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“Come sit on my lap.”
Aethelflaed startled at Uhtred’s words, soft but with that hint of command that spoke of imminent danger. He was barely loud enough to be heard over the chatter in the busy alehouse. She turned her eyes from the central hearth to face him head on, one brow lightly raised.
Uhtred leaned back, making space for her. “Do you not see the kind of eyes that are lingering upon you?” His head nodded to a table across the room, but he did not look and so neither did she. “Those men over there, they are thinking about bothering you. They wonder if you belong to anyone.”
Aethelflaed’s eyes narrowed.
Uhtred grinned. “I am not tricking you!” He held his hands up as if to ward off blows. “You were the one that insisted on coming to the alehouse with us, rather than staying sheltered in our room at the inn. Osferth would have kept you company.”
“I have had enough of clipped wings. I wish to experience as much of life as I can while I am out here.”
“And I am saying, you are about to experience a little too much of it, if you don’t let these men see that I am your husband.”
A little thrill ran up her spine at those words, even though she had given up on such girlish dreams a long time ago. She ceded the point with a gracious tilt of her head, then gathered her skirts as she rose. She turned her concession into a challenge, locking eyes with Uhtred as she deposited her arse just above his knees.
“Not like that,” he grumbled, sweeping her up in one arm and pulling her in closer to his body. “Like you like me, Lady.”
She was conscious of every square inch of her hip that was now resting against his taut belly. She refused to let it show in her face. “Lady,” she mused. “Is that how every merchant addresses his wife?”
Uhtred feigned apology. “Of course. Now I am the one forgetting our disguises, love.”
Her senses thrilled again. After the time Uhtred had rejected her advances in the stable, she had done her best to bury her desire for this man. She looked to Finan, hoping his smart mouth might cut the tension. But he had not noticed her change of seats yet. He was deep in some conversation with Sihtric, whose face froze when he noticed the Lady of Mercia in his Lord’s lap. He looked back to Finan almost immediately, like he did not dare to get involved.
“How about a kiss,” Uhtred proposed, bringing her attention squarely back to his face. His eyes were lidded, already looking at her lips, and he gave her a slow shrug when his gaze flicked up to her skeptical brows. “Just to be certain that your admirers get the message.”
Aethelflaed breathed in deeply against the sudden pounding in her chest. The cruelty of this heathen, to toy with her so. “Wise,” she whispered, and bent to press her lips to his. She pulled back quickly, against the sweetness of it.
When she opened her eyes, Uhtred was giving her a flat look. “That is not how a wife kisses a husband.”
Aethelflaed swallowed. “That is how my mother kissed my father.”
Uhtred scoffed. “In the throne room, perhaps. That was not a kiss for an alehouse.”
It was her turn to pull a face. “My mother would never set foot in an alehouse.”
“That, I believe,” Uhtred agreed. “But I already know, that you do not wish to be a woman like your mother.” The hand he had left on her flank for balance squeezed just a little.
Aethelflaed shook her head, letting a few pearly teeth show through the smile that Uhtred’s eyes were fixed upon. He leaned forward, and she started to let her eyes fall closed.
Instead of kissing her, Uhtred reached for his ale. His eyes sparkled as he looked up at her over the rim of the cup. “To properly ‘experience’ the alehouse, I think you need more ale.”
Aethelflaed rolled her eyes. As soon as Uhtred’s lips left his cup, she snatched it and downed the rest.
“’Atta girl,” Finan called.
She shot him a glare as she set down the empty cup. “Enjoying my lack of dignity, Irishman?”
He leaned back. “No smirchin’ of your dignity meant, Lady. Whatever a man and his wife want to do, that’s their business.” With one last smirk, he turned back to his own cup.
“Now try again,” Uhtred beckoned.
Aethelflaed had had enough of being teased without giving some back. “Like this, sweet husband?” She leaned in, letting her hair fall against his expectant face, then brushed her mouth across his cheek.
“Not like that at all,” Uhtred murmured, leaning closer.
“I have seen many women kiss their husbands here,” she continued, planting a firm kiss in the center of his forehead. His fingers clutched at her waist, like he intended at any moment to pull her closer. Her breast brushed his shoulder before she leaned back.
Aethelflaed regarded him for a long moment, noting the slight flush in his face, the way Uhtred’s gorgeous eyes now seemed unable to see anything in the room but her. She gave a small smile. “Myself, I kissed my own husband like this.” She let her hand snap against his cheek, hoping the sound of palm hitting flesh was not loud enough to attract more attention from the room.
“Everything all right over there?” Sihtric asked, frowning at Uhtred.
He turned a broad smile to his companion, cheek already reddening. “I do believe she is flirting with me, Sihtric.”
The young man laughed, and Finan rolled his eyes. They both very deliberately gave the pair their privacy again.
“Obviously, you know very little of these things,” Uhtred said, resuming their conversation with slightly-less dazzled eyes. “Let me show you how I kiss my woman.” His gaze fell a third time to her lips, which Aethelflaed let part slightly. His hand slid up her back until it reached the nape of her neck. His fingers drew a few light circles before pushing her face lightly toward his own.
His mouth was soft, yet firm, and after a few moments’ pressure he shifted his head to capture her bottom lip between both of his own. Aetheflaed sighed and tried not to tremble when he sucked it slightly before releasing her with a pleasured hum.
Uhtred’s eyes twinkled with more mischief as he regarded her face. It felt entirely too hot.
This time, Finan did break the moment. “That will not convince anyone that you two are married.”
“Why not?” Aethelflaed’s voice came out a little too breathless for her taste.
“Because o’ how obvious it is that you liked it.”