Page 43 of The Stag & The Owl
He turned the grouse on the spit and satcross-legged on a bedroll as Alina drew a deep breath in and let itout slowly, her belly fluttering at the expectant grin on his face.She’d never sung “Somebody” to anyone but herself while ridingthrough the fields on Brynja, dreaming of a love like Oona’s andAsad’s.Now she would sing it to Roark, the only man she could seeherself loving to the end of time.A man she would sail away fromif everything went to plan.She drew another breath in and began tosing.
“My heart is sore, I dare not tell,
“My heart is sore, for Somebody.
I would walk a winter’s night
All for a sight of Somebody.
If Somebody were to come again
Then one day he must cross the main,
And everyone will get his own
And I will see my Somebody.
Oh, oh, for Somebody,
Oh, hey, for Somebody,
I would do, would I do not
All for the sake of Somebody.
Why need I comb my tresses bright,
Oh, why should coal or candlelight
Shine in my bower day and night,
Since gone is my dear Somebody.
Oh, I have wept for many a day
For one that’s banished far away,
I cannot sing and must not say
How sore I grieve for Somebody.
Oh, oh, for Somebody,
Oh, hey, for Somebody,
I would do, would I do not
All for the sake of Somebody.”
“Damnation.”Roark stood and closed the threepaces between them and kissed her as he had on Spring’s Eve by thelake.Kissed her as if knew he was her Somebody.And she kissed himback.She kissed him with heat and passion coursing through herveins, never wanting to stop.Mewling with disappointment when hebroke the kiss to stare into her eyes, his own heavy-lidded withdesire, he muttered, “Damnation.”
He pressed featherlight kisses to hereyelids, her ears, her jawline, her lips.He suckled her earlobeand she shuddered and tilted her head, exposing her throat.Henipped and nibbled his way down her neck, and she could feel herpulse pounding beneath his lips.He cupped her backside in his big,strong hands and pressed her pelvis to his.A newly familiar lengthof hard heat pressed against her belly and Alina moaned.
“Do you trust me, Ali girl?”he said, hisvoice thick with desire.
Alina stared into eyes the silver grey of amoonlit lake.“With my life,” she said with an earthy sough.
Her words, meant to reassure him, brought himup short.With a heavy sigh he held her face in his hands andtouched his forehead to hers, caressing her cheeks with the pads ofhis thumbs.“Which is why, my lady owl, as much as I wishotherwise, we must stop what we were about to do.”
