Her breath caught when his fingers slipped down into the folds of her skirt and rubbed at her wetness.
It drove her insane with the want of him, and she knew that she didn’t want to wait any longer. She wanted her husband to make love to her here and now, under the night sky, with a sliver of a moon and only a few twinkling stars, and the stillness of the night surrounding them.
With a smile, she turned around in his arms to surrender and was shocked to find him asleep.
T
rey wondered what was wrong. As soon as he woke, he knew that Bliss was annoyed, more than annoyed; she seemed angry. His suspicions were confirmed when he realized she stayed out of his reach when they began their journey for the day.
It was obvious she didn’t intend for him to hold her hand. He only wished he knew what disturbed her and if he was to blame, though he had done nothing but fall asleep, dream about her, and wake up.
So what had gotten her in a snit?
It just wasn’t like her to be annoyed at something and not speak her mind. She had encouraged him to do so when troubled, so why, when something obviously troubled her, didn’t she speak to him about it?
She walked ahead of him, and where usually her steps were light, she now more stomped.
“Women,” he mumbled.
She spun around. “You have something to say, speak up.”
She looked ready for a fight, and he had no intention of obliging her. He simply shook his head.
She turned with a huff and almost stumbled. He was at her side in an instant, his hand reaching for her arm.
She slapped it away. “I can manage myself.”
Trey stepped back, surprised by her terse response.
She continued walking, and he thought it wise to remain walking behind her. When she was ready, she would talk with him and let him know what had her angry. He wished he could sense the problem, but he couldn’t. So he would wait.
Bliss almost stumbled again, and, again, she pushed him away.
She was not watching her steps as keenly as she usually did, and so she suffered for it, but he had no intention of warning her to pay attention.
When she tripped the fourth time, he didn’t bother to offer assistance, and she swung around and glared at him.
“You would let me fall?” she accused.
Trey had had enough. He marched over to her, grabbed her around the waist, and yanked her up hard against him. “Now you will tell me what has you so agitated that you snap at me like a harping wife.”
She poked him in the chest. “You left me tormented, and it haunts me.”
He shook his head. “What do you mean? I’ve done nothing to you.”
She gave him a hard shove, and he released her. She stepped away. “Aye, you’re right about that. You did nothing.”
He went to take hold of her again, and she pushed his hand away.
He would have none of her rejection. He grabbed her around the waist once more though this time he tightened his hold on her. “I will not let you go until you explain.”
Her eyes ignited with fury, but it wasn’t anger he saw in them; it was passion.
“You touched me, made me ache for you, and left me wanting. And now that ache will not leave me.”
He shook his head. “I would remember touching you.”
“How could you?” she said, shaking a finger at him. “When I turned around in your arms, you were asleep and I”—she shook her head—“I was left aching for you.”
He stared at her, bewildered. He didn’t recall touching . . . suddenly he remembered. “I thought it was a dream.”
“It wasn’t,” she said, her voice turning soft. “You touched me like I’ve never been touched. You made me feel things I’ve never felt, and you made me want you like I’d never thought possible.”
He ran his finger gently along her cheek. “I am so sorry. I never meant—”
Her face drained of all anger, though passion still stirred in her eyes. “I am the one who should be sorry. I don’t know what happened to me. I woke angry at you and feeling unsettled. Instead of talking with you, I wanted to . . .”
“Punish me?”
She pressed her hand to his chest, and said softly, “No, I wanted you to finish what you started, but . . .”
“Found it difficult to ask?”
She nodded. “I do not know why. We have talked about many things, and yet I couldn’t bring myself to . . .”
“Ask me to make love to you?”
“I know we are destined to make love, and now is not a good time or place, but why not tell you how I feel?”
“Because you think there is nothing that can be done about it, yet your passion still stirs, and you suffer. It is difficult when passion insists on being satisfied and left untended,” he said. “You should have told me.”
She shrugged and sighed. “What difference would it make? We must—”
He swung her up in his arms before she could finish.
“What are you doing?”
“What I should have done last night . . . satisfy that ache of yours.”
B
liss was torn between her desire for him and guilt for being petulant and causing them to delay their journey. He had a mission, and she had ill people to tend. Why ever had she reacted so badly? It wasn’t like her, yet . . .
She ached for what he could offer, and that ache refused to go away. Every time she looked at him, she thought of last night and how his hands had brought her such pleasure. But was now the time? He had information he had to get to his brothers, and she had an ill child to tend. She should not be thinking of herself.
“We can’t do this,” she said, as he walked to a more secluded area of towering pines.
“Aye, we can,” he said as if there would be no changing his mind.
Sound reason battled with desire, her body traitorously siding with desire and using every weapon it could to win. Tingles raced through her in anticipation, turning her nipples hard, and she was already moist. She wanted him, but then she had wanted him since last night. The ache had not gone away. It had kept her awake most of the night. Until, finally, after what little sleep she did get, she woke annoyed and grew more annoyed when she saw that Trey had not been affected by it at all.
She had wanted to scream, rail at him, then make love with him, but that hadn’t happened. Instead, she had been petulant, like a child who had not gotten her way. And worse . . . she hadn’t cared.
Now, however, she did care. Trey was willing to put aside everything to tend to her here in the middle of the forest. A thrilling thought that excited her all the more, but . . .
“We have no time for this,” she insisted, fighting her body for control.
He kissed her quick. “It shouldn’t take long. A deep lusty kiss, intimate touches, and you will explode with pleasure.”
“And what about you?”
“When I lie between your legs for the first time, it won’t be for a short rut. I intend to take a full night making love to you.”
Why did he have to say that? Her body went wild with thoughts and vivid images that provoked even more traitorous reactions, her nub pulsating so hard that if he simply touched her, she’d burst with pleasure.
“Though don’t think I won’t enjoy what I’m about to do to you,” he said with a smile.
He would take pleasure giving her pleasure.
The thought warmed her heart, not to mention other places it heated. And it also brought her to her senses. As much as her body wished him to pleasure her right now; she wished for them to share it.
She placed her hand to his chest. “I don’t want it this way.”
Trey stopped and cast a questioning glance at her.
“I want a full night of making love with you.”
“But—”
She pressed two fingers to his lips. “It is what I want.”
“Are you sure?”
“Aye, most definitely,” she said while ignoring her body’s pleas to be satisfied.
Trey hesitated, his questioning look telling her that he didn’t quite believe her.
She reinforced her wishes by saying, “Please, Trey, it is what I want.”
“But not necessarily what you need.”
“Perhaps, but it is what I want.”
He placed her gently on her feet, and, with a tender touch to her face, he said, “I will give you this, but you will give me something in return. And I will have your word on it.”
She was hesitant to ask, “What?”
“The next time I touch you intimately in my sleep, you will wake me so that I may finish what I start.”
She smiled. “I promise.”
“Good,” he said, and was about to kiss her but stopped.
“It is better you don’t,” she said. “My desire for you has yet to fade, and I worry that it never will.”
He grinned. “I wouldn’t mind having a wife with that problem.”
She laughed and took his hand and, with a tug, started them walking. “You may tire of my ever-burning passion for you.”
“Somehow I don’t think so,” he said with a laugh.
Soon their pace increased, and they talked no more. With quick, guarded steps and glances, they turned cautious to their surroundings. But it was their eagerness to be done and on their way to Bliss’s home that told the true story, for both knew it would be there where they would make love and possibly seal their vows forever.
A
s Trey and Bliss approached Albert and Teresa’s farm, they both paused with worry. There was no one about, and, for a moment, it looked as if the place was deserted.
Bliss turned to Trey. “Hurry.”
Bliss wasn’t surprised when Trey ran in front of her, shielding her against any possible harm, but it wasn’t necessary though she’d let him see for himself.
His hand was about to draw his sword when the door was flung open, and he stumbled to an abrupt stop.
Philip stood there with a smile, though quickly leaned against the doorframe.
Bliss ran past Trey, her arms stretched out to the lad.
Philip stretched his thin arms out in return, obviously too weak to run to her.
As soon as she reached the lad, she hugged him tight.
“I did it, I did it,” he said. “I woke up just like you told me to,” he said, and hugged Bliss even tighter.
“I knew you could do it,” she said, and gave his hair a tousle.
Teresa stood behind her son, a huge smile on her face, but worry in her eyes, and hurried them all into the cottage. “He woke soon after you left, talking endlessly about Bliss, who helped him find his way home. He is just now getting around, though I tell him he must rest.”
“I rested enough, I did,” the lad said with a laugh.
Bliss sensed that Teresa was eager to talk with them but not in front of her son. “Philip, let me help heal you some more, while your mum feeds Trey. His stomach has been rumbling since morning.”
Trey grinned. “Especially knowing what a tasty cook your mum is, I couldn’t wait to get here.”
She knew he’d understand her intentions, and Philip took her hand, eager not about the healing but to show Bliss the wooden animals his da had carved for him.
Trey kept his voice low, and Teresa filled a bowl with soup that brewed in the cauldron in the fireplace.
“Where is Albert?” Trey asked, taking a seat at the table.
Teresa placed the bowl in front of him and sat. “He gathers the few animals we have. We plan to leave tomorrow and seek protection at the MacAlpin village. It grows too dangerous. Another troop passed here and, thankfully, kept away, seeing Albert. But his ruse can’t last long, and with war on the horizon . . .
Tears gathered in her eyes. “We both fear, now that Philip grows well, the soldiers will take him.”
Trey rested a comforting hand over hers. “You’ve made a wise choice. Tell me where Albert is, and I will help him ready the animals while Bliss helps you.”
Teresa grabbed tight hold of Trey’s hand. “Albert fears the soldiers passing and seeing that we prepare the animals and cart for departure. He has a spot in the woods where he makes everything ready for us.”
Trey nodded and continued to listen as Teresa detailed the directions.
“Explain to Bliss and make ready yourself. You leave today.”
Bliss and Philip entered the room shortly after Trey left.
“He does well,” Bliss said, placing a gentle hand on Teresa’s shoulder. “He also tells me that you are leaving here.”
“We go to stay with the true king for a while,” Philip said happily, and plopped down on the ground in front of the fire to play with his wooden animals.
Teresa nodded, her tears near to spilling.
“Let me help you get ready for your journey,” Bliss said.
Teresa stood and wiped at her eyes before any tears could fall. “I’m grateful for the help.”
Bliss smiled, knowing the woman expressed her gratitude for much more.
They worked together, gathering what was necessary, packing food in baskets and sacks, taking what bedding they could and what little clothes they had.
The door burst open suddenly, and Teresa was quick to stand protectively in front of her son. Trey entered with a young girl no more than six years draped in his arms, looking as if all life had drained from her.
“That’s Mary’s oldest, Deryn,” Teresa said, and hurried to draw back the curtain to the other room.
Trey was quick to place the young girl on the bed and step back as Bliss hurried forward to tend her.
“What happened?” Teresa asked her husband as he stood in the doorway, Philip clinging to his leg with a look of fear.
“She suddenly appeared in front of us, and Trey caught her as she collapsed.”
Bliss studied the young child and, as soon as she laid a hand on her forehead, knew that exhaustion had claimed her. But she also felt strength and determination, so Bliss wasn’t surprised when, after only a few minutes of healing, the child woke.
Her eyes sprang wide. “My mum and sister are sick. They need help.” She began to cry. “I didn’t want to leave them, but I didn’t know what to do.” Tears streamed down her face.
“It’s all right,” Bliss assured her. “We’ll go help your mum.”
Deryn sat up. “I’ll go with you and help.”
Bliss took the young girl’s hand. “You need rest, so you can help your mum and sister when we bring them to you.”
“You’ll bring them here?” Deryn asked eagerly.
Bliss would not lie to the child. She needed the truth so that she would feel safe. “Albert and Teresa are leaving here today, and you will go with them.”
Deryn shook her head, tears continuing to run down her pale cheeks.
Bliss squeezed her hand gently. “Listen to me, Deryn. You were a brave girl for walking here all by yourself. Now you must be brave and go with Albert and Teresa while Trey, a brave warrior and I, a healer, go to help your mum and sister and bring them to you.”