One Enchanted Season by C.L. Wilson & Erica Ridley & Elissa Wilds

Author:C.L. Wilson & Erica Ridley & Elissa Wilds
Language: eng
Format: mobi, epub
Tags: Contemporary romance, Christmas, Anthology, Fiction
ISBN: 9781311957603
Publisher: Enchanted Seasons
Published: 2013-12-04T05:00:00+00:00

CHAPTER SIX

Marigold held her breath as she awaited Lance’s reply. Never had she been so bold with a man. Never had she wished to. ’Twas not for lack of strapping young men, for the castle had once brimmed with the valiant, battle-proven knights who served her father’s kingdom.

Nor was she the sort of maiden whose sights were set so high that no man could e’er achieve them. Sultans, sheikhs, and grand dukes had regularly begged for the privilege of her hand, virtually from the moment of her conception.

And whatever Lance might think, ’twas not mere lonesomeness driving her to surrender the virginity she’d guarded for over six hundred years, simply because he’d strode through the bailey door with a broadsword and a swagger. He was not the first adventure-seeker to entangle himself in the castle’s cursed web, nor would he be the last.

He was the first to treat her as a person in her own right. Not some temporary object of lustful desire, nor some royal pawn to wed in order to fuel a political agenda. Few of the dignitaries seeking matrimony had even set eyes on her. For ’twas her bloodline, not her person, which they found attractive. During the long centuries of occasional wayward travelers, few had bothered to sit for so much as a conversation, for nothing between her ears had been of any interest. Either they sought to take advantage of a maiden alone—the secret chamber had been her solace in more ways than one—or they ignored her completely in their panic-fueled quest for escape.

Lance, on the other hand, had switched from “I” to “we” from the moment he’d recognized their shared plight. Not only did all his plans for escape involve the two of them, his artless words revealed his intention to play a role in her future as well. We’ll take the playing cards with us, he had said, without expectation of anything more than continued friendship.

No one had ever done that before. In her entire life. Not her many suitors, or even the army of princesses that made up her circle of friends. They liked her, of course, but she was first and foremost a stepping-stone.

Perhaps that was why she’d been so attached to her childhood home. It was the only thing in her life that didn’t expect her to bend to its will. She’d been terrified of leaving it to wed a stranger, with no assurance of being treated with kindness or respect. Even more laughable was the idea of ever finding love.

Yet, today she’d had fun. She had met a man who could easily ensnare a woman’s heart. He’d made her laugh, given her a new perspective. And his kisses . . . Marigold swallowed. Come midnight, she was going to be heartbroken when the castle took him. Few hours yet remained.

She’d be damned if she wasted a single minute.

She twined her arms about his neck and lowered her mouth to the line of his jaw. She dragged her lips along the slight stubble.

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