“I’ll do my best,” Sorrell said and a slight tingle ran through her, thinking of the night ahead. John and her would do more than kiss tonight and she found herself looking forward to it, though a bit anxious.
Thaw’s head shot up and he let out one of his tiny yelps.
“Someone is near,” Snow said and turned as a servant appeared at the open door.
“The cleric has arrived. Your presence is requested in the solar.”
This was it. It was going to happen. She would become John’s wife.
John could not take his eyes off Sorrell when she entered the room and he couldn’t help but think that this wasn’t real. He would wake to find it all a dream. But then none of it was truly real, since Sorrell didn’t truly know who he was.
“Could I have a moment with John?” Sorrell asked of James, and he nodded.
John stepped out of the solar with Sorrell and moved a short distance down the narrow hallway, away from the open door.
“Something troubles you?” John asked concerned she might have found a reason not to go through with the wedding.
“I need you to know something before we take our vows.”
There was nothing that she could say to him that would change his mind about marrying her. Not a single thing. If only that was true about him.
“I’m listening,” he said, though the thought to kiss her and chase away her concerns popped into his head and how in just a short while he’d be able to do both anytime she needed him to.
She drew her shoulders back and brought her chin up a notch. “I need you to know that I’m not an easy woman to have as a wife.”
John lowered his head and brought his face so close to hers, she thought he would kiss her.
“Aye that you are, but you’re my woman and that’s all that matters.” His kissed her gently, and gave her no chance to say any more. “Now we wed.” His large hand closed around hers, almost devouring it and hurried her into the room.
A servant rushed into the solar only moments after John and Sorrell entered.
“The Lord of Fire and a contingent of his warriors are not far off and either is Seth MacCannish and a troop of his warriors,” a servant lass said, worrying her hands in front of her.
John turned to the cleric and demanded, “Wed us now.”
The skinny cleric turned a nervous glance to James.
“Do as he says and hurry,” James ordered.
The ceremony was over in a few minutes after it started and Sorrell felt as though she held her breath through the whole thing, worried that at any moment someone would burst through the door and stop it.
John took hold of her hand as he turned a nod on James.
James returned it. “Be quick about it.”
“Your bedchamber?” John asked, looking to his wife.
Sorrell didn’t understand at first. The Lord of Fire and Seth MacCannish were on their way here, and John wanted to know where her bedchamber was? Then it dawned on her and she held tight to his hand as she led him out of the solar and up to the second floor and into her small bedchamber.
John shut the door, then brought Sorrell into his arms. “I’m sorry it has to be this way, our first time together, but the marriage vows must be sealed, made final so no one can dispute we are wed.”
“I understand,” she said. “There will be time to see it done properly.
John smiled. “I’m anything but proper when it comes to coupling.”
“And I have no experience, so it doesn’t matter,” Sorrell said with a laugh. She rested her hand to his warm cheek. “What does matter is that you will be my first.”
“And your last,” he said and lifted her off her feet and kissed her as he walked them to the bed.
Sorrell thought her heart would pound right out of her chest, it beat so fast with excitement. And when they went down on the bed together and he pushed her garments up and his plaid aside and she felt his manhood poke between her legs, her small hands latched onto his thick arms as best they could.
His mouth found hers once again and this time his kiss demanded and Sorrell responded.
John worried that she was too small, his manhood too large for her to take with ease. And he had no time to stoke her passion and make this moment easier for her. He had to be quick, and he hated that he might cause her pain or discomfort.
A repetitive beat of a drum ended their kiss, and they both hurried a glance at the window. The incessant drum beat droned on. It was not far off, which meant either was the Lord of Fire’s arrival.