Black Richard's Heart (The MacCulloughs #1) - Suzan Tisdale Page 0,18

the union, then gave Black Richard permission to kiss his bride.

’Tis naught but a kiss, he tried to convince his thundering heart. ’Tis only a propriety action. A means to an end required by the church.

With a gentle finger, he lifted her chin. Her eyes darted back and forth, as if she were trying hard to focus on him. His chest felt constricted, and he was glad again she could not see.

Ever so gently, he pressed his lips to hers. What was meant to be naught more than a proprietary action, turned out to be so much more. Simplicity fell away in an instant, like a frightened bird taking flight. Black Richard’s attempts at a chaste kiss were ruined the moment he felt his new bride all but melt against him, her fingers grasping his arms as if she were moments away from swooning.

He had not expected that.

Women no longer swooned in his presence. Nay, they were more apt to run in the opposite direction.

But not Aeschene. Nay, she did the exact opposite thing. Clinging to him, pressing her lips against his — albeit awkwardly — she drew in a deep breath as her lips begged for more.

Black Richard felt the heat of need and desire grow from a long silenced placed not used in many years. Burgeoning rapidly and at a terrifying pace.

Common sense took hold and he forced himself to break the kiss. Though it had lasted for only a few thundering heartbeats, ’twas enough to make him wonder if Aeschene had not somehow bewitched him.

For a man who had long ago given up any hope at having a wife, a man dead-set against this union, a man sworn to celibacy, he was at a loss for words when he opened his eyes to look at his bride. The only word he could think to describe her in that moment was radiant. ’Twas her smile, a smile so bright, so filled with hope and something akin to glee, that it made her useless but beautiful blue eyes sparkle in the candlelight.

Aye, she had bewitched him. ’Twas the only plausible explanation.

And he didn’t believe in witches.

’Twas Aeschene’s first kiss. She refused the count the one Robby MacRay had given her when she was all but ten years of age. That was naught but a kiss on her cheek, and given only because Robby’s older brothers dared him to.

There was no comparison betwixt the two.

Black Richard’s lips were soft and warm, laced with a silent promise of what might come. ’Twas wondrous and tender, and oh, so very sweet. Delightful warmth spread from her lips to the tips of her fingers.

Aeschene had heard stories — told mostly by Marisse — of how the right kiss by the right man could change a woman’s life. Because Marisse had been married once — albeit for only three weeks before her sweet husband was killed —she had a wealth of experience in these matters. Far more than Aeschene had ever hoped to have.

Black Richard’s kiss left her breathless, wanting more. More of him, more of his kisses, and the need to uncover that silent promise. ’Twas exactly how Marisse had claimed a kiss should be.

When he pulled away, she was quite tempted to pull him back and ask him to do it again. But her common sense and good breeding prohibited her from acting on that temptation. She was already a tremendous embarrassment to her family and wished not to upset them any more than she already had over the years.

Nay, there would be more time for kisses later, when they were alone. With all the strength she could muster, she willed herself to stop smiling like a dimwitted dolt. But her insides? Nay, they’d not stop smiling for a very long while.

With the ceremony over and his men done cheering — and they were the only ones who had —Black Richard helped his wife into her cloak and led her out of the keep. Stopping once on the stairs, he turned to face her. “Say goodbye to yer family now,” he told her. “Fer I doubt ye will be seein’ them again.”

Her mother came to her at once and wrapped loving arms around her only daughter. “’Tis the truth, I shall miss ye,” Elspeth whispered into her ear.

“I shall miss ye as well,” Aeschene replied, choking back tears. At one time, she and her mother had been very close. But since she began to lose her vision, their relationship had become strained.