“How did you get passed the guard? Let me rephrase that... did you climb out the window?”
She smiled, once again relieved that he could not see her face and pressed once on his arm.
“I suppose I’m going to have to have that window boarded up.”
She shook her head vehemently as she raised it off his chest. The shaking slowed and then stopped when her eyes met his. How could they be so dark and cold and yet so heated and lustful? His eyes warned and yet they promised, and her body quivered at the thought.
“You are not a prisoner. You may go where you like and the guard will accompany you.”
She tapped her chest and shook her hand.
“You may think you don’t need a guard, but I think you do and so you shall have a guard at all times until I say otherwise.”
There was no point in arguing with him. He would have his way no matter what and she much preferred not to have the window boarded shut. She already felt a prisoner; a boarded window would only make it worse.
She acquiesced with a slow nod.
Cree felt her relax in his arms. He did not know what had made him scoop her up and bring her along. He only knew that he had not been able to resist the urge and he was glad he hadn’t and that she was now here with him.
Of course growing hard against her as he was doing did not help, but then he was already thinking of getting her alone and making love to her. He had thought he had had his fill last night, but his urge for her was like that of a starving man. And the more he had her, the more he wanted her.
He slipped his hand beneath her breast and cupped it giving it a firm squeeze and whispered. “I want to feel you grind beneath me again.”
Her body grew taut and she cast her eyes down.
“Look at me,” he ordered and her eyes shot up. He inhaled sharply. “Passion burns in you as it does me.”
He was right and it made her feel all the more a wicked woman. Whatever was the matter with her, craving Cree the way she did. Did she forget that the devil was tempting her soul? Nothing good would come of their lust. He would never wed her and one day he would leave her and then what? But at the moment what choice did she have? He was the new Earl of Carrick and she could not deny him, and Lord forgive her, she did not want to.
She pressed her finger once against his arm holding it there longer than necessary, letting him know that he was right.
“You belong to me, Dawn. I and I alone will touch you. And I alone will decide your fate.”
Her stomach churned at the thought that her fate lied in Cree’s hands, and she shifted slightly as if putting a bit of a distance between them would make a difference. She winced when she accidentally settled against his bulge.
“You’re sore.”
She ignored his curt tone and nodded.
“You will go see Elsa when we return.”
Another terse remark she ignored and nodded to appease him. She would go see Elsa when she felt it was necessary or at least put it off until he forced it upon her. Where did this feeling of defiance come from? She had always obeyed without question. She had had little choice. It had been either that or suffer harsh consequences. Did she think that Cree wouldn’t punish her? Or was she finally feeling her own strength and relying on it?
She looked around her wondering where they were headed and her heart gave a catch at the beauty of the land that stretched out around them. The rolling hills gave way to meadows falling dormant in preparation of winter. The last of the heather was fading fast and some of the trees were already barren while the pine remained ever green.
Her mum had traveled over this land with her when she had been only a babe. She had made the journey alone, her da having died before she was born. Her mum had told her that she had gone in search of a better life for them both. And life had been fairly good until Colum had arrived. Now there was Cree.
She tilted her head to peek up at him and found him staring down at her.
“You have something to say?”
It pleased her that he spoke with her as if she had a voice. And yes she had much to say to him but not here, not now... in time. She nodded and pointed ahead, then shrugged.
“You wonder where we go.”
She nodded and smiled, pleased that he understood her.
“You saw the drawings for the keep that I intend to start building in the spring. We go to where that keep will be located. William has come along as well so that he and I can go over some details.”
Her hands immediately began moving.
“Slow down,” he said with a smile, “so that I may understand you.”
Her gestures slowed, though more so because of his smile. He was smiling more often when he was with her and that pleased her as did the fact that he seemed all the more handsome when he smiled, if that was possible. Or perhaps it was more than that, perhaps on these rare occasions his heart got a chance to shine through, which might suggest that his soul wasn’t as evil as everyone believed.