Page 7 of Bound to a Warrior
“Then don’t fancy me with that lovely smile, or I’ll be begging for mercy.”
The twinkle in his devilishly dark eyes had her chuckling.
“That’s even worse,” he said, sounding wounded. “A laugh that tempts the soul itself.”
“What of chivalry?” she bantered playfully.
He brought his lips close to hers and whispered. “Ah, what of it? It would be more chivalrous of me to kiss you and couple with you throughout the night, generating all the heat we need to survive.”
If she hadn’t caught the glint of humor in his dark eyes, she might have been frightened that he would take advantage of their situation. But he teased, and she wondered if it was simply to see how she would respond, or perhaps he thought he could convince her to agree to an outlandish appeal.
“I’m astounded at what you would sacrifice for chivalry,” she said with feigned sincerity. “But it would behoove me to see you forfeit so much, thus I decline your generous offer.”
He laughed. “Do I get a kiss for at least trying?”
She pecked his cheek lightly.
“Mercy, Mercy,” he said continuing to laugh. “One of these days I’m going to have to teach you how to kiss as a reward for saving your life.”
“When we are safe, our chain gone, I promise I will reward you with a kiss.”
“I will hold you to that promise,” he said adamantly.
“I have no doubt you will,” she said and settled her head back in the crook of his shoulder.
He in turn wrapped her more tightly in his arms.
With their long ordeal finally behind them, sleep was fast claiming them. But it wasn’t worries or fears of what they had yet to face that occupied their thoughts and dwelled in their dreams, but rather the promise of a kiss.
He had every intention of collecting it. It was clear she had every intention of keeping her promise, but what nagged and surprised him was that while he wished to be free of the chain that bound them, they now had another good reason to free themselves.
They both wanted to taste that kiss.
Chapter 3
Dampness remained at the ends of Duncan’s plaid and at the hem of his shirt, but mostly his garments were dry. And glad of it he was, since he slipped into them as soon as his eyes cleared of sleep.
Mercy was too tempting a morsel to remain beside her naked and not want to do more than just keep her warm. He had fought his carnal urges like a stoic warrior throughout the night. It wasn’t an easy battle, especially when she had tucked her free hand in places that provided the most warmth.
It hadn’t been bad when she had tucked it between their stomachs, but when her hand had begun to drift toward a more heated, sensitive area, he knew he was in trouble. He had reluctantly grabbed her roving hand just before it could…
He didn’t want to think of what could have happened. It had taken all of his skill as an honorable warrior to do it, for he would have liked nothing better than to let her slim fingers settle around him.
He had kept hold of her hand for a time, the campfire’s light casting a golden glow on her creamy skin. He noticed that while her hands had a few scratches, they bore no signs of toil. That would make her a member of the gentry or nobility, but why would one of such class be a prisoner of the king’s men?
It was a question that had haunted his thoughts during his near sleepless night and he knew would continue to plague him until he had an answer.
He finished fastening his worn wool plaid of no distinguishable colors. To all it represented him as a wandering warrior with no allegiance to any particular clan and that was how he wanted it.
When he finally settled his glance on Mercy, he had hoped she would be fully clothed, but she wore only her blouse, which she had slipped on just before he had his shirt. He had been so intent on getting his plaid on, he hadn’t realized that she required two hands to help get her skirt on.
“Sorry,” he said apologetically. “Next time you dress first.”
Her eyes widened, his assumption that there would be another time they would be naked together obviously upsetting her.
He shook his head. “Though the situation probably will not arise again.”
He felt disappointed at the thought, and she looked relieved?
