His abrupt halt forces giggles from me.Very mature, Durvla.
“You know what I mean,” he says with a sheepish smile.
“Yes. It’s a different sign anyway. It’s rather innocent the way you just signed it.”
“Oh?” He raises a brow, and I demonstrate the sign forsex, ignoring the flush that spreads across my chest. I pray it doesn’t spread to my cheeks, especially as Tiernan repeats the sign back to me, both brows raised, his head tilted.
It’s the sweetest expression from him, which makes me giggle even more, until he’s suddenly staring at me in that intense way that makes me want to run my fingers through his hair, over his shoulders, his back, everywhere.
“You are endearing, you know that?” he asks.
I gawk at him, uncertain of how to respond or how to stop the thoughts of my hands roaming over his body like he’s clay to be modeled.
What is happening to me?
Thank goodness, he abruptly stands and extends his hand to me. “We’d better try to get some sleep,” he says. “A couple more days then who knows when next we’ll find a bed.”
I groan. “Don’t remind me.” As I place my hand into his palm, he not only pulls me to my feet but straight into an embrace. His lips claim mine, and I react with a slight startle. But then I allow myself to melt into him, to savor the sensations that temporarily shove aside the fears of the unknown.
We have limited time to enjoy a bed, indeed? What will happen out there, outside of our bubble of safety?
His hands slide over my back, down to the swell of my behind. He pulls my hips flush against him, his arousal evident in the hard bulge pressing into my thigh.
My coyness is absorbed by the heat that spreads through the depths of my belly. My fingers bunch in his tunic, my lips parting from his. I gently pull back, my eyes searching his face, finding his dark gaze heavy with lust. Dropping my eyes to his lips, I watch the words form: “We should get?—”
“—to our room, yes.” The words leave my lips with breathy urgency. It’s almost dizzying how much I long to feel more of his hands …everywhere. “But I need to bathe,”I sign.
“What a coincidence. So do I!”
A witty comeback is at the tip of my tongue just as he sweeps me off my feet for the second time tonight. Laughter tumbles from me as I cling to him. “Tiernan, I can walk!”
“I know.” His smirk and the sparkle in his eyes leave my body tingling with delight. He barely sets me down inside the bathing chamber before his lips are on mine again, his fingers loosening the strings of my bodice. He steps away to crank the lever of the tub and get the warm water flowing.
“I’m going to miss warm baths,” I say as the water begins to fill the tub.
“Gods, same.” He slips his tunic off over his head and casts it aside.
My eyes roam his chest, his muscles and scars, the dark hair that trails from his navel down to?—
I jerk my focus back up to his face as he starts to loosen the strings of his trousers. He grins as if seeing me flustered is topmost amusement.
I can’t help but smile as I remove my dress so I’m standing in my breeches and the band of fabric wound around my breasts. The flustered look onhisface makes me giggle. “Payback,” I say.
Half of his mouth curves up, his gaze flicking down then immediately back to my eyes. “Are youfoldingyour dirty clothing?” he signs.
I glance down at my hands, which have evidently folded my dress. Stepping toward the counter, I set the folded garment down. “Apparently, I was,” I say with an awkward chuckle. “Is that odd?”
His smile could melt ice. “It’syou, Durvla. Never change.” He steps toward me, his eyes roaming my face. His thumb strokes lightly over my cheek. “Looks like you freckle when you’re out in the sun a lot.”
My hand flies to my own face. “DoI?”
He chuckles, nodding as his thumb slides from my face, down along the side of my neck. “I like it.”
My stomach tightens. His fingers lightly trace along the bottom of the fabric around my breasts. “May I remove this?”
I nod, my breath hitching.
“Yes?” He signs, his brow quirked.
