She could see that he was clearly tempted by her offer, but finally he shook his head. “Let me think about that. I certainly can understand the value of such a spell when working around rare and fragile manuscripts and books.”
They’d reached the door to her private garden. “If you decide you’d like me to show you the spell, let me know.”
When she started outside, he remained where he was. Was something wrong? “Duncan, aren’t you coming?”
“I’m sorry, Lavinia. I think I should move back to the guest quarters with the other men. I’ll gather up my things and go now. If you don’t mind, there’s one thing I need to do here in the garden first.”
Rather than merely nodding, she asked, “Were these quarters unsatisfactory?”
He stared down at her before looking past her toward the door on the far side of the garden—hers, not his. “Not at all. I worry what the men, as well as the sisters, will think if I continue to share your private quarters, even if I am sleeping in a separate room. I would not want to call your reputation into question.”
“But I trust you.” She sounded needy to her own ears.
Those oddly pale eyes flashed hot again. “Mayhap it is myself I don’t trust, Lavinia.”
How was she supposed to respond to that? No doubt a wiser woman would thank him for his concern and then stand back out of the way while he gathered his things. He was right. Having him move back to the guest quarters would be the best thing for both their sakes.
But right now, she didn’t want what was best for her. Not if it meant seeing Duncan only from across the dining hall at meal times or the odd moment they could share in the library.
Before she could say anything, Duncan brought his shield out of his room over to the bench and propped it against the wall. Turning toward her, he said, “You might want to cover your eyes.”
“What are you going to do?”
He gestured toward the shield. “That’s not simply a painting of an owl. It truly is Kiva, my companion and avatar.”
Before she could think of a coherent thing to say, Duncan murmured a series of words in the old tongue. She’d wielded enough magic herself to recognize the power in each word he uttered. After he said the last word, there was a heavy silence followed by a flash of light that nearly blinded her.
She threw her arm up to shield her eyes, but it was too late. When her vision cleared, Duncan was standing there with an enormous owl sitting on his arm. Where had that bird come from? But a glance at the shield, empty now except for the black outline of an owl, answered that question.
“Duncan, what kind of magic is this?”
“A gift from the gods.” He smiled as he stroked the bird’s chest feathers with his free hand. “I found him when he was but a young fledgling and barely able to fly. When the Lady of the River took me into her service, she allowed him to come with me.”
Despite the evidence right there in front of her, Lavinia struggled to believe what her eyes were telling her. “I saw him in the scrying bowl. He’s real.”
Duncan chuckled. “Very. Come pet him. Kiva has always liked the ladies.”
She did as he suggested, enjoying the soft tickle of Kiva’s feathers against her fingers. The bird’s huge amber eyes stared at her with an unsettling amount of intelligence, as if he could read her thoughts.
“He’s handsome.” Like his owner.
“He certainly thinks so. I swear, he spends half the night preening.” Duncan carried Kiva over to the bench and waited for the bird to hop down. When he reached for the small pouch containing the note, its purpose became clear.
“You use him to carry messages.” Amazing.
“Yes. I’m already late in sending a report to my captain. Kiva will get it to him faster than the fastest courier could.”
When the pouch was securely tied to Kiva’s leg, Duncan once again offered the bird his arm. He stroked the bird’s head one last time before flinging him upward. With a quick series of powerful strokes, Kiva caught the night air under his wings and soared up into the darkening sky. He circled overhead several times before winging his way westward. She thought she heard him call out right before he disappeared from sight, as if saying farewell.
“That was amazing.”
Duncan continued to watch the sky for several seconds. “I know. Even after all this time, I feel blessed to have him in my life. It will take Kiva at least two nights to reach Gideon and return. That’s the longest we’ll have been apart in centuries.”
Then he looked a bit embarrassed, as if he’d revealed too much. “I should get my things now. The hour grows late.”
“You don’t have to be alone, Duncan. Stay here tonight.” Then, to make sure he understood what she was really offering, she walked over and bolted the door to her office, ensuring no one else could enter her private garden. Then she added, “Stay here with me.”
He’d already started for the small room where he’d slept the past couple of nights. “Are you sure?”
“Yes. Maybe.” Then she admitted the truth. “But I’m scared of what I feel for you.”
To make sure he understood that didn’t mean she’d changed her mind, she once again took his hand and tugged him farther out into the garden. With a shy smile, she whispered the words to dim the lantern.
Then it was just the two of them, alone in the shadows, the only illumination coming from the moon overhead. The spicy, sweet scent of the flowers and the silvered light gave the whole garden its own magic, a small world to be shared by only two.
If Duncan was willing. He’d yet to do more than stand there, the sharp edges of his handsome face stark in the pale light. She turned away, on the verge of retreating to the safety of her room when he finally spoke.
“You weave a powerful spell, my lady, with nothing more than a smile.”
Duncan eased close to stand behind her. “I dreamt of your beauty that first night after I saw your face in the moon overhead. You have haunted my dreams ever since.”
His hands began to gently unbraid her hair, letting it tumble down her back. Odd that such a simple thing could feel so intimate, more so than even a kiss. Then she felt the tickle of his breath against her skin as he nuzzled the side of her neck.
“Your beauty is something to be savored slowly.”
Her scholar possessed the words of a poet. She leaned back against the hard strength of his warrior’s body and arched her head to the side in encouragement. He murmured his approval as his fingertips trailed down her shoulders to settle at her waist.
“How far do you want this to go, Lavinia? Although I would be grateful for even this much, I want so much more.”
If it hadn’t been for the deep huskiness in his voice, she might have doubted the truth of that. What would it take to rattle his incredible control?
She turned to kiss the side of his jaw and was rewarded by a small tremor that rolled through his big body. “I want it all, Duncan, everything you have to offer.”
“I can’t offer you everything, Lavinia. My life and soul belong to the goddess. However, I promise to give you every minute that I can.”
She understood being bound by the chains of obligations and promises. “Then that will be enough, Duncan.”
For the first time, she faced him directly. As he watched, she unfastened the belt of her robes and loosened the ties to let it slide down off her shoulders to pool at her ankles. Duncan offered her his hand as she stepped out of her slippers.
Wearing nothing more than a chemise left her feeling a bit chilled in the evening air, her nipples pebbling up, the soft cloth abrading her most sensitive skin. Yet she found herself reluctant to immediately retire to her bedroom.
Duncan stepped back to remove his belt and sword. His own tunic quickly followed; yet he hesitated before removing anything else.
She tested the smooth strength of his shoulder with the palm of her hand. “Kiss me.”
“Anything you desire, my lady.”
Duncan caught h
er up in his arms, holding her tight against the heated flesh of his chest, yet making her feel so fragile and feminine in his embrace. His mouth found hers and then all ability to speak or even think disappeared completely.
* * *
Duncan swept past the barrier of Lavinia’s lips with his tongue, plunging deep, savoring the sweet flavors to be found there. As he tasted and explored her mouth, his hands learned the lush curves of her body. The robes had done little to disguise how perfectly she was built, but exploring all that soft, womanly flesh with nothing more than a whisper of linen between them had him aching for more.
She deserved a gentle wooing, not a mad rush to have her on her back. He lifted her up without breaking off the kiss and retreated to the bench that ran along the wall behind them.
When the back of his legs hit the cool stone, he sat down and settled Lavinia astride his lap. When the position brought the juncture of her legs in direct contact with his shaft, he thrust upward, groaning at the sweet connection between them. Lavinia responded by rocking hard against him, the surge of heat startling a moan from each of them.
He splayed his hands across the curve of her hips to still her motion. “My lady, you’re weaving a spell of amazing power tonight.”
Her mouth curved up in a seductive smile. “I am certain that it takes two to create this kind of magic, Duncan.”
“I do believe you have the right of it.”
The crush of her breasts against his chest was sweet, but it wasn’t enough. He lifted her higher, enough so that he could brush his tongue over the dusky tip of one breast and then the other. The delicate fabric of her chemise was no barrier at all.
“Duncan!”
Lavinia dug her fingers into his shoulders as he suckled one breast, working it with both his lips and the barest hint of teeth. At the same time, he eased one hand between them, seeking the damp center of her need. She rested her forehead against his as he pressed harder, her breath coming in quick bursts.
The situation was quickly reeling out of control. If they didn’t seek the comfort of Lavinia’s bed soon, he’d end up taking her on this cold stone bench. She deserved better.
He slowed his touch, carefully banking the fires of their passion. “We should take this inside.”
Her eyes heavy lidded, she smiled down at him. “Yes, let’s.”
Before she could stand up, he kissed her again as he muscled them both up off the bench. She broke away from him long enough to drop the wards that protected her door. He was glad she was thinking clearly enough to take care of it. His own mind could focus on only one thing: stripping them both down to the skin. The time for any kind of barrier between them was gone.
Inside, he set Lavinia back down on her feet. She immediately brought the mage lights in the room up to a soft glow and turned back the covers on her bed. That done, she faced him as she slowly removed her chemise. At that moment, Duncan wasn’t sure he could talk, much less manage the coordination it would take to remove the rest of his own clothing.
The lady, though, would have none of it. “Duncan, if you think you’re going to wear those boots in my bed, you are sadly mistaken.”
Her teasing comment broke the hold the sight of all the silken skin had on him. Had he always been this inept with women? He didn’t know because he couldn’t remember the last time he’d actually been with one. Most likely it had been that night when he and all four of his friends had slipped away from their duties guarding a caravan just before they were claimed by the Lady of the River.
Now wasn’t the time to get lost in the mistakes of his past. Hopping on one foot and then the other, he yanked off his boots and tossed them aside. His trews followed, leaving him standing there, the evidence of his hunger for Lavinia at full attention.
Lavinia made no attempt to disguise her approval. “Duncan, you are certainly . . . impressive.”
He was very afraid he blushed, but the approval in her voice only fueled his need for her. He sauntered forward, giving her plenty of time to watch him if it brought her such pleasure.
This time, when they embraced, he was aware of the many contrasts between them. Her feminine build made him feel oversized and awkward. Lavinia’s hands were soft to the touch, unlike his, callused as they were from years of holding a weapon. His body was all hard edges, whereas she was a delight of soft curves, the perfect fit for a man’s hands. His hands.
He wanted her. Now, with all the rush of a callow youth caught up in the throes of his first love. That wasn’t so far off the mark. He’d never given his heart to a woman, and he was in no position to do so now.
But he could give her body the worship it deserved. He caught her up in his arms and gently laid her down in the center of her bed. Bless her, she immediately held her arms out to him.
“The night passes too quickly, Duncan. We’ve dawdled enough.”
“You should be courted.”
She shook her head. “We both deserve better than we’ve had, Duncan. Now may be the only chance we have together. Let’s not waste a single minute.”
So he took her at her word and stretched out beside her, drinking in the scent of her hair as he caressed every part of her. Lavinia was not a shy lover, a trait he found delightful.
She wrapped her fingers around his shaft and gently slid her hand up and down its length as she pressed a series of nibbling kisses across the line of his jaw and then downward along his neck to his chest.
He tangled his fingers in her hair, loving the feel of it sliding across his skin. His control was slipping. Soon he would have to stop her or lose it all together. It was time to turn the tables on her.
He caught her hands in his and gently pressed her over onto her back. She started to protest, but he stopped her with a kiss.
“I promise to go slower next time.”
His words came out as little better than a growl, but his lady didn’t seem to mind. He rose over her, kneeling between her feet. Running his hands up the inside of her legs, he spread them wide. Lavinia’s head kicked back when he reached the apex to stroke her gently, making sure her body was ready for what he planned next.
She raised her hips, showing her pleasure as he tested her passage. “Duncan, now, please!”
Who was he to deny a lady? Mindful of the difference in their sizes, he moved over her, careful to support his weight with his arms. Once again she clasped his shaft firmly, guiding him right to where they both wanted him to be. With a series of quick thrusts, he settled his cock deep inside her slick heat.
He held himself back, waiting for her to catch her breath. Lavinia smiled up at him and wrapped her legs around his hips, driving him deeper still.
“Are you sure?” He prayed she was ready for him because he wasn’t confident how long he could hold back.
Her eyes were huge as she nodded. “This feels so good, so perfect. I want more.”
He withdrew and thrust forward again, this time hard and deep in one stroke. Her hips rose up to meet him, her hands reaching up to hold on to his shoulders, her fingernails digging hard into his skin. The sharp pain snapped the last of his control.
He gave Lavinia everything he had to give—hard, fast, and nearly desperate. Yet his lady demanded more, so he called on the strength and endurance the goddess had given all of her avatars. At last Lavinia keened in release, the first ripples taking him with her. He shuddered deep within her as he found his own satisfaction.
And as the two of them lay there, twined in each other’s arms, waiting for their hearts to slow back to normal, the moment was so perfect, he wondered if anything would ever be the same again.
Chapter 18
What was happening? The sound of running feet down the hallway brought Lady Alina to her door to peer out. If she had to guess, the first set of footsteps had belonged to Captain Gideon. Then the door opened a second time, and Merewen followed him downstairs.
Alina quickly dressed. She’d been awake anyway, dark dreams having left her unable to sleep. Curiosity
had her following after them. If there’d been any danger, the captain would’ve made sure Merewen stayed in her room with the door barred. As Alina picked up a candle to light her way down the stairs, a brief taste of jealousy over Merewen’s happiness with the captain made Alina feel ashamed. She should be glad that her niece had found a man who made her feel cherished, protected.
Captain Gideon was as different from her late husband as a man could be: honorable, fierce in battle, and gentle in bed. She’d asked Merewen about that, even knowing it was an improper question. After all, a man had the right to use his wife’s body as he saw fit, not that Gideon and Merewen were actually married. She wasn’t even sure what she would have done if Merewen’s answer had been anything other than yes.
No, that wasn’t true. She could have turned to Sir Murdoch for help. He and Gideon might be friends, but he would have defended Merewen if it had been necessary.
“Lady Alina, what are you doing about this hour of the night?”
The man himself had caught her unawares. At least this time she didn’t humiliate herself by throwing her arms up to defend herself as he loomed up out of the shadows.
“I heard Lady Merewen and the captain run past my room and down the stairs. I wanted to see if something was amiss.”
The huge warrior kept his distance, telling her that he’d noted her reaction to his sudden appearance despite her best efforts to hide it.
“Duncan’s owl has returned. They are outside waiting for Kiva to come to perch. I came in to get some food for the bird. He’s bound to be exhausted.”
To show that she wasn’t afraid of Murdoch and hadn’t been from the first time they’d met, she stepped forward to place her hand on his arm. “Shall we go to the kitchen and see what we can find? Then we’ll hear what news he has brought from your friend.”
He stared down to where her fingers rested on his sleeve. A ripple of tension flowed through his muscle, but then he nodded. “I would appreciate your help. The cook would come after me with one of her knives were I to invade her territory uninvited. Ellie will forgive you more readily.”
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