It didn’t take long to see things done and when a bowl of gruel that looked days old was handed to her, she wanted to cry. She was so hungry.
“Eat.” Slatter encouraged. “The other meal may be worse.”
She grimaced with the first taste, but knew he was right. If she wanted to survive, until she was rescued, she had to eat.
There was a heavy chill to the air and grey clouds floated along gray skies and she tried not to think of what might happen if it rained.
“Where did you get those scratches on your face and the rips to your garments?” Slatter asked.
“I hid in thorny bushes during the battle and got stuck there. Beck’s men weren’t gentle when they pulled me out.”
“Some on your face need cleaning, they swell red.”
Willow looked toward Rob and Geary talking between themselves a few feet away. They didn’t care about her wounds. She’d have to do the best she could herself. She tore off a small piece of her shift and soaked it with the stale ale she had been given to drink, to clean the scratches.
“Let me,” Slatter offered, taking the scrap of cloth from her hand before she could protest.
He dabbed at the scratches with a gentle hand. She was a brave one. He had thought for sure she would have panicked when she was lowered into the hole with, at the time, she thought a complete stranger and to find him naked. She could have started screaming like a banshee, but then she had been exhausted, not much strength left in her. Still, she had handled herself well, had remained calm, had not lost her mind, an easy thing to do when stuck in such a confined place and in the ground.
He finished dabbing at her scratches and thought of something she had said earlier and never got to respond to. “I didn’t set fire to your sheds.”
“I am to take your word for it? The word of a man whose lies slip more easily from his lips than the truth? Sorrell told me how a lie you helped spread caused Ruddock’s family great pain and sorrow.”
Slatter’s hand stilled. “When was this?”
“A few days ago when I was visiting her.”
He gave his head a slight shake. “No, not when she told you. When did I spread this lie and where?”
“You lie so much that you don’t remember?” she asked and would have found it amusing if it wasn’t so telling of his disreputable nature.
An angry spark lit in his eyes, but stopped before fully igniting by a smile that suddenly appeared.
“Lies and truths often get confused,” he said.
“An easy solution to that would be not to lie,” Willow suggested, to her the more sensible thing to do.
“How do you like my gift to you?” a voice boomed.
They both turned to see Beck headed their way.
Willow hurried to her feet with the help of Slatter, his hand going out to take hold of her arm.
“So she’s mine then?” Slatter asked, keeping a tight grasp on her after they were both on their feet.
Beck threw back his head and laughed. “I’m not that generous.”
“I didn’t think so. What do you plan to do with her?”
Beck laughed again. “You think I’m going to tell you that? Give her a good poke while you can.” He laughed harder. “If you can. Those are mighty tight quarters you two share.” His body shook with more laughter.
“You underestimate my skill, Beck,” Slatter said with a chuckle of his own.
Beck’s laughter stopped. “There’s no room down in that hole to poke her.”
“There is if you’re skilled at poking a woman.”
Willow wished she had Sorrell’s talent with words and her fearlessness to say whatever she pleased. She’d have threatened both men by now and ranted at them so badly that neither of them would probably want anything to do with her. But that wasn’t Willow’s way, though being sensible certainly didn’t help her in this senseless situation.
Beck rubbed at his bushy, red beard. “I tell you what. You poke her down there in that hole and she yours. You can have her once you’re ransomed.”
“Your word on that?” Slatter asked.
“My word. You poke her and she belongs to you,” Beck said with a firm nod.
Willow couldn’t hold her tongue any longer. “What if I don’t want to be poked?”
Slatter turned his head and smiled at her, though his eyes seemed to send her a warning. “Trust me, leannan, you do.”
Beck laughed again. “Fight him if you want. Then he looked to Geary and Rob. “Get them down in the hole and let’s see how talented he is.”
Chapter 3
Once in the hole, Slatter held her close and whispered in her ear. “I’m not going to poke you. I would never force a poke on a woman.”
How did she trust a liar?
“Get it done,” Beck yelled down, staring down in the hole along with Geary and Rob.
Slatter looked up. “That’s why you don’t please women, Beck. You don’t take your time with them, make them want you, make them crave you, make them moan and scream out your name in pleasure.”
“I’ve heard you grunting and groaning with plenty of women, but I’ve never heard a woman moan or scream out your name,” Geary said to Beck and got a punch in the face for it.
Slatter returned his attention to Willow. He placed his hand at the back of her neck and brought his mouth close to hers. The men looking down would assume he was kissing her.
“I’m going to make it look like I’m poking you. I’ll let you know how to respond. You’ll be freed with me and I’ll see you get home safely to your family.”
“I hope you aren’t lying,” she whispered near his lips.
“Trust me,” he said again and began yanking up her garments.
What choice did she have? At least, if she was freed with him, she’d have a chance to escape should it prove necessary. Whereas, she had no idea what her fate would be with Beck, though she feared it wouldn’t be very pleasant.
He was naked again and when he pressed her to him, she felt his flaccid manhood rest against her, then he began to move against her. His mouth went to her neck near her ear and while it appeared he was kissing her, he spoke in whispers, his warm breath tickling her skin.
“Don’t move yet,” he murmured and continued rubbing against her.
She felt him grow aroused, but then she supposed it couldn’t be helped. He had told her he’d been too long without a woman. And she was not ignorant of the act of coupling, her mum having explained it in detail to all three of her daughters. She simply needed to keep reminding herself that this was only pretend. It was also the cost of freedom and safe passage home.
“Moan softly,” he whispered.
She had no problem doing that, since his breath sent pleasurable tingles along her neck.
“Good, now move against me, slowly,” he murmured, and she did.
Willow shut her eyes and ignored the stirrings that began to build and spread in her. It was a natural reaction and one she could control since she had no desire to couple with Slatter. Though, she had wondered how it would feel to know a man.
He pressed harder against her and when his manhood rubbed in a particular spot, she was so caught off guard that she moaned loudly without being told. And, Lord, help her when he continued to rub against her, hastening his movements. It felt heavenly and she found herself matching his movements and moaning without thought.
“Scream when I tell you,” he whispered.
Everything seemed to fade around her as a powerful sensation took hold of her and began to build, growing stronger, reaching for something, stretching, needing it, wanting it…
“Slatter!” she screamed out as the powerful sensation rocked her body and exploded with such intensity that it buckled her legs, and she was glad Slatter’s arm tightened around her waist as he let out a roar.
“Damn, he did it,” Rob yelled out and got a slap from Beck.
“She’s yours for good now,” Beck yelled down and the grate was moved over the hole.
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Willow’s head rested on Slatter’s shoulder as she tried to gather her senses. An impossible task since tiny shivers of delightful pleasure continued to trickle through her.
When she found herself able to speak, she said, “You did that on purpose.”
“It was the only way,” he said. “They had to believe we were coupling and you never would have been able to fake a good climax, since you’ve never had one… until now.”
She was going to ask him about his roar, had he faked it? But being she felt him still hard against her, she got her answer.
She felt a bit ashamed that she had allowed herself to lose control while pretending and in front of others and kept her head on his shoulder, not wanting to look at him.
“Willow,” he said softly. When she didn’t respond or lift her head to look at him, he continued, “Believe me when I tell how truly sorry I am, but I don’t regret what I did. You don’t want to be stuck with Beck. When I saw a chance to help you, I took it. I’m only sorry it had to be this way. I will make certain you get home safely to your family.”
“My garments,” she said and Slatter quickly eased them down, covering her.
She didn’t want to speak of it any longer. She wanted to forget it happened, forget how she responded to him so easily. Forget that the three watched from above, though she was glad they were in the hole and the men couldn’t see them too clearly, especially with the darkening skies.
She had reminded herself it was a natural reaction she had, but she should have been able to contain it, not let it go as far as it did, not have responded so easily to him.
“You are being held for ransom?” she asked to get away from her disturbing thoughts.
“Aye, I am.”
“How important are you that Beck holds you for ransom?”
“I’m of no importance at all. We have an ongoing feud.”
“He wins this time since he ransoms you?” Willow asked.
“Actually, ransom or not, I win since he lost you to me.”
She quieted again and while Slatter felt none too proud of what he had done to her, it had been necessary. Willow could have met a far, far worse fate if she were left with Beck.
Slatter had no doubt that whatever Beck’s intentions with Willow had been, it involved getting the highest coin he could for her, whether through ransom or more likely through sale to the highest bidder. He couldn’t let that happen to her. She didn’t deserve such a terrible fate.
She raised her head to look at him and she caught a soft concern there in his dark eyes that she hadn’t seen before.
“Do you think you’ll be ransomed soon?” she asked.
“One can only hope.”
She wanted to try and keep a sliver of a distance between them if she could, but it was cold and leaning against him kept her warm. She imagined it did the same for him. So did she deprive not only herself of warmth, but him as well?
She was too practical to ignore the obvious answer and when she felt him shiver, she did what was best for them both. She leaned against him.
“For warmth we both need,” she said, not wanting him to misconstrue her intentions.
Slatter slipped his arms around her, tucking her flat against him. “Your warmth and thoughtfulness is much appreciated.”
There were times he sounded kind rather than charming and it was those times she felt more inclined to believe him. She only hoped she wasn’t wrong.
“The last time I saw you, you were a prisoner in the Lord of Fire’s dungeon. How is it that you’re here a prisoner in this godawful hole?” she asked.
“Pure luck,” he said with a chuckle. “The Lord of Fire decided that an appropriate punishment for me was to hand me over to a tribe of barbarians he was familiar with for an undetermined amount of time. What neither the Lord of Fire or the barbarians knew was that I’m exceptionally skilled at escaping from almost anywhere or from any one. I escaped the barbarians on my second night with them, only to find myself captured by Beck. Naturally, he wasn’t about to just hand me over without being compensated for his fortunate luck in coming across me. So here I sit and wait, a hole in the ground not easy to escape.”
“How long were you here before I arrived?”
“Two days,” he said, his glance going to the one scratch on her face. “That scratch looks to have worsened.”
“The ale did that, but it will also help heal it,” she said, seeing concern with the way his brow narrowed as he stared at the wound. Even a scrunched brow couldn’t mar or hide his fine features. It seemed no matter what expression the man wore; his good looks didn’t suffer for it.
“You’re not only beautiful. You’re a fine healer.”
“That tongue of yours lies easily,” she accused.
“My tongue is talented and does a lot of things with ease, but it doesn’t lie… this time.”
“It doesn’t?” she asked with a tilt of her head. “Then why did you say that I wasn’t as beautiful as the women who watched you and called out greetings when you exited the hole this morning?”
“You’re too intelligent not to know that I was telling the women what they wanted to hear, since they no doubt don’t hear it from their husbands. Besides, being nice to them has earned me extra food. They drop it down to me every now and then. And all women are beautiful in their own way.”
“I can’t be sure if you’re being sincere or not.”
“I suppose you’ll have to get to know me better to find out,” he said, and raised his hand to gently probe the area around the reddened scratch.
She winced and he cringed, which made her smile. “You suffer along with me?”
“Of course, you belong to me now. It’s my duty to see you safe and cared for.”
“I don’t truly belong to you,” she disagreed, though part of her thought it would be nice to finally belong to a man and he belong to her. But this was nothing like that. “I don’t belong to anyone.”
“Until you wed, then you belong to your husband.”
“And he belongs to me,” she said.
“And, of course, you’ll make sure there’ll be rules to follow,” he teased with a smile.
“There will be love to be shared,” she corrected.
His dark eyes took on a soft sadness. “Love isn’t easy to find.”
“It’s worth the search.” She smiled gently. “And I’m patient.”
“Won’t a marriage be arranged for you?”
“Luckily, no. James has pledged fealty to Ruddock and he sees that the Clan Macardle is protected and has no fear of starving, leaving no reason for an arranged marriage. Ruddock has claimed that Snow and I are free to wed of our own choosing.”
“And you?” she asked out of curiosity, not that it mattered to her.
“Marriage is not for me,” he said and turned a wickedly disarming smile on her. “Though I do have a lot to offer a woman. I’m charming, I have far better features than most men, a fine body, and once I poke a woman, no other man satisfies her.”
Willow had to laugh. “I’m sure there are many women who would find what you have to offer them, irresistible.”
“And you? Do you find me irresistible?”
He sounded like he half-joked and was half-serious and that gave Willow pause to answer.
“You hesitate,” he said with a look of surprise.
She spoke bluntly. “I’m not sure what to make of you, Slatter.”
“I’m a mystery. Does that at least not intrigue you?”
“What intrigues me is how you will evade capture once the Lord of Fire finds that you’re not where he sent you.”
The Lord of Fire could be a relentless man when he wanted something. She had seen how he had been with James when he had insisted that Sorrell agree to an arranged marriage with a man from a nearby clan to help unite the clans in the area and have them pledge their fealty to him. If it hadn’t been for Ruddock, the Clan Macardle would be beholding to the Lord of Fire.
“I won
’t be caught again,” Slatter said with confidence.
It struck Willow then. “You will be caught if you see me safely home.”
Would he deserve that after helping her? But then would he truly see her safely home?
“Worry not, you’ll get home and I won’t get caught.”
She quickly asked, “Will you trust me to another to take me home?”
“I would have to have great trust in him to do that and there are few people who I trust that much. Besides, what belongs to me I take great care of and protect.”
She was getting used to seeing that wickedly teasing smile of his and smiling along with him. “And you take great care in reminding me that I belong to you.”
“Let me enjoy having a beautiful woman belong to me, if only for a while.” He didn’t like that her smile faltered. “It saddens you that you belong to me, since it certainly can’t be that you doubt your beauty.”
“You don’t have to lie to me. I am well aware that I have plain features.”
“Who told you such nonsense?” he demanded as if her words offended him.
“No one told me. I have eyes to see for myself. My two sisters got the beauty in the family, especially Snow,” Willow said with a soft smile.
Slatter rested his brow to hers. “You are beautiful whether you believe it or not. You have the most gorgeous green eyes I have ever seen. The color reminds me of the spring when the dormant grass bursts into a luscious green color. And your cheeks blush a rosy pink more often than not, highlighting your pale skin. Then there are your lips, rosy and plump and begging to be kissed.
He brushed his lips over hers and Willow didn’t move. His words alone had sent a rush of flutters in her stomach and flared a passion that was far too new to her to fully understand.
His lips brushed hers again, then whispered, “To me, Willow, you are the most beautiful woman I have ever seen.”
This time he didn’t brush his lips across hers, he pressed them against hers, kissing her with an intensity she instinctively responded to. His hand went to the back of her head to rest their as he tempted and teased her into parting her lips and when his tongue slipped into her mouth, the flutters in her stomach went wild and her passion sparked to a flame.
Desired by a Highlander Page 3
