The Draig's Choice

by Lisa Dawn Wadler

  “She is a fine beast and gentle, so have nay concerns.” Keith waved away any thought of worry and held his gaze.

  “You have done well and married a fine lass. The whole of the village speaks of it.” Conall smiled at the praise for Sarah he didn’t require. He had a wife who loved him and nothing else mattered.

  “Aye, I am a fortunate man. Tell me, how goes the planting.” Conall listened to the details of the work beginning and the promise of a fine growing season and forced away thoughts of how much of it he would miss.

  Keith finished and asked, “When do you leave us?”

  He chose to answer the underlying question. “When I am called back to the Bruce, Sarah will act in my stead. All matters should be brought to her. Please share that news with all. Peter remains, as always, to guide and care for the clan. Evan shall learn and share the responsibilities as fitting for the named heir.”

  “All will heed your wife,” Keith reassured him. “The clan recalls days of old when a woman ran the clan with a strong sword at her side. ‘Tis our pleasure to bring in a fine harvest for her.”

  Conall thanked him, with his gaze on his wife who walked back to them with a wide smile that lit her eyes.

  “Well, those two are in bed.”

  Keith shook his head. “When Brenda came to check on them this morn, she told Hannah to stay abed, but she refused to nay meet you. I will see her tucked away for the remainder of the day. After three other bairns, I ken she needs rest.”

  Conall rose and took Sarah’s hand in his. “Again, our congratulations on the fine lad.” Sarah repeated his statement and he led them out into the late morning’s light. Letting the warmth of the day wash over him, her giggle filled the day with song.

  “I’m not sure who’s chasing who.” She pointed at the gaggle of children chasing the dog who ran after them in a wide circle. “We will have one tired pooch later.”

  Before Conall could laugh, more villagers approached and they passed time greeting those in the clan and hearing their news. Pride filled him walking through the village at how they accepted Sarah as their own. Regret walked with him at the certainty his days should be spent on his lands caring for his people. But he forced it away, unwilling to share his bliss with the empty hollow leaving would bring.

  “How in the world am I supposed to remember everyone?” Sarah asked as they left the village and stood to watch the children and Bella frolicking in the bright day.

  “You will and so will I, eventually. A warm smile and ready ear goes further than a mere name. You have those.” His reassurance made her grin and he leaned down to kiss her, not caring that the village likely watched. Pulling her close, he tasted her lips and relished that all of her leaned against him.

  Let them see me love my wife. Let all ken she is my world.

  She pulled back when a cry came from the gaggle with the dog. Sarah left his side to help a little one from the ground.

  “Did Bella knock you down?” Sarah knelt before the child while brushing dirt from the girl’s skirts.

  “Nay, my brother did.” The small girl scowled. “He pushed me to get to the ball first.” The angry glare made her chuckle. The lass had a fine, fiery spirit.

  Sarah called for Bella, who immediately ran to her. Holding out her hand, the ball fell into it with a squish. “Here you go. Your turn.” Sarah clapped as the little one threw the ball and then scampered back into the fray. After wiping her hands on the grass, she rose to face him. “Crisis management.”

  While he didn’t understand her terms, he stared at her as she stood in front of him. The sun made her hair glow and she beamed at him with such love in her eyes that held the color of the sea.

  “You are fine with the wee ones.” His compliment made her wink, but he wasn’t in the mood for games. Reaching out his hand, he placed it over her stomach. “Tell me we have a chance at one of our own.”

  Her fair skin paled with the question as her gaze fell to his hand and then at those who watched them. “I don’t know.” Her head shook, and she turned away from him, pretending to watch the children and Bella.

  Pressing his chest to her back, he again covered her womb with his hands, undeterred by her avoidance. “‘Tis there a chance?”

  “Give how we spend our free time, of course there is.” But her voice saddened.

  “When will you ken?” He asked, not quite certain how much time needed to pass.

  Sarah remained still in his hold. “Maybe two weeks?” Her sigh made him speak.

  “I would have it be so if only to bind us with that child, to give life to what ‘tis between us.” Resting his cheek against her temple, he inhaled her sweet scent. “I would give you a bairn to hold and love.”

  “I know you were told to do so.” Her words were flat and empty when he craved promise.

  “None can order a child, so you have shared with me.” Nuzzling her and kissing her temple, he attempted to speak his heart. “I would see you growing round with our bairn. A child we made in love. A wee one to make us a family, nay one commanded.” Conall closed his eyes as he held her stomach and tried to picture the moment.

  “We never really talked about that,” she whispered.

  “Nay, but we have much to yet discover of the other. How would you tell me you were with child?” The question hurt to ask as he doubted he had enough time remaining to find out if life grew within her.

  Sarah turned in his arms and though she smiled, he knew what she was about. Even with her lips curved, shadows covered her eyes. “I have an idea or two.”

  Summoning his courage at potentially spoiling the day, he kissed her lips with a quick peck. “Tell me before I leave as you would, even if you dinna ken. Send me off with hope alive in my heart.”

  The upward curved quickly turned down. “But I only need around two weeks, maybe less.” The hands covering his shoulders became a grip to his shirt and spoke of her understanding.

  “Aye, ‘tis nay much time. The heavy spring rains have passed leaving the roads and trails dry enough for swift travel. The messenger will come soon.” Conall had no way to be certain other than the pit in his stomach stating his thoughts were accurate.

  “Oh.” The joy from the morning in the village faded to tears glistening in her eyes that she hid buried in his neck. He felt her struggle for composure and merely held her, unable to speak words that might aid her. No words will ever atone for my leaving her.

  “We have such a fine day. What would you do?” Hoping to change the topic away from the inevitable, he waited for her to speak while watching the gleeful children, a sight long missing from his life.

  Sarah lifted her head and faced him with a bright smile that didn’t reach her eyes. “Do you need to train?” Her hand patted his chest to give her permission and send him off to see to what he should be doing.

  “Nay, my sword arm is ready. I would spend the day with you. What shall we do together?” Conall stood, holding her in the bright sunlight and attempted to capture her in his mind, to be able to recall the light shining in her hair when darkness threatened.

  “I believe you promised to teach me to ride.” She nodded as if deciding the course of action a fine one.

  “Aye, I also promised you a fine mare with a coat as fair as your skin. But such an afternoon is fraught with dangers.” Her eyes widen at his tease. “We will be out in the bright sun and more freckles will appear on your skin. I would be a poor husband to you if I failed to note the arrival of each and every one.” To prove his intent, his finger traced the skin exposed from her bodice and to his delight, she laughed.

  “So that’s how it’s going to be?” Her question held vagueness and yet her meaning stood bold.

  “Aye, sweet Sarah.” They would share whatever days remained filled with all promised, both fun and necessity. He would distract them both with the needs of their flesh until worry became too complicated a thought.

  She nodded and turned away from him to watch the children and Bella, but leaned
back against his chest and pulled his arms tight around her. “Let’s enjoy this for a bit longer.”

  “Aye.” Leaning his cheek against her head, he savored the wild texture of her hair against his skin.

  The children laughed, the dog barked and yet neither of them smiled.

  Chapter 29

  “I am trying to clean this mess up and it would be much easier if you stopped touching me.” The wet bundle of drying cloths that had mopped up most of the water outside the tub fell from her hands with a loud plop. A low and deep chuckle filled her ear from behind as Conall pushed inside her barely tied robe. Air brushed her shoulders with the fabric pooling at her elbows thanks to her new grip on his forearms. An utterly delighted moan left her lips as he covered her breasts and softly squeezed.

  “Leave it.” His whisper ended with a trail of kisses trailing from her temple down to her jaw. “I can think of many other tasks for your wee hands.”

  Her chuckle came out hoarse as talented thumbs wreaked havoc over the sensitive nerve bundles, guiding her nipple to a hard and ached peak. Her wet head fell back over his shoulder to allow lips to travel down her neck and give her the view of his talented hands. “Don’t you ever get tired?”

  His hips pushed against her and once again proved tired and Conall never belonged in the same sentence. His hardness rubbed against her lower back while fingers teased and tortured her flesh. “I will never tire of loving you.” His whispers had her pushing her hips back against him, encouraging and requesting more.

  Somewhere in the place in her head that used to think rationally, she knew he should be tired, or at the minimum, spent. That water hadn’t accidently fallen out of the tub. The late afternoon had contained a long bath complete with unparalleled tenderness and a slow eroticism that bordered on insanity, much like the previous day. For four glorious days, she’d reveled in Conall’s complete attention. Days spent together and nights containing little sleep blurred to a haven of perfection.

  And avoidance.

  But Sarah ignored that thought when one of his hands wandered down her stomach to untie the barely closed robe. She inhaled deeply to savor the hand that still explored her breast and relished in Conall’s touch that constantly made her want more and more.

  He went from repressed to sex god overnight.

  She closed her eyes as that lowering hand reached between her thighs to stroke and build a fire already raging in her blood. “I am nay alone in my want.” His certainty filled his voice. She felt his head lean over her shoulder and out of the corner of her barely focusing eyes, she watched him watch his hands.

  So unbelievably hot.

  Unable to form a coherent word, she pressed her lips against the freshly shaven skin under his jaw. She tasted his skin until her head fell back with waves of intense heaven caused by his gifted hand bringing her back to the edge of paradise. Gripping onto his bulging biceps, mewls of longing left her throat as she moved into his hands, begging for him to continue.

  “Do you still wish to clean?” Conall’s rumble washed over her face letting her know he watched his hands and her face.

  “No,” the barely formed syllable came out as a high-pitched plea.

  Still his fingers teased her, taking her to the brink and leaving her there to wait upon his leisure. But his torturous methods had the muscles of his chest tightening against her back. Not wanting to be alone in the bliss, she tried to reach behind her, but he pressed harder against her, cutting off her intended path.

  “Nay, sweet Sarah.” Conall kissed the corner of her mouth, only to pull his head out of reach of her mouth that gasped for air. “I will take my delight inside you after I have given you yours.” A wicked smirk crossed his lips but still her left her dangling.

  “Please.” Her breathy sigh practically begged, bringing a deep rumble from him, along with a light tweak to her nipple that echoed throughout her body.

  “Ask me how I will take you.” The demand would have startled her if she could process, but already her mind filled with potential.

  It took all her faculties to form the word how.

  “First, a question.” His voice teased her, and she whimpered as the hand between her thighs slowed to draw out the denial.

  “Yes.” It became the only answer possible given her need.

  His dark chuckle washed over her. “You agree to the unknown.”

  “Yes,” she whispered, not caring what he wanted as long as it involved him inside her. She bucked against him as the tempo resumed and an incredibly gifted thumb promised to end the wait and the demands of her blood. The ends of his damp hair brushed over her shoulder as he leaned further forward to watch his hands take their sweet time.

  “So beautiful.” His praise resonated as he kissed her shoulder. “After you cry out, I will take you against the wall as I wanted to the first night in this chamber,” he growled and left no room for disagreement, not that she had a single one.

  “Yes.” The clipped word spit out as his fingers plunged harder and deeper, bringing sparks of color to her vision. She wasn’t sure if she begged him or only thought about it, but deep rumbles came from his throat as he pushed her over the edge and she cried out in ecstasy.

  She shook as he kept his touch upon her, drawing out the bliss until nothing else existed. Sarah struggled for a deep breath as his hands finally stopped and both came to rest on her hips.

  Then Conall stood in front of her, and her panting lips twitched in delight. He made for a view of perfection with his sculpted body peeking out at her from the untied robe. Her gaze flitted down to his abdomen and the proof of his desire jutted out and waited for her.

  Before she could even process his magnificence and what to do with it, a demanding mouth crushed hers and her hands wrapped in his hair, holding him to her, taking what she wanted and giving him all of her. His powerful hands lifted her, and she immediately wrapped her legs around his hips as he strode to the wall behind her. As expected, an arm wrapped around her back to cushion her. Even when slightly rough, Conall’s gentleness took care of her.

  Pieces of fabric were pushed aside in a mad scramble of limbs and Sarah’s breath ceased as Conall entered her slowly, making her wait for the fullness. When finally seated within her, she gripped his hair tighter and ground her hips against his, loving his groan that signaled an immediate loss of control.

  “Sarah.” Her name hissed through his clenched teeth as he pulled back to fill her again. A firm hand on her behind guided her movements to exactly where he wanted her.

  A decadent thrill coursed over her with the sight of their bare skin touching mixed with the part of them still covered in the basic robes. His entire upper torso flexed with controlling her movements and his hips thrusting to take, almost leave and then take again.

  Warm breath tickled her panting lips, with neither she nor Conall able to actually form a kiss. As his pace increased, her eyes rolled with the delicious friction and the sound of his erratic breathing.

  “You are mine.” His growl washed over her.

  Fighting the sparks that threatened to bloom and end their joining far too soon, she gasped and then gritted her teeth. “And you are mine.” She prayed the simple reply would always be true.

  “I am yours,” Conall whispered to her. Then his hips took away the power of speech with a hard thrust and that insane twist that made her lose her mind.

  Sarah cried out as the pleasure tore through her, made even more intense with Conall joining her in bliss.

  His back bowed as he pushed his length deep inside her leaving her to drown in raw satisfaction. When he slumped against her, soft breathless kisses rained on her cheeks as she clung to his neck, touching her lips to his damp skin.

  “You’re all sweaty again,” Sarah chuckled against his ear.

  “As are you,” Conall’s husky voice whispered. “I will need to wash you again.” He gently lowered her legs to the floor and caught her stumble. “Mayhap I should keep you in my arms.” His offer came wit
h a soft chuckle.

  “Then I may never stand again.” Shaking her damp hair, her gaze rose to his and then widened at his grin that said they weren’t done yet. “Back off. I need to catch my breath.”

  His head shook before his lips took hers in a kiss so sweet and gentle, yet laced with promises of more. “Mayhap we need to find our chamber to allow you to rest, or at least be on your back.”

  Placing her hands on his chest, she leaned in for another kiss. “I need food.” Her stomach rumbled with having missed the midday meal due to diversions after a riding lesson that led back to the peaceful glade.

  Conall’s thumb traced her swollen lower lip. “A meal shall be sent to us. I would have you alone.” His deep, rumbling voice made a tremor run down her spine.

  But then he turned away and lifted a damp cloth from the cooled water that remained in the tub. Half lidded eyes followed his path with cloth that washed her previously clean skin. His touch was soft and teasing and by the time he finished, food no longer seemed important.

  Taking the cloth, she leaned over the tub to rinse it and then squeaked as he pressed against her bent form. “We may never leave here.”

  Undeterred, she rose and ran the cloth over his shoulders, mesmerized by droplets of water cascading down his powerful chest. Then wiped them away to repeat the same on his abdomen. She winked as his flaccid member twitched and threatened to become aroused. “The bed sounds better.”

  “Aye,” he quickly agreed.

  Sarah rose to her feet and flung the cloth away, no longer concerned with what condition they left the bathing chamber. Let the keep enjoy the gossip and wonder exactly what happened daily behind the door.

  “You have two heartbeats to secure your robe.” Conall’s warning had her eyes wide and hands scrambling to put her goodies away. She’d learned quickly to not ignore him and the other residents had already seen enough of her bare ass.

  Unsure how he managed to tie his robe and reach her at the same time, she saw him squat and then saw only floor as she was flung over his shoulder, again. Running her hands down his perfect behind, she gave him a quick swat. “Put me down.”