Uncommon Vows by Mary Jo Putney

Author:Mary Jo Putney
Language: eng
Format: epub, pdf
Publisher: ePublishing Works!
Published: 2014-06-10T16:00:00+00:00

Chapter 12

Having rediscovered riding, Meriel was anxious to do more, so the next afternoon Adrian took her out again, following the river north until they came to a tributary and turned east. The day was very warm and it was pleasant to follow the shady path that ran along the stream. Adrian had brought food and wine and they shared it by a hidden pool, laughing and talking of trivial things that were rendered amusing by the company.

Sprawled beneath a tree with Meriel an arm's length away, Adrian could not remember when he had been so content. More than content, happy.

By midafternoon, it was the hottest day the young summer had yet produced. Adrian glanced at the stream with regret, thinking that if he had been alone or with Richard, he would have gone swimming. But he couldn't do that with Meriel. "It's time to return home."

Meriel had no such inhibitions. "Let us delay for a few minutes longer." She stood, untied her girdle, and let it drop to the ground.

Startled, Adrian sat up. "What are you doing?"

She peeled the bliaut off over her head, then removed her shoes and stockings. "Going into the water, of course. It is such a warm day."

She stopped at the expression on his face. "Is that one of those things that is not done?" she asked uncertainly.

"It is done sometimes," he admitted, distracted by how the thin fabric of her shift clung to her perspiration-damped curves.

Before he could collect himself enough to enumerate the conditions under which one was likely to enter a stream, she said, "Good!"

Lifting her shift by the hem, Meriel pulled it off in one sinuous movement. She was neither brazen nor timid, but instead serenely comfortable with her body, like Eve before the Fall.

Mesmerized by the sight of her slim, perfectly proportioned figure, Adrian was rendered temporarily speechless, but as she blithely headed toward the water he managed to exclaim, "Jesu, Meriel, can you swim?"

She glanced over her shoulder mischievously. "I don't remember, but I'm about to find out." She wrapped her braids around her head in a coronet, then scampered across the grass and into the water.

Torn between amusement and concern, Adrian stripped off his own tunic, thinking that protecting Meriel from possible danger was a good excuse to do what he had wanted to do anyhow. In a few moments he was as bare as she was. He crossed to the stream and was about to enter when he stopped, his gaze caught by Meriel's.

She stood shoulder-deep in the water, her wide blue eyes fixed on him as if she had never seen a naked man before. Perhaps she had not.

Embarrassed by her grave regard, Adrian was unsure whether to advance or retreat. Before he could do either, she said softly, "I never knew how beautiful a man can be."

There was no mistaking the sincerity in her voice. While Adrian could not help but be gratified, her admiration embarrassed him even more and his face burned with rising color.

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