He ducked beneath the rope, accepting a few congratulations, and walked straight toward Nia.
Her blue eyes were the color of the sea at night but reflected the flickering orange light of the nearby torches as she watched him approach.
“Were you worried?” Jasper asked.
“I never doubted you for a second.” She smiled. “You were amazing.”
And damn, the ache in his jaw and the pain in his side were absolutely worth it. She slipped her hand around his arm, rested her head on his shoulder, and they walked back to the inn.
A Hero in Every Way
As luck would have it, when Jasper and Nia opened the door to the tavern of their inn, a cheer rose up. “To the last man standing!”
Word traveled fast in this quaint little village.
Nia dropped Jasper’s arm, suddenly self-conscious, and stepped back as the inn’s patrons patted Jasper on the back, insisting on buying him drinks. A tankard of ale found its way into her hand, and she and Jasper were dragged to the center table, where everyone made room for the hero of the day.
Apparently, nearly every man present had gone up against the giant and taken a beating. And not only for the festival’s sake.
Jasper caught her eye and cocked a brow. She shrugged. Such an impromptu gathering had most certainly not been on their agenda for the evening, but she supposed they could not avoid it.
She settled in, and as she watched Jasper converse with men from vastly different backgrounds than his, she was amazed at how easily he gained acceptance, even as he took charge without really taking charge at all. Just as he’d fought without seeming to fight.
Jasper had helped the fighter, essentially, beat himself.
But, although she kept her expression serene and patient, her heart buzzed. Every second she watched Jasper heightened her anticipation. His low chuckle sent a thrumming shooting down her spine, and watching his very capable hands resting on the table made her heart beat double time.
She resisted the urge to squirm in her seat and simply squeezed her thighs closer together. Her breasts felt heavy, almost achy, and when he met her eyes, a cosmic connection passed between them.
He’d kissed her.
In the center of a public dance floor, he’d pressed his mouth to hers. He’d done so for no reason other than the fact that both of them wanted to.
They had chosen to. When he’d suggested they return, his question had carried loads of meaning. Without actually saying the words, they’d both known that they wanted the same thing.
I want him. At first, she’d resented the idea of marrying anyone, but now, she was not at all averse to marriage.
As long as it was to Jasper.
But, of course, in the recesses of her mind, doubt hovered.
Given a choice, would he want her to be his wife? A kiss was a kiss, but marriage lasted a lifetime.
Except where his father was involved.
His hand landed on her shoulder, and warm tingles spiraled through her.
“I’m afraid, gentlemen, I’m going to have to call an end to our evening as my… wife and I have a long journey tomorrow.”
Nia required no other urging and allowed Jasper to assist her from her seat. As they made their way up the stairs with nothing but his hand on her back, every particle in her body came alive. All she needed was the slight pressure of his palm to feel the power of his person as he followed her.
They arrived at the door to her chamber, and Jasper opened the door for her. But he didn’t immediately follow her inside.
“I’m going to see if another chamber has become available.” His eyes were tired, regretful. And in the flickering light of the sconce in the hallway, Nia noticed that one side of his face had been cut and appeared to be bruising.
Concern, along with disappointment, swept through her.
Of course, he’d been through a fight. It was late, and he’d told her that if they made good time on the road tomorrow, they could possibly make it all the way to Gretna Green.
