Page 48 of The Stag & The Owl
Roark blew out his breath and held Alina bythe shoulders, locking gazes with her, trying to think rationally.To make them both see reason.“What about when we walk out of thiscave and into the real world full of consequences andrepercussions?”
Ali, sweet, sensible, rational, reasonableAli, shook her head.“I don’t care,” she told him.“I don’t careabout anything outside of these walls right now.All I care aboutis you and me, and I want you stones deep inside me.All of you.Now.”
She lifted onto her knees and held herselfover his straining cock, and then she touched her wet, warm fleshto his and Roark gripped her shoulders.She smiled, slow, sure, andsensuous, as she lowered herself onto him bit by sleek, hot,welcoming bit, until he was fully sheathed inside her, her intimatemuscles contracting around him.
Roark groaned and clasped her to him.“Ach,Ali love,” he rumbled.“You have undone me.”
***
Alina woke to birdsong and sunlight streamingthrough the cave’s entrance, but the fire was out and Roark wasgone.The storm had calmed to a light drizzle sometime aftermidnight, while inside the cave their personal storm had built andspent many times over.She yawned, stretched, and ran her handsdown her naked body, sighing and grinning with the newfoundknowledge of the pleasures her body was capable of giving andreceiving.
She stood and dressed in her tunic andbreeches and stepped out into the new day, ready for anything,until she saw Roark’s face as he was saddling the horses.
“You should have woken me,” she said as helaid Etain’s saddle over the mare’s back.“I could have helped withthe horses.”She cinched the strap around the mare’s belly and thenstepped over to Artur as Roark heaved the saddle onto the stallion.“Roark?”He put his forehead into Artur’s side and cinched thesaddle strap.“Roark” she said again, waiting for him to look ather.“What’s wrong?”
“Nothing,” he said, looking away from herwhile sheathing his short sword at the saddle.She stepped aroundArtur and laid a hand over his.“Everything.”He pulled his handout from under hers and ran it back through his hair.“Last nightshould never have happened.”
Alina’s heart dropped to her feet.Last nighthad been the most wonderful, amazing night of her life.She’dthought he’d felt the same.He’d certainly acted like it at thetime.He’d even called her his love.“What do you mean?”she asked,her voice cracking almost as badly as her heart.
“I never should’ve let things go as far asthey did,” he said.“I knew better.I knew how hard it would be tostop once I let myself start with you.”
“Are you saying you regret last night?”
“Yes.”
Her body went cold and her mind went numb.She stood rooted, her vision unfocused, trying to suck air into herlungs.
“Ali.”
“Why?”she cried.“Why would you say that tome?”
He reached for her hand and she slapped hisaway.
“Ali, love.”
“No.”She shook her head and glared at him.“You cannot tell me you regret making love to me and then call melove.”
“Ali, lass,” he said, his voice soft, hiseyes pouring into hers.“I could never regret making love to you.What I regret was losing control, going against my word and my oathto not take your maidenhead.Spilling my seed inside you andchancing getting you pregnant with a child.My child.”He pulledher to him, holding her tight, and whispered in her ear, “I loveyou, Ali.I have since the moment I first saw you.I love you somuch it pains me because I know I have to let you go.I have tosend you away from me and back to your family.”
Alina sniffed.“What if I do end up pregnantwith your child?”
“Will your family accept it, accept you,without a husband?”
Alina didn’t even have to think.“Yes,” shesaid without hesitation.She held his worried gaze, her ownpleading.“Come with me,” she begged.“Marry me.Raise our child,our children, together in the Northlands.”
“I cannot.”
“Cannot or will not?”
“I cannot come with you, love, because I willnot leave my family to suffer the consequences of my actions.Ihave to stay and make things right.”
“Roger will kill you.”
“It’s verra likely.”
Alina clasped him tight and made her ownsilent oath.She didn’t know how she would accomplish it, but sheknew she wasn’t going to let Roark die for her.She damned surewasn't going to let him die for Leif.
***
