“Why did you kiss me?” she asked. “That day you found me with the Tinklers on the road to Castle MacGahan, when you left me behind to begin this search. Why did you come back and kiss me?”
With four strides he found himself in front of her, close enough to pull her into his arms. He refrained from that unwise action, calling on every bit of willpower he’d ever had, searching her eyes for some clue as to why she asked.
It would be easy enough to brush away her question, but he’d pledged himself to truth with this woman, even if the pledge hadn’t been spoken aloud.
“Because I could do nothing else when I saw you standing there. You were days delayed in reaching Castle MacGahan. The need to touch you, to prove to myself you were safe, consumed me.”
“So you felt entitled? As if you had the right to kiss me?”
He shook his head. “I felt...” How could he make her understand? The blood in his veins warred, demanding he follow the dictates of all his ancestors, both the ancient gods of Asgard and the Fae. “In my family line, the men are not known for their restraint. They take what they want and the consequences be damned.”
The actions of his ancestors on both sides were the origin of untold legends and stories, most of which rarely portrayed them as the good guys. And with good reason.
One lovely eyebrow arched in response to his statement. “That’s not how it is in my family line. Men would never dare to think they could take what they want, simply because they want it.”
Of course they wouldn’t. Mortals didn’t behave with the same reckless abandon demonstrated by the gods or the Fae. Neither did they condone the ill behavior of those two races.
“With us, it is the women who take what they want.” Brie’s eyes sparkled dangerously and her hand reached out to rest at the back of his neck. “Be ye warned, my warrior. The women in my line give as good as we get.”
Her lips grazed over his, and need, hot and heavy, swelled in his veins. He wrapped his arms around her and clasped her to him.
Shivering in his embrace, she moaned against his lips and he was lost.
With one arm behind her knees and one at her back, he swept her up and carried her to the place where she’d dropped her heavy fur. He kneeled to lay her down upon it, pausing to see whether she meant to continue what she’d started.
One long, slim arm reached up toward him and the sleeve of her shift slipped down, revealing the intricate blue markings curling from her wrists upward toward her shoulder.
He traced one finger along the curving line, noting the trail of chill bumps left in the wake of his touch.
“I’ll chase away the cold if you’ll allow me,” he offered, his voice hoarse with need.
“Allow it?” she asked, her voice equally as hoarse as his. “I insist upon it.” Her fingers wound into his hair and guided him down, his body covering hers.
They’d been here once before. But unlike last time, he was in full control of himself now, his powers fully restored. There would be no storm splitting the skies to interrupt them tonight.
THE LAST TIMEshe’d willingly lain beneath Hall’s body, the evening had ended in her dreams being shattered. This time would be different, she told herself. This time there were no dreams attached to her actions.
She was not tumbling for some great laird who wanted to bed her. No, this time she was boldly taking whatshewanted. Her need for him was like a nettle in her skin. Coupling with him would either pluck the nettle away, or give her a marker with which to compare every other man she would ever meet. Either way, this washerchoice.Herdecision, onherterms.
He drew her shift up over her head and tossed it aside, leaving her body open to the cold air and his heated gaze. She lay still as his fingers followed the blue lines Orabilis had drawn upon her body.
The lines he traced seemed to come alive, heating with his touch, and she felt her desire for him writhing inside her, building to the point where she was surprised the lines themselves didn’t squirm right off her body.
She refused to be ashamed of the markings; they were a part of her heritage. And though he might not be able to understand why she’d done this, they were as much a part of her now as her nose or her eyes. Theywereher.
Her breath caught when he pulled his tunic over his head, and she reached up to run her hands across his chest. The muscles were hard as stone, but his warm skin was all man.
He lowered himself over her and his head dipped to her neck. The lines where his finger had trailed only a moment before, he now traced with his tongue. Hot, insistent, moving along the paths of the markings, nibbling his way down her neck, along her chest, around her breast.
Again her breath caught, and he chuckled against her skin, the heat of his breath setting her heart pounding so hard he must hear it.
Her muscles trembled as his hand tracked across her belly and down between her legs.
I am in control of what happens here,she reminded herself.Me. I have chosen this moment.
One large finger slid inside her and her muscles contracted involuntarily, causing her to lift her hips up off the ground as some primal groan escaped from deep within her.
In control? Who was she fooling? She’d lost any control the minute Hall touched her. No one could control a feeling as intense as this.
