.
• At what is clearly an inappropriate hour.
• She stood there sheepishly. Reaching up to rub her neck nervously.
• “What, Baby Girl?”
• She gripped her skirts with her other hand. Her eyes roving over my bare chest hungrily.
• At least I’m not the only one to appreciate a nice form.
• I grinned rakishly at her.
• She looked up and saw I’d caught her looking me over. She blushed furiously. Her cheeks turning nearly the same shade as her hair.
• “I w-w-won’t put up with…it!” She declared. Gathering every bit of courage, she had.
• “What?” I asked dryly. Pushing the door open far enough to cross my arms over my thick chest as I peered down at her. Letting the amusement roll over my face.
• She huffed. “You can’t call me that anymore.”
• Yes. Pure joy rolled through me at the opportunity to taunt her yet again.
• “Call you what, Baby Girl?” I asked innocently.
• “You think it’s so funny to joke that I’m as clumsy as an infant lamb.”
• When I mock her for being slow, ungainly, and every other entertaining thing I can think of. I probably had called her an infant lamb today, though I didn’t clearly recall that exact phrasing.
• “You are.”
• “And that I’m childish!” She added before registering my retort. Which made her frown.
• “You are. Look at you.” I gestured to her form with an open hand. “At a man’s door in the middle of the night, puffing about him calling you mean nicknames.”
• “It’s not the middle of the night.”
• The hell it’s not!
• Her father would kill me if he saw her here.
• “No?” He poked his head out. “Who else is out here?”
• Nobody.
• Because it’s the dead of night.
• All of the castle had gone still. Even the servants were finishing cleaning up dinner below and headed to their cots.
• “No one.” She admitted slowly. Shifting shyly.
• What is she up to? My eyes narrowed on her. Sensing this visit was a bit more than her chastising me.
• What is she about?
• “So, who’d save you if I dragged you into my room right now?” I tossed out. Curious what she’d say.
• “You wouldn’t!”
• I want to.
• I might…
• “It’s a child’s choice. Not a woman’s.” I forced a disapproving look to hide what I was considering. What I was so tempted to do.
• To hide how much I want her.
• She was all I thought about anymore.
• Memorizing all of her curves during the day, to think about late at night. Sometimes stirring myself with my thoughts of her, and what it would feel like to touch her.
• As men touch women.
• Though she was a woman, she was still a child in many ways.
• I knew the King was looking for a husband for her.
• Roger admitted that he had a few men in mind.
• I couldn’t imagine any of them being able to tolerate her moodiness, sullenness, determination…And general adorability.
• They won’t appreciate all that.
• Not like I do.
• “Well, you refer to yourself as a man but you’re barely older than me.”
• Oh?
• Did she really? I could hardly believe she’d just challenged me. I blinked slowly. Tempted to snatch her wrist and jerk her in my room. Slamming the door behind her and trapping her inside as I kissed her senseless.
• No. I tamed my thoughts.
• You need to send her off.
• She’s Roger’s sister.
• And she’s human.
• “I’m four years older than you.” I sighed intolerantly.
• “You’ve no business mocking me as you do! It’s-it’s...well, it’s positively impolite.”
• Impolite? I snorted out my nose a bit in my effort not to laugh aloud.
• That’s the best she’s got? She really is nervous!
• “Oooh.” I crunched my face in a long note. “When you put it that way, I’m duly chastised.”
• Not at all.
• Not even slightly.
• I’ll do it tomorrow.
• She was glaring at me.
• And it was sexy as hell.
• I felt my body tightening below my thin breeches.
• Thank God I wore those to bed. Or I’d likely have answered the door naked.
• I thought the castle might be on fire.
• “Do you need to stomp for emphasis?” I suggested. Seeing she was beginning to flush prettily, I could bare to resist teasing her further.
• “Jacks!”
• I love it when she calls me that.
• “Yes, Baby Girl?”
• “Stop calling me that!” She squawked. Sounding like someone had stepped on an injured bird.
• I clucked in my cheek. “Careful, Little One. Everyone might hear you, half naked at a half-naked man’s door.”
• “I’m not naked!”
• My brow furrowed as I looked down at her nightdress.
• Ah, Honey…You’ve no idea what that light is doing to you. I was tempted not to tell her and just enjoy the view.
• “It’s my sleepwear.” She tugged at it pointedly.
• “Yes, well, in the light of the torches it’s nonexistent.” I took pity on her.
• She blinked as horror set on her face. Slowly tipping her head to inspect her body.
• Her dark nipples flared beneath the thin garment so hotly, I was tempted to reach out and flick one playfully.
• What would she do then?
• “Don’t worry. Nothing there to see, Baby Girl.” I bluffed. Blatantly insulting her.
• I lightly tossed the door to close it. Knowing my goading would drive her to push through the crack before it caught.
• Sure as shit.
• “Don’t do that!” She snapped. Huffing so hard her shoulders heaved.
• And now she’s out of the hallway where anyone can see her talking to me.
• It was so nice to have her to myself, in the shadows of my chamber, I was willing to do nearly anything to keep her there.
• I’ll stay up all night talking to her, if she stays. I vowed to myself. So happy she was there I was nearly beaming as I sauntered back toward my bed.