Their Lady Gloriana Read online

  He heaved a sigh, “Do not think about it now. I cannot think about it.”

  Rowan clearly knew what they were discussing, although she wasn’t exactly sure what Thomas had meant. She was distracted, though, when Rowan moved toward the bed. Shivers swept over her, and she looked anxiously up at Thomas. Was he really all right with this?

  Thomas’s expression was hard to read. His jaw appeared tight; his hands were fisted at his sides. But he gave her a curt nod.

  She returned her focus to Rowan as he bent down over the end and looked at her intently. “Think only of me, my lady. Of how I’m going to put my mouth against your body. Of how I’m going to put my tongue inside and taste of your sweet nectar.”

  Her eyes widened at his husky words. His mouth to her? His tongue inside her? Every inch of her body felt alive with anticipation. More so as he put his large hands to her legs and carefully pushed them back until her heels rested on the bed. She breathed rapidly, nervous again. Then he shifted forward until his shoulders touched the backs of her thighs. His head rested only inches above the hairy patch between her legs. She felt his warm breath on her. Her stomach tightened. Her heartbeat pounded until it sounded loud in her ears.

  He gripped her sides, and then turned his hungry gaze back to Thomas. “I am ready, my lord,” he gritted out.

  Thomas! How could she have forgotten her husband? True, she was most curious, most eager for what Rowan intended to do to her. Put his mouth to her. His tongue inside her. But she could not find any kind of pleasure unless Thomas did as well! He stood near the end of the bed, behind his lover, still rubbing his thick cock. His expression was tight with strain.

  “Husband, I cannot see you suffering so. Do what you need. Rowan says he is ready,” she pleaded. Thomas blinked at her and then gave a small smile. He bent down and reached around Rowan before straightening with more of the other man’s cream on his fingers. He held her gaze, appearing somewhat amused by her insistence. “Rowan is almost ready, wife,” he corrected her. He reached down to put one coated finger to Rowan’s ass.

  Curiosity was killing her. Annoyed at not being able to see what he was doing, she shifted up to brace her body on her elbows so that she could watch. Both men gave her amused looks.

  “Our Lady Gloriana is a very curious woman.” Rowan smiled at her, looking pleased. Then he tensed, his face tight, his shoulders taut. He drew in a breath.

  She glanced to Thomas as he focused on Rowan and began gently sliding his finger into the other man’s body. Then as Rowan’s chest sucked in with a deep inhale, Thomas quickly added a second finger. An action which made Rowan’s lips grow thin and his nostrils flare. Was he in pain? She couldn’t bear the idea. “You’re hurting him!” she accused Thomas, wanting him to stop immediately.

  Thomas froze, although he didn’t remove his fingers from Rowan’s body. It was Rowan who blew out a breath and then gritted out, “Nay, he is not.” He pressed his body back against Thomas’s hand. “He is preparing me to accept his cock.”

  “Oh.” Gloriana remembered how Thomas had “prepared” her before he drove into her body. She’d been wary at first, but what he’d done had indeed gotten her ready for his large cock. “I…I understand.”

  Thomas appeared relieved that she no longer worried as much. She studied the two men as Thomas carefully moved his fingers in and out of Rowan’s small hole, as he watched her. She liked how he included her in this, liked how he had been concerned at her accusation. She should have known he would never hurt Rowan.

  She turned her focus to Rowan, who grimaced and dragged in shuddering breaths, but he made no attempts to make Thomas stop what he was doing. She wondered what he felt, wondered what it would feel like having fingers shoved into her puckered hole. No doubt she would be squirming and grimacing, too. Yet they were to do more than this. Obviously much was needed to be done to get Rowan’s body ready to accept such an invasion.

  Gloriana found herself saying sympathetically, “This preparing is good.”

  Rowan gasped, “Aye, tis very good.” He turned his head toward Thomas. “Tis ready I am. Now.”

  He was ready? Was she? She tensed, waiting, worrying.

  Thomas moved directly behind Rowan, holding his long, thick cock in his hand. He pressed the broad head against Rowan’s small opening. How could it possibly go in? She worried her lower lip, frowning in distress.

  “It will be all right, Glori,” Rowan husked out. He drew her gaze, and she saw how he gritted his teeth together. “Do not worry.”

  But she held her breath and worried for him anyway. How could she not?

  “I would not hurt him,” Thomas confirmed and now she looked to him.

  Her husband, too, ground his teeth together. He slipped the head of his cock inside Rowan’s body. His face tightened in strain as he held still, letting Rowan adjust to him. Much like he’d done with her, letting her body adjust to his fullness.

  “More,” Rowan ordered gruffly, pushing backward.

  Thomas pushed his rod farther into Rowan’s body a little at a time. She watched Rowan draw in a deep breath, saw him stiffen. She could only imagine what he was feeling. Thomas was very well endowed, but then so was Rowan. Then she remembered her husband coming home that one night in pain. Rowan had driven his shaft into Thomas that time. “Pounded” Thomas had said. “Ridden him hard.” What they did to one another caused pain, but obviously it did more than that.

  She watched in worried fascination as Thomas’s breaths blew out in short bursts as he pulled nearly out of his lover’s small hole before pushing even father back inside. He repeated the actions until his entire shaft had disappeared.

  Both men held still for several seconds, both were breathing hard. She fretted over both of them.

  Finally some of the tension eased from Rowan’s face. He captured her gaze and his eyes were heated. “Lie back, sweet Glori.” She looked to where Thomas held Rowan’s hips, holding his cock deep inside the other man’s body. Surely Rowan couldn’t feast on her now while Thomas was…

  Thomas gave her a reassuring glance. “You will do as he says.”

  Trembling with anticipation and thrumming with excitement at watching her two special men, she lay back. Rowan immediately gripped her sides once more and lowered his head. His tongue darted out and trailed slowly over her swollen lips, making her jerk, making her gasp, “Oh! Oh my!” She saw Thomas tighten his hold on Rowan, saw him pull back and drive deep. She could almost feel the near-pain as Rowan sucked in a breath and froze.

  And then he blew out a breath and thrust his tongue into her body. She arched upward, shoving at him, gasping in wonder. Every inch of her body seemed to tingle, to want more, so much more. She clutched at the linen beneath her.

  Time and again she watched Thomas drive in and out of Rowan’s body. His beard-stubbled jaw clenched. His breaths became ragged.

  Over and over Rowan grimaced, shoved backward to demand more. He panted harder each time.

  Yet Rowan did not ignore her needs to satisfy his own. He found her sensitized bud and nibbled on it, making her let go of the bed linen and clutch at his head. “Oh! Oh! Yes!”

  He drove his tongue into her, plunging deep, making her squirm. “Oh, Rowan!” She panted, whimpered. He tortured her with pleasure until she bucked wildly against his mouth. “Ohhhh. Ohhh. Oh. My. God!” Her juices flowed freely and she collapsed against the mattress.

  Gloriana was lost in the wonder of it all when she watched Thomas give a final thrust of his hips.

  Rowan arched down into the bed. He grimaced in strain, holding his breath. Behind him Thomas gave a guttural cry and filled Rowan’s body with streams of white cream. Again, she was saddened at the thought that if he’d flooded into her body, he might have gotten her with child.

  Jarring her from her depression, both men slumped together on the end of the bed. She would not focus on the other matter now. She still clung to hope that she could change Thomas’s mind. Just as she thought all was over, Thom
as stood. Rowan shifted to sit on the end of the bed with his cock stabbing the air, swollen and needing release. Her husband moved to his knees and without hesitation took Rowan’s cock into his mouth. He worked it, sucking on it in the same way she’d seen Rowan do to Thomas nearly two weeks ago.

  She was fascinated at the pleasure she saw on both men’s faces. A tingling returned to her stomach, then to her woman’s place. Desire. She wanted to know the kind of pleasure they were sharing. One day she wanted to take Thomas’s shaft into her mouth, suckle on it the way he was doing with Rowan. And she wanted to do the same with Rowan. What would her husband feel when he watched her take his lover’s cock into her mouth? Would it excite him as much as watching Thomas savor

  Rowan’s rod excited her?

  When Rowan was finally sated, Thomas stood again and looked warily at her. “What think you, my lady?”

  Gloriana smiled at each man, more so at Thomas. “I thank you both for sharing this with me. Twas very special.”

  Rowan grinned as Thomas sighed in relief. “Twill be even better next time, sweet Glori.”

  Heart racing, she looked to her husband. “Next time?”

  He nodded. “If you wish, my wife.” His expression turned serious. “Now, tis time we returned to our own chamber. We all need what rest we can get, for the morrow promises to be difficult. We leave for Abernon at dawn.”

  ***

  It took them two days to reach Montrose Castle. By the time Thomas led Gloriana, Rowan and twenty of his soldiers into the main bailey late in the afternoon, he felt weary to the bone. He knew the others in their party were equally tired. He’d forced them to make this first part of their trip to Abernon at a brisk pace. The weather had been unusually cold for this early in the fall, so no one had protested riding faster. Even now gray clouds roiled overhead with the threat of rain. He’d expected it before now; was grateful they’d made it here before the rain started. Rain would slow their trip, but he’d needed to stop here to take care of Montrose matters. He reined in just inside the main gate and glanced back at Gloriana.

  Her small form was buried within a velvet fur-lined cloak with a hood. He watched her shiver against the cold; saw how pale and drawn what little of her face he could see appeared. Yet she’d not complained once. He owed her much for making this journey, for supporting him in his quest to get James.

  “We must get you into the keep, wife. Get you before a warm fire.” He blinked in annoyance as a drop of rain touched his face. He looked toward his first knight. “Rowan, see to Gloriana. I must talk to Sir Richard for a moment before joining you.” With a nod of agreement, Rowan dismounted and then lifted her to the ground as well. A light rain started falling. His arm swept around her shoulders and he hurried her toward the three-story, square stone building in the center of the castle’s grounds. Thomas watched them go and was at ease. His friend would take good care of her, just as he’d done during the ride here. Thomas’s thoughts had been too focused on getting to Abernon and claiming his son. He should have paid more attention to Gloriana. He would find a way to make up for his neglect of her.

  Sir Richard Compton, his bailiff here, walked toward him from where he’d been talking to several of the guards by the gatehouse. “My lord, welcome back to Montrose. It has been too long since we’ve seen you here. There’s much to discuss.”

  Thomas had feared as much, yet he would not stay more than a day… unless the weather caused an even longer delay. The light rain was quickly becoming heavier. He knew the men behind him were anxious to get out of it as much as he. “I’ll talk with you in the solar after you see that these men are taken care of.”

  He dismounted and handed his reins to a young page who ran up, looking eager to be of help. Then he strode toward the keep. What he really wanted now was hot food, cold ale, dry clothes, and his wife. Not particularly in that order. His hunger for Gloriana had gained strength since they’d last made love two nights ago. He’d left Rowan’s chamber sated, far less stressed, surprised and pleased by what the three of them had done. But he’d still been determined to see his precious Glori satisfied as well. Back in their own bedchamber, she’d been greedy in her demands of him. His shy bride was quickly changing, becoming more confident in herself and what she wanted, for which he was glad. His sexual needs were mighty, as were Rowan’s. It appeared that Glori’s were as well.

  Striding through the rain, he replayed the heated time between him and Glori. He’d nearly lost all control. He’d pulled from her body almost too late. He’d spilled some of his seed inside her, though most of it had been shot over her soft stomach. She’d been so upset with him that she’d refused to snuggle against him that night. His stubborn action had hurt her, again. He didn’t like hurting her in any way. Still, he prayed he hadn’t gotten her with child.

  ***

  Rowan sat in one of the few chairs in front of the monstrous fireplace that filled nearly one whole wall of the great hall. When he’d led Gloriana into the keep’s gathering place, he’d been glad to find a roaring fire. He was cold to the bone. She had been shivering so loudly her teeth chattered. He’d worried about her during this ride, but he’d worried even more as they’d ridden in the morning’s foul weather. He’d known Thomas had been concerned as well. Yet there’d been naught to do but ride on and as fast as possible. She hadn’t uttered one word of complaint. In truth, the few words he’d heard her speak this morn had been of her concern for the men. She had a good heart. She made a wife beyond compare, especially when she could put up with Thomas’s moods…and with this odd relationship the three of them had fallen into.

  He took a sip of ale from a mug one of the maids had brought him. While he’d sat here recovering from the morning’s ride, Gloriana had flitted about the hall. She’d barely taken five minutes to warm in front of the fire before going off to “do her duties as the lord’s wife,” as she’d told him. Nearly every servant in the keep had managed to make their way into the hall to meet their new lady. She’d graciously smiled and accepted kind words of welcome, had returned hugs given her by children who had been drawn by the warmth of her personality. Even the near four dozen soldiers seated about the room as they kept out of the miserable day had been caught in her web of gentleness.

  “What pleases you, Sir Rowan? Your eyes fairly dance with happiness.” Gloriana walked over to the chair next to him carrying a mug of mead. She settled into the chair with a sigh.

  “You, sweet Gloriana.” He shook his head in amazement.

  “Weariness shows in the circles under your eyes. Yet you have not sat down since we walked in here.”

  She blushed and pushed her long hair back over one shoulder. As soon as she’d shed her coat, she’d let free her wet braids so her hair could dry. He liked seeing it down. He wanted to run his hands through the silkiness of it. She was beautiful on the outside as well as the inside.

  He watched her eyes drift closed for a few seconds. If he’d met her first, he might have changed his mind about not wanting to ever marry. He might have even given up making love with the occasional man to focus solely on pleasing this special woman. But he’d met Thomas before her. The hardened warrior had drawn him from the time in Tunis when Thomas had joined the battle beside him. They’d fought long and hard, both ending up wounded. There had been something about the power within Thomas’s muscled body…something sad and lost in Thomas’s intense blue eyes. Their coming together that first time had shocked them both, and been so damn hot. Nay, even as much as he was attracted to Gloriana, he could never give his lover up. Now he hoped to continue enjoying times with his two lovers. He longed to sink into her warmth, to drive deep within her. Yet he would not do so without Thomas’s approval. He could be nearly satisfied with only suckling at her breasts or feasting on her as he had already done.

  Some sound amongst the noise around them jerked her awake. She blinked several times, yawned, and finally said, “Talk to me, Rowan. Keep me awake, for it is far too early to seek my bed.”
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  Bed. Just the mention of the word had his body coming alive. He forced the reaction down. “About what, my lady?” He wasn’t a man of idle chitchat, though he was definitely comfortable with her.

  She looked intently at him. “Tell me about yourself, about the sadness I see so often in your eyes.”

  He stiffened and almost got up to walk away. He’d only shared pieces of his life with Thomas. As they’d sat around one campfire or another while they’d made their way back from the last Crusade battle, he’d bared his soul. Just as Thomas had bared his. Uneasy, he glanced around and found that they were well away from anyone else. Conversations and laughter were loud. Maids were flirting, and men were flirting right back. No one would hear them talking.

  Because he’d taken too long to respond, she reached a small hand over to gently pat his knee and gain his attention. This time it wasn’t his back that had stiffened. This time her tender touch brought his cock to full awareness. It throbbed and his pulse sped up. He knew his gaze was heated when he met hers and shook his head. “Twould be best if you don’t touch me, Glori.”

  She blinked curiously and then seemed to understand his problem. Her gaze flicked down to where his shaft had begun pushing at the front of his braies and she quickly removed her hand. “I’m sorry.” She blushed. “But, please, talk to me. Thomas is busy with the bailiff, tis too early for sup, too early to try to sleep.”

  Rowan drew in a breath and willed his erection to calm once more. He concentrated on the fire and slowly said, “We—you, Thomas, and me—are quite a threesome.” He grimaced at the word choice. “I am not referring to our… well, to our lovemaking.”

  To his surprise, she gave a soft laugh and said quietly, “Twas very nice, this ‘threesome’ thing.”

  He felt his face heat and looked around once more to be sure they were still alone. When he saw that they were, his shoulders relaxed. “I meant that each of us has had a difficult time in life. Thomas, for example. He was raised to act the warrior from a young age. He has known almost nothing about a home and a family.” Turning toward her, he saw that she listened avidly, eager to learn about her husband. “His mother died not long after his sister, Elizabeth, was born. A few years, I think. His father had no patience for children.” He gripped his mug tightly once more. He and Thomas had both had brutish men for fathers. After a few seconds, he continued. “Although his daughter found a way past their father’s defenses. Still, Thomas’s father had little use for his son, fostering him out when he was but seven.”