The Bewitching Twin (18 page)

A
liss left Rogan behind in the woods. She had walked a good distance and had been nearing the edge of the woods when her pace finally slowed to a crawl. She was worn out more from her constant doubts than anything else.

“Do not put more of a distance between us.” Rogan said, coming up so quietly behind her that he startled her.

“It is not I who have placed the gap there.”

“Perhaps, but you can begin to close the gap if only you will let me into your heart. I will not hurt you again, I promise. Forgive me and let us start anew.”

She wanted to believe him, Lord, how she wanted to believe him.

He stepped up against her back and wrapped his arms gently around her then squeezed tight. “I don’t want to let you go. I love the feel of you in my arms, your fresh scent in my nostrils, the taste of you on my lips.”

“I have work—”

“It can wait,” Rogan said, and lovingly stroked her neck.

“You do not know that.”

“If the work was that important you would not have accepted my invitation to walk in the woods.”

“Let me go, please.”

“Are you certain?”

Her heart thudded madly in her chest. His tender touch, his warm breath against her skin, the strength of him wrapped around her, his asking forgiveness made her want to scream.
No, I’m not certain about anything
.

Instead, she nodded.

Rogan released her, his hand slowly drifting off her neck, tickling her skin until gooseflesh rushed down her arm.

She hurried off to her cottage before he could tempt her with another word or touch. The door to her cottage always remained open, an invitation to enter to all those seeking her skills. This time, however, she closed it behind her.

Work was not on her mind, Rogan was. He had penetrated her defenses in more ways than one. The flowers she had grown accustomed to receiving from him, their unplanned escapes, his kindness and the intimacy she longed to once again share with him.

He had made her fall in love more deeply with him without her even realizing it and the thought nearly broke down all her defenses.

He had wooed her and it looked as if he might be on the verge of winning the bargain with time still left to him. And yet, the memory of that day her family arrived to rescue her haunted her. If he loved her so very much, why hadn’t he negated his ransom demand?

A gentle rap on the door shattered her musings and she bade the caller enter.

Anna peeked her head in. “With the door closed I thought you might be resting.”

“Seeking a bit of solitude.”

“I can leave—”

“No,” Aliss said and waved her in. “I am sick of my own company.”

Anna laughed and opened the door wide. “Then let the sun and the beautiful day visit with you.”

The sun’s light spilled across her workstation and rushed over her, hugging her with its warmth and making her smile.

“I wanted to make sure you were all right.” Anna walked over to the table. “It’s not like you to close your door.”

“I am fine.”

“You’re not feeling well?” Raynor asked upon entering.

“I am fine,” she repeated more firmly.

“Good, for I wish to visit with my sister.”

Anna was quick to take her leave, giving them time alone.

“I have enjoyed my visit with you thus far. I needed to see for myself if you were happy.”

“Am I?” She asked the question of her brother but it was a query she needed to answer herself.

Raynor pulled out a chair from the table and straddled it. “In all honesty, I needed to get past my own misconceptions before I could see the truth.”

“How so?”

He gave a brief laugh. “I believed I came to rescue you as you once did me. I thought you were a prisoner here.”

“Had Fiona helped plant the thought in your head?”

“She might have, but my own thoughts served me well enough. The Wolf had attacked Hellewyk land, injured Tarr, and of course, the worst of his offenses, he had abducted my sister. There was reason enough to hate him.”

“Have you now changed your mind?”

“Thanks to Rogan.” He nodded and laughed. “The perplexed look on your face tells me I should explain.”

“Please do.”

“When I learned of the bargain between you two, I, like Fiona, thought it a ruse, a way to keep his precious land by convincing you that he actually loved you. My own plan was to observe Rogan’s lies for myself and help you see them as well. Then I would take you home with me.”

“It hasn’t worked that way?”

“After a couple of days here, I knew the situation wasn’t what I had thought. By week’s end, having watched Rogan with you, I knew the man was besotted.” His laughter filled the room. “Actually, it did my heart good to know that my sister has tamed the mighty Wolf.”

“I have not,” she protested, not believing him.

“Oh, come now, Aliss, you must see for yourself how much he loves you. Everyone else sees it; even my men do and find it quite humorous. He picks flowers for you, for goodness’ sake.”

She looked away from her brother. Had she been so lost in the hurt and pain of Rogan’s betrayal that she refused to see that he had truly loved her all along? That love had caught him off guard as it had done to her?

“Aliss,” Raynor said gently.

She turned back to him. “You
have
rescued me, brother.”

“You do not realize how much he loves you, do you?”

“No. I was too busy feeling sorry for myself.”

“That does not sound like you.”

“I’m afraid I don’t know myself anymore.”

Raynor grinned. “Love has a way of doing that to people. Besides, you have time left to work through your feelings; after all, a bargain is a bargain. And Rogan does need punishment for betraying you, though I daresay he’s probably suffering miserably right now. Let him suffer a bit more. It will do him good, and when you’re ready, release the man from his self-inflicted prison.”

Raynor stood. “And don’t forget, little sister, to forgive yourself. Foolishness didn’t get you in this position, love did, and love will get you out of it.”

Aliss sprang off her chair and flung her arms around him. “Thank you for rescuing me.”

He hugged her back. “You’re most welcome, though don’t expect me to leave anytime soon. I do not want to see cranky Fiona unless you’re standing beside me.”

They both laughed and Raynor left, leaving her to think on her newfound knowledge.

Raynor voiced what she had known but was only beginning to acknowledge. Hearing that her husband loved her from her brother somehow validated what she was slowly coming to realize. Rogan had worked hard to demonstrate his love and in a shorter time than she had expected. To know that he had always loved her filled her with a sense of joy and relief. But what of his betrayal?

She wasn’t quite ready to forgive Rogan for that. A few things still needed to be made right in her mind, the ransom demand for one and this isle, the other. She had a feeling that the history of this place could reveal much, especially about Rogan.

Her musings were interrupted throughout the afternoon by people needing tending. She then spent the remainder of her time replenishing her stock of salves and potions.

Her neck began to ache from stooping over the table and she rubbed at her tense muscles as she raised her head.

She jumped and gasped at the shadow with glowing green eyes that filled the open doorway. She blinked, and when she looked again her husband stood there.

She reached out to him and he rushed to her side.

She wrapped her arms around his waist and buried her face in his chest.

“What is wrong?”

“I must be tired. My eyes play tricks on me,” she said, keeping her cheek to his chest, his earthy scent a balm to her senses.

“I knew I should have come sooner for you, but the few times I passed by, you appeared so busy I did not wish to disturb you.”

“I am finished now,” she said, not wanting to remain alone in the cottage.

“Good, then I do not have to take you away from your work.”

“No, I go willingly,” she admitted, though she was not willing to be torn away from him. She felt safe tucked against him, even more so now that she knew he loved her. Not that she planned to admit it to him; there was time left for that.

“You shiver,” he said and wrapped himself more tightly around her.

She trembled, slowly releasing all the barriers she had erected and allowing his love to begin to seep deep into her heart.

“When you are ready, we can go,” he said.

She took a deep breath, drinking in his love so that it could nourish her heart and soul. Her body, however, grumbled for substantial nourishment.

“You are hungry.”

“So my stomach tells me.” She laughed and looked up at him. “And you?”

“Starving.”

After blowing out the candles and shutting the door, they walked hand in hand to the keep. The hall was empty; the clan members occupied their own cottages now that the repairs had been finished.

“Where are Raynor and his men?” she asked, turning her head as if to catch them lurking in the dark corners.

“With Derek and some of the other men. We have the keep to ourselves tonight.”

The thought suddenly appealed to her. She had so enjoyed making love with him when she believed they loved each other. She had continued to lust for him but it meant nothing without love and so she had denied him her passion. Now she knew he loved her and she had never stopped loving him, so why not—

She smiled softly, feeling the weight of the heaviest of barriers drift away. Her body sprang to life, her skin tingled, and her nipples hardened.

“You are quiet,” he said as they climbed the stairs.

“I grow tired,” she said, bed suddenly appealing to her.

“We will eat and rest.” He pushed the door to their bedchamber open with his shoulder, entered and nudged it closed with his foot. “Then we can go to bed.”

A
liss sat at the table spread with platters of food and found her appetite waning. Her thoughts were on a completely different type of nourishment.

“Is something on your mind, Aliss?” Rogan asked with concern.

“No.”

He laughed. “You sit there chewing on your lower lip when there is much more appetizing food on the table.”

“I can’t decide what I want.” That was no lie. Did she start with his appetizing lips or go straight for the main dish?

“I know what you like, I’ll choose it for you,” he offered and reached out to spear a slice of meat.

He certainly did know what she liked and she almost shivered with the memories of their lovemaking.

She picked at the food he had piled on her plate, not at all interested in it.

Rogan leaned back in his chair. “What’s wrong? You sit silently, moving your food around, not eating a thing. Something is obviously on your mind.”

He was right about that.

“Want to share it with me?”

She did, but it would make no sense that all of a sudden she was willing to make love with him. It didn’t even make sense to her, but then her desire for him had never waned. Love had been the missing ingredient.

However, she wasn’t ready to forgive him so easily. Besides, she liked the way he had courted her and wouldn’t mind it continuing for a while.

“You’re still upset over our talk in the woods, aren’t you?”

She had been, but no more. “I admit it has been on my mind.”

“Is there anything I can do to ease those concerns?”

Make love to me.

She shook her head. The thought was crazy. She couldn’t just jump into bed with him—and what? Forgive him? Start fresh? Begin to love again?

Or forget everything just for one night and
love
?

She pushed her plate aside and leaned her arms on the table. “Tell me
why
you fell in love with me.”

He stared at her a moment, rubbed the back of his neck then shook his head. “I’ve asked myself the same question over and over, and over and over I get different answers.”

“Do you now? Why is that?”

“Because I find more reasons to fall in love with you each day.”

Her heart fluttered, her breath caught, and she sighed softly. “You are good at wooing a woman.”

“I am good at wooing the woman I love,” he corrected.

“Woo me some more,” she said, aware that the more he professed his love the more she desired him.

“You are easy to love.”

That surprised her. “I sometimes think myself selfish, always involved in my work.”

“Your work is important to you. A husband who truly loves his wife would understand and allow her to be who she is. I love
who
you are, and your work makes you even more appealing. I love the way you become excited over the simplest things, like discovering the fern earlier. I will never grow tired of exploring the woods with you.”

Her heart melted with every word.

“I also admired tremendously your attempt to escape my men when first they captured you. You dared to take a chance in the dark of night, in unfamiliar terrain, your wrists bound and your mouth gagged.”

“I was terrified.”

“I would not have known it. When I tossed you over my shoulder I sensed only your resolve to escape and I knew if I let you go, you would attempt to flee again. So I held on to you, as I continue to do.”

“You make me think that perhaps that gap between us should be bridged, at least a little.”

“I will settle for a little, for now.”

“You don’t intend to give up, do you?” she asked.

“Never,” he said, pounding the table once. “I will make certain you know that I love you every day of my life, now and always.”

Her defenses vanished completely.

“You make it easy for a woman to love you,” she said, and hurried from the table to stand in front of the cold hearth.

He came up behind her as she hoped he would and slipped his arm around her waist to ease her back against him.

“I know that you love me; believe that I love you, if only for tonight,” he whispered near her ear and kissed her temple.

She turned in his arms and brushed her fingers faintly over his lips. “Tonight, I believe,” she confessed in a murmur.

She touched his lips again, lingering along the bottom one before she nibbled it gently then pleaded in a whisper, “Love me.”

“Always,” he said, and captured her lips.

She liked that he took his time tasting and savoring. It seemed forever since they had lingered in a kiss. He teased her bottom lip with nibbles and bites then devoured her lips once again.

“Damn, but I love you,” he whispered against her mouth, scooped her up in his arms and carried her to bed.

He deposited her on the bed, and she smiled as she watched him disrobe. He had a splendid body, all taut, sleek muscles, and his movements were like those of a stalking wolf, slow and determined.

But this time she wasn’t his prey; she was his mate.

She smiled and stretched her arms out to him.

He returned to the bed, kneeling beside her to undo her leather belt and toss it to the floor. She relished the feel of his warm fingers pulling her blouse free of her skirt and working their way beneath to gently fondle her flesh. He pushed the blouse up to expose her breasts to his eager mouth.

She moaned when he rolled his tongue repeatedly over one nipple then the other, turning them so hard they ached. Then he went back and suckled each one until she panted breathless beneath him.

His hands drifted to her waistband and he inched her skirt down over her hips, his lips nibbling along her tingling flesh. It felt good, so very good, and she didn’t want him to stop. She knew his intentions, and when he discarded her skirt, she spread her legs in welcome.

She gasped when his hands captured her bottom and brought her up to meet his mouth. No sooner had he run his tongue intimately over her than she felt her passion soar beyond reason and her senses explode.

She was lost in the labyrinth of their lovemaking, neither able to find her way out nor wanting to.

She could taste the sweat of her passion thick and salty on her lips. She reached down and stroked the silky length of him and then grabbed hold and squeezed, feeling his desire pulsate in her hand. He was her husband and she wanted him more than she ever thought possible.

She arched up to accept him and guide him into her, but he moved her hand off him. Then he swung her legs up to rest against his chest, grabbed hold of her backside and inched himself slowly inside her.

She sighed when he finally settled fully within her then shocked her when he swiftly withdrew only to begin again. She grasped hold of his taut arms, the muscles bulging from the exertion of his position, but he didn’t budge. He held firm and worked his way in and out of her, sending her into a frenzy of mad desire.

She cried out his name, she cried out for him to stop, and then she cried out for him to never stop. Her body was being battered with lovemaking and she ached for every pleasurable plunge.

Her eyes widened when he suddenly stopped, moved them both down in the bed, and with one hand lifted her head to place a pillow beneath it.

She hadn’t realized her head had been hitting the wall, but he had.

She reached out to him and urged him down on top of her.

“I am so very lucky to have found you,” he whispered.

“I agree,” she said, and as she claimed his lips, he claimed her.

She arched and he pulled back and soon the rhythm was set, their tempo fast and furious. Time stood still as Aliss felt the force of first one climax then another hit her and ripple repeatedly throughout her body.

She had barely regained her senses when she felt Rogan groan and knew his pleasure was close at hand. She thrust her hips against him, keeping their rhythm strong, and before she knew it, she felt her own passion return and build uncontrollably deep inside her.

She never expected to—

The climax hit them like a rushing wave, knocking them completely senseless. They held on to each other until the very last ripple of their lovemaking had faded.

Rogan collapsed alongside Aliss and she reached out and took hold of his hand.

Speech wasn’t possible—their breathing was still labored from their lovemaking—so silence reigned. That was all right with Aliss. She enjoyed lingering in the afterglow of their passion.

He finally turned on his side and, with a smile, reached out and pushed her damp hair off her face. “I love you.”

She sighed.
I know
.