Binding Vows (9 page)

weight pulled it down to the ground. “Wow.” Tara strained to lift it back up with both hands. “I had no idea it was this heavy.”

He had lifted it as if it weighted no more than a bag of marshmallows. Why did the thought send a tingle between her legs?

Embarrassed by her own thoughts, she handed him the sword. Her head turned toward the sky. She struggled with the sudden lack of conversation. “The stars are beautiful.”

“
You
are beautiful. The stars are bright and many.”

His eyes searched hers when they came to rest on his.

“What am I to do with you?” she whispered.

His arms circled her, pulling her close. “What do you want to do with me?”

“Well, what I want to do, and what I should do, are two entirely different things.” Her breath quickened when he pulled her closer still.

He held his mouth only a fraction away from hers. “Tell me what you want, Tara.”

His breath was warm and smelled faintly of wine. It was hard to think with him so close. She wanted desperately for his lips to join hers.

Just when she thought he would end her anguish, his lips sailed past hers and met with the beating pulse at the base of her neck. His hand grasped her long mane, pushed it aside, and exposed the long column for his pleasure.

Heat seared a trail where his lips traveled. “Tell me what you want,” he repeated, never giving her time to think as his lips tormented her throat.

A burning, she could never call a mere spark, started to build. Her body molded itself to his of its own accord. His teeth found the sensitive lobe of her ear, sending shock waves down her spine. “You,” she gasped. “God help me, I want you.”

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Tara noticed his smile before his lips crushed to hers, devoured her.

The meeting of their lips was an act of spontaneous combustion. Unlike when he had kissed her before, this time, there was no slow mingling of tastes, or sensuous arousal. This was primal and needy with no room for thought, no question where it was leading.

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Chapter 6

Grainna followed them out when they left the dance hall. She watched Duncan pull Tara into his arms. Grainna’s eyes heated with fury and vengeance.

Patiently, she kept to the shadows and waited for both their minds to go blank. Her hands opened palm up, her eyes closed as she probed into their minds.

Duncan’s was filled with visions of a more intimate mating with Tara. Grainna could feel his lust for the woman. She felt his triumph of being her first. In Tara’s mind, passion and trust drove her actions, along with a deeper attachment to the man.

Her resolve to remain a virgin hung on by a thread.

Grainna looked deeper, into the part of Tara’s memories, to where her thought process had kept her virginity intact until now.

Inside a fog, Grainna saw a woman, no—a girl, unwed and weeping over an infant in a broken down crib. The girl in her vision resembled Tara, a sister perhaps. Whoever she was, her life had a great impact on Tara. So much so, she had refused every man until now.

Grainna closed her eyes tighter and pushed the vision out of the corner of Tara’s mind, sweeping it to the forefront.

The girl’s desire was difficult to maneuver through and the effort to control Tara’s mind came at a high cost. Even now, Grainna felt her body 71

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weakening with her effort. But she would suffer the deterioration of her body, because not taking the risk, could jeopardize her entire plan.

****

Voices came from behind them. Duncan broke off their kiss, seeking privacy. He pulled her along with him until they were clear of any prying eyes from the camp. Alone, at the edge of the woods, he gathered her back into his arms.

He knew his goal and for the first time, he felt soiled by his intent. For her safety, he needed to complete this union, he told himself, justifying his actions. Her tantalizing mouth taunted and teased, God her mouth was sweet. Never had he wanted a woman more, goal or no.

Her hands moved over his back, tentative at first, and her nails dug into his clothes, growing bolder as his groans revealed the pleasure she brought him.

When Tara felt his hand reach for her breast, this time she let him. With her inhibitions pushed aside, she knew the minute he slipped his fingers under the material of her gown that this time she wouldn’t turn him away. She felt her nipples harden and strain. Never had she thought someone’s touch could be so pleasurable. His blazing kiss numbed her lips and made her body writhe with desire.

Her vision cleared slightly when he pulled her down to the soft ground. Tara felt his hands working the laces holding her dress together. Her hands pushed past his clothing to feel the warmth of his skin. “Tell me you have something.” She was embarrassed to ask, but knew she needed to.

Duncan’s breath caught at her words. “Have what, love?” His lips continued their descent as his hands pulled her gown off her shoulder exposing her flesh beneath.

“Protection?” The word came out breathy and 72

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sounded as if it came from someone else.
Birth
control...Babies...
Tara’s mind clouded over and a vision of her sister emerged. She pushed the image away. She didn’t want to think about Lizzy now, not when she was on the verge of giving this man her virginity.

But Lizzy’s image came back. Tara saw her holding her nephew, crying while Tara dressed for her senior prom. The memory was so vivid Tara could almost smell the powder Lizzy used on her nephew after his bath.

Shock stopped her. “Wait!”
What am I doing?

How could she have forgotten?

Duncan’s feverish kisses slowed, but didn’t stop.

“Wait.” Tara shook her head. Both of her hands pushed him away. “Please, Duncan. Stop.”

His ragged breathing sounded like a freight train. He stilled his advance, but he strained in his effort. “I have protection for you.”

“Condoms break.” Her sister’s haunting words fell out of her mouth.
Don’t sleep with anyone you
don’t want to be tied to.

The man in her arms was leaving after tomorrow. He didn’t deny their relationship would go no further.

Tara pushed him away. Pushed herself away.

She couldn’t think clearly with him so close. “I’m sorry. I should never have let things go this far.” She scrambled away from him, putting her dress in order. “I’m so sorry.”

He took to his feet and put some distance between them. Tara couldn’t tell if it was disappointment or anger she saw on his face? He had a right to feel both. She was being a tease making him think they would make love and then stopping him. Tara put her hand on his arm only to have him pull it away. “You’re leaving,” she pleaded her case. “If I ended up pregnant, I’d be alone.”

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She watched him open his lips and bite back his denial. “You can’t deny it, can you?” She searched his angry eyes.

He paced and the air turned desperately cold. “I should go.” Tara started to walk away.

Duncan stood his ground. “I’ll see you tomorrow.”

“No. I mean I should go home.” Moisture gathered behind the lids of her eyes. She’d only known the man for two days, yet he had managed to sneak his way into her heart. A heart destined to break when he left. How could she be so stupid?

“Don’t,” he told her.

“Why not? This isn’t going to happen.” She moved her hand to point at him and then her. “It can’t. Not with you leaving.”

“Let’s enjoy what we can for the small amount of time we have left. I’ll not pressure you again. You have my word.”

“Why do you have to leave?”

“This isn’t my place, Tara. I wish I could offer you more, but it isn’t possible.” His stern look from before vanished, his anger drifted as he stepped closer.

With a cry, she moved into his open arms and pressed her face against his chest. He soothed her with words, while she shed her tears. “Hush, lass.

All will be fine.”

But his words were anything but convincing.

****

Tara packed her bags twice, only to unpack them. Finally, she gave up and filled her glass to the top with the wine sitting on the table. Cassy was still out having a grand old time, while she paced the worn carpets thrown on the ground.

What was she doing? She had wanted Duncan, completely. She knew there was no future with him, yet that didn’t stop her desire.

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When he escorted her to the door of her tent, true to his word, he didn’t press her for as much as a kiss goodnight. If he had, would she have offered him more?

She downed the wine, hoping it would put her quickly to sleep. At least in her dreams, she could enjoy the man. The wine did have the desired effect.

Within minutes of putting out the candles and lying down, her brain filled with images of Duncan, and what life could be like with him.

****

Grainna hovered over Tara’s bed and watched her sleep. Slipping into her drugged mind was like putting a hot knife to butter. Grainna added force by lightly touching Tara’s temples before she started her chant.

Visions and verses swirled in her head and remained behind the curtain of dreams in Tara’s mind. Grainna slid in the image of the man she intended for Tara to desire. Tara struggled in her rest, her mind dark. She frowned in her sleep, and for a brief moment, Grainna worried Tara would wake.

To her horror, Tara replaced Duncan’s form where Grainna’s man once stood. Repeatedly, Grainna fought to erase the image of her would-be lover, only to come up against the sheer will of a first love. After hours of fighting, she gave up and worked with the man Tara desired. The vows Grainna chanted into Tara’s subconscious were easily placed once the vision of Duncan was secure.

Her task complete, Grainna left Tara’s tent and made a slight alteration in her plans.

****

The aspirin did nothing to resolve the headache plaguing her. To Tara’s relief, Cassy looked as bad as she felt. “Where were you last night?” Tara forced 75

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the black coffee down even though it made her queasy.

Cassy picked her head off her folded arms.

Bloodshot eyes peered back. “Out.”

“Yeah, I figured. But where and with who?”

“This is going to sound bad, but I don’t remember. I remember Fin and I were talking after you and Duncan left. We both assumed you would end up here, so we stayed away. Once Fin saw Duncan return, he took off. I was on my way to see you, when the hunky blond you danced with last night stopped by. You know the one?”

With a nod from Tara she continued. “We danced a bit, drank too much, then nothing. Blank! I don’t even remember how I got in here last night, or what time it was.”

Tara’s brow creased. “You and he didn’t...”

“No. We didn’t. I guess I drank too much. God, I hope I didn’t make a fool of myself.” Cassy cringed after sipping her coffee. “I’m giving up drinking.”

Tara smiled and agreed.

Tara had already filled Cassy in on what had happened with Duncan. She agreed to leave first thing in the morning with the contingency that if things got crazy that night they would go after dinner.

Gwen arrived an hour before the games were scheduled to begin. “There you both are. I was worried when we didn’t see you at breakfast this morning.” She took one look at them both and gave them a sympathetic smile. “I see the festivities were too much last night, for both of you. Well, I can fix that.” She opened the bag she kept at her side.

Gwen removed what looked to be a packet of herbs and mixed them with the water. She divided it between them both. “Drink. It’s my own special blend to help clear the cobwebs.”

Desperate, Cassy downed the brew in one quick 76

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swallow. Tara looked at it suspiciously.

“Drink it or not. It makes no difference to me.”

Gwen swept across the room and pulled out the gowns they were both to wear for the day.

Tara’s was a pale gold and white, virginal and perfect for a woman who would be handfasted at the end of the day.

Tara and Cassy had already signed releases, so their images could be plastered all over next year’s brochures.

“Wow.” Cassy stood up and looked into her empty cup. “What was in that stuff?” she asked Gwen. “It really worked.”

“Only herbs,” she smiled. “Healing was here long before modern medicine you know.”

“You should try it, Tara. My headache is gone.

You could market those herbs and be rich, Gwen.”

Gwen smiled when Tara drank her portion of brew. “Maybe sometime I will, but not today. There are better things for this day.” She turned to leave the room. “Take care in your appearance, ladies, and be sure and have a good time. Tomorrow you go back to your everyday life. Tonight is for fantasy and pleasure.”

The ache in Tara’s skull eased, although she hated to admit it.

“You know, the old lady kind of grows on you.”

Cassy murmured when Gwen left the room.

“Yeah, I guess so.” The fuzziness and pain had completely cleared in a matter of minutes.

Tara looked at the gown she was going to put on and repeated Gwen’s words to herself.
Tonight is for
fantasy and pleasure.
****

Colorful flags and banners surrounded the arena. The wind caught their ends and the sound of flapping added to the scene. Polls standing twenty feet in length with massive rings stood at the 77

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entrance to where the games would be played.

All the fair’s guests were dressed in their finest attire. Even the horses were garbed in fancy blankets and ornate tack.

The day was meant for pomp and circumstance.

Tara and Cassy were surrounded by guards dressed in intimidating black tunics. The platform, housing their special seating for the event, was placed center stage. On each side, large canvases created shade, keeping the area cool and comfortable.

Tara looked over the crowd in search of the man who held her captive in her dreams. Neither he nor Fin could be seen anywhere. A minor tremor went through her when she considered Duncan might have already left. She knew it was pointless to want to see him again but she wanted to, never the less.