She laughed a little. “I won’t break, Mordred. You can hold me harder than that.”
”Fine,” he mutters, laughing softly, proceeding to hold her tighter. “That better?”
“Very much so.” Summer shivered slightly. She quite liked being hugged like this; someone’s strong arms at her back, keeping her safe. She didn’t know why. It was the same with her step-brother. Well, almost the same — she didn’t want to kiss Edward. She wanted to kiss Mordred again.
She sat back down right beside him and wrapped her arms around his shoulders, hooking her chin over one and hiding her face in his curly dark hair. “Of course. Please don’t feel stupid, Sir Mordred.”
Mordred smiled, lacing his arms carefully around her waist. “Please, just call me Mordred, there is no need for the sir bit.”
She laughed a little. “I won’t break, Mordred. You can hold me harder than that.”
“It’s very simple. Do what feels right. And tell me what you want.”
Mordred smiled, blushing slightly. “I kind of feel stupid now, could I- could I have a hug?”
She sat back down right beside him and wrapped her arms around his shoulders, hooking her chin over one and hiding her face in his curly dark hair. “Of course. Please don’t feel stupid, Sir Mordred.”
Summer held still under his hand. “What are you afraid of?” she asked softly. “You can’t force me.”
He chuckled. “Nothing, honestly,” he told her, “it’s just, I’m not used to relationships, that’s all.”
“It’s very simple. Do what feels right. And tell me what you want.”
“If you’re my husband for this week, you’ve that right.”
“I just have to remind myself of it,” he whispers, chewing the bottom of his lip.
Summer held still under his hand. “What are you afraid of?” she asked softly. “You can’t force me.”
Summer couldn’t resist that smile. It was too sweet, too shy. She kissed him again.
He smiled against her lips, lifting his finger up to rest under her chin, bracing himself before he pulled away. “I could certainly get used to that.”
“If you’re my husband for this week, you’ve that right.”
Summer returned his smirk, standing up and shaking out her skirts. Lightly she put a hand under his chin and kissed him before skipping out of reach. “Let that be an inducement, then, Sir Knight.”
His cheeks reddened and he glanced away for a moment, allowing his heart to return to a normal pace before he looked up at her again. “Then I look forward to it, if I do win,” he said with a small smile.
Summer couldn’t resist that smile. It was too sweet, too shy. She kissed him again.
“So sure of yourself, for someone who stumbled into knighthood,” she murmured. “And how shall I reward you when you win?”
“Well if I don’t have even a for of faith, not matter how false it may be who will?” he asks, looking over at her before he smirks. “Any way you so choose my lady.”
Summer returned his smirk, standing up and shaking out her skirts. Lightly she put a hand under his chin and kissed him before skipping out of reach. “Let that be an inducement, then, Sir Knight.”
She looked up at him, then away, and hesitated before blurting out, “Please be careful. Don’t do anything foolish.”
A light laugh tumbled past his lips. “I shall be fine, I assure you.”
“So sure of yourself, for someone who stumbled into knighthood,” she murmured. “And how shall I reward you when you win?”
Letting go his hand with a slight sigh, Summer pulled her braid over her shoulder and untangled a ribbon from the end. She smoothed it over her hand before offering it to him. “If you tie this about your arm, I’m certain you will win, and my luck will surely ride with you.” Softly and quickly she kissed his cheek.
Mordred smiled, taking the ribbon in his hand, kissing it before he wrapped it around his forearm. “Thank you my lady, I’m sure with this on my arm I shall win.”
She looked up at him, then away, and hesitated before blurting out, “Please be careful. Don’t do anything foolish.”