“I began to hope that perhaps there was a man wiser and more powerful who could give the people what they needed, what they yearned for—a fair and honest leader.”
“Not an easy task with the different kings who demand more than their share,” Reeve said.
“My father being one of them, though presently he has more money than the king, not that he would want that known.”
“King Kenneth must have suspected as much if he arranged to wed you.”
“A fear that had my father worried,” she admitted.
“And so he gives his only daughter to the king in fear of losing his fortune and in fear of the curse he had brought down on her,” Reeve grumbled. “I should have beaten him when I had the chance.”
He reached out and took hold of her. “You belong to me now, and no one—no one—will ever take you from me.”
He said it with such fervor that, at that very moment, Tara believed him. Or was it that she wished to believe him? Regardless, she wanted more than anything for his words to be true.
She reached out and touched his lips ever so gently. “I wish–” She smiled. “I’ve already been granted my wish.”
He didn’t smile. Instead, passion soared in his eyes, and he kissed her.
They came together in a frenzied heat though Reeve took command, and Tara surrendered. His hands glided over her wet body, touching every part of her, as if laying claim to her, branding her his.
He took her fast and furiously, and she didn’t object. She wanted him as much as he did her, and she had no patience to wait. Her climax was so explosive that she cried out, her shout bouncing off the cavern walls and echoing back at her.
Spent, her head dropped to his shoulder, and there she rested until she calmed, regaining control. He began to walk out of the water with her in his arms.
“No,” she protested. “I don’t want to leave yet.”
“Neither do I,” he said, and settled down in the water, letting the heat cover them like a warm blanket.
He liked that she wanted to linger in the serenity of this moment, this place, and forget that anything outside of it existed. There were just the two of them, and this time to love freely and safely. And they did. They lingered in the cavern, talking, making love, and enjoying the silent moments that crept over them from time to time.
Neither one of them wanted to leave, but Reeve pointed out, “We have yet to eat.”
Tara laughed. “I was thinking the same.”
They hurried out of the water, Tara using her shift to dry herself and then giving it to Reeve. They dressed and, hand in hand, left the cave. Their steps were brisk though slowed as they grew nearer the cottage.
Tara knew what he thought, for no doubt her thoughts mirrored his. They both worried that someone would be waiting for them. And their time together would be done. He would have to leave, or they both would be forced to depart and once again meet their fate.
They rounded the bend slowly, and when the cottage came into sight, they both breathed a sigh of relief and hurried forward with smiles.
They were still alone.
After eating a hearty porridge and the last of the dark bread, Reeve was pleased to see that Tara intended to bake more bread. He was content being here with her and was relieved, upon their return to the cottage, to see that no one had come for them. He was hoping for more time with her. He intended for this time to be a fostering of their love. And that the strength of their love would win out against all odds, against that damned curse.
He watched her long, slender fingers work with the grain, adding ingredients, a pinch of this, a smattering of that, and then her fingers worked joining them all together, soft and gentle then hard and forceful.
He jumped up from the chair, moving to stand behind her, his hands slipping down along her arms until they rested at her hands.
“Teach me to work the bread.”
She shuddered against him, and he knew it was from the soft whisper of his breath against her ear. It was so easy to spark her passion; just a simple touch, and he could sense she wanted him. It was the same for him; though a single glance from her could set his loins on fire.
“You truly want this?” she asked.
The soft wispiness of her voice was all he needed to hear to confirm what he had sensed. She wanted him, and she was asking the same of him.
“Truly, I do,” he said with a nibble along her ear.
“Good,” she said firmly. “Go stand on the side of the table.”
“What?” His hands dropped away.
She turned around with a grin. “Go to the other side of the table.” She gave him a push.
“This isn’t what—”
“You truly wanted?” Her grin had grown with each word. “Is the warrior too mighty, not humble enough to bake a simple bread, or perhaps he hasn’t the wit for it?”
Reeve nodded slowly as his grin grew. “Challenging me, are you?”
“Are you up to it?”
“I’m always up to it.”
“Then the gauntlet is dropped,” she said. “Go to your side of the table.”
He did as she said, rolling up his sleeves as he went.
“I will finish mixing this dough and then separate it into two portions and show you how to knead one of them. Once it’s baked, we’ll see which one tastes better.”
He watched her add ale to the mixture. “Aha, now I know how you get your bread so tasty.”
“It helps the bread to rise and adds a bit of flavor,” she admitted. “But a good working with the hands also helps produce tasty bread, so let’s see who does the best.”
Reeve rubbed his hands together. “I’ve got good, strong hands.”
“Bread needs caressing,” she said, and ran her hands softly over the mound of dough.
Reeve watched enchanted as her fingers caressed, squeezed, pinched, and rolled, and made the dough respond to her every touch. Damn if he didn’t get images of her hands working on him, and damned if his body didn’t respond.
When she finally handed him his portion of the dough, he slammed it down on the table. “This is war and I’m going to win and to the victor go the spoils. That means my bread will be the tastier, and, later tonight, your hands will have to caress me as skillfully as they do that dough.”
“And if I win?” she asked, her smile confident. “Then your hands will skillfully caress me?”
“I always skillfully caress you.”
“Only caress, nothing more,” she said.
“Are you trying to rob me of my sanity?”
“You said it yourself, to the victor go the spoils, and to me, the spoils are my whole body being caressed by your strong hands.”
Reeve laughed, shaking his head. “Why argue with you? I’m going to win.”
“Then I have your word that you will simply caress all of me?”
“You do,” he said, and plunged his hands into the dough.
Reeve spat out the piece of bread, and Tara laughed.
“I don’t understand what I did wrong,” he said, reaching for a hunk of Tara’s bread. He sighed with pleasure as he chewed it. “Yours is delicious.”
“Because I caressed the dough, not beat it senseless.” She continued to chuckle.
“Laugh,” he warned with a nod. “I’ll honor our bargain and do no more than caress you, but remember the bread responded with each and every touch.”
Tara stopped laughing. “Well, I could change my mind along the way.”
Reeve shook his head. “A bargain is a bargain. You won the spoils fairly, and I will see that you receive them.”
“But—”
“No buts, it is done, or it just begins,” he said, and scooped her up and carried her to bed.
Tara was soon in the throes of passionate torment, and no amount of pleading with Reeve would change his mind. He kept reminding her that a bargain was a bargain. He would do no more than caress her.
“Not fair,” she begged.
�
��Your choice,” he reminded her with a grin.
Then Tara realized that two could play the game, and her hand slipped down to firmly grasp his hard manhood.
It was Reeve’s turn to gasp and warn and have it do little good, and it wasn’t long after that they both enjoyed the spoils of battle.
Chapter 30
The days passed all too rapidly for Tara and Reeve, and by week’s end, and with no more snow falling, Reeve knew he’d be hearing from his family all too soon. Carnoth would have made extreme demands by now, and to avoid unnecessary bloodshed, something would have to be done.
He had enjoyed every moment he spent with Tara, especially making love until they were exhausted. He had also cherished their talks. They had shared stories of their early years and secrets they had told no one else. They had discussed their hopes and dreams and weren’t surprised at how similar they were. It had taken time, but eventually she began to discuss the future with him as a couple. They talked about having children and argued over names until he had her believing that it was all possible.
It was during those discussions that an idea took root in his mind, and it had begun with something Tara had told him. He had wondered why he hadn’t thought of it sooner, but then he supposed this time away with her was needed. Perhaps now she would have more confidence in their future and not balk at his plan, though he wondered if he should even mention it to her.
He wanted trust and honesty between them. He felt both were the makings of a good marriage; without them, respect would be lost, and once that was gone, love would soon follow.
They sat at the table, finishing the morning meal, and he decided to broach the subject and gauge her reaction before revealing his plan.
“It has been days since the snow has stopped,” he said, knowing that would speak for itself.
Tara nodded. “I expect we’ll hear from your family soon.”
“Your father probably wonders if I have found you, and if so, what has gone on between us.”
Her chin went up, and her large eyes turned wide. “I care not for what my father thinks.”
Her response warned him to proceed with caution. “Whether you care or not, your father is a powerful man. He will not allow you to reside here with the Picts. And I do not believe you would be obstinate enough to place a generous people in harm’s way.”
Her chin remained firm. “There are other places I can go.”
“Where?” He hated to back her into a corner, but he wanted her to see for herself the futility of remaining stubborn.
Her shoulders slumped ever so slightly. “I have to think on it.”
“There is little time for that.”
She reached her hand across the small table and took hold of his, hugging it tightly. “You are my best friend. I will never forget the day you told me that you were my friend. I believe that day is when you stole my heart, and I gave you my trust. You brought me to a safe haven once before. Have you any suggestions where I would be safe now.”
He could play this safe and not tell her his idea, or he could—he stood abruptly, his chair tumbling backward. He walked over to her and swept her out of the chair and into his arms.
“Here is where you are safe. Here in my arms. Here with me, always.” His mouth grabbed hold of hers, and they kissed like starving lovers, though just an hour ago they had lingered in bed making love.
Reeve wasn’t surprised by the intensity of the kiss. It only proved that their love and need for each other was as powerful as her father’s desire to find them.
He nibbled along her lower lip, reluctantly bringing their kiss to an end, and holding firm to her arms, he took a step away from her. “Together we can conquer anything.”
“What are you suggesting?” she asked.
He heard the apprehension in her voice, but also the courage.
A pounding at the door interrupted any response, and they both eyed each other skeptically.
Was that fate knocking?
He wrapped his arm around her waist, tucking her against him. “Whatever awaits us beyond that door, we face together.”
She nodded, her arm slipping around his waist.
“Enter,” he called out.
Odran walked in and wasted no time in delivering the news. “One of our men has returned with a message.” He looked to Reeve. “Your father requests that you both return home. He says it is imperative that you do so.”
“Trouble brews?” Reeve asked.
“King Kenneth has sent a cleric to have Tara wed to him by proxy. Following the vows, his soldiers will escort her home. Carnoth agrees with the king’s plan, and there is little your father can do about it unless he wishes to go to war now with the king.”
“I will never reach the king’s home,” Tara said. “He will see me dead first.”
“That will not happen,” he assured her.
“How can you stop the king?”
He rested his brow on hers. “We’ll do it together.”
She shook her head, and Reeve, with a kiss, stopped any protests that would spill from her lips.
“We’ll escort you home,” Odran said.
“Your help is appreciated,” Reeve said.
“Bliss warned us it would be necessary. We leave soon, so that we can reach shelter before nightfall.” With that, Odran was gone.
“What will we do?” Tara asked anxiously.
“You will marry me,” he said bluntly.
Her eyes rounded in fright and turned deep purple. “I cannot do that.”
“You have no choice,” he said adamantly.
“But I do. I must.”
“Do you love me?’
“Of course I do,” she said, as if angry that he needed to ask.
“Do you wish to wed me?”
“More than anything, but—”
“Is there a chance you carry my babe?” he asked.
She gasped and smiled, her hand going to her stomach. “Oh my, I had not thought of the possibility. But of course.” She nodded vigorously. “Yes, there is.”
“Would you not protect my child?”
“That’s not fair,” she said, understanding dawning. “You ask me to trade the father for the child.”
“The father isn’t going anywhere,” Reeve said firmly. “We will return home, and you will tell your father that you may carry my babe and therefore wish to wed me. If he protests, you can remind him that he had asked you that very question once before and that you have decided it is exactly what you want to do.”
“You will die,” she said, fighting tears.
Reeve laughed. “I will not die. Besides, it is your only chance.”
She walked away after giving him a shove. “What you are saying is that you are willing to give your life so that I, and possibly your child, may live.”
“You believe in that wretched curse more than you believe in me,” he said angrily. “I need you to believe in me, in us. When do you finally do that? When do you finally allow love the strength it needs to fight that damn curse.”
“What if love isn’t strong enough?” she argued.
“Do you believe that?” he snapped. “Can you honestly stand there and tell me that what you feel for me isn’t strong enough to slay whatever stands in our way?”
“You wish to protect me and keep me safe, don’t you?” she recounted.
“Of course I do,” he said.
“Then don’t you see that I wish to do the same for you. And sacrifice is what will slay anything that stands in my way of protecting you.”
“No!” he shouted with a roar. “You have sacrificed enough for others. You will sacrifice no more, and certainly not for me.”
“Yet you take the chance of sacrificing your life for me.”
He rushed around the table before she could avoid him and grabbed her around the waist. “You have lived with fear long enough. It is time to live with courage. Trust me. Trust our love. Do that for us.”
“I don’t want to lose you, Re
eve,” she said softly. “I think I would die from the pain if I lost you.”
He held her close. “We have no choice in this matter, Tara. There is no place for you to hide. No place for you to be safe, except in my arms. You need to be courageous and take the chance in choosing what you want, choosing to love.”
Tara rode her own horse, the Picts leading the way. They had been traveling several hours, and though Reeve rode alongside her, they had spoken little since their departure. She had been deep in thought, musing over how only a few days ago, she had decided to make her own choices. And here she was faced with a choice.
According to Reeve, the choice was simple, trust in him, trust in love.
Did she have the strength to do it? Not only to trust but to truly love without fear or apprehension. Not only to defy her father’s dictates and follow her heart, but to defy the curse as well. Reeve had been right about one thing; she had lived with fear far too long.
But again, did she have the courage to not only embrace love, but to accept love?
Reeve took Tara’s hand as they entered the keep. They had exchanged few words since last night, and he knew that she had been agonizing over her decision. He wanted to believe that her love for him would overcome her fear, but he couldn’t say for sure. Fear was a powerful deterrent. And he had no doubt love had lost out to it at times. He only hoped this wasn’t one of those times.
Voices hushed as soon as they walked in, and Tara’s father stomped toward her.
Reeve was quick to step in front of her. “Recall what I told you I’d do if you raised your hand to her again?” He didn’t let Carnoth answer, but he knew from the fuming look in his eyes that he recalled every word. “I meant it.”
“And I mean it when I tell you that my daughter will wed King Kenneth here and now.” Carnoth waved at a wiry, short man who hurried to his side. “The king has sent his cleric. He will wed them now, for all of the MacAlpin clan to see.”
Reeve looked to his family, his brothers’ hands already on the hilt of their swords. He knew he couldn’t allow this to turn into a battle. It would upset all plans made for the true king’s return. But how did he stop it? How did he protect the woman he loved if she wouldn’t help protect their love?
Loved By a Warrior Page 25
