Page 140 of A Most Forgettable Girl

“Do you still have them?” she asked curiously.

He turned his head. “Indecent thoughts? About you?” She nodded. “All the damned time,” he groaned. “When I started to realize how much I liked you, I became so clumsy, blundering about like a fool. I was supposed to be a polished courtier but all that went out of the window where you were concerned. I don’t know how you put up with me or ever formed a good opinion of me, in truth. You were so patient.”

“You poor, poor thing,” she breathed. “Shall I take pity on you now?”

He caught his breath. “It would be a mercy.”

They moved over to the bed, and after hurriedly undressing one another, spent a very delightful twenty minutes finding out exactly what Gunnilde could have done to alleviate James’s suffering on their wedding night. “Ah gods,” he panted, “I do not want to spend in your hand. It’s...it’s a good deal messier than when I touch you. You might not like it.”

“Oh, but I would not mind the messiness,” she assured him with perfect composure. James looked horribly conflicted for an instant. “In fact, I should like to see it,” she said, tipping the balance.

He made a noise deep in his throat and then he came apart in her hands completely. Gunnilde, fascinated by his masculine beauty in the aftermath, watched him closely as recovered.

“My gods,” James groaned. “Did that—was that—?”

“I loved touching you,” she said with perfect truth.

“Let me get cleaned up.” He rolled off the bed and crossed to the basin. When he was done, he refilled the basin and motioned for her to come over and join him. “Come and wash your hands.” He stood behind her, his hands entwined with hers as they shared the soap flakes between them.

“It’s probably as well I did not touch you like this on our wedding night,” Gunnilde reflected. “For you would not have been so free and comfortable with me afterward as you are now.”

He laughed. “No, I think it is safe to say that I would not.” He kissed the back of her neck.

“It is good that I gave you time to get warmed up to me,” she continued, wiping her hands on the drying cloth.

“Warmed up? I was burned to crisp from the outset! Let’s get back into bed.”

Hand in hand, they sauntered over to the bed and clambered under the covers, immediately coming back together again underneath them.

“I used to wonder, you know, what it would be like to have someone look at me through the eyes of love,” she admitted quietly. “To wonder what it must it feel like to be able to wield such an effect on someone. And now I know,” she concluded wonderingly.

He ran a finger down her cheek. “And how does it feel?”

She smiled at him. “Don’t you know?”

Hesitantly, he answered her smile. “Yes, I know.” They kissed again, and Gunnilde felt her heart skip in her chest. Maybe she would be the one fainting this time. She could not hold back her smile at the thought.

“What are you smiling about?”

“Nothing, just...remembering things. They appear in an altogether different light now that I know you love me.”

“What things?”

She ducked her head. “Things like you swooning that time.”

“I did not swoon!”

“You did, you know, James,” she said earnestly.

“I know,” he admitted at once. “I won’t do it again though.”

“And you rubbing my feet in that inn.”

He appeared to consider this. “Yes, I would not do that for anyone else,” he said, flopping onto his back. He extended his arm so she could lie on it and Gunnilde shuffled in close.

“Did you hear what the King said as we left the throne room?”

“He told the Queen to mind her own damned business.” James scowled. “Someone had to.”