To her credit, she didn’t scream. She didn’t come to ground either. The barbarian had merely wanted a more secure hold on her, but hadn’t wanted to set her down yet. He caught her on the fall with both hands, one on each of her arms just above the elbow, pinning them to her sides—which was a good thing for him. That close, and with his hands busy holding her, she could have broken his nose, smashed his vocals, or done any number of other disabling things if she’d had full use of her arms. She still had full use of her legs, however, but once again he proved how fast he was in blocking her moves, and he went one further and shook her until she decided she’d had enough and just let her legs hang.
“Concede you are beaten, woman.”
It was an order, not a question. And it did seem as if she were beaten, without having received a single blow. Colossal strength did have its advantages. His hold was too tight to wiggle lose from, and she didn’t care to have her brains rattled again if she tried any more kicks. But concede? Not until her last options had been used, and one of them was to bring both legs up, plant her feet squarely in the center of his chest, and push back.
It worked, but only because he wasn’t expecting it. She went sailing backward to land hard on the ground, which was better than having her arms pulled out of their sockets if he hadn’t let go. But her push hadn’t knocked him over as it should have, giving her the extra moments she needed to catch her breath. Just as she rose she was shoved back down, the barbarian’s body pinning her to the ground. Her hands were captured, her legs held down by his, and if that wasn’t enough, he let her have his full weight, taking no more chances with her.
Breathing normally became a memory. Tedra had to fight for each breath and he knew it, but he didn’t ease even an ounce of the pressure bearing down on her.
“Now do you concede you are beaten.”
Again it wasn’t a question. And this time there wasn’t a doubt in either of their minds. Tedra couldn’t move an inch except to nod her head, and the moment she did she could breathe again. But all he did was ease his great chest off hers. He didn’t let go of her or move to get up. And he seemed perfectly content to stay that way as he looked down at her. Her own look was filled with disgust, all of it for herself. She’d made one mistake after another with the barbarian, but agreeing to the challenge was the biggest.
“I don’t suppose you’re going to kill me, are you?” He slowly shook his head. “I’m right handy at cleaning floors,” she lied. Again he shook his head, but this time with a grin. “All right, damn it, spit it out. What kind of service do you want from me?”
“This you know already,kerima.”
Little one, or little girl, he’d called her, and however she cared to take it, she felt both at the moment. He was so fardenbig.And she’d already had a taste of his full weight. She’d never survive sex-sharing with him, she knew she wouldn’t, and yet who was there to stop him? She’d found out the hard way that she couldn’t. And even if she could, honor demanded she not try.
“There’ll be no assuming here, warrior. I want it spelled out, and to know how long it’s to last.”
“Very well.”
He rolled to the side now, telling her at least that the service wouldn’t begin just yet, for which she was more than grateful. She really had worn herself out trying to beat him. And then it hit her with the force of a blow. She’d been beaten. For the first time since she had become a Sec 1, she’d been beaten, and by a man she found utterly desirable.
A wave of vulnerability washed through her, and a thrill that flushed her cheeks and weakened her limbs. Here was a man she couldn’t walk all over, one who wouldn’t fear her abilities or worry about riling her temper. It seemed as if she’d waited forever for him, and she looked at him now wide-eyed, with a little awe and a lot of anticipation. She’d know sex-sharing at last. Even if it killed her, she’d enjoy every minute of it.
“What is it?” he asked, intercepting her look.
“I … Nothing.”
She sat up and wrapped her arms around her drawnup knees. He was sitting next to her, his legs crossed. She couldn’t meet his eyes again, but he was having none of that. His hand turned her face to him.
“You agreed to honor the outcome,” he reminded her almost sternly.
Flustered by his touch, she pushed his hand away. “Don’t go doubting my honor again. I’m still waiting to hear what the outcome is.”
“For one month you will give me the service of a claimed woman.”
He said that with a certain amount of triumph. But then thatwaswhy he’d been so delighted about the challenge, because she couldn’t resist his claiming of her. And no matter how much she was looking forward to sex-sharing with him, that rubbed her a little on the raw.He’dknown he couldn’t lose, even if she hadn’t. If that wasn’t underhanded, she didn’t know what was.
“You said this means I must yield to your will? In all things?”
“That is so.”
“That sounds a bit much, warrior. You also said this service could be a specific task or a certain type of labor, but just one kind only. If I have to clean your cave, cook your meals,andwarm your furs, I’m afraid I’m going to have to protest. That’d be more than one service, wouldn’t it?”
He had to be annoyed with her for pointing that out, but damned if he showed it. She wanted a reaction from him. In fact, she wouldn’t half mind if he’d do some of that claiming right now. But all he did was seem to thoughtfully consider her point.
Finally, he said, “Very well, I will choose the service you have yourself named. Your words were ‘labor in the bedchamber’; thus wherever I sleep, woman, you will deny me nothing. Is that specific enough for you?”
She almost laughed. He actually thought he was making her regret protesting his first choice, that she’d like this one even less. She’d got a reaction out of him after all, not a typical one, but then he could in no way be called a typical man.
Not to disappoint him, she gave a long sigh. “What can I say, warrior? But you’re passing up an excellent floor sweeper.”
He grunted. “You would have done better as a claimed woman. It at least is a position of some respect.”
Her reaction had obviously been too mild to suit him. He’d wanted her angry, as angry as she had apparently made him by disputing his first choice.
