They’d ridden for what felt like hours, Colm holding her down on his beast like she was a sack of supplies. He’d refused to talk, even though she’d peppered him with insults. Finally, exhausted from the last few days, she’d drifted off.
Had the medical procedure caused him to do this? What if there was something wrong with him and he needed help—
She heard a sound and turned.
Her gut clenched. Ahead, her barbarian was walking through the flowers toward her.
She drank him in. The impossibly broad shoulders, the hard chest, the ridged abdomen, and the long, solid legs. He was strength personified. Her gaze moved up and reached his rugged face. His eyes were on her. She saw a flare of gold within them.
She was unable to move. He was watching her with an intensity that made her chest tight. It was so damn unfair. He was hers and now he had no idea who she was. Honor fought back tears.
“Honor.”
The way he said it…her chest hitched. No. She didn’t dare hope. “Colm…”
He reached her and cupped her face.
The way he touched her, the way he looked at her… “You…remember?”
“Yes. Every single second.”
Her knees threatened to go out from under her. Emotion flooded her. “God, Colm—”
He pulled her close, his heat engulfing her. “I’m sorry, Honor. For not remembering right away.”
Honor felt a tear trickle down her cheek. “It’s not your fault.”
“I could never forget you.” His thumb traced her cheekbone. “Not my bondmate.”
“Colm.” A sob broke from her.
All of a sudden, he exploded into action. He scooped her up into his arms, and, holding her close to his chest, he strode towards the tent.
Honor’s throat was so clogged she couldn’t speak. He set her down inside the tent and she stood quietly as he stripped her uniform off her. A second later he was skimming his tight leather trousers off and then they were both naked.
Stars, he was so beautiful. She started shaking.
He dragged her down into the nest of pillows and kissed her.
The kiss was long and deep and slow. It was like he was trying to pull the taste of her inside him. Trying to mark every tiny bit of her. Trying to reach her soul.
His hands skimmed over her, and Honor let hers travel over the broad planes of him. He murmured to her, apologizing over and over.
Soon he moved, rolling her beneath him, and pulling one of her legs around his hips. When he slid inside her, she cried out from the beauty of it. He made love to her—slowly, reverently.
“You are mine, Honor. My woman, my bondmate, my heart.”
He brought her to orgasm twice before he finally held himself still, his body shaking as he spilled his release inside her.
They were quiet for a long while, stroking each other. Then he pulled away and got up.
Honor rose up on one elbow and watched him—all those fascinating flexes of muscle she’d never get tired of watching. He moved to a small box nearby, and pulled out what looked like a bottle of wine.
He poured two glasses of the dark, purple-red liquid and brought them back to her. He handed her a glass, his gaze on her. She felt there was some importance to the moment.
“To seal our mating, you drink this,” he said.
She stared at him. She wasn’t sure exactly what the future would hold for them, but she knew she needed this warrior in her life.
She’d lost him once, she didn’t plan on letting it happen again. She put her lips to the rim of the glass and took a long, deep sip of the sweet, spicy wine.
Colm made a satisfied growling sound, and drank from his own glass. Then he set it aside, and reached for hers. With the other hand he pushed her back against the pillows and tipped her glass over her chest. As the red wine spilled down over her breasts, she gasped.
Then her warrior leaned forward and lapped it off her skin. “You taste better than the wine.” He dragged one nipple into his mouth, sucking hard, and Honor cried out.
He kept licking, sucking, and teasing her. Honor felt her desire rising again.
“I haven’t had any mating jewelry made yet.” His fingers drifted up to her arm, stroking her bicep. “I want beautiful bands wrapped around here, to show that we are joined. To show you are mine. Kavon has a metal in his mine that glows deep red in the light. It is very hard, very tough, but bends in the right circumstances. Just like my little warrior.” His brown gaze met hers. “Our mating is not complete until you tell me you will be mine.”
For the first time, she detected the faintest hint of nerves in her warrior. “Yes, Colm, I’ll be your bondmate.”
Elation filled his face. Then he frowned. “I detect something is still troubling you?”