Issa chuckled dismissively and flapped a hand at me.
“Who cares? I’d be miserable without my daily soak for my back, and I ken ye want some clean clothing. Let my brother sleep, he’s likely exhausted.”
I couldsmellRowena’s hesitation as she glanced back at me, and I wondered if Issa thought I’d spent the night slaking my lusts on my pretty little wildcat.
But to my surprise, Rowena spoke in my favor.
“Do you think…is he well?” she whispered. “He did not feel feverish…”
“If I ken Vrogul, he was awake for three days straight, watching over his warriors. He deserves the chance to sleep now.”
Did I?
And how did my sister know me so well?
“I do not think he slept at all on the longboat,” Rowena admitted. “I suppose he must be tired.”
Issa slid her arm through the human’s.
“Our chief takes his responsibilities seriously. Why do ye think our people elected him to the role?”
“Elected?”
“Our father was—och, come along, I’ll tell ye as we break our fast, after ye piss. But dinnae let go of me—Matthias gets snippy if he thinks I’m trotting around the village without support.”
I swear to the gods below, IheardRowena smile at that, and she ceased delaying.
As the door closed behind them, I allowed myself a smile. Clever Issa had managed to get my wildcat out the door and into the village while assuring me she would be there to keep an eye on her. Rowena would be safe.
And me?
I rolled to one side, intending to push myself out of the bed…only to catch the scent ofher. Rowena had slept beside me all night, aye, butbefore that, she’d laidbeneathme, and the scent of her arousal had been unmistakable.
With a groan, I rolled to my back, my hand going to my cock, still heavy and hard beneath my kilt. I’d done so well, all night, to ignore its throbbing, and all it had taken was one whiff of Rowena’s arousal, and I was near to spilling again.
Last night, she’d squirmed beneath me, had felt my erection and known what it meant. Her arousal had been instinctual.
Because the scent of her fear had swirled around me as well.
Fear and arousal—a heady, tempting combination…and one I wouldn’t act on.
Until she learned to cease fearing me, I could do naught about my body’s response to her.
With a groan, I gave my cock one last stroke beneath my kilt then flipped the wool back over it. Ineededrelease, but not when the scent of Rowena’s fear was still on my tongue. I’d returned her knife; mayhap the fear would soon dissipate.
Was it too much to hope I might scent her arousal again?
I might still be tired, but I couldn’t lie here beneath these blankets—blankets which smelled ofher—any longer. I would take myself to the sparring grounds and ensure my left arm didn’t wither as it recovered.
Then a jump in the cold loch.
And mayhap, by tonight, I might have some control over my cock.
And myKteer.
And my heart.
Rowena
