"I can walk." I started to slide from my perch but Keir put his hands on my waist and slowlylowered me to the ground. The gesture by itself was not a suggestive one, but my face grew hotat its implication as he placed me gently on my feet.
Keir chuckled slightly, and took my hand. "Come, shy one."
My feet were still a bit tender, but I could walk in the soft slippers that Marcus had provided.
Keir led me through the bushes, keeping the lower branches off me with his strong arm. Birdstwittered and protested, taking flight as we worked our way through the growth. We emergedon the shore of a small pond, surrounded on all sides by thick, yellow alders. A blanket hadbeen laid to the side, with bundles piled next to it. I had that brief glimpse before Keir swept meoff my feet. "Perhaps the shy Warprize would enjoy a bit of seclusion, for a bath and a mealwith her Warlord."
"What? No guards? Just us?"
"Oh, there are guards." He placed me on the blanket and started to divest himself of hisswords and daggers. "Beyond the alders, out of sight. I can raise them with a shout, if I needto." He placed his weapons on the corner of the blanket, close at hand in case of need. "Iften ismy Second. Yers is my Third. The army will be safe with them for a time. I have somethingmore important to do."
The blanket was soft beneath me, cushioned underneath with grasses. I lay back, and watchedas he removed the stiff leather armor, stripping down the under-padding, leaving him in only histrous. My breath quickened as I watched him, and he knew it too, if the occasional flash of hisblue eyes in my direction was any indication.
With wonderful grace he settled on the blanket next to me. "Oh?" I arched an eyebrow at him.
"And what important task would that be?"
He gave me a knowing smile, and leaned closer, reaching out to pull me in to his body. I yieldedwillingly, loving the feeling of being wrapped in his strength. Ken-nuzzled my ear, andwhispered softly. "One that requires my complete attention."
His free hand worked its way under my tunic to stroke my waist. I caught my breath at histouch, shivering with need and anticipation. The alders danced over his head, the pattern ofshadow and light all around us. Somehow all my miseries disappeared when I was in his arms. Itall seemed clearer, easier. Perfect.
Keir moved his hands up my back, claiming a soft, warm kiss that went on and on. He sat us up,and it was only when my breastband was pulled over my head that I realized he'd left me withnaught but my trous. I shivered, and Keir wrapped me in his arms again, easing me back downon the blanket, and I welcomed him into my arms, letting my hands explore those broadshoulders.
His skin was spicy and warm, and I nuzzled him behind his ear as his hands gently stroked myshoulders, stopping to hover over my upper arm. I pulled back and watched as his fingerstraced the two pale scars that lay there. His voice was a soft rumble in my ear. "These arewell?"
"Yes." The scars were from an attack that had come at my brother's behest. They would fadein time, but the memory would take longer for both of us. Mine, for the fear of the moment,Keir's for the guilt he felt, that I'd been hurt. I reached up to stroke his face, letting my fingersrun through his hair.
"And your feet?"
"They're fine." I gave him a look as his fingers drifted down to the waist of my trous. "If we'reto bathe, Warlord, why are we lying on this blanket?"
He tilted his head, smirking slightly. "Well, we need to get dirty first, don't we?"
I laughed. "Dirty?"
His hands moved again, burning the skin of my breast with his touch. "Perhaps 'sticky' is abetter word?" He grinned at me then, his entire face lighting up.
I smiled back, pulled his head down, and kissed him. He responded, and within moments thealders, the sun, and the world around us melted away. All of my senses were wrapped in him,focused on the feel of his skin against mine.
His fingers drifted back down, under my trous to stroke the curve of my hip. I moved my handsto trail them up over his arm to rest on his shoulder. His eyes were half-closed and he nuzzledmy neck, leaving soft kisses along my throat, down to the juncture of my breasts. His tonguetraced the under curve, taking my very breath.
"Keir," I whispered, afraid to say more, wanting him to continue. As swift as I could wish, ourtrous were gone, and his legs were entangled with mine. I ran my foot up his leg, scraping theskin with my toenails. He groaned, then caught my leg in his large hand, pulling it up and overhis thigh. But still he teased, denying me the contact I craved.
Instead, he moved his hand to stroke me deep within, responding to my movements and cries toinsure my joy. I'd heard tales, of course, of men who took their pleasure and gave nothing inreturn. But to my lover, my bliss was as important as his own. Goddess knew, Keir was adept,and I tried not to think about how he'd learned those skills. Each time we loved, he proved thatthe hands that wielded a deadly blade could dance over my body, leaving me breathless andready for more. This time was no different, as I cried out, grabbing at his arms as I explodedinto pure pleasure.
As I returned to sanity, he rolled onto his back, taking me with him, sprawled over his body likea blanket. Now it was my turn, to touch and to tease, using his teachings against him. He let meexplore with a will, allowed and encouraged my tentative touches. I knew the male body as ahealer, but it was an entirely different thing to watch it respond as a lover. I tried to return thecourtesy, letting his moans and movements lead me to bolder and stronger actions. My savageWarlord gasped and trembled beneath me, and that trust wrapped around my heart.
So we loved, under the shelter of the alders, skin sun-touched and shadow-dappled. And whenKeir came into me, it was more than our physical bodies joining. It was our hearts and mindscaught in a precious moment of shared passion. For an instant, Keir and I were one with eachother and the elements that surrounded us, filled with light and joy. It left us gasping for breath,clinging to one another, and, well… sticky.
The sun moved quite a bit before we actually entered the water. Keir extended a hand to helpme walk barefoot into the pond. The water was cold at first, but it warmed as we went deeper,to stand in water up to our waists.
Keir dived in, disappearing from view. I waited to see where he would surface, but I didn't seehim come up. Just as I grew concerned, I felt something grasp my ankle. Before I could cry out,Keir surfaced before me, laughing and breathless.
"Keir!" I exclaimed, wiping the water from my face, laughing in spite of myself.
He chuckled, and strode back to the shore, returning to hand me one of the precious bars ofvanilla scented soap. I thanked him, and started to lather my hands.
Keir moved closer, water streaming down his body. "Let me help you with that."
