Embroidered Fantasies

Chapter Ten

Roxanne came awake slowly. She was warm and fully dressed. She frowned. She slept in her pajamas, not in her clothing. Her eyes flickered open and she stared at her surroundings. It all came back to her in a rush.

She was in Javara at Craddock Keep. She’d toured the castle and grounds today with Sednar and Radnor, making love with both of them. No, she corrected herself, she’d had sex with them. They didn’t love her and she didn’t love them. She ignored the pang in the region of her heart. They couldn’t love her. They barely knew her. And the same went for her. Didn’t it?

The problem was neither man felt like a stranger. Maybe that was her way of justifying having sex with both of them. But it went deeper than that. Roxanne knew them in a way she’d never known her ex-husband. Fundamentally, at their very core, they were good, hardworking men who would do whatever it took to protect everyone under their care. And, for the moment, that included her.

They treated her with a care that wasn’t false. There was no fanfare, no “look what I’ve done”. She wasn’t even certain they were aware of what they were doing. It was an ingrained part of them. They always walked between her and what they perceived as any potential danger. They were constantly trying to feed her. They never lost patience with the questions she’d asked.

There was also no denying the physical attraction that smoldered between her and the two brothers. Roxanne thought she’d known what sexual attraction was until she’d met Radnor and Sednar. What she’d known was only a pale imitation of what they’d brought out in her. For the first time in her life, she felt like a sexual, powerful woman.

It was an odd, yet liberating sensation.

She sat up and winced. All the unusual activity had left parts of her slightly sore.

She was also sticky and sweaty. A bath was the first thing on the agenda. Throwing back the cover, she slid off the bed and stretched.

The door open and Radnor walked in carrying a tray. Sednar was right behind him, a second tray in his hands. Roxanne felt her cheeks get warm. It was harder than she thought to face both men at once. She’d had sex with both of them, for heaven’s sake.

She barely resisted crawling back in bed and pulling the covers over her head.

“You’re awake.” Radnor set the tray on the table and studied her. “You’re looking rested.”

“I am.” Her voice sounded slightly hoarse from sleep. It certainly wasn’t due to embarrassment, at least that’s what she tried to convince herself. It worked. Sort of.

Sighing, she padded toward the table. There was no point in her hiding now that they’d seen her.

Sednar smiled as he straightened from the table. She studied the tray he’d brought in. It was filled with food, as was Radnor’s tray. A smile flitted at the corners of her mouth. “You’re always trying to feed me.” It touched her that they cared enough to bother.

Radnor frowned. “You don’t eat enough.” He studied her in a way that made her want to squirm. It was as though he could see what she was thinking. She was almost convinced of it a moment later when he added. “Do you want a bath first or food?”

“A bath,” she all but moaned. Soaking in a tub was more of a priority than food at this point.

Sednar strode to the door to the bathing chamber and opened it. “Your bath awaits.”

Roxanne was very aware of both men as she entered the smaller room. Her skin was hypersensitive. Her breasts and between her thighs throbbed with awareness.

Shaking off the sensual sensations, she walked toward the tub. Sure enough, it was filled with steaming water. She turned to the men, who were standing just inside the bathing chamber. Their mere presence made it shrink in size. “Thank you.” She waited for them to leave but neither of them made a motion to do so. “Umm, you can go now.”

One corner of Radnor’s mouth turned up in a wicked grin. “No, we can’t. We’re here to help you.”

She knew her jaw dropped. It took her a moment to gather her wits and close her mouth. “You can’t be serious,” she sputtered.

“Very serious,” Sednar told her as he went around the room gathering a washcloth and towel.

“It’s as we told you when you first arrived. We must take you separately and together so you might learn which of us fulfills your needs better. You’ve had both of us separately.” Radnor’s gaze heated as he continued. “Now we will tend to your needs and both pleasure you at once.”

Roxanne’s knees went weak and she slowly lowered herself onto a wooden stool.

Radnor frowned and started toward her. She held up her hand, stopping him in his tracks. “This is crazy.” She’d already pushed way past her comfort zone today. She wasn’t certain she could handle more.

Sednar strode to her side and went down on one knee beside her. It reminded her too much of earlier today and brought a flush to her cheeks. “It is up to you. All we want to do is bathe you and pleasure you. Then we will feed you. What happens after that…” He shrugged.

“It is always your choice, Roxanne.” Radnor crossed his arms over his chest, emphasizing the breadth of his chest and the massive size of his biceps. As always, both men looked as sexy as all get out, dressed in leather pants, vests and wide wrist and armbands.

“Don’t you ever get cold?” she blurted out.

Radnor frowned and Sednar laughed. It was Sednar who answered her question.

“We wear shirts or tunics and heavier clothing in the cold season, but it is still warm.” He shrugged. “There is no need for anything more.”

“Enough.” Radnor dropped his arms back by his side. “Your bath is getting cold and I do not want you to take a chill.” He walked over until he was standing in front of her. He reached down, gently pulled her to her feet and began to tug off her tunic.

Seeing no help for it, Roxanne raised her arms over her head. The back of Radnor’s hand brushed her nipple as he helped her undress. She didn’t think it was an accident.

But accident or not, her nipple responded by puckering into a tight nub.

Sednar went to work on her skirt and, before she could blink, she was naked. She quickly climbed into the wooden tub, letting the hot water surround her. It was a good-sized tub, but it wasn’t large enough for her to stretch out all the way. Her legs were slightly bent as she leaned against the rim.

Sednar sat near her feet, Radnor near her head. Sednar reached for a bar of soap, lathering it in his hands before passing it off to his brother. Radnor worked the soap until his fingers were covered in a froth of white.

Roxanne watched, entranced by the contrast of their strong hands covered in fragile bubbles. Mostly, she couldn’t begin to think about what was going to happen next. She didn’t need to worry about her bath getting cold. She was giving off more than enough heat to start the water boiling.

Her breasts bobbed just above the waterline, which lapped at her tight nipples.

Radnor and Sednar moved as one, leaning over the tub. Then they began to bathe her.

Radnor licked his lips as one tight pink nipple dipped beneath the water before bobbing up again. He wanted to protest as Roxanne bent her legs slightly to shield her mound from view. After everything they’d done, she was still as shy and skittish as a woodland creature.

His cock was at full attention, straining against his pants, but he ignored the discomfort. This moment was about Roxanne. Like a fractious mare, he planned to gentle her with his hands, get her used to his touch. He hid a grin. He didn’t think she’d appreciate being compared to one of his horses.

Whether she realized it or not, today had been about saturating her senses with them, with their home. They wanted her to feel a part of Craddock Keep. His gut tightened as he remembered all the dark looks and comments that had been sent her way as she’d toured their home. He’d wanted to shake more than one person today. It was as if they wanted Roxanne—a tapestry bride—to leave. Perhaps he should be proud of his people instead. They braved his and Sednar’s displeasure to protect her from what they considered a fate worse than death—being with him or Sednar, the despised Craddock brothers.

That thought left a bad taste in his mouth. All these years of working and struggling and the people of the keep thought no better of them, treated them like they were their older brothers. What they’d failed to stop and realize was that if any of them had dared to voice a disagreement today, Leon would have slain them where they stood.

Radnor pushed aside his dour thoughts. Roxanne was wet and naked and waiting for him to bathe her. Sednar had already reached for one slender ankle and was working his way up to her knee, leaving a trail of soap behind him.

He decided to begin at her shoulders. Laying his hands on the curve of her neck, he slid them up and down before following the slope of her shoulders. Roxanne closed her eyes and moaned as his fingers worked the stiffness out of her muscles. He was very careful to control the pressure, not wanting to do anything to cause her discomfort.

Her lips parted on a sigh as he soaped her upper arms. Her arms were slender, yet muscled. She was no stranger to hard work. He rubbed and kneaded all the way down one arm to her hand. He held it between his larger one, stroking and gently pulling on her fingers.

“That feels wonderful,” she breathed.

Radnor stroked between her fingers in a sensual caress. Roxanne shifted restlessly in the tub and the water sloshed gently to the rim. He caught his brother’s eye and nodded.

Moving to the top of the tub, Radnor leaned over and cupped her breasts with his soapy hands. He rubbed until they were covered in a froth of white. Sednar was busy between Roxanne’s thighs, coaxing them apart and slipping his wet, soapy fingers into her molten core.

Roxanne moaned and arched her hips out of the water. Her skin was gleaming wet, trails of soap streaming over her stomach. Radnor captured her nipples between his thumbs and forefingers, tugging and pulling gently.

This time when she parted her lips on a whimper, he leaned down and captured her mouth with his. She opened for him as easily as if she’d been doing it forever, offering him whatever he wanted.

All the blood rushed to his cock, leaving him lightheaded as he kissed her. She reached behind her and grabbed a hunk of his hair, tugging him closer to her. He savored the slight sting of his scalp and the knowledge that she wanted his kiss, wanted him.

Radnor kept kissing Roxanne as he glanced down at Sednar. His brother was busy, thrusting his fingers in and out of her slick pussy. Thick fingers disappeared into her tight channel over and over.

A cry was ripped from her throat and she pulled away from his kiss. She cried again, her body jerking as she came. Water sloshed over the edges of the tub, splashing his pants, but doing little to cool his ardor.

He anchored her with his hands on her breasts, kneading and stroking until her orgasm was done. He changed his touch then, making it more soothing and relaxing.

Her eyelids fluttered open and she smiled at him, then at Sednar. “That was amazing.”

“Now you will eat.” Radnor scooped her up and set her on her feet in the tub, supporting her when she swayed.

Sednar lifted a bucket of warm water and rinsed the soap from her skin. When she was clean, he set the bucket aside and grabbed the towel he’d set out earlier. Wrapping it around her, he lifted her out of the tub.

Radnor turned and left the room to check on the food. It would also give Sednar time alone with Roxanne. His heart clenched and his gut burned as he entered his bedroom. He wanted to be with her, wanted to spend every second he could with her, but he also wanted her to stay for good.

That most likely meant her marrying Sednar. He’d have to get used to it. His brother might share leadership with him, but there was no denying Sednar was lord here. His line in the birth order preordained it. His braids and the ceremonial torque he wore on special occasions proclaimed it to the world. Sednar was also a much easier man to understand and live with, not burdened by as many demons as Radnor. Why wouldn’t she choose him?

He glanced at the bed and rubbed a hand over his chest. He’d never be able to see his bed again without picturing Roxanne curled up in it, sleeping soundly. Then there were the more erotic pictures of Roxanne naked and sucking his cock with great enthusiasm.

He turned away from the bed and focused his attention to the food on the table, choosing the best of it for Roxanne.

Sednar briskly ran the drying cloth over Roxanne’s body, frowning at the slight bruises on her arms and legs. He wasn’t sure if she’d had them when she’d arrived or if they were new from the vigorous activity of today.

“What are you frowning over?” she asked.

He traced an older bruise, the edges of which were yellow and fading. “You have too many bruises.”

Roxanne tugged the cloth from his hands and wrapped it around herself. “It’s nothing.”

She made to move away from him, but he stopped her. His hands rested lightly on her shoulders. He didn’t want to make her feel trapped or afraid. “It is not nothing, Roxanne. It matters that you are hurt. I hope I did not add to your collection of bruises today in the stairwell.”

A delectable shade of pink flowed up her chest and bloomed on her cheeks. She stared at a point beyond his shoulder. “Umm, I don’t think so.” She shrugged, tightening her grip on the towel when it slipped. “Even if you did, I didn’t feel them at the time.” She shot him a cheeky grin. “I was otherwise occupied.”

Sednar smiled. He couldn’t help himself. Something about Roxanne lightened the burdens on his soul. “Stay,” he blurted. “Don’t go when the tapestry comes for you.

Stay here and marry one of us.”

She took a step away from him. He let his hands fall down to his sides. His fingers curled into fists as he forced himself not to reach for her. Her gaze flicked down to his hands and she took another step away. Her face paled.

She was afraid of him.

Darkness descended on Sednar. Was he no better than his dead brothers, forcing a woman to his bidding? He bowed his head and relaxed his hands until they were no longer fisted. “Forgive me.”

Roxanne blinked and gave him a nervous smile. “That’s okay. It’s just that I don’t belong here. I have a life.”

His heart sank and despair threatened to swamp him. “I understand. But think about this. There is no one back where you come from who will care for you and protect you like we will. Our world may seem strange to you, but you can make a place for yourself here. Other women have done it. The tapestry would not have brought you here if you couldn’t do the same thing.”

She offered her hand to him, her gaze beseeching him to understand. “I need to go home. I have too much unfinished business there.

” She lowered her hand self-consciously to her side when he didn’t take it. He couldn’t. If he did, he’d drag her into his arms and make love to her until she was too dazed to even consider leaving.

“You and Radnor are both so strong and self-assured. You have a place here. You don’t need me.”

Sednar stalked to the outer door of the bathing chamber, unable to remain in the room another moment. His control was precarious at best. He yanked open the door and turned to face Roxanne. “You’re wrong. We need you more than you know.” With that, he closed the door behind him and strode down the hallway, a black mood enclosing him. Radnor would see that she ate. Would see to her comfort. He paused and almost turned around and went back to Roxanne. If she was set on leaving, her time here was limited. He didn’t want to miss a moment of it.

Then again, he never wanted to see fear on her face again, especially not when he was the one who put it there. Best to get control of himself and his mood before he returned.

He continued to his room, closing the door solidly behind him. His sword was resting against the hearth. He’d placed it there before going to Roxanne. He lifted it with his right hand, feeling the familiar weight. He twisted his wrist, sending the blade into a series of complex arcs and swirls.

Sword practice had always centered him. He only prayed it would work this time.