Tarr raised his tankard. “Finally, the women are finished.”
“Tarr informed me you feasted with your sister,” Rogan said. “So I invited him to feast with me.”
While the two seemed amicable Aliss knew the two men were doing what any good chieftains would do—getting to know their enemy.
“Join us?” Rogan asked.
A yawn gave her the excuse to decline his offer; she felt the men were better left to themselves. She bade them good night, and after changing into the soft linen shift she climbed into bed ready for sleep.
Her mind intended to torment her with issues that would find no solutions this night and she tossed and turned until, frustrated, she kicked off the covers and let out an exasperated moan.
“Trouble sleeping?” Rogan asked, slipping out of his shirt as he entered the room.
She had hoped to be asleep before he came to bed, and feeling the coward for hiding, she quickly diverted the conversation. “No, did you and Tarr fare well?”
He slipped naked in bed beside her. “We waged no battles.”
“But formed no friendship?”
“Be grateful we played our parts as chieftains well.”
“Could you call him friend one day?” she asked.
“Does it matter to you?”
“Yes.”
“Why?” he asked and turned on his side to face her.
“It is better to have many friends than many enemies.”
“You worry about me?”
His query caught her off guard. “I do not wish you harm.”
“What do you wish me?”
She stared at him, unable to answer.
“You do not know?”
Finally, she found words. “I thought I had known. I thought I had known you. I believed you.”
“You can still believe me.”
“After you lied to me?”
“In time you will—”
“Will learn the truth and hate you even more?” Her words were harsh to her own ears, and distraught by her outburst, she jumped out of bed and ran to the other room, tossing herself down on the narrow bed.
Rogan gave her barely a minute before he appeared in the doorway. She stared at him. He stood there like a proud warrior ready to do battle, his nakedness his armor, his determination his weapon.
He walked over to her, grabbed her around the waist, and flung her over his shoulder. He returned her to his bed, tossing her down and coming to rest over her. He locked his fingers with hers, spreading her arms above her head.
“’Hate’ is a strong word, Aliss. Are you sure you hate me?”
“Don’t!” she warned, realizing his intentions.
“Let us see how much you hate me.”
“Rogan, no,” she cried out, too late.
He captured her mouth though she tried to avoid his lips. It was a savage kiss that meant to prove her a liar, and it did. It fired the blood of both to a feverish pitch that soon had her writhing beneath him.
Rogan moved to nibble at her ear. “I told you the choice is yours. Do you want to make love with me?”
Damn him and damn herself for responding to him. Of course she wanted to make love. Love! Not make lust with him.
“No,” she spat.
He released her hands and grabbed her chin. “Be careful that your stubbornness does not lose you something you will regret.”
He rolled off her and turned on his side away from her.
Aliss lay there, her body aching for him, her mind admonishing her for her stupidity and her heart hurting as she had never known it could.
Chapter 23
Rogan stood on the bow of the ship that rose and fell with the swelling waves and stared at the approaching isle. A white sandy shore greeted them and a rocky terrain followed behind, attached to lush green land dotted with trees that thickened to woods.
Hills speared the gray sky, capped by a fine mist that would probably grow thicker with the approaching storm. Rogan had wasted no time this morning; the scent of a squall was strong in the air. The ships were ready and the people willing. They set sail soon after sunrise knowing it would take, weather permitting, until evening to reach the isle.
He had dreamed and planned for this day for years. Unfortunately, his victory tasted bittersweet. He had known a strong love with Kendra, but his love for Aliss was nothing less than profound. He had not even known when he had fallen in love with her. He could not say it had been sudden, though it had been unexpected.
He only knew now that he did not wish to live without her. He had six months to prove his love to her. Six months to speak the truth and wonder if she would hate him even more because of it.
He cringed at the idea that Aliss could hate him. He had known she had spoken with anger last night but her words still cut deep. He had hoped she would understand, but then she did not know the whole of it. He was not sure he wanted her to know all of it. Some secrets were better left buried.