Chapter 47
Harrowmont met them in his quarters, his gracious manner settling Aedan's agitation a little. However, the dwarf's next words brought all the tension back, and then some. Through gritted teeth, Aedan agreed to find Jarvia and end her reign of terror. Harrowmont smiled his thanks. "My butler will show you to your rooms so that you can rest for the night." Aedan nodded wearily, suddenly feeling bone-tired, his energy sapped to the point that it felt difficult to even lift his feet. A slim hand slipped into his and interlaced their fingers together. He looked down at the connection, blinking back a sudden rush of emotion at the sight, wondering how she always seemed to know when he needed a comforting touch or an uplifting word.
He squeezed her hand as his heart swelled with love for her. He'd fallen in love with her so quickly that he'd occasionally wondered if it would fade away just as fast, like some kind of silly infatuation. Instead, with each new detail he'd learnt about her, he'd become ever more captivated. He realised they'd reached their room and Emma was leading him over to the large, low bed. She pushed him to sit down and went to move away, but he wrapped his arms around her waist and pulled her back to him, resting his forehead against her stomach and breathing in her comforting scent.
Emma ran her fingers through his silky black hair, down to the nape of his neck and over the tight muscles of his wide shoulders. She dipped at the waist and kissed the crown of his head. "I have an idea. Get undressed and lie face down on the bed. I'll be back in a moment."
She gently disengaged from his arms and walked over to a chest of drawers, where she placed her pack. She glanced over her shoulder and chuckled as Aedan rapidly pulled off his armour. She delved into her pack, searching for a little bottle of oil. Her fingers curled around cool glass just as she heard a curse; turning, she saw Aedan struggling with a stubborn knot in his bootlaces. She returned to the bed and bent down to help him remove his boots. His hand cupped her cheek. "Angel, you don't have to do that." She turned her head and pressed a kiss to his palm. "I know, but you look exhausted, so let me take care of you."
After removing his footwear, she moved away again and started undressing. He managed to pull his gaze away from her curvy form just long enough to pick up his daggers and place them on the nightstand. He'd long since gotten in the habit of keeping his weapons close by when he slept, a lesson he'd learnt after the attack on his home. He lay down on the large mattress, grimacing as his sore muscles protested at any kind of movement. Emma saw him flinch and was thankful that she'd taken a course on massage. She'd hoped it would be a good career and she'd invested a lot of money into the evening classes, only to find that it didn't appeal to her. At the time she'd kicked herself for wasting her hard-earned cash, but now it would finally be of use.
Aedan had his hands tucked under his cheek, which stretched his muscles in an impressive display. Her gaze travelled hungrily up and down the length of his body, taking note of the wide shoulders, the long, muscular back, and the firm, round ass leading to a pair of strong legs. Her mouth watered with an overwhelming urge to lick every inch of his sexy body. She grabbed a towel and lay it over his backside to remove the very pleasurable distraction.
With an effort she pulled herself out of her dazed stupor and climbed onto the bed, straddling his waist and seating herself on his buttocks. He pushed up against her causing a soft moan to slip from her lips. "Behave yourself. I need to focus."
Aedan's voice sounded sleepy. "What for?"
Emma popped the cork on the glass bottle and her nose tingled pleasantly at the fresh scent of sandalwood. "Because I'm going to give you a massage." The bottle of oil was the closest thing to deodorant that she'd been able to find, however, she was willing to use it to ease her lover's aches and pains. She poured a small amount into her hand and rubbed her palms together, warming it up before placing her hands on his lower back and stroking upwards with firm pressure. He let out a long groan. "Oh yeah, that feels so good."
She repeated the motion a few more times before moving over to the tight knot of muscles at his right shoulder and kneading with strong thumbs until she felt the tension release. She worked her way over to his other shoulder and carried out the same actions, careful of the fresh bruises that were just starting to show; unpleasant reminders of the Provings. She ran the pads of her fingers down the indentation of his spine, easing the muscles with each steady stroke. After completing his lower back, she shifted her position and settled between his thighs. She poured some more oil into her hands, coating her fingers liberally before massaging one firm ass cheek with strong fingers, working deep into the tissue. After finishing one side, she flexed her aching fingers and took a breather; she'd forgotten how tiring it could be when giving someone a good massage.
"Maker's breath, your hands are washing away all the tension. You need to show me how to do that so I can return the favour," Aedan murmured.
She leaned forward and pressed a kiss to his head. "That could be fun. We'll have to keep an eye out for more oils." Emma tried not to think of his large hands stroking her body because it would be too easy to let her desire take over, and right now, Aedan needed the massage more than he needed sex. She laid a larger towel on the other side of the bed and told him to roll over so she could work on the front of his body.
After an hour and a bottle of oil, Aedan smiled. "I feel like a new man, love." He cupped her head before she could stand up and pulled her in for a slow, drugging kiss.
Flushed, she smiled and shuffled off the bed. "I'm glad it helped."
After a wash, she climbed back into bed and snuggled under the blankets when Aedan stopped her. "I wanted to talk to you before you went to sleep, Angel." She sat up, feeling a little nervous. It never seemed to bode well when one half of a relationship wanted to talk. For a few seconds, there was silence; she gave him an encouraging smile as she fought down the anxiousness twisting her insides. In response to her smile, he rolled to the edge of the bed, leaned over and came back with his backpack.
He straightened up and turned to face her, sitting in a cross-legged position and pulling the sheet across his lap. He took a deep breath and got ready to take the biggest step of his life. "Emma, I find myself thinking of you all the time. I smile when I hear your voice, I see you and I think my heart will burst, and with every passing moment, I find another reason to love you even more." He reached down and took her hand. "Emma Summers, will you do me the honour of becoming my wife?"
Her eyes widened with shock; never had she thought to hear those words addressed to her. Her heart thumped erratically in her chest and she had to remind herself to breathe. Then she realised his hand shook in hers as he waited for her answer. "Yes, Aedan. With all my heart, yes!"
He blew out a long breath. "Thank the Maker." She tackled him, knocking him onto his back and kissing him long and hard. "Wait, wait." He pulled back. "The ring."
He scrambled upright and she followed suit, then he took her hand once more and this time he slipped a gold ring onto her finger. Her eyes filled up when she got her first look at it; the band met at the top with two hands resting one atop the other. It was the most perfect and beautiful design she could have dreamed of. "This is perfect! I've never seen a ring like it," she said as she raised her eyes to his. She saw a hint of sadness in his face as he ran a thumb over the ring. "I believe it's unique. My father had it designed especially for my mother." Emma's breath caught in her throat and she moved in closer to him. "Aedan, are you sure you want to give me your mother's ring?"
He smiled and pressed a kiss to the ring. "I'm positive. It's why she passed me the ring before..." He cleared his throat a couple of times before continuing. "She was always telling me to find a nice girl and settle down. I know she would have adored you."
Emma chuckled as she remembered the feisty Teyrna who fought Howes' men and stayed by her husband's side to the end. "That means a lot, Aedan. From what you've told me about your mother, I know the feeling would have been mutual."
"Now, enough talk about that. Let's discuss what you're going to wear on the night of the wedding." She squealed as he took her down to the mattress and in painstaking detail showed her which areas he wanted to be left uncovered, which turned out to be most of her body.