Chapter 4
Esther sat just there on the couch. Her mind was swimming, she could still feel Ion lips on hers even though the kiss has ended. She felt a flame of fierce joy shoot through. Esther attempted to stand up, but her legs trembled so hard that Ion had to catch her. He put his arms around her body, and looked down at her still confused face. She had enjoyed the kiss. That much, Ion could tell. He knew it was now or never.
"Why did you do that?" Esther whispered, as she placed both hands on his chest. Ion's heart was beating fast, and she felt in under her hand.
"I was but paying my debt to you, Esther." It was a lie, and both knew it. He had meant it to be a quick kiss, but something had happened to him when his lips met hers. He hadn't expected to find her mouth so honeyed.
"No," she said.
"I love you, Esther." His red eyes met hers, as he brought his face closer to hers.
"For how long?"
"I cannot remember a time when I did not love you." he said softly, and kissed her again. His tongue tracing her lips, asking for entry. Esther opened her mouth slightly, and Ion's tongue went in to dance with hers. Esther moaned the second his tongue touched hers, and slowly wrapped her arms around his neck. Trying to deepened the kiss more. All of the blood in Esther's veins seemed to have been replaced by a white fire.
Ion removed his lips from hers and went for her neck. Giving little kisses until he reached her collar bone.
"Ion... I cannot think." Esther managed to say.
"I don't want you to think, Esther." He laughed, holding her closer. "You think far too much. I want you to stop thinking, to stop considering everything you do so carefully. I love you Esther!"
Shyly, Esther raised her blue eyes to his red ones, and for a moment she felt as if she were drowning. Neither could tear their gaze away. Concern filled her eyes, and a few tears rolled down her cheek. "You must not say these things to me, Ion. In a few days' time I'll be married."
"But you don't love him, Esther!"
"You know the way of these things. If I go against my word to the Duke, it would be a breach in contract that could possibly start a war between Albion and Ireland." Replied Esther, as she lowered her gaze from him. Unaware that her arms still about his neck.
Ion forced her head up to look at him. "I can't lose you to Ireland. I love you, Esther. Do you not love me just a little?"
"Of course I do, Ion. But I'm not sure that the love I feel for you is the love between a man and a woman. When you kiss me my bones turn to water. Is that love?"
He kissed her again, slowly and passionately this time, moving his lips over hers softly. "I think you love me, Esther, even if you are not ready to admit it. Maybe it's time I became more like my long-departed father, who took what he wanted without a care for the consequences." With that, he swept her into his arms and, carrying her a few quick paces, kicked open a connecting door to another room. He carried her inside and booted the door closed behind him.
