Medieval Ever After (110 page)

CHAPTER FIFTEEN

“Rona, we need
to talk.”

She looked up from her trencher, her face taut with worry.

“Very well.”

This was the most they had interacted since the night before when Daniel had killed two of Warren’s scouts. By the time they had made it back to the castle, they were both so weary that they hadn’t spoken, except for Rona’s half-formed excuse as she continued up the stairs past his chamber to her own.

Even though a mere two weeks ago they hadn’t known each other, her distance made him ache. When would they be able to rebuild that delicate bond that had formed two nights ago when they’d made love? Would they ever have a stable, close union, as Daniel internally hoped for?

He had to do something to try to close this awkward distance. He stood and extended his arm to her. Though it was brief, he didn’t miss her hesitation before looping her arm in his. He guided her down from the dais and through the great hall where most of the castle’s inhabitants were taking their midday meal.

Once they were in his study, he closed the door behind them and turned to face her.

“About last night…”

Her bright eyes clouded with a depth of emotion he didn’t know how to interpret.

“As I said, I’m sorry you had to see that, but I’m not sorry I killed those men. I am a warrior, first and foremost.”

He braced himself for her reaction, fearing her rejection.

She turned and went to the window. A storm had blown in overnight, and heavy, wet snow now fell outside.

“I’ve…I’ve never seen anyone killed before,” she began.

He clenched his jaw reflexively. Despite all her bluster, all her willfulness and that flaring temper of hers, she was innocent, sheltered. His mind flitted back to his young cousin Will. It seemed that Daniel was doomed to be the one to educate the innocents of the world in the ways of warfare, violence, and death. He didn’t relish the role, nor did he enjoy taking lives. But he was a warrior, and he would fight for what he believed in and protect those he loved.

That word came unbidden into his mind. Of course he loved his family. And Rona was now part of his family…

He pushed the thought, and that complicated word, aside and refocused his attention on her.

“I don’t hold it against you. I just…I wish these wars were over,” she went on.

He moved to her side and tentatively brushed a lock of red hair over her shoulder. “We all do, lass.”

Could a man trained to be a warrior and a leader long for an end to the conflicts and wars? Contradictions be damned, Daniel thought gravely, he wanted peace.

A somber silence filled the study as they both gazed out the window at the falling snow. Reluctantly, Daniel steeled himself for what he had to say next. She wouldn’t like it, but he had to make his expectations known.

“I don’t want you going to Ian and Mairi’s cottage anymore.”

She turned to face him, a look of confusion on her delicate features.

“Why not?”

“It’s too dangerous.”

Now her confusion was turning into stubborn ire. She crossed her arms over her chest in a stance he was coming to know well.

“You can’t just lock me away here in the castle. I won’t be told not to see my friends or Bhreaca.”

He should be able to use logic and reasoning against her, or to meet and overpower her will with his own. Hell, he should be able to simply give her an order and expect her to follow it, as he normally did with his men. But Rona was different. Something about her always seemed to make his blood run hot.

“You’re damn right I can lock you up here, if that’s the only way to keep you safe,” he said, matching her cross-armed stance. “Or would you prefer that I let you roam the forests alone while armed English scouts move about freely?”

“There have always been Englishmen in the area,” she retorted, her eyes flaring. “I’ll not let you make me into a prisoner in my own home.”

“And what if those Englishmen from last night had found you alone? What do you think they’d have done to you?”

Her cheeks flushed but she didn’t reply, so he went on, his voice tight with frustration.

“And even if they actually acted like the chivalric knights they all claim to be, what if one of them saw you flying Bhreaca? He would be bound by English law to report you and see you punished—along with Ian and Mairi.”

She opened her mouth to reply but halted, suddenly unsure.

He knew he still needed to drive his point home, so he continued. “It is my duty as your husband to protect you in every way possible. I would never renounce you and make your secret known, but I cannot watch you endanger yourself.”

“You cannot take this from me,” she said, but now desperation mingled with determination in her voice.

He turned and paced the length of the study several times. Christ, was this what marriage was like? He longed for things to be simpler, for her to just follow his orders. And yet, he was surprised to realize that he
liked
her stubbornness, her strength of will, and that steely spine of hers. He reminded himself yet again to thank the Bruce for marrying him to a capable, smart wife rather than a simpering weakling of a woman.

He would hate himself if he simply overpowered Rona with his own stubborn will. He didn’t want her broken. But he needed more peace between them.

As a starting point, he focused his mind on overcoming their current impasse. He’d seen with his own eyes how alive she had been when she flew Bhreaca. He also gathered that she wasn’t one to trust or open up to people easily or quickly, yet she was as close to Mairi and Ian as if they were her blood.

He halted his pacing and ran a hand through his hair with a sigh. “What would you propose, then?”

She blinked in surprise, and her arms unconsciously fell to her sides. He suppressed a tired smile. She was an expert at fighting obstinately against being controlled, but he gathered that she’d rarely been asked what she preferred instead.

“I want to keep going to visit Mairi and Ian and Bhreaca,” she began, though she frowned uncertainly.

This was a start. Perhaps there was room for negotiation after all. But he would never compromise when it came to her safety.

“And what about the English? Or the risk that you’ll be found out?” he asked cautiously.

She nibbled on her lower lip, and his attention was tugged to her supple, soft mouth. Suddenly he couldn’t seem to focus on their conversation. A spike of heat stabbed his stomach, and then traveled lower to his groin.

“What if…what if I don’t go alone? What if you accompany me?”

He tore his eyes from her mouth to try to clear his head. They were making real progress. He had to stay focused.

“Perhaps. But that means no more disappearing. And are you sure you won’t mind having me hovering around you so much?”

She lowered her eyes and smiled shyly.

“I wouldn’t mind. Perhaps I’d like having you near me.”

Focus be damned, he wanted her. Badly.

He watched her closely as he stalked toward her one step at a time. Instead of slaking his desire for her, their first night of shared passion had only increased it tenfold. And something about their clashing wills shot heat that had nothing to do with anger or frustration through his veins.

“Would you, now?”

Her eyes flickered up to his, and shyness mixed with desire in their blue depths. It was all the encouragement he needed.

He took a final step to close the distance between them and snaked his arms around her waist, pulling her against him. He lowered his mouth to hers but paused just before they made contact. He held them both there, a hair’s breadth from touching, as he savored the anticipation.

She broke first. With a little noise of frustration, she nudged her head up so that their lips finally came into contact. Her boldness and urgency sent another hot spike of lust through him. Though she was still inexperienced, he sensed a deep well of passion just below the surface in her. And the temper that so often had both of their blood boiling could apparently be transformed into white-hot lust.

Their mouths melded and their tongues mingled, but he forced himself to let her lead. She was tentative at first, but as both of their pleasure built, she grew impatient. She arched, pushing her chest into his, and her fingers sank into his shoulders with delicious need.

He let his hands skim lightly over her waist and down her hips, though he didn’t grip her and grind his pelvis into hers as he longed to do.

His restraint had the desired effect. The lighter his touches, the more demanding hers became. She grabbed one of his hands and planted it squarely on her bottom, then laced her fingers in his hair, holding his mouth to hers. He rewarded her with a little flick of the tongue, which made her sigh softly. But then he withdrew his tongue, ceding the lead once more.

“Don’t you want this?” she said, breaking their kiss. A frown creased her brow.

“Oh aye. I’m going to prove to you just how much in our chamber,” he breathed. “But I want you to show me what you like. Take your pleasure from me.”

She nibbled on her kiss-swollen lower lip. “I like it when you kiss my neck,” she said tentatively.

Immediately, he lowered his head to the slim column of her neck and let his tongue and lips play across her skin. She inhaled and shuddered slightly.

“And I like it when you touch me here,” she breathed, moving one of his hands to cup her breast.

He swished his thumb over its peak and felt her nipple harden through the thick wool of her dress.

Her head fell back under his kisses and touches. He gripped her bottom with his other hand, holding her hips against his as she grew increasingly aroused.

“I don’t think we’re going to make it to my chamber,” he said huskily against her neck. She moaned in response, rubbing against his already-hard cock, which was pressed into her stomach.

Suddenly he bent and scooped her up with a hand behind each knee so that her legs wrapped around his torso. She gasped in surprise and clung to his neck as he strode to the large wooden chair that stood behind his desk. With one foot, he kicked the chair away from the desk. Then he sat down with her straddling him.

“Can we…?” Her voice was surprised and unsure but also breathy with desire.

“I promised we’d do some exploring, didn’t I? Now, where were we?”

He brought his mouth back to her neck and nibbled his way up to her ear, which earned him another moan from her. He loosened the laces at the back of her dress just enough to pull the woolen garment down her shoulders and past her breasts. Then he moved his mouth lower to capture one of her nipples, which were rosy underneath the material of her chemise.

As he sucked and laved her nipple through her chemise, she intuitively ground her pelvis against his cock. Holy hell, he would spill his seed inside his kilt if this went on much longer.

With a growl of impatience, he yanked up her skirts, chemise and all, and quickly pushed his pleated kilt out of the way.

She inhaled with surprise at the sudden contact of their lower bodies. The head of his cock brushed against her damp curls, and he nearly cursed in pleasurable agony.

Forcing himself to go slowly, he raised her hips slightly and pressed the tip of his cock against her opening. Resisting the urge to thrust up into her roughly, he lowered her gradually so that he inched inside one ragged breath at a time.

She threw her head back as he filled her, thrusting her breasts toward his face. He couldn’t resist. He took her other nipple into his mouth, and he could feel her quake with pleasure.

He was finally inside her to the hilt, and he willed himself to stay still and allow her body to adjust to his size. Even though he remained motionless, she was breathing heavily, and her hands were like talons on his shoulders.

She moaned in delicious frustration as he continued to work his mouth over her breasts. Then she rocked her hips slightly and he thought he would come completely undone.

“That’s it, lass,” he groaned. “Take what you like. Take your pleasure.”

Even though his body screamed to lay her back on his desk and thrust into her hard and fast, he wanted even more from her. He wanted to give her control, to show her that he trusted her.

She rolled her hips again, then again, finding the motion and rhythm she liked. He clenched his jaw, fighting to hold himself at bay for as long as he could.

Her breaths were coming faster now as she rose up and sank down onto his shaft, riding him. Unable to resist, his hips began moving in time with hers, driving even deeper into her.

That sent her over the edge. Her head fell back and her fiery hair spilled over her bare shoulders as she cried out, pleasure claiming her.

As the tidal wave of release ebbed within her, it fully crashed over him. He gripped her hips, pulling her down hard into his lap as his body was racked with his release.

Their breaths mingled as they both slowly came back down from the heights of pleasure.

“That was…unexpected,” she said with an airy chuckle.