A small boy with fire-red horns ran up to me and held out a blue winter flower. “This is for you.”
I beamed down at him, taking the flower. “Thank you very much!”
With a giggle, he ran off, his boots slapping the drying mud. I slid the stem behind my ear, smiling after him. Ragnar came up beside me and wound his arm around my waist. My colliding emotions battled for dominance. We’d spent every night together at the inn. And each one had been better than the last.
Every morning, I awoke with a smile on my face, and my soul had never felt calmer. And yet, I couldn’t shake the knowledge that this soon would end. He’d leave, and I’d never see him again. Permanence had never been a thing I’d sought, but I couldn’t help but wish for it now, to dream of a life where we never had to say goodbye.
“They adore you,” Ragnar said, rubbing the side of my hip. “As do I.”
My heart fluttered. Swallowing, I tried to find my voice but found it had abandoned me. So instead, I leaned into him, trying to memorize the shape of his arms and the beat of his heart. In the days ahead, these memories would be all I had left.
“Is something troubling you?” he asked after I took too long to answer.
Shaking my head, I pulled away. I didn’t want to bring gloom upon the few days we had left together. I wanted to make the most of it, to laugh and sing and dance and wrap my arms around his neck. And so I shoved my sadness down and painted on a smile.
“I’m just thinking about all that’s happened,” I replied. “Against all odds, the festival will go on, and we’re finally going to sell that bloody ale of mine.”
His chuckle washed over me, warming me from head to toe. “It’s like your ale is as stubborn as you are.”
“Hey now.” Grinning, I swatted at his arm. “I think you need to look at your own reflection before calling someone else stubborn.”
“Oh, you think I’m stubborn, do you?” Without warning, he scooped me up into his arms and tossed me over his shoulder. Then he gave my backside a little spank. A heady warmth spread through me, and my breath hitched.
“What are you doing?” I whispered.
“I’m feeling pretty damn stubborn about making you moan.”
“Oh.” Flushing, I held on to his muscular back as he hauled open the wagon doors. He leapt inside with the kind of strength and dexterity I’d known few others to possess, and then he lowered me to the floor. He’d covered the wood with a soft rug, and several candles suddenly sparked to life. My heart pounded. He must have been planning for this.
With his body over mine, he gently took both of my wrists in his hand and trapped them above my head. My chest arched toward him, my body responding to his touch. The laughter in his eyes died. He leaned down and kissed me.
Everything within me sighed against him. His hand slid down the length of me and slowed near the top of my thigh. My core clenched, aching with need.
When he pulled back, I could scarcely breathe.
“Wait. There’s something I need to tell you,” he murmured. His hand suddenly vanished from my thigh. He loosened his grip around my wrists and sat back.
“What is it? Is something wrong?”
“Yes. And we’ve been avoiding talking about it.” Sighing, he ran a hand through his hair.
Suddenly, I wanted out of this wagon. I didn’t want to talk about the looming end to…whatever this was between us. Crying was not on my plan for the day, and I could already feel the tears threatening to make an appearance. I shimmied out from beneath his legs and launched to my feet.
“There are a lot of people out there. Someone might walk by at any moment,” I said, rushing my words. “We don’t even have a lock on this wagon. I’d rather not have someone like Steffon catch us rolling around naked together.”
I started to move past him to get out of here. My entire face and neck felt hot. Some cold wintry air was sorely needed. But as I darted around him, Ragnar gently took my arm.
“We really need to talk about this, Lilia.”
I shook my head. “I don’t want to. Not right now.”
“I don’t want to say goodbye, either. That’s what I’m trying to tell you. But I have to—”
The rising sound of angry voices cut off whatever he’d been about to say. Even from inside the wagon, I could clearly hear the words.
“Who do you think you are? Get away from there!” came Steffon’s familiar voice.
And then a voice I didn’t recognize replied, “Let go of me or you will sorely regret it.”
