Highlander Lord of Fire Read online

  “We’ll talk while in the warmth of the bed,” he urged.

  Snow had no intention of being denied an answer. “My sister said you wed me because you love me. I told her that wasn’t possible. You made it clear you couldn’t love a blind woman.”

  Tarass was glad she couldn’t see him cringe at the words he’d once said to her.

  “So since you don’t love me, why did you marry me? Nettle was the only one who knew about that night you fell asleep naked in my bed and she’d be too fearful of you to say a word. And no one but you and I know that you saw me naked in the cottage. There was no reason for you to do what you did… stop the wedding and marry me.”

  “What difference does it make. We are wed and we will stay wed,” he said.

  “We have not sealed our vows yet, the marriage can be undone.”

  “Never! You are my wife and you will stay my wife,” he said with a command that sounded as if he claimed it law.

  His word was law here in his clan, but that didn’t answer her question that he continued to ignore.

  “Tell me why you wed me or else,” she said, tossing out her threat with a lift of her chin.

  Tarass grabbed her chin in his hand. “Or else what, wife?”

  Snow didn’t need to see his face to tell he was annoyed with her. She placed her hand on his hand that had hold of her chin. “Or else I will wonder forever why a man who intended to marry a woman who would benefit his clan wed a blind woman who brought burden rather than benefit to him or his clan.”

  “You are no burden, ást.”

  His tone had softened and she wondered as she had the last time what the foreign word meant that he called her.

  “I am no benefit either, so I will ask you until you answer me. Why did you marry me?”

  “You aren’t going to let this go, are you?”

  “No, I need to know. I feel vulnerable enough standing in front of you naked. I feel even more vulnerable not knowing why you married me.”

  His hand went slowly around her waist to give the opposite side a gentle squeeze and draw her closer to him. Then he scooped her up in his arms and carried her to the edge of the bed to sit, and settled her in his lap.

  She rested her hand gently on his cheek, the warmth there sending a slight tingle through her. “You will tell me?”

  “You may not believe me.”

  “Will it be the truth?” she asked.

  “Aye, on that you have my word,” he promised.

  “Then I will believe you. Now tell me why you wed me.”

  “Willow was right… I married you because I love you.”

  Chapter 17

  “I don’t understand,” Snow said, shaking her head.

  “I don’t understand it either, but there it is. I’ve fallen in love with you and not a simple fall, a hard one, if not harder than that tumble you took down that hill. It tumbled and stabbed at me until I was too battered to fight it.” It was Tarass’s turn to shake his head. “I told you that you wouldn’t believe it. I barely believe it myself. But how do I deny something that refuses to let go, that drives me mad with endless thoughts, that—” He shook his head again. “It’s done. I love you and that’s all there is to it.” He took a quick breath. “I hope someday, somehow, you might grow to love me, or at least grow fond of me.”

  Snow smiled. “Strange, you had told me time and again that you would never marry let alone love a blind woman. I thought for sure my sister was wrong, and yet she had been right not only about you but about me as well.”

  “What about you?”

  “Willow told me before I would admit it to myself that I love you and though I fought it, like you, it wouldn’t leave me alone. The realization of just how much I love you hit me when standing before the cleric with Lord Polwarth. I couldn’t marry him when I knew I was in love with you.” When no response came, Snow smiled. “Did I strike you speechless?”

  “Aye, you did,” Tarass said, his wits returning to him. “I feared you hated me too much to ever love me even a little.” He chuckled. “Not that I deserved your hatred, of course.”

  Snow laughed with him. “There were many times I felt I did hate you, deserving of course.” Her voice turned soft. “Until I found something in you that I didn’t think existed… kindness. Though I daresay, you would not want anyone to know that of you.”

  “You’ll keep my secret then?” he asked with another chuckle.

  “I don’t think it’s much of a secret to those who truly know you,” she whispered close to his lips.

  Her faint breath teased his lips and he didn’t hesitate to kiss her gently.

  It was a tender, lovely kiss, but it wasn’t enough for her. She ached for much more, but she needed to remind him of something. “You once said you’d never poke a blind woman.”

  He brushed his lips over hers and felt the light shiver that ran through her naked body before responding. “Aye, I did, and I meant it.”

  Snow snapped her head back as if he had slapped her in the face, so great was her surprise. If he didn’t want to seal their vows, why claim he loved her?

  Tarass took hold of her chin, keeping her eyes set on him, though she couldn’t truly see him, but he wanted her to know that he saw her.

  “I won’t poke you,” he said sharply before he softened his tone. “I intend to make love to you. Actually, I’ve ached to make love to you. I’ve thought almost about nothing else but making love to you. And I fear you will grow quite tired of how much I intend to make love to you.”

  She brushed his hand away. “What if it is I who demands more?”

  He laughed. “Then I have surely died and gone to heaven.”

  “Not without me,” she scolded lightly. “I could not bear to live without you.”

  His heart felt as if it faltered. He had hoped one day she would love him, if only a little. To hear her say she wouldn’t want to live without him filled him with joy and made him realize she loved him as much as he loved her, since he wouldn’t want to live without her either.

  He ran the back of his fingers over her cheek and down along her jaw. “I feel the same. I could not imagine life without you.” He took hold of her jaw and brought his lips to hers to brush them lightly, teasingly.

  “I am so glad you came and rescued me just in time,” she whispered.

  “I am too or else I would have had to make you a widow.”

  Snow yanked her head back again. “You wouldn’t have.”

  “When I said you belonged to me, I meant it. No one will ever take you from me.”

  His hand went to the back of her neck to hold it firm as his lips came down on hers in a kiss that tingled every inch of Snow’s naked body. It was a strong kiss that demanded and gave at the same time and Snow didn’t hesitate to respond.

  Tarass kept a firm arm around her waist as he dropped them back on the bed together, never breaking the kiss. But then Snow wouldn’t let him. Her arms had hurried around his neck and her lips had opened eagerly for him. He thought she’d startle when his tongue slipped into her mouth, but her tongue had quickly joined his and they both were soon lost in the heated kiss.

  He moved his hand off the back of her neck down along her body to grip her backside in a firm squeeze and she moaned with pleasure. Her moan grew when his hand drifted up, lightly caressing her soft skin before he reached her breast and cupped it in his hand, his thumb grazing her nipple.

  A vicious bark sounded before Thaw hurled himself onto the bed and stood, teeth bared and growling, over Tarass.

  “I’m not hurting her,” Tarass said a bit too forcefully, annoyed at being disturbed.

  Thaw wasn’t at all appeased. His snarl deepened.

  “Tarass does not hurt me, Thaw. I am good. I am not hurt,” Snow said calmly and stretched her hand above her head searching for the pup.

  Thaw’s growling eased, though it didn’t stop as he slipped the top of his head under her hand.

  Snow rubbed behind his ears and under his chi
n, his favorite spots. “Tarass loves me, Thaw. He keeps me safe like you do.”

  Tarass remained silent. Though he wanted to throw the pup out of the room and lock the door, he knew that wouldn’t be a good idea. Snow loved Thaw and, while he’d never admit he was a bit jealous of the pup—a crazy thought—he’d never do anything to come between their special bond. But he damn well wouldn’t let the protective pup stop him from making love to his wife.

  “I would never hurt, Snow, Thaw,” Tarass said and gave the pup a rub behind his ear.

  “I don’t want to put him out of the room and have him think he did something wrong, especially with our return here. He needs to learn this is his new home now, but this situation isn’t helping the matter,” she said, not sure of what to do.

  Tarass agreed, though not verbally. He wanted the pup to protect her and if he was put out of the room it would confuse him. In time he would learn, but that didn’t help him tonight.

  “Tell him to go sleep by the hearth as he’d been doing. We’ll get beneath the blankets and we’ll have to be quiet,” Tarass said, “for tonight at least.”

  Snow reached out to touch his face, resting her hand on his cheek. “You do love me.”

  “I told you I did.”

  “Aye, you did, but not to get angry at Thaw for disturbing us and not putting him out of the room tells me just how very much you love me and makes me love you even more,” she said and kissed him.

  Tarass slipped his hand around to the back of her neck and deepened the kiss.

  Thaw growled.

  Tarass dropped his head back on the mattress to look up at the growling pup. “I am not hurting her. I love Snow.”

  Snow chuckled, reached out to find her husband’s face, her hands landing on his chest that she followed up to his face to cup and plant kisses all over it. Then she reached out for Thaw, took hold of his face and rained kisses over him.

  “See, Thaw, I love you both,” she said and repeated the process. “Now you show him, Tarass, that you love us both.”

  “You want me to kiss the pup?” he asked, thinking her crazy.

  “It will help him understand and hopefully let us make love tonight, uninterrupted.”

  The idea of kissing the pup was not appealing, but far less appealing was not finishing what he had started with his wife. Tarass grabbed his wife’s face and rained lots of kisses over it and she began to moan softly. Before Thaw could growl, he took hold of the pup’s face and kissed him a few times, and cringed when the pup licked his face.

  “I think he understands,” Tarass said, wiping his cheek with his arm.

  “Go sleep now, Thaw,” Snow ordered gently.

  The pup jumped off the bed and curled up by the hearth.

  Tarass helped his wife slip under the blankets. “This is a far different wedding night than I had planned.”

  Snow cuddled against him and loved when his arms wrapped around her to tuck her close. “Aye, far different than what I expected as well.”

  “What did you expect?” he asked, curious. “You intended to stop the wedding to Lord Polwarth, so there would have been no wedding night to expect with him. So it is a wedding night with me you had thought on. So again, what did you expect?”

  “I expected to be anxious and fearful, but I’m not.”

  “Fearful of what? Not me, I hope. I would never hurt you, ást,” he said, caressing her back.

  “What is that name you call me?”

  “It means love in my mum’s native tongue.”

  “You’ve called me that twice before,” she said, remembering the cottage where she had first heard it.

  “I suppose I knew I loved you before I knew I loved you,” he said and kissed her softly. “Now tell me what was there to be fearful of tonight?” He kissed her again.

  “I’m not sure, but the fear disappeared as soon as you told me you loved me,” she said and returned the kiss.

  “I’m glad. I don’t want you to fear me, at least not in bed,” Tarass said with a slight laugh. “Ouch, did you just poke me?”

  “You deserved it. besides, someone has to start poking.”

  “We don’t poke, wife, we make love,” he whispered and kissed her as his hand roamed over her intimately and she sighed with pleasure, though it quickly turned into a moan. “Quiet or you’ll wake Thaw and end this before it can start.”

  Snow did her best to keep quiet, but it was difficult with his hands teasing her senses awake with his every touch. And when he took one of her taut and sensitive nipples into his mouth for his tongue to tease, she thought she’d scream with pleasure. She kept her moans low, fearful Thaw would disturb them again, an unbearable thought.

  Her body moved against his as if it had a mind of its own, a need of its own. When his hand slipped between her legs and stroked her, she almost vaulted off the bed if it weren’t for him throwing his legs over hers to stop her.

  “Tarass,” she whispered and heard the aching need in her voice.

  “Good God, wife, you feel as beautiful as you are,” he said and buried his face in her neck to nibble along it.

  His hand continued to tease between her legs and she thought she’d go mad. She bit her tongue to keep the moans locked away, but feared she’d fail in keeping them from escaping. She thought to reach out and explore him as he did her, but he had taken such command of her body that the only thing she could do was respond to his touch. And she did, her body writhing against his as if begging him for more, begging him not to stop, begging him to appease her ache.

  She felt his manhood, thick and hard, against her leg and for a moment she wondered how he’d fit inside her, then she didn’t care. She wanted him inside her, not only to bring her pleasure but to seal their vows, their love, their life together from this day on.

  Thaw’s growl and bark had Tarass ready to leap off the bed and throw the pup out of the room until he realized Thaw wasn’t barking in their direction. He was barking at the door.

  “Someone approaches,” he said and hurried off his wife and out of bed to grab his sword. “Stay where you are.”

  Snow wrapped the blanket around her, fear chilling her skin and turning it to gooseflesh. Who dared to come to their bedchamber so late? An intruder? Or someone bearing bad news? Either way did not bode well.

  Tarass went to stand near the door, sword in hand, taking no chance. Everyone knew it was his wedding night and he was not to be disturbed, he had made it clear. And as much as he didn’t want to believe that someone had gotten passed his sentinels, he had to consider it. Especially now with a wife to protect.

  A knock sounded at the door, but still Tarass stood ready.

  “It’s me, Rannock.”

  “This better be life or death,” Tarass called out and laid aside his sword, then reached for his plaid and wrapped it quickly around him and before opening the door he turned to his wife. “I’m opening the door for Rannock to enter.”

  Snow was pleased that he let her know and tightened the blanket around her.

  Tarass remained silent when he opened the door, knowing that the news couldn’t be good for his friend to disturb him on his wedding night.

  “It took only one person to see it and wake the whole village,” Rannock said. “You need to see it yourself and calm the people.”

  “Send Nettle here, then wait in the Great Hall for me,” Tarass ordered.

  Rannock nodded and left, Tarass closing the door.

  “What is it?” Snow asked anxiously.

  “I don’t know,” he said, as he slipped his plaid off to hurry a shirt on and wrap his plaid around him. “But since Rannock disturbed me on our wedding night, it can’t be good. Nettle will stay with you while I’m gone.”

  “I’ll go with you,” Snow said, rushing out of bed and bumping into a chair as she searched for her clothes. His hand was on her arm in an instant.

  “You’ll stay here,” he ordered and walked her back to the bed.

  “I want to go with you,” she
insisted.

  “Get into bed, wife, and stay there.”

  His demanding tone spoke louder than his words and Snow held her tongue and got into bed, pulling the covers around her.

  Thaw barked again, though wagged his tail this time.

  “Nettle is here,” Tarass said and opened the door.

  “My lord,” she said with a bob of her head.

  Tarass could tell by her disheveled appearance that she had rushed to dress and he was glad the lass hadn’t wasted any time in getting here.

  “You’ll stay with Lady Snow,” he commanded and Nettle bobbed her head again.

  “I hope not to be long, wife,” he said and was out the door.

  Snow was out of bed as soon as she heard the door latch. “Fetch my clothes, Nettle.”

  “Aye, m’lady,” Nettle said and went to the chest against one of the walls and started hunting through it.

  “Do you know what happened?” Snow asked.

  “No, I came straight here. I didn’t hear or see anything and Rannock wouldn’t tell me anything until my endless questions annoyed him so much that he at least let me know that I was being summoned to stay with you while Lord Tarass tended to an urgent matter.”

  “I can’t wait here. I must know what’s going on,” Snow said.

  “I’m curious myself,” Nettle said.

  “Help me dress and we’ll see what we can find out,” Snow urged pleased that Nettle was as curious as her.

  Snow ran her hand over the soft wool shift Nettle got her into and an equally soft tunic she placed over it.

  “These are lovely,” Snow commented, the soft wool warming her chilled body.

  “They belonged to Lord Tarass’s mum. She was petite, but courageous from what I’m told. She was much like you.”

  Snow was surprised that Nettle thought her courageous and pleased to learn something about Tarass’s mum. But there was no time to linger on those thoughts. She needed to find out what was going on. She was in the dark enough with no sight. She didn’t want to be more in the dark and not aware of what went on in her new home.

  Thaw followed the two women down the stairs, Nettle guiding Snow’s steps.