"Tell me what you want, Ewan," she breathed.
You.
The word hung in his throat. He was unlike her; words were strangers to his tongue.
"I would rather show," he breathed.
Dipping his head down, he claimed her lips, then slid himself deep inside her body.
He growled at her warm, sweet wetness that surrounded him. At the feeling of her body welcoming his intrusion. He made love to her slowly, delighting in the sensation of her holding him. Knowing it couldn"t last. Knowing that he"d have to let her go.
But letting her go would be the hardest thing he"d ever done.
Ewan kissed her lips as he thrust against her. They had only a few more days together. Then fate and circ.u.mstance would separate them.
Fight for her.
Did he dare?
Do you dare not?
He tried to imagine going back to his cave without her. Tried to imagine making it through one day without her smile.
He couldn"t.
The pain of the thought was too much. Nay, he would keep her with him no matter the consequences.
She was the only thing that was good in his life. The only thing that made him happy, and no one would take that away from him.
Not without a fight.
Nora saw the determined set of Ewan"s jaw as he quickened his strokes.
"Are you all right?" she asked, wondering what caused the sudden change in him.
"Aye, love," he said, punctuating his words with his thrusts. "When I"m with you, I"m always all right."
She melted at that. Wrapping her arms around his shoulders, she held him close and reveled in his hot, naked skin sliding against hers.
She teased his jaw with her lips and tongue and trailed her hands over the smooth plane of his back to his hips. She splayed her hands over his delectable rear and closed her eyes as she urged him on.
Her body quivered and tightened until she could stand no more.
Moaning deep, she let her o.r.g.a.s.m take her and held him close until the last tremor had shuddered through her.
He cupped her face with his hand and kissed her deep.
Then she felt it. He growled into her mouth as his own release took him.
He buried himself deep and froze.
"Oh la.s.s," he breathed in her ear. "There is truly nothing better than the feel of you in my bed."
"There is nothing better than the feel of you in my body." Heat exploded across her face as she realized what she"d said.
But her embarra.s.sment faded the instant she saw the warm, satisfied look on his face.
He gave her a light kiss, then withdrew. He rolled over onto his back and gathered her into his arms.
Nora draped herself over his chest and listened to his heart pounding under her cheek. The deep thud was so incredibly soothing. How she wished she could lie like this forever.
She traced circles around his chest and toyed idly with his nipples.
"You keep doing that, Nora," he said huskily, "and neither of us will sleep tonight."
It was a threat he proved well before the dawn came.
It was close to daybreak when Ewan finally faded off to sleep while dreaming of something he hadn"t thought of in a long, long time.
He saw himself at home with Nora. Saw her with his children, and for the first time since Isobail had ridden off with her lover, he dared to hope for a dream that had left him.
Even in his sleep, he could feel Nora beside him, feel her warm breath on his skin. He took comfort in her and in the knowledge that he was going to make her his.
No one would ever come between them.
Nora woke up first to the late morning light streaming across the room. She yawned and looked to see Ewan still fast asleep.
He was completely bare.
Her face flamed, but she couldn"t take her eyes off his long, lean limbs bulging with hard muscles. His dark, tawny skin looked luscious against the white linens, and it made her mouth water for a sample.
Not that she should crave him after the night they had. For that matter, she shouldn"t be able to move.
Ewan had shown her ways for a man to take a woman that she wouldn"t have thought possible. But never once had he hurt her.
Nay, her bear was ever tender.
And as she stared at his naked body, she remembered all too well licking those hard pectorals. Feeling his raw strength surrounding her as she held him in her arms.
Glorious, that was the only way to describe him.
She slid out of bed and quickly dressed in the gown she"d borrowed from Catarina, trying her best not to wake him. No doubt he would be exhausted for the whole of the day.
Smiling, she bit her lip impishly at the thought.
Once she was dressed, she headed toward the room she was supposed to share with Catarina. She would need her own clothes before she went below to break her fast.
As she left Ewan"s room, she met the inn"s owner in the hallway. He glared at her as she excused herself and headed back to where Catarina had slept.
Catarina was already awake, and by the smile on her face, Nora knew she didn"t have to tell her where she"d been.
"My lady... did you have a good evening?"
"Shh," Nora breathed. "I will have to spend the rest of my life doing penance for this."
"Then make an honest man of him."
Nora laughed at her words. "If it were only that simple." She sighed wistfully as she gathered her things.
What would it be like to spend the rest of her life with Ewan as they had been these last few days?
Would they ever have laughter and happiness? Or would he return to his sullen ways?
She had to admit, the thought of having him as husband was a glorious one indeed, and she fully intended to make an honest man of him as Cat had suggested.
Catarina excused herself to give her privacy.
Nora washed herself and dressed, then gathered their things and went below.
Viktor took her satchel from her hands and went to take it to the wagon. Nora thanked him, then headed over to where Catarina sat with a loaf of bread.
When Catarina pushed the bread toward her, the pub owner"s voice cut across the room like thunder.
"We don"t serve no wh.o.r.es here with decent people. If she wants to eat, she can eat outside with the dogs."
Nora had never been so horrified or insulted in the whole of life.
Several patrons turned to stare at her curiously.
Her throat tightened in embarra.s.sed agony that was only aggravated by the stares directed at her.
The thin, balding owner grabbed her arm and pushed her toward the door. He"d barely taken a step when a tall shadow fell over them.
Nora looked up to see Ewan"s eyes blazing at the man.
He twisted the owner"s hand away from her and shoved the man back. "You touch her again, and so help me I"ll rip your arm off and beat you with it."
The owner gulped in fear, but his wife took up his tirade. "We"re allowed to serve who we choose. And we"ll not-"
"You insult my wife again, woman, and I"ll see you flogged for it."
Nora didn"t know who was more stunned by Ewan"s words. Herself, the pub owners or the gypsies.
"I... I beg pardon, my lord," the owner quickly apologized. "I saw her head to the room with the other lady and a.s.sumed you to be unwed. So when I saw her leave your room this morning I thought she..."
"We were fighting when we arrived."
"My lady, forgive me, please." The man turned to his wife. "Aida, quick, fetch the lady and lord steak and eggs."
His wife hastened to do his bidding as the owner led them back to the table where Catarina was still waiting.
Catarina quickly excused herself and forced Bavel, Pagan and Lysander to get up and leave with her.
"But they"re bringing steak," Lysander groused.
Catarina glared at him. "You won"t be able to eat it if I bash you in the head until you pa.s.s out. Now move."
He got up reluctantly.
Once they were alone, Nora took Ewan"s hand and held it tight. "Thank you."
Ewan inclined his head to her. "I"m sorry I couldn"t think of a better lie, and I"m truly sorry they treated you that way because of me."
He saw the shame that she tried to hide.
"Nora, I..." Ewan stopped himself before he made an even bigger a.s.s of himself. He had almost proposed to her.
That was the last thing he could do. He didn"t even know what clan she belonged to.
There were protocols that needed to be followed if he was to have her.
He would have to get her to trust him with that information and then he would have to ask her father.
If the man said nay...
Well, they"d be heading to England after all.
"Aye?" she asked.
"Nothing."
They ate in silence. After they were finished, Ewan paid for the food and lodging, then led her outside to where the gypsies waited.
In no time, they were on their way again.
Nora spent the rest of the day trying to get Ewan to open up, but he had closed himself off from her again.
No matter what she tried, he ignored her.
Finally she gave up and rode silently on her horse as they made their way to the rendezvous point where the man was supposed to meet the gypsies and pay them.
They reached the village of Drixel late in the afternoon. The tiny town was bustling with activity as people rushed in and about the small cottages and shops.
Viktor directed them over to the stable that was set up on the edge of the village. A large blacksmith was at work outside at his forge underneath an awning. The stout man paused at his work to watch them.
"Can I help you, good people?" he asked.
"We"re meeting someone here," Viktor said.