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Chapter Fifteen
“Thank the Gods you’re back.” Gunnar was waiting just inside the castle. We had left the car outside the barrier and had ridden horseback through the lands.
With Gunnar’s help, I dismounted and he wasted no time wrapping me up in his arms. His manly scent enveloped me, and I nestled into his neck. This man who I’d once dismissed was buried under my skin now, and I hoped he never surfaced.
“I’m okay. I swear, I’m okay.”
He finally let me down but took visual inventory of my body in a way that I was sure he meant as clinical but warmed me head to toe.
It was strange, these men who were picked for someone else had now become mates that I would never want to let go of.
“What happened to him?” Gunnar asked Arne and Leif.
“He ran off. We had no one else to guard the queen, otherwise, we would’ve gone after him ourselves. I don’t even know how he knew we were going to the airfield.”
I hadn’t thought of that. After Bors ran off with his injured cronies, I focused on getting home and away from all things Bors.
“How did he know?” I asked as sourness took shape in my belly. No one knew about the trip, except for the people closest to me. The fact made me feel heavy and weighed down by the truth of what might be occurring.
We had a traitor in our midst.
“We don’t know but we will find out. In the meantime, would it be okay if we had some alone time? I just need to be with you. I was scared to death that something had happened to you.”
Gunnar was truly frightened, more than I’d ever seen him.
“Of course.”
Gunnar brought my one bag up to the tower and as soon as we were alone, he shut the door and put the lock in place. “I should’ve been there. There might’ve been something I could do. I could’ve chased him—ended his tirade once and for all. Can you ever forgive me for my weakness?”
I almost choked on the notion. “Gunnar, this is not your fault.” I took his hands in mine and kissed his pouty mouth, but he didn’t reciprocate. He was too buried in his own regret.
“I know it’s not my fault but I should’ve been there. I should’ve been there to protect you.”
I wrapped my arms around his waist and waited until his eyes met mine. “Gunnar, mate of mine, listen to me. You stayed behind because we asked you to. And I know that I am protected anytime I am around you. Now please, I missed you, mate. Let’s not let Bors and his antics stop our reunion plans.”
That got his attention.
“Reunion plans? I didn’t realize there were reunion plans.”
A smile played on his face and I kissed his lips. “Well, I had plans to show you how much I missed you.”
He cupped my face with his hands. “Show me, mate.”
Gunnar was in many ways the most taciturn of my mates. He worked with Daniel, the captain of the guard, training our troops, and I had learned of his military background well after he’d arrived. But what a useful skill set for now. There were people in the palace who had probably never seen him smile…
However, when we were alone, he gave me peeks of his vulnerable side. Like now. My heart pounded hard as I leaned into his kiss, savoring his scent and taste. When Bors showed up, for just a moment, I’d feared that I’d seen this man for the last time. That I’d never again feel his strong arms around me. That he’d never lift me onto the bed, as he did now, and piece by piece, remove my clothing. His hands were large, and hard, but his actions were so tender.
It made me feel so special to know that he saved this side of him for me and only me.
Lifting my shoulders, he eased my blouse off then unsnapped the front of my bra to let my breasts spill free. “So pretty,” he muttered, bending to take rain kisses over my nipples. “And so soft.”
I wasn’t entirely soft since as soon as they hit air, my nipples pebbled.
“And so sweet,” he moaned. “I thought you might not make it home.”
I buried my fingers in his hair and arched my back, welcoming his caresses and sucking kisses. “I will always come home to you, mate.” I released his hair and grabbed for his shirt, dragging it up until he had to sit up to get it over his head. I spanned his chest, savoring the ripples of muscle under my palms, while he removed his shoes and socks and pants with an enviable economy of movement. Then he lay beside me on the bed and we went back to kissing. I could kiss this man all day. He had skill enough to send my head spinning.
And as strong as he was, he pulled me on top of him and settled me on his hips, straddling him. True homecoming. “I don’t want to rush you,” he murmured, “but if I don’t get inside you soon, I’ll embarrass myself.”
I lifted up and reached down to fit him to me then sank by inches. He was not long, but his girth made me feel so full when he was inside me. So good. So amazing. So strong. He gripped my waist and helped me rise and fall, not that I couldn’t have done it by myself, but his strength just sent me places I’d never get on my own. Also, it changed the angle of penetration slightly and soon I was so close, I gasped, “Hurry, I don’t want to go without you.”
“Mmm…all right.”
I felt the first hot jet bathe my insides and followed him over the edge with his name spilling from my lips. And just as I started down from the mountain, he gave one final spurt and bit me, on the side opposite where Arne had, and I came yet again. I didn’t pass out, but I recognized it was different with each of my mates. And special.
I fell over him, wrapping my arms around him and peppering his face with kisses. “I’m never going away again unless you all come with me.”
He laughed. “Your Majesty, you may have to go on a trip, and I hope we are good enough servants to you to sometimes stay behind and keep things running here. But not now, not while Bors is out there. For now…we need to stay together.”
And I agreed.
