Forbidden Viking

by Ree Thornton

  She swallowed hard and looked away, her voice shaky as she spoke. "I thought I needed to hide to survive."

  He slid his hand under her chin and turned it until she looked at him. "I know. You did what you must. You are strong."

  Her bottom lip trembled.

  An unfamiliar tenderness swelled within him, a long forgotten sensation that he'd thought lost when Kalda died. "I'll never hurt you, Samara."

  "How am I to believe that?" she asked, her eyes blazing with blatant challenge.

  "I'll show you." She had a kind heart, a quiet strength, and the face of a goddess. It was no wonder his young warriors followed her around with hungry eyes. She was an irresistible combination of fire and beauty.

  The air crackled between them.

  He knew he shouldn't, but he wanted to reach out and trace his thumb across her mouth. Those lips... He wanted to caress them, taste them, plunder them.

  She placed her hand over his thundering chest, her eyes following the slow descent of his mouth.

  Would she let him kiss her? Or push him away?

  He inhaled the scent of fresh cut thyme on her skin. Intoxicating. He was hard as steel, his body alive with anticipation. He brushed his lips across her cheek lightly.

  She shivered at the gentle touch.

  He paused, his lips hovering just beyond hers. Did she want him? He'd shown her what he wanted, but the decision would be hers. His pulse jumped when her tongue darted out and slid across her lips, leaving behind a glistening sheen.

  She reached for his shirt, twisting the fabric in her hand and pulling him forward.

  He felt a surge of triumph as their bodies met, his hard, hers soft. He wrapped her in his arms and covered her mouth with his. She was as sweet as he'd imagined. He swirled his tongue in a sensual dance that coaxed her to open further for him.

  She wrapped her arms around his neck and pressed closer as she let him in. A soft moan, almost like a cat’s purr, rumbled in her throat as she met his hungry thrusts and slid her hands up into his hair.

  Satisfaction filled him at her reaction and a crack formed in the walls he'd built around his heart the day Kalda was murdered. His love for Kalda remained, but it was bittersweet, dulled by time and buried beneath the weight of his duty and his fear of losing another to the gods. But Samara had survived. She was here, in his arms. The realization that she deemed him worthy of her trust, crumbled the hardened walls, allowing a gentle light to warm his heart.

  "Valen," she whispered when they broke apart briefly, her fingers tugging on his hair to pull his mouth down to hers once more.

  The sweet taste of her lips drove him wild. His cock throbbed as his hands caressed her slender curves and the swell of her breasts pressed against his chest. When she didn't protest, he cupped the firm flesh in his hand and swiped a thumb across the fabric covering her nipple. By the gods, he needed to lose himself in her and feel her thighs wrapped around him.

  She arched her back as he trailed kisses up the curve of her neck, his lips gentling against the bruises forming there.

  He needed more. He wanted his mouth to discover all of the places that drove her wild with lust, and hear her cries as he sucked and nipped at those tender places until she begged for release.

  The sharp peal of women's laughter rang out beyond the door and then disappeared as they continued down the hall.

  He lifted his lips from her neck. Slowly, the fog of lust ebbed and he found himself in Samara’s small bedchamber with her flushed body in his arms and his loins aching for release. What was he doing? He was Jarl—he couldn't do this. He released her and stepped back abruptly.

  Her eyes fluttered open, slightly glazed for a few moments before she registered the distance between them, and then they rose to meet his.

  He had to say it. "I should not have done that."

  She paused a moment, and then cocked her head and shrugged. "It takes two for a kiss. I don't recall fighting you off."

  A throat cleared in the doorway.

  He glanced over his shoulder. Ásta stood waiting with a pitcher of steaming water in her hands. How much had she seen? He hadn't even heard her open the door.

  He turned back to Samara. "We will talk later."

  She lowered and raised her head, an act he recognized as polite dismissal.

  What had he been thinking kissing a princess? He deserved a smack to the back of his head for his stupidity. He walked to the door and paused beside Ásta.

  "Take care of her," he commanded, and then left, each step he took replacing stones as he started to rebuild the crumbled wall around his heart.

  "A mistake," he muttered to himself as he stormed toward the river. He shook his head. He'd made a terrible mistake. Now that he'd tasted her, he'd never be able to stay away.

  Chapter Eight

  Samara

  Samara sat in the shade, high on the bank of the river, and watched the Vikings swim in the river below. Their laughter drifted on the gentle breeze, reminding her of the children that played in the river Tigris beyond the palace wall. The whole clan seemed to have stopped work to escape the midday heat in the cooling waters.

  She plucked a piece of grass and rolled it between her fingers. She'd been surprised when Valen had invited her to join the outing at the morning meal. She'd seen so little of him the last four days that it was obvious that he regretted their kiss. It hurt that he could shun her with such ease, whilst she struggled to banish him from her thoughts.

  Two leather boots stopped in front of her, blocking her view of the swimmers.

  The hair on her arms stood on end, and she knew that the long legs encased in tight pants that hugged a pair of hard muscular thighs were attached to the man who had invaded her thoughts.

  Valen bent one knee to the ground and rested his forearms on his other knee. "Well met, Samara."

  His intense blue eyes reminded her of lure the puff adder used to attract prey. She'd lose herself in those sapphire pools if she weren't careful.

  "Jarl Eriksson." She nodded in greeting.

  He tucked a lock of sunlit hair that hung across his eyes behind his ears. "Aren't you going to swim?"

  She shook her head. "I cannot," she lied. Her father would never forgive her. The carefree Viking ways were nothing like the guarded reserve of life at the palace. She'd almost fainted when everybody had discarded their clothing haphazardly and run into the water naked.

  He tilted his head. "You cannot swim?"

  Unable to bear the intensity of his gaze, she looked around him at the sandy shore and the clear green water flowing around mossy boulders. She ached to feel its cooling touch on her skin, to dip below the surface and lose herself in the underwater world or float on the surface watching the clouds. She was used to denying herself to adhere to the expectations of her royal position, but this time it stung a lot. How would it feel to live without restrictions? She longed for the freedom these Vikings took for granted.

  "Swimming is forbidden."

  He grunted a laugh. "Forbidden by whom? I am Jarl here, and I say swimming is not forbidden. I can see that you want to. Why do you refuse?"

  She should have known he'd see through her. Valen was far too observant to fall for her half-hearted deflection.

  "My father would be furious. Here nobody seems to notice bare flesh, but modesty is closely guarded in my world." A princess that broke with tradition would encourage others to flout the rules. She couldn't do it.

  "Ahh, but your father is not here. He would never know." Valen's eyes twinkled, his mouth curving into a playful grin.

  A flush of heat spread across her skin. She willed her face into the indifferent mask that she wielded like a sword on her enemies at court. "Why are you doing this, Valen? You ended that kiss, and then ignored me. Why are you crossing the limits that you set?"

  His expression hardened. He pushed himself upright and ran a hand through his hair.

  She looked up at him, taking in the muscles rippling under his white shirt as
he moved.

  His jaw flexed as his gaze returned to hers. "You play the distant princess, but I see you. I've watched you teaching the children numbers in the sand on the beach, and discussing plants with our healer. You're unlike any other woman I've known. I want to know more about you."

  "You do?" Her heart skipped a beat. He'd been watching her even when they were apart. This tough Viking had seen straight through to the heart of her, the place she kept hidden.

  "I..." He paused as though reluctant to continue. "I can't stay away anymore."

  She saw how hard that was for him to admit. She liked that he trusted her enough to show his softer side too. "I don't want you to stay away." She held his gaze. "I feel this pull between us too, but..."

  His eyes darkened to the mesmerizing hue of the blue flame of a fire on a cold winter's night. "It's not wise." He turned toward the swimmers in the river.

  She was torn—it was hard to break a lifetime of living by the rules, but she could feel him retreating again. She couldn't let that happen. She was new to such things, but she wanted him as she had never wanted a man before. It was confusing, terrifying, and undeniable. She yearned to feel as carefree and independent as his people did, even just for a short while, and he could give it to her. Undoubtedly, she'd spent too long with these Vikings, because before she knew it she had spoken.

  "All I have ever done is learn and fulfil my duty to my people. Always guarded, always watched. It is suffocating."

  His smouldering gaze snapped back to her. "I know that feeling well."

  A moment of understanding passed between them. Regardless of all of their differences, the heavy burden that came with leadership was something they had in common.

  "Já. I guess you do. I would cry when my tutors refused to allow me to play with the children. I even envied the hunting hawks, for at least they were untethered occasionally and free to soar. I need to know what that freedom feels like, Valen."

  "What are you saying?"

  "We should take the few moments we have together."

  "I'll not bed you, Samara." His voice was a low rumbling growl that made her shiver. "You're a princess, and must remain untouched."

  She swallowed hard. "I'm not suggesting that." She glanced away so he wouldn't see the flush of heat on her skin.

  "What are you suggesting?"

  She summoned the courage to face him. If she was going to do this, he needed to see that she was steadfast in her decision.

  "I will leave here soon. Until then, I want you to show me how to live like a Viking. I want to follow my own path just once, before I must marry the man my father chooses." She held her breath. Would he push her away again?

  "Samara—"

  She interrupted before he could reject her proposal. "You know how it feels to be weighed down by duty, Valen. I think you need some enjoyment in your life too."

  He moved in front of her, blocking the sun with his large frame. "I will agree, if you agree not to hide anything else from me."

  She smiled and nodded, surprised that he had capitulated so easily. "I promise. No more secrets."

  "Can you swim as well as you negotiate, Princess?"

  Her eyes widened at his teasing question. How had he known she could swim?

  He rocked back on his heels and grinned down at her. "What? I know you're not the proper princess you make out to be."

  She straightened her back and raised her nose in the air. "I'll have you know that I am a proper princess." She grinned, letting mirth flicker in her eyes.

  "Careful, princess, you cannot lie, remember?" His lips twitched in the corner and his eyes sparkled with amusement.

  "Did you really think I wouldn't notice that you never said you cannot swim, just that it was forbidden?" He stepped forward, so close that she had to tilt her head right back to look at him.

  "I notice everything about you."

  His words caused a strange fluttering sensation in her stomach. Had he noticed her eyes following him? Or how she couldn't breathe when he touched her? She looked down to hide the heated flush on her face at the thought that he could read her so easily. She shrugged, pretending nonchalance. "I may have snuck out of the palace to swim in the Tigris River while the city slept."

  His burst of deep laughter made her smile. She looked up at his strong jaw and striking face. "I've never told anyone that," she admitted.

  "I knew you were trouble, Princess." He extended his hand toward her. "Come. There's a place upstream where we can swim alone. Nobody will ever know."

  She slid her fingers into his rough calloused palm, wondering why she felt like she was jumping into the deep, unable to see the bottom. She focused on the sand that oozed between her bare toes as Valen led her along the riverbank. Goodness, what was she doing? Was this a mistake?

  He stopped around a bend in the river where a rush of rapids flowed into a wide pool before meandering more slowly downstream to where the clan frolicked. Then he dropped her hand, grabbed the bottom of his shirt, and pulled it over his head.

  All air rushed from her lungs. She couldn't tear her eyes from his body. His hairless chest was an expanse of golden skin that shimmered in the dappled light of the overhanging trees. Her fingers itched to trace across it and linger over the inked markings that wrapped around his muscular arms.

  He turned from her, slid off his boots and breeches, and then walked down to the water.

  Her breath caught and she hastily averted her eyes, but they soon returned to roam the long lean lines of his limbs, his thick powerful thighs, and the firm globes of his ass. Her body hummed in response. He looked just like the rendering of the Viking god Óðinn carved into the pillars in the great hall.

  He paused and looked over his shoulder at her. "I'll race you to the other side."

  She laughed as he waded into the water.

  "Come, Princess. You're the one that wanted to live like a Viking." He turned to face her, the clear water lapping at the hard ridges of his stomach that led downward and disappeared below the surface.

  A sense of urgency drove her forward. This was it, the moment she'd always wanted, the moment that those midnight adventures to swim in the Tigris never quite satisfied. This was her chance to experience life beyond the rules and expectations of others. She forced her trembling fingers to unbutton the front of her dress. Could she do it? She straightened her back and pulled her dress off. As it fell to her feet with a soft swoosh, she wrapped an arm across her breasts and shielded between her legs where she knew he would be able to see beneath the thin fabric of her shift.

  "Já. It is as I imagined, your skin is the color of honey all over," Valen said, his hungry eyes roaming her body.

  A rush of warmth flooded her, the admiration in his eyes creating a delicious throbbing between her legs.

  "You needn't hide yourself from me."

  She summoned her courage, lifted her chin, and dropped her arms. If she was going to do this, she needed to do it as the Viking did.

  Unbridled fervor blazed in his eyes as she slowly walked to water's edge.

  The cool water lapping at her bare feet reminded her that she was about to swim naked with a man…alone. She looked up at the clouds, savoring the warmth of the sunlight on her face and the cool water caressing her legs as she waded into the river, her fingertips trailing across the surface.

  "Are you going to let me win?" He splashed water at her, and then dove beneath the surface, giving her a brief glimpse of his toned buttocks.

  Joyful laughter broke free from her chest, where it had been caged for years awaiting release. She dove in, determined to show him that she was serious about winning. She reveled in the smooth rhythmic strokes as she pushed herself harder and faster than she'd ever swum, but the current was strong and she knew she'd never catch him. She broke the surface and grinned, her whole body alive with exhilaration.

  He leaned back against a boulder, the water lapping at his waist, his wet hair hanging loose over his shoulders, and trails of wa
ter dripping down his chest.

  "Let's do it again." She wanted more.

  He crossed his arms and looked down at her, his lips twitching. "You sure? I won." His teasing tone held the arrogance of a winner.

  She squeezed the water from her hair. "You cheated." She pushed him playfully in the shoulder.

  "Nei." He reached for her hand and tugged. When she stumbled forward, his other arm slid around her waist to press her closer.

  She swallowed hard, and raised her eyes to find him watching her.

  "I played to win."

  A warm flush crept into her cheeks. A hard muscular thigh slid between her legs and pressed against where she ached. Her breath quickened. She needed to touch him, needed to satisfy those cravings that had left her needy and sleepless since their kiss. She trailed her fingertips over the hard planes of his chest, noting how he shuddered when they skimmed across his nipples.

  "You know it wasn't a fair race, Valen."

  His gaze darkened and she glimpsed the dangerous warrior lurking within him. "I never said I'd play fair. I always get what I want."

  She shivered. He was not talking about swimming anymore. He was looking at her as if she was a sweet treat to be devoured. "What do you want?" Her breathy whisper matched the fluttering of her heart.

  His eyes flared as she bit down on her bottom lip. "You," he groaned.

  She licked her lips, every second feeling stretched out as his gaze followed the wet slide of her tongue.

  His jaw clenched.

  He was fighting for restraint—she couldn't let him stop, not now. She stroked the lines of his shoulders, pressing her breasts against his chest. She could feel his heartbeat, its furious pace matching her own.

  His whole body was tense against hers. He was holding back.

  She didn't want that. She wanted him to lose control, to show her all of him, even the parts he kept hidden. She knew he would not hurt her, not even if he lost control. She pushed up onto her toes until her mouth hovered close to his, and looked into his eyes so he would know she was certain.

  "Take me, Valen," she whispered.