“It sure didn’t. I was furio?—”
He leans over and kisses me. I’m surprised, but my body purrs. A reaction I am willing to concede to. I fold my arms around his neck, teasing his tongue out with mine. He climbs onto the bed. His larger body covers mine completely as I give into his advance. It seems neither of us was sated after last night’s feast. My whisper comes out hoarse, heavy.
“What about the food then?”
“I will cook for you.”
Neither of us wants to stop, but my mind forces me back to reality. The valley will judge me. Imagine what they would call me if they knew.
“But what about the others?”
“We have time.”
His hand moves to my naked breast. He pulls the covers off my body, exposing my flesh. The air is warm. Kisses tingle on my neck as he spreads my legs. I don’t resist, inhaling a sharp breath as his fingers stroke my entrance. He’s preparing me again, forcing my body to react.
He stops, raising his face so our eyes are level.
“I love you,” he whispers.
I kiss him.
“I… I love you too.”
His hand returns between my legs. He knows that I’m ready. I melt into the bed as I grab the back of his head.
Fuck what they think. I want my man inside me.
“Make it quick,” I whisper in his ear.
CHAPTER 69
What a night…
Washing myself hasn’t removed the scent of our shared moments. A bucket and rag are not enough. Only a good scrubbing in the river can purify me. Not that I need to be purified. It was pure. Freya blessed us. Every time Ari’s smell hits my nose, heated memories return. I wonder if he feels the same.
I pick dried herbs from the rafter beams, sorting the plants on the table as I smile like the biggest fool. Ari’s hearty breakfast still sits in my stomach. The man cooks better than Ausveig. Not that I would ever tell her that. I laugh.
Alone, by myself, I laugh.
Mint, chamomile, nettles, yarrow. Dried and crunchy. Ready for use. Scents blend in my tiny cabin. I inhale deeply, enjoying their calming fragrance.
The memory of using yarrow on Ari flashes in my mind. I smile at how silly I must have looked, mouth full of herbs as I stared down his stomach. That smug bastard didn’t even need my help, healed in a flash of frost.
A snort escapes me. Well done, Kilda. You spent a night with a troll. You are now part of the small group of women to have accepted a Jotnar into their body. At least I haven’t been eaten alive.
I shake my head in disbelief. All I have learned.
Yet even with the lightness of my mood, my mind drags up insecurities from the mud. It’s hard to suppress it. My lies. My future. My choices.
Ari doesn’t know about Njord. His innocence. Eidunn, such a fool, lying about such serious matters. If blood is on my hands, it has spattered on hers as well. I just pray Sigurd will forgive my insolence and let me keep my privileges. And my life.
A hammering on the door makes my heart jump. My pulse beats in my ear like a drum. A few seconds pass as I guess at who it could be. It’s not Ari. He would not knock this hard. It’s definitely not a woman. If men were coming to take me in for punishment, they would storm in, surely, not knock.
The door is hammered again. I step forward.
“Who… Who is it?” I call out.
“Vidar. I bring news.”
