“Good, he’s at it again. Now watch and learn, because I’m tired of your fumbling pokes.”
The woman’s voice ended their kiss, Slatter and Willow both looking up surprised to see that the grate had been removed. And even more surprised to see a woman and man looking down.
“A pleasant day to you, Maddie,” Slatter said, a smile spreading wide across his face as his arms hugged Willow protectively.
The short, thin, pretty woman with long dark hair grinned. “A pleasant day to you, Slatter, and I see that it is a very pleasant day for you.” She held up a stuffed sack. “I have some fine food for you, but only if you’ll let my husband here watch you poke the woman. I’m tired of his unsatisfying pokes and fumbling hands.”
“I give a good poke,” a man of fair-sized height and fine girth argued.
“Half the time when you got me on my hands and knees, you can’t even find the right place to put that useless rod of yours,” she complained.
Her husband hurried to clarify. “That happens only when I drink too much.”
“Aye, you keep making that excuse,” Maddie shot back.
Slatter called up to the arguing couple. “I’d be glad to speak with your husband when I’m let out of here later today, Maddie, but I won’t have anyone watching me couple with my woman.”
“You did it for Beck,” she argued.
“Only to have Willow for myself.”
Maddie grinned. “So you like her.”
“I do and I’ll not disrespect her again by having someone watch us make love,” Slatter said.
Maddie punched her husband in the arm. “You hear that. He doesn’t poke his woman, he makes love to her. You’ll be talking to him later, Kevin, or you’ll not be poking me, not ever again.”
Her husband rubbed his arm. “I love you, Maddie. I have since we were bairns. If this will make you happy I’ll talk to him, but you can’t go telling people I don’t give you a good poke.”
“I won’t have to after you talk with him and I love you too, Kevin.” Maddie looked down the hole. “Kevin will be waiting for you when you get out of there later. Now watch out, I’m going to drop the sack down to you. You and your woman need some decent food.”
“Keep your head tucked against my chest,” he ordered Willow and once she did, he called up to Maddie. “Bless you, Maddie. You’re a beautiful and kind woman.”
“See. See how he tells me I’m beautiful,” Maddie said and punched her husband in the arm again. “I want you telling me that like you once did. Unless you don’t think I’m beautiful anymore.”
“You will always be beautiful to me, Maddie,” Kevin said, rubbing his muscled arm again.
“Then tell me more often,” she all but ordered him, then held the sack over the hole. “Here it comes, Slatter and mὀran taing.”
“You’re welcome, Maddie,” Slatter said and caught the sack in his hand.
“Be gone with you, Maddie, and what are you doing there, Kevin?” Rob called out.
“Stopping my wife from giving the prisoners food,” Kevin said. “Now come on home, woman.”
“Good, man,” Rob said.
“And I’ll have a talk with Slatter when you get him out later and let him know to leave my wife be,” Kevin said.
“About time a man makes his wife obey,” Rob said, coming to a stop by the hole.
Slatter lowered his arm to his side so Rob didn’t see the sack of food.
“Got some news for you, Slatter,” Rob called down, peering over the hole. “Your ransom arrives tomorrow and you’ll be freed.”
“Thank God,” Willow whispered, raising her head off Slatter’s chest.
“Good to hear,” Slatter called out.
Rob chuckled. “Beck has a gift for you before you leave.”
“I suppose you’re not going to tell me what it is,” Slatter said.
“It’s a surprise,” Rob said and slid the wooden grate back over the hole and walked away laughing.
Chapter 4
It was late and Willow was not only feeling the cold, she was also feeling anxious about far too many things. She remained still as best she could, not wanting to wake Slatter. He had tried to assure her that whatever gift Beck had for him, it most likely didn’t have anything to do with her. She was safe and soon-to-be going home.
Willow wasn’t so sure about that. When they had been taken out of the hole for supper, she had watched Rob and Geary cast chuckles and whispers their way. Slatter had been too busy speaking with Kevin, as he had promised Maddie he would, to notice. Something was brewing and she didn’t have a good feeling about it.
Her worries had her stir a bit in his arms. Yesterday their combined body heat had helped keep them warm, but it had turned colder tonight and it felt as if the cold had settled down into the hole, wrapping around them like a chilling blanket. Or perhaps she was so concerned with tomorrow that she couldn’t get warm.
How did she trust him to take her home? She wanted to believe that he would, but since he lied with ease and little to no regret, how did she trust him? And if that wasn’t enough to cause her concern, there was the kiss.
Why had he kissed her? There was no reason for him to. No one was watching them. Had it been because it had been too long since he tasted a woman’s lips? Was she simply convenient? Or should she be asking herself why she enjoyed it? And what would have happened if Maddie and her husband hadn’t come along? Would it have gone farther than a kiss?
Don’t be foolish, Willow. You would have stopped him,” she scolded herself silently. You would not have let him take advantage of the situation. He is a liar and do-no-good and you would not get yourself involved with such a disreputable man.
“What troubles you, Willow?”
She jumped, startled that he was awake and his voice was filled with such sincerity.
Slatter quickly hugged her tight, stilling her. “Careful, we don’t want to disturbed the walls of our lovely abode.”
“You startled me. I thought you were asleep,” she said, settling in his arms.
“I felt your unease.”
“I woke you? I’m sorry,” she apologized, meaning it. It was better he slept, less chance he would kiss her again.
“It’s all right, Willow. Any bit of noise or stirrings wake me. I sleep light. Now tell me what bothers you.”
“The cold,” she said quickly, comfortable that there was some truth to her words. “It is much colder tonight than last night and I feel it in us both.
As if to prove her words, snow started to fall on them.
“Damn,” Slatter mumbled.
Willow had to agree with him, though she didn’t swear. An early snow always proved troublesome. It could leave a light coating on the ground or dump a sizeable amount. Her concern and the cold shivered her.
Slatter ran his hands up and down her back, trying to rub some warmth into her, but he felt the cold himself. It and her gentle stirrings had been what woke him.
Willow rested as close as she could against him. “Can you spread my cloak over your shoulders?”
Slatter did as she suggested and, with her pressed tight against him, he was able to get her cloak to rest partially over his shoulders. Still, it would not be enough to keep him or her warm if the snow worsened.
And it did.
The snow turned heavy and Slatter knew if it continued throughout the night they could be in trouble.
“Cover your ears, leannan,” he said.
She didn’t think to ask why. She did as he said and a shudder ran through her when he let out a ferocious roar. It sounded like the ones the warriors used when going into battle. He didn’t wait long afterwards to let loose another one.
Pounding feet could be heard after his roar settled and light sparked near the top of the hole.
The grate was removed and Rob peered down. “What are you doing?”
“Letting you know that no ransom will be given if you find me and my woman dead in the morning, you idiot.”
“Get them out of that hole! And who was the fool on watch tonight? I’ll have his head for not alerting me to the snow. I’ll get no coin for a dead man.”
Willow shivered in relief.
Slatter’s arms remained firm around her. “You’ll be warm soon enough.”
At that moment, she couldn’t be more grateful to him, though a little voice whispered in her head, I’ll miss your arms around me. She quickly chased it away. She would miss his arms for warmth and that was all, nothing else.
Willow didn’t mind this time when his hands touched her bare, icy bottom as he pushed her up and out of the hole. They were actually warm and sent a brief shot of heat through her.
Once out of the hole, Slatter wasted no time slipping his arm around her and tucking her against him.
“Geary, get them in the hut Maddie made ready and have two men stand watch outside the door,” Beck ordered, then turned to Rob. “You have some explaining to do.”
Willow remained in the crook of Slatter’s arm, having grown accustomed to being attached to him, though it could be because she felt protected in his arms.
Geary opened the door to the small hut. “Don’t try and escape. We have men posted.”
“Why would I be so foolish to do that when I’m to be ransomed tomorrow?” Slatter asked, shaking his head and hurried into the hut, his arm still firm around Willow.
Slatter went straight to the fire pit in the middle of the small room and stood there with Willow to let the flames’ heat wash over them.
Never had heat felt so welcoming to Willow. She let herself sink against Slatter’s side, her arms going around his waist, her head on his chest, as they both stood there getting warm.
After a few minutes, Slatter peered around the room, spotting what served as a mattress, a straw-stuffed mat and a blanket. He reluctantly moved his arms off Willow. “Wait here a moment.”
She didn’t let go of him. She didn’t want to. She felt safe at his side.
Slatter slipped his fingers underneath her chin and raised her head so he could look in her eyes. He didn’t like that he saw worry there.
“You’re safe. I’m just going to get that stuffed mat and blanket over there,” he said with a nod toward it. “We’ll finally be able to lie down.”
Willow nodded, eager to get off her feet, her legs aching from standing so long.
Slatter felt a pang of emptiness when her arms fell away from him and he turned away from her and scowled. He had never felt that way leaving a woman’s side, but then he had never been so protective of a woman as he was toward Willow.
He hurried and got the mat and blanket close to the fire and when he spied a crock and two tankards near the fire pit, he silently thanked Maddie. He filled both quickly and handed one to Willow.
She sighed after taking a sip. “Hot cider. How wonderful.”
Slatter felt the same way, sipping the hot liquid slowly.
“We must get you beneath the blanket,” Willow said, giving him a little push.
“That eager to cuddle with me?” he teased, his wicked grin surfacing.
“Aye, I am,” she said seriously. “We need warming down to our bones if we are to survive and more so for you since you are naked.”
Slatter leaned down, bringing his face close to hers and whispered, “Your beauty keeps me warm.”
Willow stared at him a moment, then said, “Does that smooth tongue of yours ever stop sweet-talking?”
“Shall we find out, leannan?” he murmured and brought his lips to hers.
Willow felt a spark about to ignite and stepped away from him.
Slatter chuckled. “Afraid of what you feel when I kiss you?”
“It’s not proper for you to do so and I don’t feel anything when you kiss me,” she chastised. “And I’ll have your word that you will not take any more liberties with me.”
“Are you sure that’s what you want, leannan?”
“I’m sure, and you will stop calling me sweetheart,” she ordered and was surprised when she felt a tinge of regret.
“I give you my word that I will take no liberties with you this night.” He held his hand out to her. “But I will not stop calling you leannan, since you truly have a sweet heart.”
Willow shook her head. “You never stop trying to charm.”
“And you forever refuse compliments,” he said and his hand shot out to snatch hers. “Now let’s do something that has been denied us… sleeping on what serves as a mattress.”
Willow couldn’t stop herself from smiling. She slipped her hand out of Slatter’s, placed her tankard near the fire pit, and hurried off her cloak and placed it on top of the blanket that was folded partial down along the mat.
Slatter placed his tankard beside Willow’s and helped her to sink down on the mat, then he joined her. They slipped under the blanket together and Slatter turned on his side and eased Willow on her side so he could wrap himself around her.
She didn’t protest when his arm fell across her chest just beneath her breasts and he tucked her back against him tightly. Or when he draped his leg over hers, locking it firmly around her. She wanted him there wrapped snug against her, sharing his warmth, feeling his strength, feeling safe.
Neither spoke as the heat settled around and through them and as Willow drifted off, Slatter whispered near her ear, “Liar. My kiss stirred your passion and you enjoyed it.”
Willow woke wrapped comfortably and toasty warm in Slatter’s arms the next morning. She didn’t want to move; she was far too comfortable.
“You slept well?”
Willow turned her head up to look at him. He was a feast for the eyes. A woman would never grow tired of looking at him. And those dark eyes of his, Lord, could they seduce with just one glance, pulling a woman in, stroking her, stirring her to passion-filled madness. She inwardly shook her head at her crazy thoughts.
“Aye, I slept well,” she said, trying not to look in his eyes.
“Why do you ignore the obvious?” he asked, taking hold of her chin and forcing her eyes to meet his.
“What do you mean?” she asked with feigned innocence.
Slatter smiled. “You are far from an ignorant woman. You know exactly what I mean, but I’ll say it for you. Why do you ignore and refuse to admit even to yourself that you’re attracted to me?”
Willow sighed and did the reasonable thing, spoke the truth. “You’re right, I am attracted to you, but what woman isn’t? You have the finest features I have ever seen on a man and your tongue charms a woman senseless. You were also right when you called me a liar last night. I did enjoy your kiss. And you are right that I am far from an ignorant woman. You have many things a woman desires, but there is one thing I want in a man you can’t give me.”
Slatter grinned that wickedly sensual smile. “I doubt that.”
“Really?” she asked with a wicked smile of her own. “What of love? Can you pledge your undying love to me and promise me you will love me and only me forever?”
Slatter was struck silent.
“That’s what I thought,” Willow said and couldn’t understand why it disturbed her.
Slatter went to speak, but a voice called out from outside the door.
“Coming in.”
Maddie entered the hut smiling and with a bundle in her hand. “Morning to you both. I cleaned your garments, Slatter, and had them waiting for you.” Her smile grew. “Kevin and I owe you, Slatter. We had the best night we ever had last night and I look forward to many more.”
“Kevin is a good man and he loves you. I’m glad for you both,” Slatter said.
“Your ransom is not far off. I will bring a bucket of water so that you may freshen yourself and some food so you will not leave here hungry,” Maddie said and gave a nod before leaving.
Things got busy after that, leaving little time for Willow and Slatte
r to talk. They both freshened themselves with the water Maddie had supplied and Willow was grateful for the comb she lent her.
Willow undid her braid and ran the comb through her long, dark red hair. It fell in its usual stubborn waves around her face and down over her shoulders.
“You should leave your hair loose like that, it becomes you,” Slatter said.
“I often wear it loose,” she said, not wanting him to think she did so now because he had commented on it.
They ate far tastier food than the gruel they had been given yesterday and Willow was grateful for the hot cider, it warming her insides good.
She couldn’t help but cast an appreciative glance at Slatter once he had donned his garments. He wore a plaid well, though the dark colors were faded some and his tan shirt a bit frayed at the cuffs. He had scrubbed his face clean and had run some water through his hair, waves settling just above his shoulders as it dried. He pulled his boots on and lastly, he draped his wool, hooded-cloak over his shoulders.
He snatched her cloak up that had gotten entangled in the blanket and draped it over her shoulders, then held his arm out to her.
“Shall we go meet our fate?” he asked with a smile.
A slight shiver ran through and she nodded, worried what fate had in store for them.
They stepped outside to see that snow covered the ground, enough to leave a deep imprint.
Rob was outside the door, his one eye swollen shut and a bruise to his jaw, a punishment from Beck for not tending to his chore last night.
“They’re not far off,” Rob said.
“And that gift Beck has for me still awaits?” Slatter asked.
Rob grinned and winced. “Aye, it does.”
Slatter made sure he kept his arm tucked around Willow’s. He didn’t know what Beck had planned, but there was no way he was letting him take Willow.
It wasn’t long before a group of six riders and a horse without a rider entered the area. They varied in size and dress. Some wore plaids while others wore leather leg wrappings with tunics that fell to their knees. They all wore cloaks and carried weapons and not a one of them smiled.
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