Previously... they went to dance, they came back and fell into bed.
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Kate woke, shifted uncomfortably and rolled over to look at him sleeping beside her.
Her initial assessment had proved to be more accurate than she could have guessed. He was an irresistible distraction and causing serious disruption to her carefully constructed life.
Adjusting to court had not been overly difficult - she had learned to hide her thoughts and emotions from an early age, so those skills had not been new. She had built defences - constructed a series of masks to hide behind which had served her well over the past five years.
Yet he had slipped effortlessly past those the second he had kissed her, and with every action since had demolished any resistance she might have considered putting up - his hand covering hers, food sent to her room, and as for his effect on her in bed... she shook her head in bewilderment. Married for five years, her husband had been experienced, considerate, thoughtful, and she had derived a deep satisfaction from her ability to please him. But he had never reduced her to a quivering wreck begging for release, she had never felt desire for him burning through her like a forest fire. She had never even imagined that she was capable of such a response, especially after... she shied away from the memory of the rape and moved close against her sleeping companion, drawing comfort from his presence, his scent and the warmth of his body.
She pondered their situation. Lady Ana had discussed the betrothal within days - "Treville is concerned, but I pointed out that you're not some flighty young girl expecting to be swept off her feet." She had dipped her head in assent - it was true, she hadn't expected to be swept off her feet. The fact that she was dangerously close to it was not something she had felt comfortable admitting - it was simultaneously terrifying and exhilarating.
She sighed - this was not the time to be analysing their relationship - it was what it was, and she had places to be.
He opened an eye and grunted a query as she rolled out of bed.
"Stables - go back to sleep" she yawned and stretched as she crossed the room.
"Again?"
"My horse, I look after him... when there's time before Court anyway.... besides there'll be a few sore heads after last night, so all hands on deck etc." She shot him a mischievous look "and since I don't have a hangover, I can be irritatingly cheerful."
"Evil woman..."
She smirked and looked over her shoulder as she pulled at the laces on the bodice.
"I can't believe I slept in my clothes... they're really not that comfortable" she pulled the bodice off and dropped it on the chair, rubbing her side where the boning had dug in while she slept.
"You didn't raise any objections last night..." he was looking very smug and she shook her head in amusement.
"You have very effective methods of distracting me, I'll give you that." She looked at him lying in her bed - shirt gaping open to reveal his chest, his hand rubbing his face, fingers running back through his beard and hair, and she swallowed. Then gave herself a mental shake and turned away to retrieve clothes from a drawer at the foot of the wardrobe.
"How effective exactly?" she jumped, and spun round at the voice in her ear - how on earth had he got so close without her hearing - and so fast? "It's just, when you bend over like that..."
She burst out laughing and gave him a gentle push. "Away you, I'm busy."
His response was to advance on her, grinning, until she was pinned back to the wardrobe.
Still laughing, she leaned in to kiss him. "I need to... Oh God." whatever she had been going to say was cut off as he simultaneously kissed her neck, and cupped a breast through her shift, teasing the nipple with his thumb. "Not fair..."
She closed her eyes and leaned back against the wardrobe as his hands roamed across her, pulling her shift off, his lips and tongue on her breasts, hands in her hair. She was meant to be at the stables, she needed to leave, but she could feel him pressing against her as he leant in and she found herself kissing him hungrily, tongue probing and demanding, pulling at his clothes until they were both naked and falling back onto the bed.
The stables were forgotten as she pushed him down and straddled him, ignoring everything but the pressing need to touch him, taste his skin, feel him quiver beneath her as her tongue trailed from his chest across his stomach and then lower until she took him in her mouth, vaguely registering his groan as he gasped her name and buried his fingers in her hair. It was like playing an instrument, her fingers probed and teased, roaming as far as she could reach while her lips and tongue continued their assault. She felt him hardening further, twitching under her touch, and then his fingers tightened in her hair, pulling her back up to his lips, as he rolled on top of her, trying to regain control of the situation even as he thrust himself into her and found himself beyond the point of holding back.
He collapsed, astonished, on the bed. He'd fully expected her to shove him away at the wardrobe and get on with her morning. Had never imagined he would provoke a response of such intensity. He opened his eyes as she rolled out of bed for the second time that morning and found her watching him with a grin on her face.
"Well you started it...."
She hauled on a shirt over her stays, and breeches, followed by a skirt for propriety's sake and a coat. Her hair was tied in a braid and hung down her back. He sat up as she turned to smile at him "I'll be in court once I'm out of the stables - see you later" She blew a kiss as she left and he fell back onto the pillows, grinning to himself as the door closed.
...
She walked past the stalls with Robbie, laughing and gossiping about the dance then pausing as he stopped to pick up a discarded hoof-pick. From the corner of her eye she caught movement, a flash of silver as a hoof kicked out, and was thrown against the opposite stable door, numb with shock as blood soaked through her clothes and onto the floor. She heard Hélène scream and the sound of people running and shouting for help as her hand closed around Robbie's.