been given on the day of his arrival. Aware of the Lady's gaze on his feet, Kevin laughed. 'The boots aren't finished yet.'
He looked very exotic, handsome in a barbaric way.
Fascinated by the sight of him, Mara forgot to reprimand his lack of form. However, this time, Kevin kept courtesy. He made his bow Midkemian style, from the waist.
'Is that how you show respect for your Kingdom ladies?'
Mara asked somewhat acidly, mostly because she could not take her eyes off his wide, strangely clothed shoulders.
Kevin gave back a wicked smile. 'Not quite. Have I your permission ?'
Mara inclined her head, then started as he reached' took her hand. 'We greet our ladies like this.' He confidently touched her fingers to his lips. The caress was very.
barely a brush of flesh against flesh. Mara shivered slightly and stiffened to pull away.
But Kevin was not finished taking liberty. The feel proper clothing and the mildness of the night lent him spirit of recklessness. He firmed his grip, not so much i.
his mistress could not break away, but enough that she struggle or follow his lead. 'Sometimes we take the ladies dancing,' he invited, and he drew her to her feet, grasped lightly around the waist, and spun her in a circle through d.
lantern light. her
Mara laughed in surprise, not feeling in the k;.
threatened. Glad to be distracted from the morass q difficult memories, the Lady of the Acoma abandoned herself to this single moment of fun. And between Kevin breathless laughter and the heady perfume of the flowers she discovered that the touch of him was pleasing.
strength did not intimidate but warmed her. Small as a doll in his arms, she tried to keep pace with him; yet she did not know the steps of his wild dance. Her feet got in his way, and he stumbled. She felt his muscles tense in response. He had reflexes swift as a cat's. But the backstep he initiated to save his balance tangled disastrously with the basket she had abandoned on the path.
The wicker container overturned, showering the gravel with kekali. Kevin tripped sideways, dragging Mara with him. The plunge happened too suddenly to allow the Lady to cry out. Caught in Kevin's embrace, she felt him turn his shoulder to cushion her fall. She landed sprawled across his chest, slightly breathless, and still entangled in his arms. His hands moved, slid down her back, and paused at her waist.
'Are you all right?'he said in a voice that was unfamiliarly deep.
Overwhelmed by a rush of strange sensations, Mara did not answer at once.
Kevin shifted under her. He freed one hand and picked up a kekali blossom from the ground. He pinched the stem in his teeth and, by touch, stripped off the thorns. Lantern light softened the planes of his face as he finished and carefully wound the flower in a strand of Mara's hair. 'At home we call flowers that look much like these by another name.'
Mara shut her eyes against a strange rush, something like dizziness, yet not. His fingers brushed her neck as he finished with the flower, then withdrew, leaving her aching. Huskily she asked, 'What name?'
'Roses.' Kevin felt the slight quiver that coursed through her flesh. The hand on her back moved, drew her closer.
Softly he added, 'Though we've none this wonderful shade of blue.' His touch was tentative, and gentle in a manner that did not frighten. Aware through her confusion that he offered comfort, Mara did not tear herself away. For a moment he went still, as if he awaited some form of reaction.
Mara returned none. Her body felt strangely languid.
When she made no move, Kevin held her more firmly. He shifted again, until her hip lay cradled in the hollow of his flank, and her hair loosened from its pins and cascaded in a rush across the opened laces of his shirt. The hand on her back slid down and under her arm, and traced the neckline of her robe. The touch raised fire in her, a warmth that seemed to melt her from within.
'Lady?' he said softly. His other hand brushed the hair back from her face. She saw that his eyes were very wide, the pupils dark in the lantern light, and the irises narrow bands of silver. 'Do you want this ? A man on my world gives roses to a Lady when he loves her.'
'I care very little for love,' Mara answered, her voice oddly rough to her own ear. Now