Loved By a Warrior (27 page)

He continued watching her, and, when finally he heard a slight snore, he smiled. He leaned over and kissed her softly on the cheek and whispered as he had done before while she slept, “I love you. I will always love you.”

Chapter 29

T
ara struggled with the two buckets of snow. How she would love a good soak in tempered water. She'd been washing with the melted snow for the last few days, and while it served the purpose well enough, she longed for a soak.

She plunked the buckets down in front of the door, the snow gobbling them up to the bottom rim reminding her that several inches had fallen since their arrival. And though the snow had stopped yesterday, she couldn't say she was pleased. It meant that departure was imminent, at least for one of them.

The door suddenly swung open, and Reeve greeted her completely naked.

“You left me to wake alone,” he said with feigned sadness.

Tara looked him up and down and smiled. “And you woke in your usual state, the cold not shriveling you a bit.”

“It's you who keeps him at attention,” he teased, and swiped the two buckets up before retreating completely inside.

Tara followed, admiring his taut backside and rock-solid legs. She smiled, closing the door behind her. Before she could turn, Reeve cozied up behind her, his arms wrapping her snugly against him.

“We should go back to bed,” he said, nibbling at her ear.

“You're tired?”

“And you're funny,” he said, turning her around in his arms.

He went to kiss her, and she stopped him. “I need to wash though I would much prefer a good soak.”

“If I provide a good soak for you, will you spend the rest of the day in bed with me?”

She knew he teased by his grin though she also knew that a good portion of the day would be spent in bed enjoying each other in so many ways. Whether it was touching, kissing, coupling, laughing, talking, they enjoyed every minute of each other.

“I most certainly will,” she said, though wondering how he would ever accomplish such an unlikely feat.

He gave her a quick kiss. “Give me a minute to get dressed.”

“What are you up to?” she asked skeptically.

“You'll see.” And as soon as he was done, he took hold of her hand and out the door they went.

Reeve stood a moment, as if getting his bearings, and then turned, tugging her behind him. He stopped here and there along the way and gave a quick look around before proceeding with what appeared confidence. In one sense, he appeared to know where he was going, and in another, he wasn't quite sure.

Then suddenly he said, “There it is.”

Tara looked though didn't see anything until they got closer, and then she saw it, an opening to a cave. A bit excited about their mysterious destination, she followed along eagerly. At first, upon entering, it seemed like any cave until they proceeded deeper inside, the yawning-wide cave producing enough light to follow the twist and turn that lay ahead. Then a turn that led into a narrow passageway lit with dusklike light, followed by another turn that had her stopping suddenly and staring in shock.

It opened on a cavern, light from beneath the water illuminating the place and steam rising from the water.

Tara clapped her hands, and her face lit with pure joy. She grabbed Reeve's face, and said, “You wonderful, wonderful man. I adore you.” She kissed him quick and then almost ripped off her clothes, so eager was she to soak in the water.

“Be careful,” he cautioned. “Bliss warned that the water can get hot.”

Tara tested it with her foot and sighed with pleasure. “It's perfect.” Anxious to be fully submerged, she hurried in, the water greedily devouring her up past her breasts.

Reeve was beside her in no time, groaning with pleasure as he dunked himself to his neck. “This is—”

“Heaven,” Tara finished. “Bliss told you of this place?”

He nodded. “I had forgotten about it until you told me you wanted a soak. Bliss had told me you might want to bathe and that there was a perfect place for it near her home.”

“Bless her,” Tara said, and dove beneath the water. She came up with a cheerful jump, her hair soaked through.

“Soap,” Reeve said.

Tara laughed. “I wish.”

Reeve wrapped his arm around her waist and pulled her close. “I can make wishes come true.”

Tara chuckled. “Bliss told you where she keeps the soap.”

“I prefer to think of it as me making your wishes come true.”

Her smile faded, and she touched his cheek ever so gently, almost as if she wasn't sure he was real. “You've made so many of my wishes and dreams come true.”

“And I'll make many more come true.”

Her smile returned. “I'll settle for the soap wish right now.”

He laughed, let her go, and left the water to retrieve the soap from behind a small outcropping of rocks, tossing it to her before he joined her once again.

Tara caught it and proceeded to scrub her hair with sheer delight. When she had lathered it good, she passed the soap to Reeve.

“I can help scrub you if you'd like?”

She chuckled again. “I'd never get washed.”

“You know me well.”

As Tara scrubbed, she realized that she had gotten to know Reeve well, except for his involvement with the true king. She knew only bits and pieces of that part of him. And she wondered why. Why hadn't he discussed it with her?

And so she asked, “Tell me of your missions for the true king.”

He stopped scrubbing. “I cannot. And before you think it is because I don't trust you, it isn't. My missions must remain secret for the good of the king and for your own protection. You must trust me on this.”

“I do,” she said without hesitation.

“You believe me so easily?”

“You are an honorable man. I see no reason to believe otherwise.”

“That tells me much about you,” he said with a satisfied smile.

“Which is why I inquired about your missions. I want to know everything about you.”

“Someday I will tell you all.”

She hoped that day would come; she hoped that this time spent together was not the only time they would have. That they would, as Reeve promised, grow old together.

“What do you think of the true king?” he asked.

“I had believed the prophecy no more than a myth at first, or perhaps it was because I didn't believe there was someone strong enough to overthrow the present king. Then I began to hear people grumbling, my father among them. King Kenneth was demanding too much from his people and giving nothing in return, not even to those who had helped him gain the throne.”

“Then you began to believe?”

“I began to hope that perhaps there was a man wiser and more powerful who could give the people what they needed, what they yearned for—a fair and honest leader.”

“Not an easy task with the different kings who demand more than their share,” Reeve said.

“My father being one of them, though presently he has more money than the king, not that he would want that known.”

“King Kenneth must have suspected as much if he arranged to wed you.”

“A fear that had my father worried,” she admitted.

“And so he gives his only daughter to the king in fear of losing his fortune and in fear of the curse he had brought down on her,” Reeve grumbled. “I should have beaten him when I had the chance.”

He reached out and took hold of her. “You belong to me now, and no one—
no one
—will ever take you from me.”

He said it with such fervor that, at that very moment, Tara believed him. Or was it that she wished to believe him? Regardless, she wanted more than anything for his words to be true.

She reached out and touched his lips ever so gently. “I wish–” She smiled. “I've already been granted my wish.”

He didn't smile. Instead, passion soared in his eyes, and he kissed her.

They came together in a frenzied heat though Reeve took command, and Tara surrendered. His hands glided over her wet body, touching every part of her, as if laying claim to her, branding her his.

He took her fast and furiously, and she didn't object. She wanted him as much as he did her, and she had no patience to wait. Her climax was so explosive that she cried out, her shout bouncing off the cavern walls and echoing back at her.

Spent, her head dropped to his shoulder, and there she rested until she calmed, regaining control. He began to walk out of the water with her in his arms.

“No,” she protested. “I don't want to leave yet.”

“Neither do I,” he said, and settled down in the water, letting the heat cover them like a warm blanket.

He liked that she wanted to linger in the serenity of this moment, this place, and forget that anything outside of it existed. There were just the two of them, and this time to love freely and safely. And they did. They lingered in the cavern, talking, making love, and enjoying the silent moments that crept over them from time to time.

Neither one of them wanted to leave, but Reeve pointed out, “We have yet to eat.”

Tara laughed. “I was thinking the same.”

They hurried out of the water, Tara using her shift to dry herself and then giving it to Reeve. They dressed and, hand in hand, left the cave. Their steps were brisk though slowed as they grew nearer the cottage.

Tara knew what he thought, for no doubt her thoughts mirrored his. They both worried that someone would be waiting for them. And their time together would be done. He would have to leave, or they both would be forced to depart and once again meet their fate.

They rounded the bend slowly, and when the cottage came into sight, they both breathed a sigh of relief and hurried forward with smiles.

They were still alone.

A
fter eating a hearty porridge and the last of the dark bread, Reeve was pleased to see that Tara intended to bake more bread. He was content being here with her and was relieved, upon their return to the cottage, to see that no one had come for them. He was hoping for more time with her. He intended for this time to be a fostering of their love. And that the strength of their love would win out against all odds, against that damned curse.

He watched her long, slender fingers work with the grain, adding ingredients, a pinch of this, a smattering of that, and then her fingers worked joining them all together, soft and gentle then hard and forceful.

He jumped up from the chair, moving to stand behind her, his hands slipping down along her arms until they rested at her hands.

“Teach me to work the bread.”

She shuddered against him, and he knew it was from the soft whisper of his breath against her ear. It was so easy to spark her passion; just a simple touch, and he could sense she wanted him. It was the same for him; though a single glance from her could set his loins on fire.

“You truly want this?” she asked.

The soft wispiness of her voice was all he needed to hear to confirm what he had sensed. She wanted him, and she was asking the same of him.

“Truly, I do,” he said with a nibble along her ear.

“Good,” she said firmly. “Go stand on the side of the table.”

“What?” His hands dropped away.

She turned around with a grin. “Go to the other side of the table.” She gave him a push.

“This isn't what—”

“You truly wanted?” Her grin had grown with each word. “Is the warrior too mighty, not humble enough to bake a simple bread, or perhaps he hasn't the wit for it?”

Reeve nodded slowly as his grin grew. “Challenging me, are you?”

“Are you up to it?”

“I'm always up to it.”

“Then the gauntlet is dropped,” she said. “Go to your side of the table.”

He did as she said, rolling up his sleeves as he went.

“I will finish mixing this dough and then separate it into two portions and show you how to knead one of them. Once it's baked, we'll see which one tastes better.”

He watched her add ale to the mixture. “Aha, now I know how you get your bread so tasty.”

“It helps the bread to rise and adds a bit of flavor,” she admitted. “But a good working with the hands also helps produce tasty bread, so let's see who does the best.”

Reeve rubbed his hands together. “I've got good, strong hands.”

“Bread needs caressing,” she said, and ran her hands softly over the mound of dough.

Reeve watched enchanted as her fingers caressed, squeezed, pinched, and rolled, and made the dough respond to her every touch. Damn if he didn't get images of her hands working on him, and damned if his body didn't respond.

When she finally handed him his portion of the dough, he slammed it down on the table. “This is war and I'm going to win and to the victor go the spoils. That means my bread will be the tastier, and, later tonight, your hands will have to caress me as skillfully as they do that dough.”

“And if I win?” she asked, her smile confident. “Then your hands will skillfully caress me?”

“I always skillfully caress you.”

“Only caress, nothing more,” she said.

“Are you trying to rob me of my sanity?”

“You said it yourself, to the victor go the spoils, and to me, the spoils are my whole body being caressed by your strong hands.”

Reeve laughed, shaking his head. “Why argue with you? I'm going to win.”

“Then I have your word that you will simply caress all of me?”

“You do,” he said, and plunged his hands into the dough.

R
eeve spat out the piece of bread, and Tara laughed.

“I don't understand what I did wrong,” he said, reaching for a hunk of Tara's bread. He sighed with pleasure as he chewed it. “Yours is delicious.”

“Because I caressed the dough, not beat it senseless.” She continued to chuckle.

“Laugh,” he warned with a nod. “I'll honor our bargain and do no more than caress you, but remember the bread responded with each and every touch.”

Tara stopped laughing. “Well, I could change my mind along the way.”