His finger circled her neck, holding her in place as he drew her in for another taste, another kiss.

Only this time his touch was tender, deeper than any they had shared before. Myra leaned into him, her br**sts brushed up against his chest searching for more contact. Todd backed away. “I don’t deserve you.”

“Make love to me, Todd.”

He shook his head. “No.”

She sat back, shocked at his refusal. His playful smile had her eyes narrow and lips draw into a pout.

“Why?”

Instead of answering, he stood, urging her to her feet. Without words, he marched across the room, took the cord off the door, and opened it.

“What are you doing?” Myra poked her head out into the long hall and ducked back into the room.

“Someone will see us.”

“Let them.”

His eyes twinkled as he pulled her along with him on the short path to her parents’ chambers.

Myra’s heart pounded in her chest. Part of her knew exactly what Todd was doing. The other part, the one that wanted to hide in a corner, was frightened, worried about her father’s reaction. A thrill shot up her spine and threatened to escape in a completely adolescent giggle.

When Todd pounded on the door, it sounded like a cannon in the silence of the hall. Hiding behind Todd, Myra tried to ignore the doors down the hall opening and the heated stares from her siblings.

On Todd’s second knock, Ian flung open the door in alarm. Myra’s hand gripped Todd’s as the fierce look on her father’s face rounded on them. Todd tossed the ‘silence cord’ in Ian’s direction.

He caught it with a glare.

“I’m going to marry your daughter.”

Myra’s eyes grew big as saucers.

A muscle ticked in her father’s jaw.

“Are you asking, lad?”

Oh, God.

Todd turned to her, smiled. “Marry me.”

A short laugh burst out. “He wants you to ask him,” she explained.

“I don’t want to marry him. I want to marry you.” But he was joking. His hand moved around her waist and pulled her close. “Marry me, Myra. Give me a reason to come home every night.”

“Oh, Todd.” All nerves and fear swept away when she boldly kissed him in front of her entire family.

Ian’s growl broke their kiss. “Let it be known that this man…” Ian grabbed Todd’s hand from Myra’s shoulder. “Has spoken for this woman.” Myra felt her father remove her hand from Todd’s hip and place it in Todd’s. “They are now considered handfasted until a man of…” Ian’s words trailed away when Todd kissed her again. “…a little attention, if you please.”

Todd pulled away, smiled.

“Until a man of the church can be brought forth to marry the two of you.”

Smiling, Todd picked her up and carried her back to his room. Myra grinned at Tara as they passed her room and caught a glimpse of her father’s smirk before Todd kicked the door closed behind them.

Todd brought her to the bed, pressed her against the mattress, and stretched out on top of her. His glorious weight secured her place in life. Figuratively, literally. His hand traveled down the side of her waist, fingers brushed against her hardened ni**les, and she arched into him, wanting nothing less than complete possession of him.

Tender kisses brought her breathing to short heated gasps.

He brushed her hair back, causing her to open her eyes. Emotion clouded his stare.

“I love you, Myra. I have no idea how I’m going to provide for you here in your time. I just know I can’t live without you. I want to give you the world.”

“You are my world,” she whispered. “Once, when I slept alone in your house, I silently chanted and vowed to love you three times as much as you loved me.” He kissed her nose. “Then I need to love you even more to make up for your vow.”

A single stroke of his hand up her thigh and under her gown reminded Myra of where she was.

The fact that her moan could be heard down the silent hall had her holding back. That simple act made his touch seem more intense, more explosive.

Stripping away her gown was like opening a long awaited present. The anticipation was more than Todd had ever known. She was his, forever, completely. The idea of walking down the hall and claiming her hit him as primal, medieval in every sense of the word. He knew long ago he would never return to Anaheim. His life as Officer Todd Blakely held nothing compared to his life as Sir Blakely, husband of Myra Blakely. If he rode to his death tomorrow, he would hold no regrets for his actions.

The MacCoinnichs were decent and honest people fighting the good fight. Cliché? Maybe, but that was how he felt.

He held a piece of heaven in his arms. Under him, her stifled moans filled the room. Once he had her naked, he rounded over her exposed breast and tugged it between his teeth. He should have had the good sense to be embarrassed when she wailed under his touch, but he didn’t. Instead, he longed to make her scream her release, to prove to everyone within earshot that she was his.

Lifting his shirt over his head, he felt her light touch weave through the hair on his chest. Simple strokes met his skin as her hands trailed lower, fighting with the clasp of his pants.

His hands found the soft inner skin of her thigh.

From there he traveled until he found her moist heat. One swipe of his thumb over her sex and she bucked under him. Her hands stalled in the pursuit of delivering him from his clothing. Lost in pleasure, he slipped a finger inside of her. Slow suggestive motions mimicked his intensions.

Her head fell to the side. Todd trailed his lips over her body, purposely brushing his bristled chin against the most sensitive skin.

“What… what are you doing?”

Myra sat up, looked down on him, her expression matched her innocence.

“Shhh.” He pushed her back down to the bed.

“Trust me.” He sent a heated breath over her core.

Her eyes closed. He kissed along her skin, making his presence known in the most intimate of ways.

Her knees started to close bringing a smile to his face. Something about being the only man who had ever, or would ever, know her in this way washed over him. His mouth pressed firm over her, tasting her. She collapsed at the first pass of his tongue.

Soon he had her writhing under his skilled touch.

Her moans deafened him. He drove faster until her body stilled and hovered, then called out her release.

Not giving her time to think, he shed the rest of his clothing and plunged into her moist depths. The act they had done before, but this time held more meaning, more emotion. She was his in every sense of the word.