Tender is the Knight Read Online Free Page A

Launceston. What in the hell is she doing out here?”
    “I do not know.”
    None of it made any sense and to put it mildly, Dennis was confused. He stopped staring at Riston long enough to gaze at the woman on the ground and it took him no time at all to conclude two things; that she was almost frozen, and that she was the most beautiful creature he had ever had the fortune to gaze upon. Her delicate face was so pale that it was nearly blue and he watched her, transfixed and overwhelmed, hardly daring to believe that what Riston was saying was true.
    Riston’s voice broke into his thoughts. “Dennis,” he said. “This woman is going to die if we do not warm her quickly.”
    That seemed to snap him out of his trance; he knew that his knight spoke the truth. But it was too cold and damp to build a fire. That only left one alternative.
    “Remove her clothing,” he instructed his knight.
    Riston looked surprised at first, but then he grinned. “With pleasure, my lord.”
    Dennis glared at Riston so cuttingly that the knight’s smile instantly vanished. “I jest, my lord, truly,” he said meekly, lowering his head and beginning his task. “What do you intend to do?”
    Dennis ’ gaze lingered on the man a moment longer before removing his helm. His pale golden hair glimmered in the weak light. “I give off more heat than a furnace.” He went to work removing his mail and woolen tunic. “Send Clive for my squire. Have the lad bring woolen blankets from the provision wagon.”
    Dennis was very quickly naked from the waist up, perfectly comfortable in the freezing temperature. His shoulders were exceedingly broad and well-shaped, his skin lightly tanned from years of sword-playing under the sun. He impatiently motioned for Riston to hand over the lady, whose dress was half-off her shoulders by now. The knight gently transferred her weight to Dennis, who continued to undress her as Riston went in search of Clive.
    The dead trees provided some privacy as Dennis finished stripping her dress and freed it from her small feet. She had on soft woolen undergarments, leaving very little for his fertile imagination; she was a small woman with an enormously attractive figure.  Her breasts were ripe and full, her stomach small and flat, and her hips flared into a round, sensual shape. 
    He was growing more enchanted by the moment, thinking that if the information were not correct and she was not, in fact, his wife to be, he would seriously consider taking her back to St Austell as his mistress. He’d never even had a mistress before. But this delicious young lady was simply too good to pass by.
    But all of his lust would be in vain if he did not keep her alive. Ripping off her woolen sheath and leaving only her thick hose, he pulled her naked body against his searing torso. When their skin touched, he swore he’d never in his life felt anything so wonderful. The amazing sensation literally took his breath away and he paused, fighting to compose himself. Then, using her heavy gown and sheath, he wrapped the two of them together tightly and waited for his squire to arrive. But in truth, with his arms wrapped around the woman, he did not care if his squire ever came or not. The entire world could pass him by and he would be perfectly content to stay as he was, forever.
    Forcing his feelings at bay, the first thing he was aware of other than her cold skin was how much difficulty she was having catching her breath. Every exhale wheezed and rattled, and every inhale seemed like pure torture. It took him very little time at all to realize she was having serious trouble breathing and he began rubbing her back, not knowing what else to do, in an attempt to ease her congestion.
    Riston returned to find his liege holding a naked woman with an expression on his face that the young knight had never seen before. He felt as if he was intruding. “Dennis,” he said hesitantly. “Clive has been sent for the blankets as