The Warlord's Promise

by Alyssa Morgan

He smiled shamelessly. “You want me to take you again.” Her mouth fell open. Damn him. The thought was in the back of her mind, but after what he'd just done to her, how could she not be thinking about it? The man was observant to a fault.

  “I’m right, aren’t I?” He traced his fingers along her hip, down her thigh and in between her legs again.

  "No, you're not." Her body responded to him, her legs parting to let him touch her.

  “You’re so wet,” he growled, stroking her gently. “I think I am right."

  "Maybe a little..." She nibbled her lip. Maybe a lot.

  "So sweet," he murmured. "Do you know how good you taste?” She blushed at the boldness of his words. So wicked. But exciting at the same time. He slid his finger into her, she opened her legs wider, and another joined it. She fell back on the bed and spread herself open to him.

  He was so wrong. She didn’t want him to take her again, she needed him to. “Lass,” he hissed, pumping his fingers into her with a steady rhythm.

  “Tell me you want me.”

  “I do, please...” Pleasure swept through her. She didn't think she'd ever wanted anything so badly. It didn't matter that it was Ethan. She needed to make the most of her night with him. What if it was her only chance to feel something this good?

  He added his thumb to the assault of his fingers, massaging her clit as he stroked her. His big hands owned her now. She watched as he stared down at where his fingers were working her, brows drawn, watching raptly.

  “You’re so lovely like this,” he rasped, “hot and slick and tight.” Kate moaned as his fingers delved deeper, his thumb pressing down on her clit. His eyes went to her breasts and he bent down to suck one of her nipples into his mouth. He flicked at the hardened tip with his tongue and then suckled her some more. She felt a wave of pleasure crash over her. The heat was already starting. Burning. Needing.

  “Please, Ethan, I want more.” She bucked her hips against his hand.

  "So ready for me.” He groaned, still watching his fingers moving in and out of her. “I'm going to mount your little sheath and ride you till you come.”

  Her sex clenched around his fingers as he spoke those wicked words.

  He wouldn't have to ride her for long. She was so close already. He drew his fingers out of her and rose up on his knees. His massive frame loomed over her, his erection thick and pulsing. He gripped the backs of her knees and yanked her legs open, then reached around to palm her bottom, his fingers digging into her tender flesh as he lifted her to him. The tip of his cock nudged her entrance.

  “Please...” Kate was a panting, squirming mess. She didn't want to wait another moment. She had to have him inside her. Now.

  He drove all the way into her with one, fierce thrust, impaling her on his hard length. She cried out, pleasure rolling through her. Filling her.

  She clung to his arms, arching up to him. His hips pounded against her, his thrusts long and deep and hard. She began moving along with him, frantic to reach that divine pinnacle of pleasure again.

  She wrapped her legs around his waist, digging her heels into his back as she angled her hips to take his thrusts deeper. She felt wanton. Heat scorched through her body, licking through her veins like liquid fire.

  “That’s it, lass,” he groaned, never letting up.

  She quivered uncontrollably as he filled her, his cock stroking her deep, sending her next orgasm slamming into her like a ton of bricks. She threw her head back, screaming with her release. Pleasure coursed through her as he moved faster, faster, until he was gripping her hips, bruising her, while he shuddered and groaned above her, pumping his own release into her body.

  He held her against him, buried deep inside her, his eyes closed tightly as light tremors shook through him. They were both panting wildly, covered in sweat, bodies humming with pleasure. How would she ever get enough of him?

  This was an unfortunate turn of events. Her evil warlord had somehow become her lover. She was afraid of feeling something for him.

  This wasn’t supposed to happen. He’d stolen her sister. She was supposed to walk away hating him.

  Ethan buried his face against her neck, his breath hot on her skin. “So amazing, lass,” he grunted. “Watching you come while I’m riding you is too much.”

  Kate knew exactly what he meant. Watching him take her was exciting. Seeing his body move over hers, hard and driving, aroused her.

  She’d always wanted a man like Ethan. Big. Strong. Handsome. A little tender and a whole lot intimidating, with a bit of a sinful streak. She was finding it hard to stop herself from liking him. Oh God. She might be in trouble. She could not have feelings for the man. He wasn’t capable of something like love.

  “You don’t have to watch me when I do that,” she teased. “You could close your eyes.”

  He chuckled. “I would no' be able to stand no' watching you do that.” His teeth nipped at her neck.

  She loved when his brogue got thick like that. What?! She had to stop those kinds of thoughts from sneaking up on her.

  When he got up from the bed, her body ached at the loss of his warmth, of his heavy weight on her. She liked being completely surrounded by him. Feeling like she was safe, desired. Beautiful.

  She admired his body as he walked across the room. He moved with such powerful grace. She let her eyes roam over his broad shoulders and strong back, and then down to his firm backside. She closed her eyes and pictured what his hips looked like moving between her legs and felt desire for him stirring in her again.

  He ran one of his hands through his thick hair as he strode over to the hearth, brushing the long strands back from his face. He tossed two more logs on the fire and stoked the flames up again. He looked over at her and smiled widely before lifting his wine goblet from the table beside the chair. A strange kind of warmth filled her. His smile was devastating; changed his stern appearance to one more kind and approachable. She liked seeing that side of him, and it terrified her.

  He strode back over to the bed and propped some of the pillows up against the headboard and then reclined against them, sipping from the goblet.

  “Come, sit next to me.” He patted the spot next to him.

  She nervously inched over to him and leaned back against the mound of pillows. She could feel the warmth coming from him, and smell his spicy, masculine scent mixed with sweat and sex. She fought the urge to climb into his lap. What the hell was wrong with her? She was having a hard time dealing with these new feelings flooding her. She wasn't used to being attracted to someone.

  He offered the goblet to her. Kate smiled and took it from him. She loved wine. She took a long drink of the vintage, savoring the smooth quality as it trickled down her throat. They didn’t have wine like this in the village. She passed the goblet back to him and watched as he took another strong swallow.

  “Why do you no' have any children?” he asked, turning his dark stare on her.

  Kate felt her stomach drop. What could she tell him? In three years of marriage she’d never gotten pregnant. Her husband had been infuriated every month her cycle came. She didn’t know why his seed hadn’t taken hold in her body. He’d said there was something wrong with her because she couldn’t conceive, and she’d believed him.

  “I can’t have children,” she told him.

  “Why no'?” he wondered. “What happened?”

  “Nothing happened, there’s just something wrong with me.”

  “Lass, there’s nothing wrong with you. Maybe your husband didn’t see to you enough.”

  Kate snorted. “He saw to me plenty.”

  “And yet you say you never got pleasure from him. Perhaps he was the one doing something wrong.” He lifted an inquisitive brow.

  Kate had always thought so, although she never could have said that to her husband. How did Ethan have the ability to sneak into her thoughts?

  It was an unsettling feeling. She’d always kept people at a comfortable distance, never letting them in. He was impossible to
keep out.

  “Was your marriage arranged?” he asked.

  She nodded. “Yes, I was the oldest so I had to go first, and I wasn’t ready to be married to a stranger. I never understood how love was supposed to grow out of something like that. It can’t be forced. You can’t pretend to love someone. You either do, or you don’t.”

  “Marriage isn’t always about love,” he said. “Many times it’s about duty.”

  “You don’t have to tell me about that,” she chided. “I accepted the marriage for my sisters. To make my family happy. I never once thought about myself, until it was too late.”

  "Too late for what?"

  "To find love." She cringed as she said the silly, little words.

  "Ah, my lass is a romantic."

  Now it was my lass? "What's wrong with being romantic?"

  "Nothing at all."

  "Everyone wants love,” she told him. “At least some version of it."

  "Why do you think it's too late for you? You could marry again."

  "I'm not sure I want to." She wouldn’t give up her freedom now unless it was for something extraordinary.

  "The way you come alive in my hands tells me you're in desperate need of a husband. You're too young to waste away like that."

  He was right. Damn. And how had they suddenly gotten on the topic of love and romance? It seemed a strange thing to discuss with a man who had no understanding of it.

  "And you're too old to keep up with someone as young as me,” she teased. He was older than her, but she didn’t actually know by how much.

  "All that means is I know more ways to make you scream than some laddie you’ll meet in church."

  “How do you know I go to church?” she challenged.

  “I’ve seen you there.”

  “Funny, I’ve never seen you there.”

  “I sit in the back.”

  “Oh.” He was full of surprises.

  “What do you do with all your time?” He raised the goblet to his lips, taking another drink. "What do you like to do?"

  Why all the questions? She had already revealed too much of herself to this man. And what did he care? He was just playing with her. She was only there for one thing. “When do I get to ask you something?” He smiled, handing the goblet over to her. “What do you want to know?”

  She took a long drink of the wine. Hell. Where did she start? She was suddenly filled with questions. There was so much she didn’t know about him. “Were you ever married?”

  “No.”

  “Why not?”

  “I was too busy fighting to have time for a wife and children.” Kate’s stomach flipped. She had to remember this man was dangerous. “Why do you do this?”

  “Do what?”

  “Whatever you want, it seems.”

  “Is that how you look at it?” A hint of irritation laced his voice.

  “How should I look at it?” she shot back. Warlords were hungry for power, for control, for wealth. They used their strength to take it, whether it was due them or not.

  “This is a man’s world,” he stated. “If you don’t take what you want, another man will. If you don’t protect what you have, another man will take it from you.”

  “It’s that easy, is it?”

  “Aye, it is.”

  “So, what are you protecting?” She sipped from the wine again.

  He studied her for a moment before answering. “My home, my land, my people...your village.”

  She handed the goblet back to him. “I’m grateful you came here and got rid of John Donnelly. He hurt so many people. He was the one who killed my husband.”

  “John Donnelly was a menace that needed to be put down,” Ethan hissed. “I’m glad it was me that did it.”

  Kate shivered. She’d hate to see what he would do to an enemy.

  Scenes of bloodshed and gleaming swords flashed through her mind. “Did you know him?”

  “Enough with the questions now.” His voice went cold. “I remember promising you a hot bath." His demeanor instantly became heated again, his dark eyes full of promise. "Will you bathe with me, Kate?” Lust spiked through her. Bathing with a man was an intimate thing.

  They’d be so close to each other, wet, limbs twined together.

  Ethan rose from the bed and walked over to the double doors. He unlocked them and cracked one open, speaking quietly out into the hallway. Kate was horrified. Had someone been out there the whole time she’d been in here? Crying out and screaming as Ethan took her. Christ.

  She wasn’t sure how to feel about that. Embarrassed didn’t even begin to describe it.

  She tore back the bedcover and slid under it, hiding herself. She was suddenly feeling uncomfortable with her nakedness. Ethan came back over to the bed and began pulling on his trousers as he gave her a crooked grin.

  “Cold?” he asked.

  “No,” she snapped back. “How many people are out in the hall?” He laughed, seeming amused. “It’s only one of the servants, but more will be coming to draw the bath.”

  Clasping the bedcover to her chest, she reached across the bed and plucked up her shift. Ethan snatched it out of her hand.

  “Give it back!”

  “I prefer you without clothes.” He flashed her a rakish grin.

  Of course he did. He was a man. A lot of man. Her cheeks blushed with heat. After the things she’d just done, it felt silly to be modest.

  “Will they bathe us?” Kate never had servants so she wasn’t sure how far their duties extended.

  “No.” He chucked his finger under her chin. “That would take all the fun out of things, wouldn’t it? I want to put my hands on you again, lass, and feel your wee ones on me.”

  The images those words conjured had her heart racing madly. She wanted to touch his body, to feel the bunching muscles under her hands, the light dusting of hair on his chest, the solid flesh of his thick shaft pulsing in her grip. And she wanted to feel his strong hands on her. The way he touched her was positively sinful. She couldn’t get enough of it.

  Enough of him. She was walking a dangerous line with Ethan. There was a chance she could fall in love with him. Her body already was. Then where would she be?

  “Would you like some more wine?” He brushed his hand over her hair. “Yes...” Her mouth had gone dry, she was practically breathless.

  She fought to slow her heart as it raced in her chest, tried to catch her breath, as Ethan went across the room to pour more wine into the goblet.

  When he handed it to her, she took a long pull of the wine, opening her throat to swallow it down. Maybe that would steady her nerves. She gave the goblet back to him. She could already feel the alcohol warming her, giving her that light, heady feeling.

  She fell back into the pile of fluffy pillows and stared up at Ethan.

  The man was so damn handsome. She almost couldn’t stand to look at him. The servants entered the room then. Two women began drawing the bath while Ethan paced around the room. When they left, he locked the door and came over to the bed. He stepped out of his trousers, pulled back the bedcover and held his hand out to her.

  “I want you now, all wet and slippery in my hands.” Licking her lips, she took his hand and he led her to the bath, helping her climb in. The warm water enveloped her body, instantly soothing her, and she sank down further, tilting her head back to wet her hair. She watched as Ethan climbed into the opposite end of the tub and sat facing her. All that hard, male flesh so close to her.

  He sank down under the water, scrubbed his hands through his hair a few times, and then rose up, shaking his hair out. He gripped her ankles and pulled her to him, spreading her legs over his lap, then stretched his legs out, one on either side of her. Her heels grazed his back as he wrapped an arm around her waist. Heat raced through her, warming her cheeks. He was so close.

  "Did you ever bathe with your husband?" His deep, gravelly voice thundered through her.

  "Yes." And she'd always hated it. It was bad enough having t
o wash someone, but having them grope and ogle your naked body while you did it was humiliating. She preferred to bathe alone, yet being there with Ethan felt... nice.

  "But you didn't like it?"

  It was like he could see right through her. "No. I don't think I liked doing anything with him." She gave a heavy sigh. "Could we not talk about him anymore?" She only wanted to focus on Ethan and what he was making her feel. Her time was running out.

  "I'm only curious about what things you've done with a man. I thought you'd be more experienced."

  Kate wanted to die. Was he not happy with her? She suddenly couldn't find the strength to look at him. She didn't know the first thing about the seductive world he'd brought her into.

  "I'm glad you're not, though." He curled his finger under her chin, lifting her head to look at him. "I like being the first man to do these things with you."

  Kate melted. A smile spread across her face. He always seemed to know the right thing to say to her. "What are you going to do to me now?"

  “I want to wash you.” He lathered up a washcloth with a bar of soap.

  The clean scent filled her, reminding her of how Ethan smelled.

  He rubbed the cloth over her shoulders and she felt her body relax, felt the tension draining away. He took her wrist and held her arm straight as he ran the washcloth over her skin. He washed her other arm the same way, up and down, and she felt her mind going empty, focusing only on Ethan and what he was doing to her.

  He brushed the cloth over her chest, and then over her breasts. He cupped them in his hands as he rubbed the cloth over her nipples. She moaned as a gentle pleasure rolled through her.

  “So beautiful,” he rumbled.

  He leaned into her, swept her hair aside, and swiped the cloth over her back. Her breasts were pressed against his chest, the light hairs tickling her skin. His erection throbbed between her legs. He closed his arms around her, pulling her even closer to him, as he continued to wash her back. His hard length was up against her now and she slowly rocked her hips, pleasuring herself against it. His hips jerked and he bit out a curse.

  “You’re killing me, lass.” His hands moved to her hips and he rocked them faster, grinding her along his shaft.