☰

Literature & Fiction

The Pleasure in Surrender (an erotic historical short story)

Not Available / Digital Item

The Pleasure in Surrender (an erotic historical short story)

After the lady of the keep bars her gates to the barbarian the king commands she wed, the half-Viking knight scales the walls of her heart...

Note: This 5700-word short story was previously published as part of the HOT HIGHLANDERS AND WILD WARRIORS anthology. It may be short in length, but it's not short in passion!

*~*~*~*~*
Excerpt:

A draft brushedÂ her face. She'd closed the door and latchedÂ the pigskin curtain over her narrow window. A scuff of a foot had herÂ stiffening, but she heard no more above the pounding of her heart. SheÂ wasn't alone. "Who's there?" she whispered.

"I think youÂ know," came a deep, rumbling drawl.

She drew a deepÂ breath and came up slowly, scooting to the far side of her bed. Her knife wasÂ on her chatelaine's belt hanging from a peg beside the door. SheÂ was weaponless. "My people?"

"Your man GeadeÂ surrendered as soon as he realized the keep was overrun. No one was harmed."

"How?"

"Does it matter?Â I've taken this castle. The only question now is one I want answered: Why didÂ you bar the gates?"

Edwina shiveredÂ at his graveled voice. "I was promised time to grieve before I accepted anotherÂ husband."

"Alred suspectedÂ you would grieve until you were old. Did you really think he would defy theÂ king's order for you?"

She lifted her chin although she knew the gesture couldn't be seen--notÂ unless Vikings had eyes like cats. "I expected him to honor hisÂ promise. I paid for the privilege."

"About that--heÂ returned the gold. To me." His footsteps drew nearer her bed. "But that doesn'tÂ answer the question. Why, Edwina?"

Her mouth grew dry at the rasping texture of his deep voice. SheÂ swallowed and set her back against the wall. "I wedÂ once for political expediency. This time, I wanted a choice."

He remainedÂ silent for a long moment. "And yet you have turned awayÂ every suitor who approached you."

"None were worthy."

"You hold yourself in such high esteem?"

"I worried for my people. Warriors don't make the best farmers."

His footsteps scraped closer.

She pressed harder against cold stone.

"I will admit, I've little experience with farming. But I understood youÂ were competent. That I could rely on you to teach me."

He said the words slowly, and she tried to read his intentions in the inflectionsÂ of his voice. Could he be telling her the truth? Would he allow her to continueÂ as steward of her land?Â "Are we...negotiating?"

After a long moment, he cleared his throat. "You wedÂ young."

"I had noÂ choice, but Malcolm was malleable and a drunk. We came to an arrangement thatÂ suited us both. I managed the estate. He drank and caroused, spending from aÂ generous budget. We were both satisfied."

"You managed himÂ and the estate."

"Yes."

After a pause,Â he said, "I'm not malleable. Nor will I be managed."
Country USA
Author Delilah Devlin
Binding Kindle Edition
Format Kindle eBook
IsAdultProduct
NumberOfPages 31
PublicationDate 2015-03-03
ReleaseDate 2015-03-03

You might also like...

Conquests: an Anthology of Smoldering Viking Romance

Conquests: an Anthology of Smoldering Viking Romance

One Track Cowboy (an erotic Western short story)

One Track Cowboy (an erotic Western short story)

Stepbrothers Stepping Out: With His Boss

Stepbrothers Stepping Out: With His Boss