When breath was needed she rested her cheek to his and whispered, “I need you. I have never known such a need.”
Lachlan near growled with desire and the thought that she had never known a man, that he would be the first to touch her, to teach her, only made his passion more potent.
But the woods and hard ground was no place for her first time. He wanted it special for her, for them to always remember.
He eased away, taking hold of her hands and the ravenous desire that had turned her sky blue eyes stormy almost made him change his mind.
“Not here, not now,” he said softly.
“Why not?” she asked anxiously.
“You deserve more.”
“I have more.” She gripped his shirt. “I have you.”
“And so you shall,” he promised with a kiss. “You shall have me all night and wake in my arms in the morning.”
“Why must we wait?” she asked annoyed.
“Why must we hurry?”
“Your time here is short,” she said on a sigh. “I wish to make the most of it.”
He pressed a gentle finger to her lips. “There is no time when it comes to us. There is only now.”
He kissed her again and they lingered in it, nibbling and nipping, but this time not touching for he had taken hold of her hands and held them tight, knowing if he let her touch him, he would surrender.
Chapter 12
Terese spent the afternoon trying to make baskets with Megan, but she snapped more branches than she bent into shape. Finally, Megan shoved her aside and ordered her not to touch another branch.
“We’ll soon have no branches left and only one basket has been made.”
Terese apologized. “I’m sorry.” She plopped down in the chair at the table where Megan worked. Sun filtered through the open door and the wooden shutters had been thrown open to allow for even more light. The small cottage was used mostly by Megan who cherished her solitude more than the others. She made baskets, wreaths, worked on the loom, and spun fine wool for their clothing.
A spring breeze drifted in and around them as Megan continued to work and Terese sat and watched.
“You seem dazed, not yourself,” Megan said, her fingers bending and rounding the branch to skillfully form a large basket.
“It’s Lachlan,” Terese said honestly.
Megan shook her head. “No good can come of that.”
“He is not like other men.”
“I thought that once.” Megan again shook her head. “It wasn’t so.”
“I’m attracted to him.”
“He will hurt you; all men do,” Megan said coldly.
“I’d like to believe differently.”
“Wouldn’t we all?”
“He will leave and it will be done,” Terese said as if it didn’t matter, though her heart gave a little tug.
“What if you fall in love with him?”
“There is no time for that,” Terese assured her.
“Love doesn’t need time; it needs only two senseless souls.”
“Andrew looks like a senseless soul when he’s around you,” Terese teased.
“I loved once and I’ll never make that mistake again,” Megan snapped.
Terese knew better than to question Megan about her past. No one did, but she had hoped that perhaps Andrew’s interest in Megan might help heal whatever wounds she had suffered and give her another chance at love.
“Andrew is tenacious and considerate of you,” Terese said.
“He is too tall!” Megan blurted.
Terese saw fear in Megan’s eyes, but she shuddered and it quickly faded away. However, Terese felt she had another piece to the puzzle that was Megan. It wasn’t Andrew she avoided; it was his size.
“Andrew seems gentle enough,” Terese said, hoping to help Megan see the man differently. “And he’s lean.”
“With muscles,” Megan emphasized. “Have you seen the size logs he’s lifted? Why, I bet he can squeeze the life from a man with one hand.” She shuddered again. “I want nothing to do with him.”
“As you wish,” Terese said.
“And you would be wise to be careful yourself,” Megan warned, raising her voice. “Men are not truthful creatures.”
At that moment Andrew popped his head in the open door. “I am,” he said proudly. “I would never lie to you.”
“So say you now,” Megan challenged.
Andrew hesitantly peered inside the cottage as if waiting to see if Megan would order him out but when she didn’t, to Terese’s surprise, Andrew ducked his head to fit through the open door and entered.
“I would always be truthful with you,” Andrew assured Megan.
“Then start now,” Megan said, continuing her challenge. “Why do you follow me around?”