Page 119 of Viking in Love

It was Breanne, wearing only a bed rail and carrying a candle, which she set down on a table by the door. Her hair was unbound, with long curly strands going every which way.

“Breanne?” Thank you, God!

“I drank ten cups of Amicia’s potion today…the one Rashid gave her. I figured I owe you four more nights on our bargain. Mayhap you would accept this one night as final payment.”

“Breanne, your father and your family have given me so many gifts of goods and money, it would be mean-spirited of me to demand any more from you.” Bloody damn hell! Forget sacks of gold and peacocks. I want you.

“You do not want me then?” She sighed deeply and seemed unsure what to do next.

Huh? How can you even think that? “Your father would be on me like a dog on a bone if he knew you were here. He would have me before the priest saying my wedding vows before I could say one word in my defense. Ahhhh!” he said then. “You have plotted a way to get me to marry you. Is your father in the hall waiting to pounce?” At this point, do I care?

Her green eyes went wide with shock.

“I have taken your maidenhead, Breanne. No way of repairing that cracked egg. For that alone, your father would kill me, or force me into matrimony. You have to know that. And yet here you are. How do you explain that?” Stop flapping, tongue. Take what she offers. Stop thinking, Caedmon.

“You loathsome, arrogant lout!” Tears were already leaking from her eyes, which she swiped away with the back of her hand. “What makes you think I would wed with you, even if asked? You do not want me? Fine! I would not have you on a silver platter with an apple in your lying teeth. Our bargain is over! Good night and good riddance!”

She had already opened the door and was about to leave when he jumped off the bed and lunged for her, knocking her to the floor. Oh, nay! You cannot offer me heaven and leave me in hell.

“Ooomph! Get off of me, you big, ignorant maggot. You are crushing me.”

“Shhhh!” he said, picking her up. “Or your father will be coming after me.” He carried her squirming body back into the bedchamber, locking the door behind him.

Tossing her to the center of the bed, he crawled up over her. He was naked. She would soon be naked. Is there anything more sensuous than the feel of skin on skin?

She thrashed and tossed from side to side, trying to escape. She truly did not want to be with him now.

“Breanne…sweetling, I am sorry. I did not mean to hurt you.”

“The only way you could hurt me would be if I cared, and I do not care a whit for you.”

He used a thumb to wipe the tears from her cheek. “Never say that I do not want you. I want you too much. I hurt in here…” he pounded his chest for emphasis, “…with my yearning for you.” And that, my dearling, is more than I can admit without baring my soul.

She stilled. “If you want me, why did you say what you did about my father?”

“Because it is true. Now, do not get your blood boiling again…leastways, not in temper.” They should rename me Caedmon the Tongue Flapper. “I meant that he would have good cause for attacking me. I have taken something precious from his daughter.”

“You have taken naught that I was not willing to give, but I deserve more.”

He stared at her, drinking in her beauty. He wished he had Geoff’s talent for charming love words, but the best he could come up with was, “Will you stay with me tonight, Breanne? Just this night?”

“That is why I came. Not to trap you. In fact, not for you, at all. For me. To close the door on our…relationship, for want of a better word. But I have changed my mind.”

Oh, nay, nay, nay! Think quick, you blundering fool. “I am so confused. Divided in heart and head. By responsibilities. And loyalty. Love of my land. Concern for my children. And caring for you. Yea, I do care, but it all comes at the wrong time. In truth, there probably was never a good time for our relationship.”

“Let me up, Caedmon. This was a mistake. I realize now that I did come here expecting more from you than a tupping or two, enjoyable as they might be. I admire you, Caedmon, but you are a coward.”

What? He rolled over to release her. “I would kill any man who called me that.”

“Good thing I am not a man then.” She stood and stared down at him, her expression sad but rigid with determination. When she got to the door and unlocked it, she said, “I will say good-bye to you tonight. Know this…I could have loved you, and that would have been a priceless gift, but you would have viewed it as yet another shackle, like your children. Shame on you.”

With those stinging words, she was gone.

CHAPTER TWENTY-ONE

The army was a mite on the young side…

Nine children were huddled in a long-abandoned root cellar some distance from the keep, making plans. It was well past their bedtime, but they had to act now, under cover of darkness.