what to expect a naked man to look like, but the
body exposed to her now was a bit more than she had ever imagined.
Truth to tell, it was a lot more, she thought faintly, her gaze finding and fixing on his
manhood. There was no way in heaven that that thing was going to fit inside her, she
thought with dismay. By God! 'Twould rip her to shreds. 'Twould
Iliana reined her thoughts in viciously, reminding herself that 'twas not a worry. She
wore the belt of chastity. The key was hidden and would remain so until her husband
bathed. But what if he did bathe?
She was forced from that worry to more immediate ones as the men hurried her husband to
the bed and drew the linens back to put him in beside her.
For a moment, her scanty gown was revealed to one and all, then Iliana tugged the linens
back over herself, fearing they might see the leather of the belt through the thin
material of her gown.
Iliana waited as Ebba followed the men out, catching the worried glance the woman threw
over her shoulder. Then the door closed, leaving her alone with her husband. It was not
until she tinned to peer at him solemnly that she realized why the men had had to carry
him. Her husband was thoroughly sotted and now that the men who had supported him were
gone, he could hardly sit upright.
“Get out of this bed.”
Duncanblinked, the meaning of her words slow to weave their way through the ale pickling
his brain. “Get out?”
“Aye. You will not sleep in this bed until you have taken a bath.”
“Bath?” He appeared to catch on to the last word and shook his head as she shifted until
she sat facing him. Her knees drawn up under the linens, she rested her feet beside his
body, and contemplated him grimly.
“Nay,”Duncansaid finally. “I do no bathe 'til July.”
“Then you do not sleep here until July,” she announced primly.
He was still trying to absorb her words when she suddenly slid her feet forward, rested
them on the hip facing her, and gave him a push that sent him toppling off the bed.
Iliana fully expected him to rise up from the floor, furious and ready for a fight. Taking
a deep breath, she tried to prepare herself for the battle ahead, but after several
moments of silence, she began to worry her lip nervously. After several more moments, she
managed to gather the courage necessary to move hesitantly to the edge of the bed and peer
cautiously down at him.
He lay silent and still on his back upon the floor. Iliana had the brief, mad fear that
she had killed him, but then she saw that his chest was rising and falling slowly and she
relaxed. It seemed he was just unconscious. Iliana was not sure if that was due to the
drink he had consumed or from hitting his head on the floor, but she was too relieved to
care overmuch either way. For tonight at least, she need not fear his displeasure.
Feeling it was safe to allow her curiosity free rein now that he was unconscious, she let
her gaze slide to his manhood. Her eyebrows rose as she stared at it. Iliana had seen
chests and anus and legs before, but this was something new. 'Twas a most curious
appendage. The only description she could think of was to say that it looked like a large,
angry pink mushroom was growing out of his groin. Most interesting, she decided, and
wondered how it might feel.
After glancing nervously at his face to be sure that he was still unconscious, she reached
out tentatively to run one finger lightly over it, only to pull quickly away in surprise.
The skin was soft and smooth. Not what she had expected. But that was not what had made
her react as if she had been bitten. At her mere touch, her husband's manhood had reared
up, seeming to grow an inch or so out of his body like a tree seeking the sun.
Fascinated, Iliana turned her attention to the rest of him. Her husband was a fine figure
of a man. His arms and shoulders were at least twice the