by it to turn away.
“Be careful what you share with your men. There is no telling who can be trusted,” Hunter warned with a whisper that drifted over her and set her skin tingling.
“I need no advice from you,” she snapped annoyed at her body’s unexpected response.
“No need to take offense, mo chridhe ,” he said with a gentle stroke beneath her chin. “Greer has ears everywhere. Now that I have done my duty by making you aware of the reach of my brother’s control, I will take myself off to enjoy a poke.”
“You will not,” she ordered with a jab to his chest.
He laughed softly. “Jealous?”
“You are insufferable.”
“I have been called worse.”
“And rightfully so,” she said with another jab. “You will not poke another woman now that we are to wed.”
“But we are not wed yet,” he said, his smile much too disarming. “And somehow I doubt you would grace my bed before we wed.”
“I may not grace your bed after we wed.”
He grabbed her hand, stopping her from poking him again and leaned his face close to hers. “Our vows will be sealed immediately. I will not give anyone any reason to challenge our union.”
“And I will not be humiliated and disrespected by my intended. No pokes or no marriage.” That he actually paused to consider her ultimatum frustrated her all the more.
“I have your word that you will not deny me on our wedding night?”
Why did a tiny tingle settle between her legs? Could she possibly want to bed this man? The thought irritated her, and she answered gruffly. “You have my word.”
“You sound as if it will be more penance than pleasure for you.”
She turned an astute grin on him. “And which one will you make me suffer?”
His own grin was just as cunning. “Both.”
The tiny tingle between her legs erupted into shooting sparks and damn if she was not riddled with a burning need. How could she let a man, a stranger to boot, affect her so intimately? And how had she ever agreed to marry such a rogue?
“I have important things to see to,” she said, taking a step away from him. “Be off with you and try to behave.”
“ Behave ,” he asked with feigned surprise. “I have not behaved since I was a very young lad, and my family will attest to that.”
Patience rolled her eyes, groaned, and turned to hurry away from him, worried that if she remained in his presence she would strangle him.
~~~
“Patience,” McFarden said, falling into step with her. “Can we talk before you address your men?”
She slowed her pace, looked around, and tired of being the center of village gossip with villagers having kept curious eyes on her and her group since arriving here, pointed to a cropping of large flat stones.
McFarden nodded and followed her over to sit on the smooth stones.
“Let me guess,” Patience said before McFarden could speak. “You think I am a fool for marrying Hunter McLaud.”
“I cannot say that for sure, for perhaps your union with him could change things here for the better, not to mention prevent a useless war. No,” —he shook his head— “that is for you to decide. Besides, Hunter is a harmless one, not so his brothers. I fear what they may plan, though I fear more your father’s retaliation if anything should happen to you. Several clans in the area would be only more than happy to accompany you on your journey home to make certain you remain safe.”
“I appreciate your offer and your concern, but it is not necessary,” she said, her mind already strategizing what she would do.
McFarden nodded and kept his lips closed tight, a sure sign to Patience that he had more to say.
“Speak what you will, McFarden,” she ordered sharply.
“There are rumors spreading that Greer will pledge allegiance to the Dark Dragon and soon all the north will belong to the infamous warrior.”
His words followed what Hunter had told her about Greer and the Dark Dragon.
“No one defeats the Dark Dragon,” McFarden said
“Be careful what you share with your men. There is no telling who can be trusted,” Hunter warned with a whisper that drifted over her and set her skin tingling.
“I need no advice from you,” she snapped annoyed at her body’s unexpected response.
“No need to take offense, mo chridhe ,” he said with a gentle stroke beneath her chin. “Greer has ears everywhere. Now that I have done my duty by making you aware of the reach of my brother’s control, I will take myself off to enjoy a poke.”
“You will not,” she ordered with a jab to his chest.
He laughed softly. “Jealous?”
“You are insufferable.”
“I have been called worse.”
“And rightfully so,” she said with another jab. “You will not poke another woman now that we are to wed.”
“But we are not wed yet,” he said, his smile much too disarming. “And somehow I doubt you would grace my bed before we wed.”
“I may not grace your bed after we wed.”
He grabbed her hand, stopping her from poking him again and leaned his face close to hers. “Our vows will be sealed immediately. I will not give anyone any reason to challenge our union.”
“And I will not be humiliated and disrespected by my intended. No pokes or no marriage.” That he actually paused to consider her ultimatum frustrated her all the more.
“I have your word that you will not deny me on our wedding night?”
Why did a tiny tingle settle between her legs? Could she possibly want to bed this man? The thought irritated her, and she answered gruffly. “You have my word.”
“You sound as if it will be more penance than pleasure for you.”
She turned an astute grin on him. “And which one will you make me suffer?”
His own grin was just as cunning. “Both.”
The tiny tingle between her legs erupted into shooting sparks and damn if she was not riddled with a burning need. How could she let a man, a stranger to boot, affect her so intimately? And how had she ever agreed to marry such a rogue?
“I have important things to see to,” she said, taking a step away from him. “Be off with you and try to behave.”
“ Behave ,” he asked with feigned surprise. “I have not behaved since I was a very young lad, and my family will attest to that.”
Patience rolled her eyes, groaned, and turned to hurry away from him, worried that if she remained in his presence she would strangle him.
~~~
“Patience,” McFarden said, falling into step with her. “Can we talk before you address your men?”
She slowed her pace, looked around, and tired of being the center of village gossip with villagers having kept curious eyes on her and her group since arriving here, pointed to a cropping of large flat stones.
McFarden nodded and followed her over to sit on the smooth stones.
“Let me guess,” Patience said before McFarden could speak. “You think I am a fool for marrying Hunter McLaud.”
“I cannot say that for sure, for perhaps your union with him could change things here for the better, not to mention prevent a useless war. No,” —he shook his head— “that is for you to decide. Besides, Hunter is a harmless one, not so his brothers. I fear what they may plan, though I fear more your father’s retaliation if anything should happen to you. Several clans in the area would be only more than happy to accompany you on your journey home to make certain you remain safe.”
“I appreciate your offer and your concern, but it is not necessary,” she said, her mind already strategizing what she would do.
McFarden nodded and kept his lips closed tight, a sure sign to Patience that he had more to say.
“Speak what you will, McFarden,” she ordered sharply.
“There are rumors spreading that Greer will pledge allegiance to the Dark Dragon and soon all the north will belong to the infamous warrior.”
His words followed what Hunter had told her about Greer and the Dark Dragon.
“No one defeats the Dark Dragon,” McFarden said
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