Chapter Sixteen
“Aye, ’twould be your kiss that I am wanting,” Alesone said as she leaned her body against Thomas’s muscled length, aware if he choose he could haul her against him and take what he wanted, but this close, she didna feel fear, but desire. “And more.”
His mouth hovered over hers, his breath skimming across her lips, soft, teasing as if a dare. On a groan, he kissed the edge of her mouth, along the curve of her jaw, and then returned to skim his lips over hers.
“I thought,” she rasped as heat burned inside, “you were going to kiss me.”
“I,” he whispered as his tongue worked miracles against her skin, “am working my way toward that.”
“I…” she moaned as his mouth pressed intimately over hers. With mind-teasing slowness he deepened the kiss until her thoughts blurred and her every breath tasted of him. Unsure at which moment they’d moved, she found her back against the door and their bodies flush. Heat pouring through her, she skimmed her hands along his back, over his arms, desperate to feel every inch the man who against her every caution had stolen her heart.
On a rough breath, he lifted his head. Green eyes churning with hunger burned into hers. “I want you.”
Alesone pressed her body brazenly against his hardness. “I want you as well.”
On a rough hiss, he released the ties of her garb. Whisper soft, her gown tumbled to the bed of straw. Air crisp with the morning caressed her nakedness, and her body tingled beneath his sensual appraisal.
His heated gaze holding hers, he stroked his thumb across her nipple, then cupped her breast.
“Thomas,” she gasped as his hands slid lower, touching, teasing her until beneath the onslaught, her knees threated to buckled. Without warning he took the kiss deeper.
His body shuddered and he lifted his head, his breathing coming in sharp rasps. “You are beautiful.”
The lines of strain on his face assured her he was holding back, his focus on her. And if he thought to steady himself when she was but a blur of need, he was wrong. Alesone stroked his hardness.
On a sharp hiss, he caught her hand.
“I—”
“Dinna move.” Eyes raw with desire held hers as his mouth worked with his hands as he touched her, tasted her skin until her body ached for him.
“Thom—”
His tongue swept across her most private place, and his name dissolved in to a whispered moan. He stroked her again, explored until sensation swelled inside until it felt as if she would explode. “Thomas,” Alesone gasped, “I canna—”
He plunged deep.
A wave swept over her, then another. She cried out.
He stood and cradled her against him as her release rolled through her with destructive force, but it wasna enough. She wanted him, needed him more than she’d ever needed anything in her life. If their intimacy damned her, she didna care. “Thomas,” she whispered, “make love with me.”
Her taste burning in his mind, Thomas fought to steady himself, the softness of her body threatening to smother his every rational thought.
Bedamned, he had intended on leaving her untouched. In but weeks he would stand alongside their king to lay siege against her father. ’Twas reckless to entertain such thoughts, except with her naked against him and the desperation of her throaty plea, his last defense shattered.
Aye, they would make love, but with her wrapped in firelight, and her eyes illuminated within the soft glow as their bodies merged.
“I want you,” he forced out, “but I willna take you in a stable. The first time, our first time, I want you embraced in candlelight and without risk of our being disturbed.”
At the reminder of where they were, her face paled. “I forgot where we were.”
“High praise indeed. A state I hope to achieve this night. For what I wish to do to you, we will need each hour of the night.” A blush reddened her cheeks, one he liked putting there. On an unsteady breath, he started to draw away, but she caught his hand.
“Thomas, your wanting me is enough.”
At the rough hope in her voice he yearned to admit that he more than wanted her, but needed her with his every breath. “You deserve a man who cares for you without question,” he forced out, “one you can depend on.”
Her eyes softened. “I can depend on you.”
“As a warrior, a protector, aye,” he said, refusing to linger on her belief in him. ’Twas a time for truth, nae emotions that in the end would leave her devastated. “I have many demons yet to overcome, including the reason I had intended to keep my distance from you.”
“I know.” Somber eyes held his as she covered his mouth with her own, slow with need, soft with understanding, and against his every intent, he hauled her against him, running his fingers over her flesh, his body aching as he skimmed across her slick folds quivering from her release.
Through sheer will he scooped the wisp of emerald silk from the hay and slid the gown over her shoulders, his fingers lingering on her every curve.
After securing her last tie, she lifted her eyes to his, the shyness there leaving him surprised.
He wrapped the errant blond lock that’d tumbled free around his finger, tugged her close. “How can you,” he said pressing a soft kiss upon her mouth, “be shy after what we have done.”
Red slashed her cheeks. “’Tis unseemly to speak so bluntly.”
Enjoying that he’d thrown her off balance, he smiled. “I will do more than speak of it this evening, that I promise.”
Her blush deepened. “I would be liking that.”
His groin tightened, and he pressed his length intimately against her softness. “Once everyone has retired, I will come to your chamber.”
“’Tis indecent,” she said, excitement filling her voice.
“Aye,” he said with a wink. With one last hard kiss, and after he’d assured her that she didna look properly ravished, they departed, his mind anxious for the night.
* * *
The day passed as if dragged by a stone, and with the ring of each bell announcing the next hour, Thomas willed the time to hurry. He worked his injured arm to loosen the taut muscles, grimaced at the shot of pain. Soon he and Alesone would depart Dair Castle.
In the solar he shifted in the chair before the hearth, returned his attention to his father, too aware of his brother, who sat at his side. Though Donnchadh had offered forgiveness, much still stood between them.
“Thomas, what of King Robert’s intent?” his father asked.
“He is leading his forces through the Garioch and deep into loyal Comyn territory,” Thomas replied.
The duke nodded.
“And Comyn?” Thomas asked.
“With the stakes so high, I believe he will detour around the king’s men and attack Dair Castle to capture his daughter in order to finalize the agreement with King Philip.”
His father grimaced. “With Bruce’s forces closing in on Inverurie, I didna think he would take the risk.”
“My thoughts as well,” his brother said.
A solid rap sounded at the door.
“Enter,” the duke called.
Wood scraped, then Sir John MacLairish limped inside, fading bruises still marring his face.
Thomas surged to his feet. “What is wrong?”
“On my way over here,” John said, “I came across the Bruce’s man critically wounded.”
“What!” the duke boomed as he and Donnchadh stood.
John bowed and then held out a missive secured with the king’s seal. “Your Grace, I carried the king’s man to Dair Castle, and he bade me deliver this to you.”
Eyes hard, the duke broke the imprinted wax round, unrolled the parchment, and skimmed the penned lines.
On edge, Thomas met his brother’s worried gaze, then turned to his father.
The duke slammed his fist against the table. “A sword’s wrath! Robert Bruce’s health is declining with the auld sickness. He has delayed attacking Comyn and has rerouted his forces to Slioch until he is well enough to fight.”
Donnchadh muttered a curse. “Nay doubt Comyn will be informed of both the king’s shift in plans along with his ill health.”
“Aye.” Thomas agreed. “News that will have Comyn increasing the number of men that he brings to attack Dair Castle.”
“Extra guards will be placed on the wall walk, and everyone within the castle is to prepare for an assault.” The duke’s eyes narrowed. “Any questionable activity will be immediately reported to me.”
Donnchadh stepped forward. “I will pass along your command.”
The duke nodded.
Though pleased with how his family was coming together, Thomas damned that ’twas because of his arrival, one that placed those within Dair Castle in jeopardy. However much he didna wish to raise the point, it needed to be said. “With your fealty sworn to King Robert, neither will Comyn be coming for his daughter alone.”
His father scoffed. “I wouldna think much of Comyn if he didna confront me. Except any loyalty that I had to him is long since dead. ’Tis a grievous day when a Scotsman is in bed with the English, and betrays their country struggling to unite.”
“Aye,” Donnchadh agreed. “Beneath his bluster of aiding Scotland, King Edward wanted naught but to claim Scotland for his own.”
“Regardless of his reasons,” the duke said, “when Comyn arrives, we will be ready.”
However prepared for the upcoming battle, Comyn’s force was significant. If only they had the backing of the Knights Templar. Thomas stilled. But they did! “Father, several of my men travel with the Bruce. We must send word, explain the circumstance to our king. Given the gravity of the situation, I am confident he will honor my request to have my men, along with a contingent of his knight’s, ride to Dair Castle.”
The duke nodded, turned toward Thomas’s friend. “How long did the rider say he had traveled after he was wounded?”
“A day, Your Grace,” John replied. “He believes he is at least two days ahead of the contingent, mayhap more.”
The noble muttered a curse. “Which leaves us little time.”
“But enough.” Terror shot through him at the thought of losing Alesone, but he refused to give up hope. “We can hold them off until the Bruce’s forces arrives.” They had nay other choice.
“I will write a missive to King Robert,” his father said.
“Your Grace,” Sir John said, “’twould be an honor to carry your message to the Bruce.” At the duke’s scowl, the knight stepped forward. “I swear that I willna fail.”
Since the injury had forced John to leave the Brotherhood, Thomas understood that if only for a moment, his friend needed to rejoin the elite warriors as he had years before. “Father, I trust John with my life.”
“Wait outside, Sir John,” the duke said. “I will summon you soon.”
“Aye, Your Grace.” The knight departed.
“Donnchadh,” the duke said, “once you have alerted the men, bring the lead knights with you to the war chamber.”
“Aye, Father.” Donnchadh departed.
“Once I have explained the events to Alesone, I will join you.” Thomas stepped toward the door.
“Thomas.”
He glanced back.
“We will keep Lady Alesone safe.”
Pride filled him. For the first time since he’d left home he felt a part of the family. “Aye, Father, that we will.”
Strategies utilized by the Templars ran through Thomas’s mind as he strode down the corridor. He weighed the pros and cons of each, narrowing down their best option. As he neared the end of the hall, the melodic tones of Alesone’s singing echoed from within her chamber.
Damn her father to bloody Hades! His time fighting in the Holy Land had taught Thomas the evil that men do, boundless malevolence for the sake of power and greed. Except in this he swore Comyn would fail.
A curse rolled from his lips. As long as he lived never would anyone harm her again. By God she deserved better, she deserved happiness, a life he wanted to give her.
Thomas halted before her chamber, her soft voice at odds with the emotions raging through him. How he longed to wake up beside her each day, and at night to slide into her slick heat. May Comyn burn in Hades for forcing a delay with his destiny.
His destiny?
Thomas’s breath left him in a rush. He stilled, listened to her angel-sweet voice as the enormity of the realization stormed him.
God’s teeth, he loved her!
On a hard swallow, he pressed his brow against the cool wood. He remembered months before, assuring his friend, Stephan MacQuistan, that unlike him, never would he give a woman his heart. Stephan would find great humor if he could see Thomas now, except with the news he needed to impart to Alesone, ’twas naught amusing about the situation.
All these years he’d believed he’d never find a woman he would love, and now that he’d found her, he would…
Say naught.
At least for now.
Little was guaranteed in war. If he told her that he loved her, and she admitted the same, and then he died during battle, ’twould leave a lass of her depth devastated. If naught else he’d learned that in her feelings for others that she cared for, she gave all. ’Twould be the same with her heart.
At the moment, an admission of his love ’twas naught but selfishness on his part. But the time would come. For now, the plans of this morning crumbled beneath grim responsibility.
Thomas opened the door and stepped inside.
Wrapped within the golden light she looked like one of the fey who’d slipped away from the Otherworld. Firelight shimmered across her moisture-dampened skin as she brushed her hair, each stroke sending ripples through her blond tresses.
With a silent curse, he damned the upcoming discussion and closed the door.
At the soft thud she turned. Lavender eyes softened.
“Your hair is damp?” he said, fumbling at how to begin, news that would destroy the warmth in her eyes.
“As I believed you wouldna be here until much later,” she said, a hint of nerves sliding through her voice, “I enjoyed the luxury of a bath.”
A drop of water fell from her hair and rolled down her golden skin. Mesmerized, he watched its errant slide until the droplet disappeared beneath her tunic, and he too easily imagined the feel of her damp skin beneath his hands.
Thomas cleared his throat. “We must talk.”
At his somber tone, the smile in her eyes faded, and she lowered the brush. “What is wrong?”
However much he cursed the telling, she needed the truth. “Your father is en route to Dair Castle.”