Page 54 of Bound to a Warrior
A tingle of pleasure shot through her and she wondered that if his words could so easily entice, how would it feel when he made love to her?
She shivered at the tempting thought.
“You grow cold, time to get dried and”—his dark eyes twinkled with mischief—“unfortunately clothe ourselves.”
She agreed, though silently, that it was unfortunate and reluctantly walked with him out of the warm water. With her thoughts where they shouldn’t be, she didn’t pay attention, and as soon as her wet foot connected with a smooth, though wet and slippery stone, she found her feet going out from under her, her hand grabbing for Duncan, and he grabbing her forcefully around the waist, twisting them and taking the full brunt of the fall.
She came down hard on top of him, her breath rushing out of her and her senses shocked. It took a shake of her head and a deep breath to regain her wits and hear the groan.
“Duncan!” she cried and looked down to see him grimacing and groaning. “Where are you hurt?”
“Why? Will you kiss it and make it all better?”
“You tease so you must be all right,” she said with a smile.
“Anytime that you’re lying on top of me, I’m more than all right.”
She laughed. “You are wicked.”
“As wicked as you want me to be,” he whispered in her ear and then stole a quick kiss.
A rush of tingles ran through her and she couldn’t stop her body from shivering.
“Hmmm, now I’m wondering if perhaps it isn’t the cold that disturbs you, but rather theheat.” His teasing eyes suddenly sparked with desire.
“It is,” she admitted freely. “You know that I want you. I have not denied that.”
“Which makes our present position even more difficult.”
She felt him then, rise against her naked flesh and damn if the size of him snuggling its way between her legs didn’t feel good and didn’t make her want to surrender.
He faintly brushed his lips over hers then said, “As much as I would love to dive deep inside you and pleasure you beyond reason, there simply isn’t time.”
As if on cue, Bliss called out, “Are you done?”
They scrambled off each other.
“A moment, please,” Mercy called out. “We’re almost finished.”
They both dressed with haste, and while Mercy had longed for clean garments, the sweet-smelling clothes were lost to her as her mind remained occupied with thoughts of Duncan. And continued to do so even after Bliss entered and began stitching the garments closed around the chains.
Food, clothes, shelter, nothing seemed to matter to her at the moment except Duncan. Her body refused to relinquish the thought of making love with him. The tingles in her body would not subside and she worried that they never would, at least not until her body was satisfied, not until Duncan and she made love.
And that day was coming soon…very soon.
Chapter 17
Duncan and Mercy set out early the next morning with a sack full of food, fresh clean clothes on their backs and confident that the remainder of their journey would be relatively safe.
Bliss had made it known that the king’s soldiers were not welcome on Pict land and mostly avoided it. Those who dared venture into Pict territory rarely made it out. She, therefore, advised that they had little to worry about, that is, until their feet left Pict soil.
Duncan was well aware that before reaching home there was a small area of land where the King’s men could very well be lying in wait. He and his brothers had already scuffled with the king’s men there and a scuffle it was, since the four of them sent the small contingent home licking their wounds.
However, the king knew that time drew near for the true king to surface and claim the throne. He wasn’t taking any chances. He had his soldiers out in full force scouring the land for the man who could possibly take the throne from him.
“Your brow draws together,” Mercy said. “Something concerns you.”
Duncan shared his unease. “Once off Pict land there’s a possibility we may run into the king’s men.”
