Rise of a Legend (Guardian of Scotland Book 1) (15 page)

Making a competition of it, he showed them how to build strength by tossing the caber—a very long tree trunk as heavy as a man. He made them stand in a crouch, holding enormous boulders until their thighs could take no more. He ran them, forcing the men to leap over logs and dance between the trees as if each protruding branch were an attacking English spearman.

William stopped only once to take a swig of water. Over the top of his cup, he watched Eva carry a sloshing bucket toward the cave with both hands. She glanced at him and smiled with a subtle nod. His heart leapt. Och aye, that wee gesture could give him enough verve to last the entire day. Bless it, she made him want to beat his chest and bellow—and right out in the open she could beguile him so subtly, none were the wiser.

Indeed, few women would ken to mind their own affairs when the men were hard at work, and William appreciated her taking the initiative to help Brother Bartholomew. Perhaps he had chosen right to allow her to stay—for the now.

He chuckled and took another drink. If Eva had been a man, he would have made her a lieutenant. They needed someone who could organize the men and take charge, but aside from her gender, Wallace had seen her blanch at the sight of a blade more than once. She’d even told him of her nightmares. No, the woman was best kept beside the cooking fires or in the cave with her quill. Besides, now he’d realized she was no witch, but had the gift of sight, William kent she’d be of use. And thanks to Robbie Boyd, the men had already accepted her.

But why had he? She still posed a quandary—so many secrets—so many unanswered questions. Did it matter? Mayhap not when they were alone.

The lass disappeared into the cave. Aye, he liked having her near—not that he’d boast about that actuality to anyone.

William had been back from Renfrew for a couple of weeks when Eva hastened back to the clearing with a camphor-smelling clump of yellow tansy in her hand. It had been drizzling all day, but now the sun had moved to the western horizon, the clouds parted to reveal a violet sky.

Across the clearing, William caught her eye.

The men had stopped sparring for the day, and he stood frozen, as if seeing her for the first time.

Pushing an errant lock of hair under her veil, she glanced sideways. No one else mulling about seemed to notice William’s intently focused attention. She gave him a questioning look—it was unusual for him to pay her much attention away from the alcove. Usually he was deep in conversation with his inner circle or training the new recruits. Only behind the deerskin shroud of the alcove did she command his full attention, and in their quiet space very little was said, yet very much was expressed.

In the fortnight since the first time they’d made love, she’d grown to prefer things being passionate but not too open, especially given
her
past and
his
future.

Striding directly toward her, William’s intense expression didn’t change. He clasped his fingers around her wrist. “Come.”

Eva held up the tansy. “Brother Bartholomew wanted this to keep the mosquitoes out of the cave.”

His dark stare slipped from her eyes to her breasts. William snatched the bouquet from her grasp and dropped it near a tree. “Ye can take the flowers to him later.”

The rumble of his deep growl made shooting heat sear between Eva’s legs—so intense her reaction, her knees nearly gave out—right there in the clearing with others about. How this man could make her melt with a stare and a few gruff words, she’d never understand. Wallace embodied raw male—passionate, intense and powerful.

Eva had never been one to fall for the alpha type. But, Lord, this attraction defied all sensibility.

He moved his hand and laced his fingers through hers. Long, powerful fingers roughened by hours and hours of training pulled Eva down the path to the river, not forcibly, but with conviction, demanding she follow.

She hastened her step to keep pace with him. “Is everything all right?”

“Aye.”

Not much for words tonight, I see
. “Where are we going?”

He glanced back with that same dark glint in his eye. “Where I can gaze on your bonny face without a mob of rebels surrounding us.”

Her heart fluttered. “But it’s nearly dark.”

“Not to worry. We’ll be there afore the light’s gone.”

He pulled her a distance down the shore and together they climbed a craggy outcropping. At the top, the ground was flat, covered by a cushion of moss. Above, more green moss draped from the canopy of trees with sunlight streaming through and flickering as if the fairies had prepared a haven solely for them.

He stopped and smoothed his hands over her shoulders. “Here.”

She gazed up at his handsome face. Intent, starved, determined—with a look he could express so much. The hardened warrior she saw during daylight hours stared at her like a wolf, but not as he regarded his opponents. He looked at her with penetrating intensity, his mouth slightly parted, his chest rising and falling with every breath.

Barely able to breathe, Eva’s tongue slipped across her lips.

He moved a bit closer. “Every time ye walk past, I want ye. Your scent sends my insides into a maelstrom of need.”

She closed her eyes and drew out the moment, wishing he’d say that again. Oh, how delectable to listen to a medieval Scotsman declare his desire. A wry grin turned up the corners of her mouth, and she circled her finger around the center of his chest—ah yes, he’d taken off his hauberk and arming doublet. Only a thin slip of linen lay between her fingers and his muscular flesh—did he have any idea what his exquisitely toned body did to a woman?

Eva’s tongue slipped to the corner of her mouth as she untiled the bow and loosened his shirt laces. William’s breathing grew more labored.

With a throaty chuckle, she lifted the hem of his shirt, but William finished the motion, whipping it over his head and casting it aside. His bold fervor heightened the stirring in Eva’s panties. “You notice me when you’re working with the men?” Her fingers trembled as she traced the defined muscles rippling over his abdomen, her need moving from simmering to a rolling boil.

He yanked her into his arms with unmitigated strength—forceful, but not quite savage. She liked it—a hint of danger with a surge of passion. “I ken when ye are within a mile, lass.”

Rocking her hips forward, his erection drove into her mons. With a soft moan, she swirled against him, desperate for more intimacy.

Powerless to resist his advances, Eva’s knees buckled as he crushed his mouth over hers. This wasn’t a deep, exploring, sultry kiss like the many they’d shared in the cave. This was a claiming, fervent expression of passion that demanded a response in kind. All she could do was hold on and mirror every swirl of his tongue, every little suck, every deep, guttural moan.

Ignited by the bone-melting fire that spread between her hips and up through the tips of her breasts, she cupped his face with her hands while he eased her down to the bed of moss.

Kneeling, her fingers fumbled with his chausses while he untied the front of her kirtle and shift. Slipping his hand inside, he pushed beneath her bra and cupped her breast, teasing his finger over her sensitive, hard nipple. Heaven help her, how on earth could this man be so virile?

With one last tug, she released the ties, shoved down his woolen chausses and his braies with them. Beautiful, long and hard as an oak branch, William growled and covered her mouth with another mind-claiming kiss. Every sinew in her body shuddered as he ground his exposed flesh against her.

Eva’s thighs trembled with need as she arched her hips against him. “I want you.”

“I need ye as much as I need the air I breathe,” he growled with a breathless burr.

William tugged up her skirts and he tore down her panties. In a fluid motion he lifted her with one arm and laid her on the exquisitely soft bed of nature. Naked, potent, he held himself above her.

Their gazes locked.

She could take no more.

Reaching down, Eva smoothed her fingers along his shaft and guided him into her. His breath trembled as he slowed the pace, allowing her time to adjust to his size. Needing him deeper, she sank her fingers into his solid buttocks and demanded he speed his thrusts as if their very lives depended on their joining.

The desire in his eyes connected them as if their very souls passed through their bodies. Wetting his lips he devoured her mouth as he made love to her with languid strokes—controlling the pace—controlling her.

Mind-consuming passion flowed through Eva’s every nerve ending. Fierce and hot, William could make her soar to the stars and hover there until sweet release finally allowed her to drift to a place of blissful inner peace.

***

As the weeks passed, Eva continued to settle into a routine. With so many mouths to feed, and more arriving by the day, there was never a lack of something to do. She journaled in the mornings, then spent the majority of her days helping Brother Bartholomew with what she called administrative tasks. He wasn’t only the cook. No taller than five-foot-two, the little monk played the role of chief healer as well. Though she’d never done anything aside from applying antibiotic ointment and a Band-Aid, by necessity she applied herself to learning medieval healing arts—some of which were surprisingly effective—and others—well, Eva figured there was always the power of the placebo effect.

Stealing a moment’s rest, she climbed the hill overlooking the clearing. A few days ago, she’d done the same while the men still practiced. At that time, she’d made the decision to do a little training herself. One thing she knew for certain—their time in Leglen Wood was nearing an end. She posed as Wallace’s woman there, but outside their small community, who knew what dangers she’d face? And truth be told, Eva preferred being outside the dank cave whenever possible.

William’s routine had become predictable as well. Daily he trained with the men until the sun set. He took the evening meal with his inner circle—the men who always stood beside him, rode with him—the most trusted and most talented warriors. Though his gaze would meet hers across the fire and linger, Wallace still rarely ever spoke to Eva unless behind the furs in the alcove.

She chuckled. The great legend changed from hardened warrior to ravenous lover behind the privacy shrouds. Eva almost liked it that way. She couldn’t fall in love with him—lust, yes. But the everlasting-get-married-have-your-babies kind of love? She couldn’t begin to allow herself to consider it.

Never
.

Even though she was living and breathing in thirteenth century Scotland, one day she must return home. She might stay a year and that would be it. The end. The grand sayonara and,
poof
, she’d be gone.

Heated stares across the campfire Eva could handle.

Unbridled passion with an incredibly hot seven hundred-year-old Highlander in the middle of the night?
Mm Yeah. Bring it on
.

Mad declarations of love from a Don Juan?
No. Possible. Way
.

With William, she could remain anonymous, her past life hidden beneath the rock in the alcove alongside her satchel.

Eva reached the hill’s summit and gazed over the throng of activity. William and the swordsmen sparred with their deadly sharp weapons flashing in the sunlight. John Blair’s group was busy fashioning longer pikes. Eva shuddered. She didn’t want to guess at what they’d be used for. Edward Little and the archers had quite a setup of targets—some of the men who were wealthy enough to own a horse practiced firing from horseback. Then there were the workers who hunted, set snares, chopped wood and fetched water among other chores.

William blew his ram’s horn four times per day. With each sounding, the groups would change—that way no one ended up saddled with the same tasks day-in and day-out. A certain harmony beat like a heart among the men. If only they could remain like this and let the War of Independence pass them by.

With a sigh, Eva stepped away from the summit and picked up a good sized boulder. Holding it in front of her chest, she performed leg crunches, just like William did with the men. She also added some additional exercises to her routine, similar to those she’d learned in the weight room when training with the team at NYU.

Funny. People in her time went to gyms to stay in shape—at least city folk did. They never had to worry about waking up to the enemy pillaging their homes and attacking their families. New Yorkers and Edinburghers alike didn’t till fields with hand tools, or hunt for their evening meal—butcher their own meat—brew their own ale.

Eva picked up a stick and lunged, thrusting it forward. Last time up on the hill she’d practiced with an imaginary sword, but now wanted something sturdy to hold in her hand. Sharp weapons still gave her the willies, even though she’d been surrounded by them for weeks. Though she hadn’t yet convinced herself to carry a knife, she might need to defend herself here in medieval Scotland more than anyplace she’d ever been.

Having watched enough of William’s lessons, Eva worked through the exercises, imagining a sparring partner opposite.

“Thinking to ask Willy to let ye join the resistance?”

Eva nearly jumped out of her skin at the sound of the rumbling voice behind her. She whirled around. “Father Blair? You startled me.”

He drew his palms together and tapped his fingers to his lips, his grey eyes calculating. “I saw ye venture up this way. Thought mayhap it would be an opportunity to talk.”

“Oh?” She’d been bothered by his cautious stares and on numerous occasions. It didn’t take a nickname of seer to know he didn’t trust her—even if he did enjoy her singing. Squeezing her stick at her side, she returned his pointed stare. “Is something weighing on your mind?”

“Aye, there is.” He wasn’t an attractive man. Aside from shaving the top of his head like a monk, he had a narrow face and a long angular nose to match.

She looked at him expectantly. The priest certainly didn’t remind her of any holy man she’d ever met. But then monks in the Middle Ages weren’t only clerics. Some were warriors—like the Hospitallers and the Templars. She stepped toward him. “You and William studied together, correct?”

“Aye.”

“But he did not take his vows and you did. Why is that?”

“I didna come up here to give ye a lesson on Willy’s past.”

His gruff response brought no surprise. After waiting a few uncomfortable seconds, Eva turned and continued with her exercises. Lunging, she jabbed the stick forward.

Blair snatched her wrist and the stick dropped to the ground. “I want to ken why ye are here.”

Eva tried to wrench away, but he held fast. “You’re hurting me,” she hissed.

“Ye havena answered.”

If she told Blair she was from the future, he’d have her tied to the stake and burned before sunset. And if William didn’t buy her story, this guy had no chance. She stopped struggling. “Aside from having no other place to go, I’ve remained to help the patriots in any way I can. I wish no harm upon William or anyone else.” She glared at the fingers wrapped around her wrist. “You, however, I’m not entirely certain about.”