Page 25 of Bound to a Warrior
“I’m thinking I may need some incentive.”
A twinkle danced in his dark eyes, but the jut of his chin warned that he was serious.
“And what would give you the impetus to climb?” she asked curiously.
“A kiss.”
“I’ve already promised you a kiss when we are free of our chains,” she reminded. “And you have kissed me once already.”
“True enough,” he agreed with a nod, “but this time I want to kiss you with permission.”
Mercy was fast to detect the danger in that situation, and yet her first thought was that she had very much enjoyed their first kiss and longed for another. And so she answered without sparing it anymore thought.
“Then you may kiss me.”
His eyes rounded, as if he didn’t believe her. “You promise?”
“You have my word,” she said. “You may kiss me once we finish the climb.”
He shook his head and grinned. “No, not when we finish the climb. I want to kiss you when and where I choose.”
“But—”
“No buts,” he interrupted. “You gave your word for the kiss and no more. Now it is in my hands.”
“But—”
His raised hand warded off her protest. “No. It’s done.”
“I want a warning—” She just wasn’t fast enough. He interrupted her again.
“No. A promise is a promise and the promise is a kiss, no more.”
“That’s not fair,” she complained.
He laughed and tweaked her chin. “All’s fair when it comes to kissing.”
Mercy wanted to argue with him, but she knew it was senseless, she’d get nowhere. She had given her word and there was nothing she could do about it. Nothing but wait for him to kiss her and the prospect fluttered her stomach.
Her hand hurried to rest in the spot that continued to flutter wildly in hopes of somehow stopping it.
“You’re hungry?” he asked.
She was glad he didn’t realize her true discomfort. “Yes, though not enough to keep us from climbing.”
He rubbed at his stomach. “My hunger is growing.” He turned his head searching the area. “We best find where that food sack landed so we can feast after the climb.”
Duncan and Mercy stood at the foot of the hill and looked up.
“It appears bigger,” Mercy said, “more a mountain than a hill.”
“That’s because it conquered us the last time,” he said. “Once conquered, fear sets in, hope dies and most give up.” He took hold of her hand, wanting to reassure her. “This time I’ll watch my step.”
“I trust you,” she said with a soft smile. “You are the gallant warrior come to my rescue.”
He felt a stab of guilt. While he had wondered over why one of the gentry had been taken prisoner, it stood to reason that more than likely the king had fancied her, or one of the powerful warlords wanted her. It was simply bad luck that she had been chained to him, since it was he the soldiers wanted and planned to kill. She was an innocent in all this, and his guilt soared with that acknowledgment.
They once again started their climb, Duncan more careful, though only because she was with him. If he had been on his own and fallen, he would have cursed the damn hill and returned to climb it with vengeance. He couldn’t do that chained to Mercy. He had her safety to consider.
