The first male spins in his saddle, his eyes angry. “I’m hungry,” he spits out. “We’ll eat here.”
“If you’re gonna be a dick about it, fine.” The second one yanks on his mount’s reins and gives him a harsh kick, sending him straight toward us.
Fhord’s arm wraps around my waist as one finger lifts to rest in front of my lips. Insufferable man.Of course I’m going to be quiet, I tell myself as I try to drag my thoughts away from the butterflies his touch launched in my stomach. I suppress the inhale my lungs crave as his hand drops to join the other on my stomach.
This is better and so, so much worse. We can’t fight so many males. They’ll kill us—after they rape me—if they see us. But all my reckless, traitorous body cares about is the heat that started just below his hands and is spilling into me. I have to stop myself from taking in the deep breath I desperately need right now. By the gods, I’m pathetic.
Fhord tugs gently, pulling me down with him to the ground below, both arms still tight around me. And then he looks at Sigurd as one of his hands releases me and flicks his wrist. The horse responds quickly, kneeling down behind us. Hilde does the same, her battle training apparently kicking in. We’re as hidden as we can be. Hopefully it’s enough.
I shouldn’t be surprised when Fhord’s hand returns to my stomach, tugging my back into his chest. But I am. He hates me. I know that. Still, he seems to be as drawn to me as I am to him.
We lay there motionless, Fhord filling my thoughts, his scent, full of coriander and cloves, wafting over me. I can feel the beat of Fhord’s heart, his breath on my neck, hot and steady. Without even thinking about it, my heart rate and breathing slow to match his. And as terrified as I am, I feel content for the first time in years.
Fhord, though, is not completely motionless. Part of him blossoms behind me, growing impossibly large as it fills up the space between us. And gods help me, my body responds. The fire that started when Fhord’s hands wrapped around me flares into an inferno, consuming every part of me. I can think about only one thing: the enormous dick digging into my ass.
And I can’t move. If I do, my hands will be unleashed, taking his and leading them down. At this moment, I don’t care who’s nearby, what might happen. I need him to touch me. To possess me.
It takes every ounce of my willpower to stay still. To not give in to my body’s reckless demands.
We lie there for a long, long time, and he stays hard. Unbelievably hard. Breathtakingly hard. The entire time. The heat that seems like it will never leave dries my mouth, making me empty and desperate for … something I can’t have. But his hands stay where they are too. He’s as motionless as me.
Finally, thankfully, the males start to pack up and leave. We lie there another five or ten minutes, giving them all the time they might need to get far away from us. When Fhord lifts one of his arms, I turn to look at him, a hundred questions running through my mind.
And then I’m dropped in a cold bath. Every bit of fire that had been strumming through my veins is extinguished at once. As if a vast bucket in the sky just dumped its load on us.
Because Fhord is angry, his eyes brittle sparks of agate, his mouth a thin, tight line. He glares at me until I sit up enough for him to move his other arm, which he promptly whips away from me.
“Leave,” he barks at me. Like it’s my fault he can’t control his body. As if he wasn’t the one who wrapped his arms around me and held me next to him the entire time.
My heart is in my throat, and I’m suddenly struggling to hold back my own anger. This man incites every wrong emotion in me.
So I let my gaze slowly move to his chest and then down to the parts I don’t want to think about. The bulge in his pants is so rigid, I wonder if it hurts to be constrained so tightly, for so long. “I can see why you’d be embarrassed,” I tell him with a smug look as I find his eyes again. “Not that I’m interested. But I’m flattered you feel that way.”
“My cock would rise for any woman who rests her ass next to it for such a long time,” he bites out. “No matter how unappealing she might be. But it won’t lead me to do something as foolish as bed you.”
Oh my gods, the arrogance of this man. “Well, at least we agree about that.”
Fhord still doesn’t move, as if he’s pinned to the ground. And I’m not in any hurry to make this easy for him. At last, he huffs out, “Are you going to go?”
“Oh, do you need some privacy?” My smile is saccharine. I’m gonna have so much fun playing with this man, now that I know how to get a rise out of him—figuratively and literally.
“Yes.” His eyes are bright, focused. “Now.”
“I guess we could go get some water,” I tell him as I stand and reach for the harnesses. “We’ll be out here when you’re done,” I turn to throw one last smile at him and draw the horses out to the clearing.
Chapter eleven
Fhord
I Didn't Have a Choice
WhatthefuckwasI thinking?
My dick twitches when she sneezes. Every single thing she does turns me on. I’m in a constant battle to stop my savage from declaring hisneedfor her. From claiming her as mine. From finally satisfying our fucked-up mating bond.
Fuck yes, I was going to burst when I pulled her next to me. When I tucked Sifa’s tight, beautiful ass right next to the most demanding part of me. That has been demanding her since our eyes first met.
And there’s no way my savage could relax once her breaths, her heartbeat, synched with mine. When we laid there together, not an inch of space between us.
