Page 22 of Scottish Rose: Coira

“Then let’s just put our feet in the water, shall we?” He sat down and removed his boots, slipping his bare feet into the pool. “Aaaah, this is nice. Try it, Coira.”

“Well, mayhap.” She sat down and removed her shoes and hose and dipped her toes into the water. “Och, that’s cold.”

“Naw, I don’t think so. Stick your arm into the water and see. It’s warmer down below the surface.” When she bent over to stick her fingers into the water, he pretended like he was going to throw her in, but held on to her tightly.

“Nay!” she screamed, making him laugh. “I dinna think that was funny.”

“Coira, I was just playing with you. I wasn’t really going to dunk you in the water.”

“Still, I dinna like it. I want to go back to the castle.”

“All right, have it your way.”

Coira stood. “Is it really warm enough to swim in the pool?”

“Of course it is. I’ve done it dozens of time.” Lance stood up, and when he did, Coira took him by surprise. She reached out and pushed him into the water. He landed with a splash, dipping beneath the surface and coming up spitting water from his mouth. “I can’t believe you did that.”

All her fears had seemed to leave her. She laughed so hard she bent over, holding her sides. Well, he decided two could play this little game.

“Give me a hand, and we’ll get out of here and return to the castle.” When she reached out to him, he grabbed both her hands in his and winked. “Just jesting.”

Her eyes opened wide, and she used her feet to try to hold herself away from the water. “Lance, ye are no’ goin’ to –”

She never got to finish her sentence. He yanked her into the water with him, and she landed with a splash in his arms.

“I canna swim! I am goin’ to drown,” she screamed.

He laughed, pulling her safely into his arms. “The water is only waist deep, Wife. Besides, I’ve got you. I assure you that you won’t drown.”

“But I –”

He covered her mouth with his, kissing her so passionately that she forgot to be mad or frightened.

When he pulled back from the kiss, she was smiling. “I see what ye mean,” she said in a soft voice. “The water is gettin’ much warmer now.”

“And it will continue to get even warmer.” He reached down and slid his hands up her thighs, picking her up, with her legs straddled around him. Pressed up against her, he kissed her once again. She giggled and held on around his neck.

“Have you ever made love in a pool of water or a cave?”

“Lance, ye ken I was a virgin when we married.”

“Well, then, would you like to find out what it’s like?”

“I’m no’ sure,” she said, her eyes glancing back and forth.

“Don’t worry. No one is going to see us.”

“Well, mayhap.”

They probably would have made love in the water like Lance wanted if a loud crash of thunder from outside the cave hadn’t startled Coira.

“It’s goin’ to storm,” said Coira, clinging to him so tightly she almost choked him.

“It’s all right, Coira. Please don’t tell me you are afraid of storms, too?”

She glanced out the entrance of the cave to the dark clouds rolling across the sky. “Lord Ralston kept me locked in the cage in all the elements,” she said with tears in her eyes. “There was a bad storm one night, and it rained so hard I thought I would drown. I wanted to die before that storm ended.”

He could see how upset she was and knew he had to get her back to the castle before the sky opened and the downpour started.