bench, she was gifted with a nice
view of his rear covered by his black leather pants.
Oh yeah, she'd love a bite of that.
"Now what can I do for you gentle folks?" the woman asked.
"What looks good to you, Channon?"
Was that a trick question or what?
Forcing herself to look at something other than Sebastian, she attempted to find a
substitute to sink her teeth into. "What do you recommend?" she asked, trying out
her Old English. She'd never used it before in conversation.
To her amazement, the woman understood her. "If you're in the mind for something
sweet, I just pulled a honey loaf from the oven."
"That would be wonderful," Channon said.
The woman left them alone. Sebastian stood back while she examined the different
kinds of bread in the shop.
"So what's in the bag?" she asked, indicating the black one Sebastian had removed
from his horse.
"It's just something I need to take care of. Later."
Again with the hedging. "Is that why you came back here?"
He nodded, but there was something very guarded in his look, one that warned her
this topic was quite closed.
The woman returned with the bread and sliced it for them. While Channon ate the
warm, delicious slice, the woman asked Sebastian if he would help her move some
boxes from a cart outside into the back of her shop.
He left his bag with Channon, then went to help.
Channon listened to them in the other room while she ate the bread and drank the
cider the woman had also given her. Her gaze fell to the black bag and curiosity got
the better of her. Leaning over, she opened it to see what it contained. Her breath
left her body as she saw the tapestry inside.
He really had stolen it. But why?
The old woman came in, brushing her hands on her apron. "That's a good man you
got there, my lady."
Blushing at being caught in her snooping, Channon straightened up. At the
moment, she wasn't so sure about that. "Is he still unloading the cart?"
The woman motioned her to the back, then took her to look out the door. In the
alley behind the shops, she saw Sebastian playing a game with two boys who were
wielding wooden swords and shields against him while pretending to be warriors
fighting a dragon. The irony of their game wasn't lost on her.
She took a minute to watch him laughing and teasing them. The sight warmed her
heart.
The Sebastian she had come to know was a man of many facets. Caring,
compassionate, and tender in a way she'd never known before. Yet there was a
savage undercurrent to him, one that let her know he wasn't a man to be taken
lightly.
And as she watched him playing with the children, something strange happened to
her. She wondered what he would look like playing with his own children.
With their children ...
She could see the image so plainly that it scared her.
"Why do you wear a mask?" one of the boys asked him.
"Because I'm not as pretty as you," Sebastian teased.
"I'm not pretty," the little boy said indignantly. "I'm a handsome boy."
"Handsome you are, Aubrey," a middle-aged man said as he moved a keg through
the back door of the building across the way. The man looked to Sebastian.
He gaped widely, then wiped his hand on his shirt and moved to shake Sebastian's
arm. "It's been a long time since I seen one of you. It's an honor to shake your arm,
sir."
The boys paused in their play. "Who is he, grandfather?"
"He's a dragon slayer, Aubrey, like the ones I tell you about at night when you go to
sleep." The man indicated Sebastian's mask and sword. "I was just your age when
they came to Lindsey and slew the Megalos."
She wondered if Sebastian was one of the ones who had come that day.
As if sensing her, Sebastian turned his head to see her in the doorway. "If you'll
excuse me," he said to the man and boys, then made his way toward her.
Sebastian could tell by Channon's face that something was troubling her. "Is
something wrong?"
"Were you one of the ones who fought the Megalos?"
He shook his head as pain
view of his rear covered by his black leather pants.
Oh yeah, she'd love a bite of that.
"Now what can I do for you gentle folks?" the woman asked.
"What looks good to you, Channon?"
Was that a trick question or what?
Forcing herself to look at something other than Sebastian, she attempted to find a
substitute to sink her teeth into. "What do you recommend?" she asked, trying out
her Old English. She'd never used it before in conversation.
To her amazement, the woman understood her. "If you're in the mind for something
sweet, I just pulled a honey loaf from the oven."
"That would be wonderful," Channon said.
The woman left them alone. Sebastian stood back while she examined the different
kinds of bread in the shop.
"So what's in the bag?" she asked, indicating the black one Sebastian had removed
from his horse.
"It's just something I need to take care of. Later."
Again with the hedging. "Is that why you came back here?"
He nodded, but there was something very guarded in his look, one that warned her
this topic was quite closed.
The woman returned with the bread and sliced it for them. While Channon ate the
warm, delicious slice, the woman asked Sebastian if he would help her move some
boxes from a cart outside into the back of her shop.
He left his bag with Channon, then went to help.
Channon listened to them in the other room while she ate the bread and drank the
cider the woman had also given her. Her gaze fell to the black bag and curiosity got
the better of her. Leaning over, she opened it to see what it contained. Her breath
left her body as she saw the tapestry inside.
He really had stolen it. But why?
The old woman came in, brushing her hands on her apron. "That's a good man you
got there, my lady."
Blushing at being caught in her snooping, Channon straightened up. At the
moment, she wasn't so sure about that. "Is he still unloading the cart?"
The woman motioned her to the back, then took her to look out the door. In the
alley behind the shops, she saw Sebastian playing a game with two boys who were
wielding wooden swords and shields against him while pretending to be warriors
fighting a dragon. The irony of their game wasn't lost on her.
She took a minute to watch him laughing and teasing them. The sight warmed her
heart.
The Sebastian she had come to know was a man of many facets. Caring,
compassionate, and tender in a way she'd never known before. Yet there was a
savage undercurrent to him, one that let her know he wasn't a man to be taken
lightly.
And as she watched him playing with the children, something strange happened to
her. She wondered what he would look like playing with his own children.
With their children ...
She could see the image so plainly that it scared her.
"Why do you wear a mask?" one of the boys asked him.
"Because I'm not as pretty as you," Sebastian teased.
"I'm not pretty," the little boy said indignantly. "I'm a handsome boy."
"Handsome you are, Aubrey," a middle-aged man said as he moved a keg through
the back door of the building across the way. The man looked to Sebastian.
He gaped widely, then wiped his hand on his shirt and moved to shake Sebastian's
arm. "It's been a long time since I seen one of you. It's an honor to shake your arm,
sir."
The boys paused in their play. "Who is he, grandfather?"
"He's a dragon slayer, Aubrey, like the ones I tell you about at night when you go to
sleep." The man indicated Sebastian's mask and sword. "I was just your age when
they came to Lindsey and slew the Megalos."
She wondered if Sebastian was one of the ones who had come that day.
As if sensing her, Sebastian turned his head to see her in the doorway. "If you'll
excuse me," he said to the man and boys, then made his way toward her.
Sebastian could tell by Channon's face that something was troubling her. "Is
something wrong?"
"Were you one of the ones who fought the Megalos?"
He shook his head as pain
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