Page 106 of Viking Unchained

He thought it was sexy, all right.

“Why are you wearing such scant attire?”

To turn you on, Dunce of the Month. “It’s what I sleep in.”

“Not when I was here.”

All these irrelevancies. Let’s get on to the good stuff. “Finn, I don’t sleep in the nude when I’m alone.

I have a four-year-old son, after all.”

“And don’t you forget it, either.” The lust in his eyes turned to anger as he put the tape on the floor and stomped on it. “I forbid you to sell yourself like this.”

Don’t hit him, Lydia. Do. Not. Hit. Him. “I beg your pardon. You’re not even my . . . lover.”

“I am so. I just have not had time to be with you that way these past two sennights.”

“You had time to come and castigate me over a simple video.”

“I was going to come tonight anyway. I have something important to—”

“Hah! It would have been nice if you had called ahead of time.”

“I did, but I kept getting your bloody voice message. What I have to say to you had to be said in person.”

“What? You couldn’t leave a voice mail telling me you don’t like my video?”

“That is not what I want to say, but since you mentioned it, let me be perfectly clear. You are the mother of my son, and for that reason, if no other, I will not allow you to entice men with your sex dancing.”

“Entice? That’s aerobic exercise. What century are you living in? Oops, I forgot. You are from a different century.”

“’Tis sex and do not dare be at crosswills with me on this.”

“Enough is enough!” If Mohammed wouldn’t come to the mountain, she would go to him. She went over to him, stood on tiptoes, and kissed him hungrily ’til his stiff body went limp with surrender . . . except for one part that went stiffer. Then he put one hand at her nape and the other around her waist and took over the kiss, groaning into her mouth.

Her camisole was shoved to her waist and they were half on and half off the couch when he seemed to come to his senses. To her shock, he pulled her camisole back up, then shoved her away and stood.

“Will you just slow down, Lydia? There is something I need to tell you first.”

She put a hand to her mouth to stifle a cry. He didn’t want her anymore. Not even for sex. That’s what he had come to tell her. He was using the video as an excuse to dump her.

With a cry of desolation, she ran to her bedroom and locked the door after her. She soon learned that the lock was unnecessary, as she heard the front door open and close.

That was it, then.

It was over.

But she was mistaken, she realized, as she soon heard a loud pounding on her bedroom door.

Chapter 20

The best-laid plans . . .

Thorfinn was ready. All day he had been making preparations for what he was about to do, and he was not going to let Lydia change his game plan.

“Open the door, Lydia.”

“Go away.”