by Donna Grant
Only once she was within the cave did he say, “We’ll be sharing this space.”
“With what?” she asked as her body grew taut against him.
At that moment, the wildcat issued another hiss and growl.
“The feline on the other side of the cave,” he told her. “We’re going to remain over here. There’s plenty of room for all of us.”
“Or you could make it leave.”
He looked at her. “The cat found this place first. I’m no’ going to make it leave, and we’re no’ going to leave. So, we share.”
“You’re right,” she said as she flattened her lips.
Brom got her situated as far back from the entrance as he could. Then he removed his bag and dug inside for the peat that he had gathered earlier. He used it to build a fire. Once the flames were high enough to light the cave, he could see the wildcat huddled against the far wall with its ears flattened, staring at them. He decided the best course of action was to ignore the animal completely. He didn’t want to frighten it out into the weather or make it feel as if it were cornered.
“He’s pretty,” Runa said.
Brom looked at the cat again. Its distinctive black and brown stripes stood out starkly against its sandy-colored fur. It had a thick, banded tale, perfectly tipped in black. His yellow eyes were locked on him and Runa.
“That he is,” Brom replied.
Runa rubbed her hands together and held them toward the fire while Brom made sure there was enough peat to get them through the night at least.
“We need to look at your knee,” he told her.
Runa nodded without looking at him. “Are you going to tell me what you’re doing here?”
“I wondered when you would get around to asking me that.” In fact, he’d expected the question much sooner.
Her head swung to him as she raised a brow. “Well?”
Brom stood and removed his cloak, spreading it out so it could dry. Then he held his hand out for Runa’s. She sighed loudly and removed the sheaths for her swords before she unclasped her outer garment and handed it to him. He shook it out and put it near his. Then he faced her.
“What would you say if I told you I had a dream about you last night?”
She didn’t so much as bat an eye. “What was the dream?”
“Just your face with a woman’s voice telling me to find you.”
“Hmm,” she said. “That’s why you appeared to recognize me when we first met.”
He bowed his head in a nod. “Aye.”
“Since you didn’t tell me about this earlier, I gather you weren’t sure what to do.”
Brom smiled despite himself. “Something like that. You looked to be in a hurry, and I could no’ think of anything plausible to get you to stay or allow me to remain with you.”
“There was nothing you could’ve said.”
“Which is why I followed you.”
She eyed him as she put her hands in her lap. “Am I to guess that you know what to do now that you’ve found me again?”
He laughed, shaking his head. “Actually, I doona know any more than I did this morning.”
“You could’ve been looking for me for years. Perhaps you just had a strange dream.”
“I come from a world where there isna such a thing.”
She didn’t reply, just held his gaze.
He waited, hoping she would say something. Brom had no idea who she was, and Asa hadn’t given him much information to go on. Unfortunately, it didn’t appear as if Runa were going to elaborate either.
“You have the stance of a warrior, yet you carry no sword,” Runa said.
He drew in a breath and shrugged. “As you learned this morning, I’m not without protection.”
“Usually, a man such as yourself carries a weapon large enough that others can see.”
“I’m not generally around other people.”
She cocked her head to the side, interest sparking in her gaze. “Why?”
“I…doona like people. Most are rude, arrogant, and self-absorbed. There are only a few exceptions.” He nodded in her direction.
A smile pulled at her lips. “I think you just complimented me.”
“You sound surprised.”
“I am. Especially since I tend to stay away from others, as well. For the same reasons you mentioned.”
They shared a grin. Brom could carry on a conversation with anyone, but few people made him actually want to talk. And the fact that he had told Runa the truth spoke of how much he enjoyed conversing with her.
She laughed softly. “I don’t think I’ve ever come across someone who likes their solitude as much as I do.”
“You’re no’ Scottish, but you’re no’ English either. I can no’ quite place your accent.”
Her smile died as she looked away. “I’m from all over.”
“You doona have to tell me. I like your voice. I was just curious where you’re from.”
She licked her lips and looked up at him. “What kind of man has a dream about a woman he doesn’t know and then leaves his home to look for her? What kind of person tracks down that woman without knowing what he’s supposed to do?”
“The kind who follows his instincts. I was supposed to find you.”
“I could be leading you to your death for all you know.”
He shrugged, twisting his lips. “You verra well might be. It doesna matter. I’m doing what I’m supposed to be doing.”
“Brom, you seem like a nice man—and coming from me, that’s saying a lot. I go out of my way to avoid people at all costs. I…don’t fit in anywhere, and I’ve accepted that. Embraced it, even. Things are…complicated. Trust me when I say I’m the last person you should be around.”
“Perhaps it’s because things are so complicated that our paths were meant to cross.”
“You wouldn’t say that if you knew everything.”
He crossed his arms over his chest and eyed her. “Then tell me.”
She lowered her gaze to the fire. “You say that as if I trust you. I don’t.”
As much as he hated to admit it, she was right. It wasn’t as if he were opening up and telling her all about himself, either. He couldn’t admonish her for the lack of trust when he couldn’t give her the same courtesy. He’d chosen Runa over the Varroki. Even now, he didn’t regret that decision. It didn’t matter that Asa had spoken to him in his dream, telling him about Runa. The witch had sent him to find Runa for a reason. Asa might not have told him what that reason was, but he knew it had to be a good one.
He blew out a frustrated sigh. In one breath, he talked about not being able to trust, and yet he had trusted the dream without knowing details. Learning the voice was Asa’s should have made him wary, but it didn’t. He wasn’t sure why—and he suspected he never would.
“Let me check your knee,” he said as he dropped his arms to his sides.
Runa held up a hand. “Turn around.”
Brom hesitated for a heartbeat before he did as she requested. As he stood there, he could hear her moving. Then, the unmistakable sound of pants being removed had his balls tightening and blood rushing to his cock. He closed his eyes, imagining what Runa was doing. His body heated, desire pounding through him. He wanted to turn around and get a glimpse of her bare skin, but he somehow maintained control.
“All right.”
He swallowed, wishing he could palm his aching erection to get some relief. Brom drew in a steadying breath and pivoted. Thankfully, Runa’s eyes were lowered so she didn’t see his obvious arousal. He quickly moved to her and squatted in an effort to hide it from her. He hadn’t expected to get so turned on by only listening to her remove her clothes. Then again, something about the woman made him want to give in to his basest instincts.
Brom’s gaze lowered, landing on Runa’s bare legs. He was fast losing control. He’d just been imagining touching her, and now the thought made him want to run back out into the blizzard. Because if he touched her, he knew he wouldn�
��t be able to stop.
He fisted his hands as hunger unlike anything he’d felt before rose up in him. It demanded that he take Runa, kiss her, claim her as his. It ordered him to meld their bodies, to fill her with his seed.
It commanded him because she was meant to be his.
And he was meant to be hers.
7
Runa had always gone after whatever she wanted. Nothing held her back. And it wasn’t going to this time either. The direction she was headed in was one of danger and risk. The odds were stacked against her. She may not make it out with her life. She accepted that possibility because this was about her family.
Some might have turned their backs on Synne and Asrail—and with good reason. But Runa couldn’t do that. It was within her abilities to help them, and that was exactly what she was going to do.
Meeting Brom had been unexpected and entirely amazing. She had the opportunity to share something with a gorgeous man who made her stomach flutter and her heart race. There was no way she would allow that opportunity to pass her by when it was within her grasp. The idea of removing her clothes with him nearby was very appealing. How could it not be when she was so attracted to him?
She left her tunic and vest on but removed her boots and pants. Then she waited for him to look at her. When he hesitated, she glanced at her legs. Sadly, she missed his reaction when he turned around. Her eyes were now on his face, watching, waiting for some sign that he wanted her. She was putting herself out there, and as scary as that was, she knew it was the right thing to do.
Whatever she felt for Brom was something unique and exceptional. Nothing and no one could make her change her mind about sharing a night with him. She didn’t know what it would bring her, but it didn’t matter. All she knew was that when he was with her, everything felt…right.
She had been around magic her entire life. She knew when something was real and when it wasn’t. This…feeling…was definitely real. There had never been another time in her life when she had known for sure what path to take.
“Does it still hurt?” Brom asked in a rough voice.
Runa was shaking, and it had nothing to do with the cold and everything to do with yearning for the man beside her, needing him to put his hand on her once more. “It’s manageable,” she said in a breathy voice.
He nodded, swallowing hard. “The skin is already coloring. You’re going to have a nasty bruise that will make walking even more difficult.”
She didn’t want to think about tomorrow or how her injury might alter her plans. She only wanted to think of Brom and how he made her feel.
His gaze slowly moved up and down her legs before he eventually looked at her. The desire she saw in his eyes made her heart skip a beat. It was as if invisible hands pulled them closer, an unknown force that melded their souls.
“I don’t know what tomorrow will bring,” she whispered. “But I know what I want tonight.”
His nostrils flared as his eyes dropped to her lips. Runa wasn’t a virgin, but she also wasn’t experienced enough to know how to entice a man. She reached out a hand and placed it atop his. Brom closed his eyes. He didn’t pull away, so she took that as an invitation. Her fingers skimmed over his hand, then ran up his arm and across his shoulder to his neck, finally settling on his cheek. The moment her palm cupped his face, Brom released a shaky breath.
When his lids reopened, his eyes blazed like gold. He moved so fast that it caught her by surprise. One moment, he was squatting beside her. The next, he was over her, one arm around her, pressing her against his hard body as he braced his other hand on the floor of the cave, holding them both up.
No words were spoken. It was simply there in their gazes, in the heat of their bodies. In the passion that wouldn’t be denied.
Her chest heaved as his head lowered to hers. When her eyes closed and his lips met hers, she forgot about the cold, ignored her knee, disregarded her mission. In that instant, there was only the two of them. Time stood still for a heartbeat as something electrifying and thrilling rushed through her, enflaming her already raging desire to an inferno of need that only Brom could extinguish.
His lips moved over hers, nipping and nibbling as their kisses grew hotter, deeper. When his tongue slipped between her lips, she felt a tremor go through him. His hold tightened as he gently lowered her to the ground. A storm raged outside, but it couldn’t outshine the passion between them that burned brighter than the sun.
When Brom lifted his head, she opened her eyes to find him staring down at her with a mixture of surprise and hunger. She knew exactly how he felt. Runa cupped her hands on either side of his face, then moved them around to the back of his neck so she could pull him down for another kiss.
In response, he ground his arousal against her, causing her to moan. She yanked at his tunic, trying to get it off him so she could run her hands over his body. He tore his lips from hers to rise up on his knees and yank off his shirt, tossing it aside to return to her. But she stopped him before he could kiss her again because she was finally getting to see him.
She placed her hands on his chest and gasped at the muscles beneath. The heat of him was scalding, the sinew firm and powerful. Her fingers traced his chest, moving around his nipples then down his stomach lined with muscles, all the way to his waist. She saw the outline of his arousal through his breeches.
Her eyes lifted to see him watching her, his breathing was erratic, and blatant hunger shone in his visage. She held his gaze as she opened his pants to free his cock. At the sight of him, her mouth grew dry, and her sex clenched. She wrapped her fingers around his rod, feeling the steel through the velvet of his skin as she slid her hand up and down his length.
A groan tore free from him. She looked up to see his teeth clenched, a muscle moving in his jaw as he squeezed his eyes shut. A feeling of empowerment filled her at the sight of him, knowing that what she was doing brought him pleasure. She wanted to continue stroking him, watching him, but all too soon, he got to his feet and stepped away.
Runa feared that he had changed his mind until she realized that he was removing the rest of his clothes. She started to do the same, but in a blink, he was before her, his hands over hers. He smiled and gave a shake of his head. When she started to speak, he put a finger over her lips to silence her.
It had been a long time since anyone had tried to tell her what to do. She liked that he did, however. She raised a brow and motioned for him to stand once more. When he complied, she saw the sly grin on his lips.
She sat up, taking in the man before her. Just like the first time she’d seen him, Runa recognized the warrior that he was—even without a visible weapon. Her lips parted as she took in his broad shoulders that tapered to trim hips then down to his muscular legs. There wasn’t an ounce of fat anywhere on his body. He was all hard muscle that her palms itched to learn. His cock jumped when her eyes landed on it, causing her to smile.
Runa reached for his arousal once more, but Brom shifted out of range and shook his head. He dropped to his knees and ran the backs of his knuckles down her cheek. The caress was featherlight and went straight to her heart. The way he touched her, the way he looked at her…no one had ever done that before. She knew, deep down, that no one would ever again.
He held her gaze as he smoothed his hands from her shoulders down her arms to her hips. He gathered the hem of her tunic in his hands and slowly began drawing it upwards. The first contact of his finger against her stomach made her catch her breath, but she didn’t stop him. She raised her arms, helping him remove the shirt. Then he sat back and looked at her as she had gazed at him.
Beautiful didn’t begin to describe her. Brom was stunned at the creature before him. Runa wasn’t just lovely, she was stunning. He’d fantasized about what she looked like without her clothing, but nothing had prepared him for this. She took his breath away.
The muscles in her arms and shoulders were defined, proving that she regularly used her swords. Add that to her wonderful curves a
nd pert breasts, flared hips, and impossibly long legs, and he’d never wanted a woman more. He was almost afraid to touch her, fearful that she was just a figment of his imagination. Worried that as soon as he reached for her, she would disappear and he’d wake back at his cottage.
Runa reached up and began to unplait her hair. He watched, mesmerized as more and more of the golden locks came undone and fell around her in soft waves. When she was finished, her hair fell down to her hips, cementing the ethereal thought he’d had when he first encountered her.
Runa’s lips curved as she smiled at him before she slowly lay back on the floor of the cave, using their discarded clothing as a blanket. Brom leaned forward on his hands and crawled over her until he held himself over her body. Her arms wound around his neck as her blue eyes sparkled with the same need he felt within him.
Unable to deny either of them any longer, he kissed her, gradually lowering himself atop her, careful not to jar her injured knee. Just as before, it only took one touch of their mouths for the kiss to erupt. Their hands were suddenly all over each other, each trying to get closer to the other. He’d never felt such yearning before, never experienced such hunger.
And he couldn’t wait to bury himself deep within her wet heat.
She couldn’t get enough of him. Runa wanted to touch Brom everywhere. Something about their bare flesh touching triggered something within her. She almost didn’t recognize the wanton that she was, but it was all because of Brom. He brought it out in her, this undeniable need, and irrefutable craving…for him.
When he found her breast and rolled an already hardened nipple between his fingers, she cried out and tore her mouth from his. Her back arched as pleasure shot straight to her sex. She needed to have him inside her immediately.
Runa desperately tried to reach for him, but her movements halted when he bent and wrapped his lips around her other nipple. All thought ceased. She was incapable of nothing more than experiencing the untold pleasure that swirled through her body.
