“You want only my kisses?”
She nodded.
“That is good, for my kisses are the only ones you will ever taste, the only ones you will ever need.”
She smiled again and nodded enthusiastically.
He smiled and laughed and kissed her soundly. “You make me laugh and smile, things I have not done often enough.” He slapped her bottom playfully “And now it is time to feed me, woman, for I have an insatiable lover and I must keep up my stamina to please her.”
She laughed soundlessly and tapped his chest.
“I’m insatiable?” Cree huffed.
Dawn grinned and crossed her arms over her chest, hugging herself.
“You love that I am.”
Her eyes went wide, her brow went up and she nodded slowly.
Cree laughed again and hugged her tightly rocking them back and forth. “Damn, woman, but I’m glad your mine.”
She gave a pat to her chest to let him know she felt the same about him as she scrambled off him. Cree reluctantly released her.
Dawn leaned over to pick up her clothes.
“Don’t dare dress. I want you naked. We will stay naked all day and stay in bed all day. We will eat, talk, sleep, and make love throughout the entire day.”
That sounded perfect to Dawn and she hoped it would be so. She hurried to gather the food she had made and they were soon feasting on porridge and bread.
“I have sent for my sister to come live here,” Cree said tearing a piece of bread off the flat loaf.
Dawn’s eyes turned wide and she didn’t need to gesture for Cree to understand.
“Yes, I have a sister. I let no one know about her for fear my enemies would harm her,” he said. “I have not seen her in a few years. She is a woman grown now, ten and nine years. I hope to make a fine match for her; a man of substance, one who will look after her and treat her well.”
Dawn wondered how is sister would feel about having a husband chosen for her. But then being of nobility, his sister had little choice. She would have to obey her brother’s edict whether it pleased her or not.
“Wintra is like you,” he said with a tweak to the tip of her nose, “getting herself into all sorts of things she shouldn’t. You two will get along well.”
Dawn looked forward to meeting her, though she wondered how friendly they could become. She was after all a lowly peasant. It was Cree’s wife his sister would befriend.
He rested a hand to his stomach and Dawn was quick to place her hand over his, his eyes having taken on a pained expression.
“I am fine; my stomach but sours slightly. Elsa had told me it was to be expected and that I should rest a day or two and limit my intake of food. But my body calls for sustenance and I have never lain abed all day.” He smiled. “But then I never had reason to. Now I have you.” His smile faded as a heavy yawn hit him and he dropped his head back.
She hurried to clean away the food. When she went to tuck the blanket around him he stopped her.
“Not until you are in this bed with me.”
She nodded and quickly added more logs to the fire before slipping into bed beside him and tucking the blanket around them both. She snuggled against him and his arms went around her.
“You will not leave me,” he said. “I want to wake with you in my arms.”
She nodded and rested her head on his chest. She did not know if she would sleep but it did not matter. She was content to have him here beside her and she would enjoy this time she had with him even if it meant lying there in his arms while he slept, for she knew not when she would have such an intimate moment with him again.
She woke with a start, not knowing if she had slept a few moments or several hours. When she realized that the room had taken on a chill. She cast an eye at the hearth and saw the flames low and she knew they had slept hours. Cree still slept and she did not want him to wake to a cold room so she eased herself out of her arms, though she didn’t get far.
“I am not awake yet and you are to be in my arms when I wake.’
She poked him playfully and then pretended to shiver.
“The room has chilled. You stay; I’ll tend the fire,” he said opening his eyes.
She shook her head and wiggled out of his arms.
“Dawn,” he warned but she was out of bed and at the hearth before he stretched himself awake.
She added three logs, some kindling, and stoked the embers until the wood caught and the hearth was ablaze and then she added another log. She held her hands out in front of the fire for a moment before hurrying back to bed.