Bliss grinned from ear to ear, walking over to him. “It embarrasses me to think what I would do if I saw you naked.”
Her response stunned Trey speechless.
“Now turn yourself away from me as you strip naked so that I don’t do anything foolish,” she said, and gave him a slight shove.
It took Trey a moment to regain his senses and realize that if it was a game she played with him, he’d join in the play. He grabbed hold, his fingers closing tightly around her wrist, and drew her nearer.
“I beg you . . . be foolish,” he said with a challenging gleam in his eyes.
Chapter 7
Bliss wasn’t sure how to respond or how to escape a folly of her own making. All reason failed her, and when she felt the drops of rainwater trickle down along her neck and into her already soaked blouse, she stuttered, saying what made the most sense to her. “I-I am wet.”
He smiled and rested his cheek against hers to whisper, “Ready for me then, are you?”
She jumped away from him so fast that she stumbled and would have fallen on the bed if Trey hadn’t grabbed her around the waist.
“Eager to get me into bed?”
She struggled to escape his embrace, shoving at his chest, her hands meeting hard, damp muscle . . . and a scar. She ceased her struggle, recalling his injuries, and her hand stroked along his chest over a scar that had proved difficult to heal. She had recalled Tara, Reeve’s wife, detailing the trouble she had in stitching it. It had healed well though it would take time to fade. He let her go when her hand slipped over his shoulder, and she moved to walk around him.
She stopped, her hand traveling down the length of another scar. Bliss had wanted to lay her hands upon it when she had been helping to heal him, but Trey had remained on his back in bed, mostly sleeping, and, not wanting to disturb his rest, she had never gotten to lay her healing touch on it.
But she could now.
“Be still,” she whispered softly, “and let me touch you.”
He made no move to object, he remained still, though she could hear his breathing, the rhythm a bit faster than usual. She set to work, heat radiating from the center of her hand as she ran it slowly over the scar. The heat from her touch poured into him like warm liquid that was meant to heal. She retraced her path over and over, slowly and meticulously covering every inch of the nasty scar.
She did not realize how long she worked, and it wasn’t until she felt herself grow weak that she stopped and stumbled backward. Her hand reached out to grab Trey’s arm, but her fingers barely grazed his muscle.
Bliss thought for sure she would tumble to the ground when suddenly Trey’s hand slipped around her waist and scooped her up against his warm body. Weary, she rested her head to his chest.
“You are weak, I can feel it,” he said with alarm.
“Tired, that’s all,” she assured him.
“And wet.”
Her head snapped up, recalling his earlier remark, and at that moment sensed clearly that they were destined to consummate their vows. The thought thrilled and frightened her all at once.
Her worry subsided, for now, when he said, “You need dry clothes.”
She agreed though she would prefer not to leave his arms. She was so comfortable in his embrace, and the more comfortable she became, the more she ached to remain there.
“Get dry,” he said, easing her down to stand. “We’ll eat, then get a good night’s rest before leaving for your home in the morning as long as the weather proves agreeable.”
She walked over to the bed without comment and reached under the blanket. She recalled Dolca keeping an extra linen shift tucked away there. Sure enough, she found it and turned to instruct Trey to keep his back to her.
She twirled her finger, indicating to him to turn around. “Privacy please.”
“Why? You are my wife,” he said with a wicked smile though he laughed and did as she requested.
Bliss hurried out of her wet garments and into the shift. It fit fairly well, though with no sleeves and minus her stockings, she turned cold fast. She hung her garments near the fire as best she could and remained in front of the flames warming herself, then let Trey know she was finished.
He gave her one look and was quick to wrap the blanket she had earlier thrown to him around her. “That should help ward off some of the cold.”
“What of you? This blanket was to keep you warm.”
“It will when we crawl in bed together.”
His remark didn’t surprise her. Now that she knew that fate intended them to make love, there would be no preventing it. It was only a matter of time. Besides, they were tired, it was cold, and it wasn’t fair to assign him to sleep on the hard ground after what they had been through. And he no doubt would make certain to remind her that they were husband and wife. And there was no stopping what fate decreed.
He began to scavenge for food while Bliss continued to warm herself.
“Mostly roots and little vegetables, nothing more,” he said. “And my stomach grumbles.” He reached for his shirt.
“What are you doing?”
“We need food. I’m going to get us some.”
“It’s raining. The animals are no different from us. They seek shelter in a rainstorm.”
“We will see.” He laughed and struggled into his wet shirt. He walked over to her and rested his hand on the back of her neck. “Keep warm, rest, and I will return soon.”
She didn’t know why she asked, “Promise?”
His eyes darkened to a deeper shade of blue, and he frowned, as if her words upset him. “You are my wife. I will not leave you.”
The thought slammed into her hard, and she gasped just as he settled his mouth on hers. She had no chance to enjoy it, the sense that one day he would walk away from her so overwhelmed her that it twisted in her stomach like a sharp dagger.
“Good, I leave you breathless for now,” he said with a grin. He gave her another kiss though it was quick. “Rest, so you will be ready to feast.”
When the door shut behind him, Bliss dropped down on the nearest chair. What she sensed had changed things for her. How could she lose her heart to him if in the end he walked away? She was relieved she had sensed this early on, for now she could protect her heart.
She shook her head. How would she do that if they were destined to make love? Her knowing, her visions, they all confused her, and she wished she hadn’t seen anything. She wished that fate had simply placed her hand on them and guided without showing her anything. For once, it would be nice to live as others did, not knowing what life would bring but embracing all it had to offer.
Bliss heard the lift of the latch and was surprised that Trey had returned so soon. The door sprung wide open, and so did her eyes.
“A fire and a woman to keep me warm.”
Bliss didn’t need her skills to tell her that she was in trouble. The man who kicked the door shut behind him had made his intentions clear with his words, but his leering look alone would have told her the same.
The rain had done little to wash the stench off him, he and his garments in need of a good washing. Grime stuck to his knotted, long hair and craggy face even though it was obvious from his dripping garments that he had walked a good distance in the rain. It had done little to wash away the filth. Dirt caked thick beneath his nails, but the worst thing was his size. He was big and wide and much too strong to defend against.
The only weapon she possessed was her knowing, which would have warned her of his approach if she had not allowed herself to get lost in her worries over Trey.
Stop, you need to concentrate. She was grateful for the silent warning and paid heed to it.
Her hand flew up when he took his first step. “I am a seer and was expecting you—”
She paused and waited, for a moment worried that she had not cleared her
muddled thoughts fast enough, but her knowing did not fail her. “William of Longee.”
He stopped dead. This time it was his turn for his eyes to grow wide.
His fear washed over her like a rushing wave, and she shivered at the unexpected force. Many believed seers were witches and, therefore, feared them, though they sought their powers, and not always for good reason. William obviously feared seers, and that could prove advantageous or deadly.
When his hand pulled a dirk from a sheath at his waist, Bliss worried that it was the latter.
Trey was soaked and annoyed. Bliss had been right, the animals had sought shelter from the storm, and there was not a single one about. He wondered if there was ever a time she wasn’t right. And would it do him good to pay heed to her words more often?
He had been about to give up and return to the cottage when he had come upon a stream, and the heavens had taken pity on him and seen to it that he caught a fish. It would feed him well enough, but he needed another for Bliss. The heavens must not have agreed with him, for now he was having trouble catching another.
With the rain continuing to soak him through, he was about to give it a few more minutes when he was suddenly hit with the overwhelming urge to hurry back to the cottage. His heart began to pound in his chest so badly that he thought it would burst. Something was wrong, very wrong. Bliss was in danger, he could feel—it twisted at his gut and turned his blood cold. He took hold of the lone fish and rushed through the woods, hoping he wasn’t too late.
He shouldn’t have left her. These were dangerous times, and vigilance was called for more often than not. She might be able to sense things, but did it help her defend herself?
The more he thought, the more anxious he became and the more he believed that Bliss was in trouble. He rushed through the woods, paying no heed to the pouring rain, his feet pounding the muddy ground. He stopped abruptly when he drew near the cottage and gave a quick glance around. No one lurked about, and no horses were tethered to the trees. Still, the sense of dread fell heavy upon him, which meant that the threat had to come from within the cottage.
Trey rushed forward, his heart hammering in his chest and fear gripping his heart like never before. He burst through the door and found Bliss sitting alone at the table.
After shutting the door and making sure the latch caught firm he approached her. He slapped the fish, then his hands down on the table, and said, “What happened?”
“You sensed danger?” she asked, appearing perplexed.
“Aye, I did, strong and hard and I raced back here to find you alone and yet—” He shook his head. “What happened? I know something happened.”
She nodded. “It did. I had an unexpected visitor in your absence, but he’s gone now and won’t be returning.”
His heart stopped slamming against his chest, and his fear ebbed though not entirely. “Who was he and what did he want?”
“You’re dripping so much rainwater that fish may just come back to life.”
“Then he too will be just as interested to hear what you have to say.”
She gave a chuckle and shook her head. “You need to get out of those wet clothes first.”
He shed his garments quickly and without care and stood stark naked in front of her.
She pulled the blanket from around her shoulders.
“Don’t,” he ordered stopping her. “I did what you requested. Now it’s your turn.”
“You’ll chill,” she said, flustered, and again attempted to offer him the blanket.
“My annoyance heats me.”
She kept her glance on his face. Now and again it slipped to his chest though she quickly retrieved it. “William of Longee was his name, with little manners, a foul stench, and large in size.”
He felt his anger mount and wondered how she was able to defend herself against such a man. He didn’t ask; he waited for her to continue.
“He thought me and this cottage a welcoming sight. Once I told him I was a seer, he changed his opinion and drew a dirk.”
A low growl rumbled in Trey’s chest.
Bliss hurried her tale. “I sensed potential trouble—”
“Potential? The dirk made his intentions perfectly clear. He intended to do you harm.”
She shook her head. “Nay, he feared me and only tried to protect himself.”
“You defend him?”
“As I learned more about him, I felt sorry for him. He was a man who misunderstood fate, and so he labored under misconceptions. He believed love treated him badly when in essence he had failed love.”
“You talk in riddles.”
She stood and walked around the table, her eyes on his face the whole time and remaining so while she tucked the blanket around his waist.
Trey didn’t object. He was chilled as she had warned, and he worried that his body would soon react not only to her lovely features but more so to her courage.
“That’s better,” she said with a pat to his chest. “Now where was I?”
He grabbed her around the waist and hoisted her up to sit on the edge of the table in front of him, planting his hands on either side of her, restricting her movement.
“Love,” he reminded.
“Aye, love,” she said. “Poor William didn’t believe strongly enough in it. If he had, he would not have suffered so senselessly. You see, he believed the woman he loved stopped loving him, when it was her family who kept her locked away from him, not thinking he was suited for their daughter. Her love, however, was strong, and she waits these many months for him to rescue her . . . she believes in their love.” She grinned. “And now he does too. He’s gone to rescue her.”
“In a rainstorm when night is nearing?” He shook his head. “Insane, and only someone in love would do something insane.”
“You understand,” she said, her grin growing.
“I do; I loved strongly once and would have done the same.”
“But are you ready to love again?”
Chapter 8
Bliss regretted asking the question, his hesitancy and the dazed look in his eyes having answered it for her. And she regretted being trapped, unable to maneuver herself away. She would have preferred some distance from him right now.
She wasn’t surprised when he turned the question on her. What better way not to answer.
“What of you? Are you ready to love?”
“Aye, I am,” she said, and with the need to step away from him so great, she gently pushed his arm out of her way, jumped down off the table, and walked around to stand in front of the fire, “though I don’t know if love is ready for me.”
“It eludes you?” he asked.
She turned with a flourish to face him. If he would not answer her question, she would no longer answer his. “What eludes me is that fish.”
He seemed reluctant to end their conversation, but he did, turning his attention to cleaning the fish. Love was discussed no more, and well it shouldn’t be. Times were difficult enough in the Highlands and would grow worse before they settled, and Trey was an intricate part of it all. There was no time for love, only survival, the most likely reason fate had brought Trey to her. And hadn’t fate let her know that he would eventual leave her. Their marriage was not a marriage at all, and what a folly to allow herself to think that her situation was anything other than what it was.
If she would stop these foolish musings and concentrate, there was a good chance she would learn what fate truly intended her to know.
Bliss was relieved when Trey stepped outside to discard the fish scraps and rinse the stench of fish off him. The cottage was small, and it felt like they were on top of each other most of the time. Or was it that his presence dominated the snug room?
For a lean man, he could fill a space, but, then, his shoulders were broad, and he carried himself with such distinction. He was n
ot the type to blend with a crowd, but rather stand out.
And he was magnificent naked.
Her cheeks flamed red. Whatever was the matter with her? Why couldn’t she get him off her mind? This brief time alone could serve her well if she concentrated.
She went to the bed and stretched out, forcing her eyes closed, forcing her mind to quiet, inviting fate in. Soon she was lost in the crackling sounds of the fire, the heat that wafted around her, and the delicious scent of the cooking fish, which had her stomach grumbling. Content, she drifted off into a light slumber.
Trey finished, the air having grown more chilled and forcing him back inside, a place he wasn’t sure he should be at the moment. Bliss was just too tempting, and her beauty wasn’t the only thing that played havoc with his passion. She was strong and confident, and damned if he didn’t find her strange abilities fascinating. She was different, and that difference challenged him.
He entered the cottage with a sense of anticipation though it faded when he saw Bliss asleep on the bed. He walked over to her. She was stretched out in peaceful repose, her arms at her sides. He drew the warm wool blanket up over her and tucked it gently around her, then quickly stepped away.
He busied himself with cooking the fish, though he attended it more than necessary. He had to do something to keep himself busy or else he just might crawl into bed with Bliss and—she wouldn’t remain sleeping for long.
Frustrated, he ran his fingers roughly through his hair and paced in front of the hearth.
He could attempt to convince himself that it was lust, nothing more than pure, simple lust. It was obvious that they were both attracted to each other. Before, when he had stripped naked in front of her, he had seen how she had struggled to keep her eyes focused above his waist. He, however, had no qualms in baring all to her. Or did he hope that she would reciprocate and do the same?
He hunched down and poked at the fish a bit too hard. A morsel of meat fell loose and toppled off the heating stone to be quickly devoured by the flames.
“Be gentle, or there will be nothing left for us.”
Wed to a Highland Warrior Page 6