Captured by a Laird (17 page)

Stref turned as the mirth in his friend’s voice alerted him to the approaching figure of Lena. Far from being grateful, she looked ready to strike him down where he stood.

“I suppose I was part of the plan,” she seethed, not waiting until she had reached him before her anger erupted.

Stref was amused by her rage, but would not tolerate having a dressing-down in front of his men from any other, no matter how arousing they may be when angry. Swallowing down the desire that threatened to overwhelm him, Stref took hold of Lena’s elbow and marched her away from the warmth of the fire.

“In front of my men, you will address me with respect.” His voice was low and clipped.

“Respect!” Lena fumed, too riled to notice the warning in Stref’s voice. “You have conveniently managed to stop Haigh and his burnings, and now you have installed yourself and your men here to take what they please, my kin included.”

“Take me to a place where we can talk,” Stref instructed, trying his hardest to maintain a respectful decorum. His body was alive with passion and his only thought was to kiss the venom from her tone and change it to the sweetness he craved. His body hardened as he thought of how he wanted to just take her then and there and demand her submission to him as her laird.

“My dwelling is over there,” Lena said pointing to a modest wooden structure that stood apart from the majority of the cluster.

The thought of entering Lena’s dwelling thrilled Stref. He had often wondered how she lived, and being able to see if first-hand would cause his imagination to work overtime, picturing her in her home, in her bed. A low sound broke inadvertently from his lips as his thoughts turned once more to the carnal pleasures that Lena constantly evoked in him. Maintaining his hold on her elbow, Stref marched her towards the open door. Inside, the house was comfortably furnished with animal skins adorning the walls, allowing a warmth and homeliness to prevail. Wooden chairs were gathered around a large table, and an archway led to a small bed that was neatly made. Stref could not avoid his imagination creating the scenario of the two of them on the bed. His eyes darkened and he turned to fix a predatory stare on Lena.

“Your men were mauling my women. I saw them as I made my way here. They made no secret of their couplings. You may not come here and take what you desire,” Lena began her tirade.

Stref reached forward and silenced her with a hard kiss. His hand cupped her face as he claimed her lips for his own. He groaned as her supple lips met his, resistant for but a moment before they opened willingly and allowed him entry. Stref felt his mind spring to the warm place that he knew he would soon be entering and his manhood twitched with fervent anticipation. The surge of feeling that ran along its length and thickened its girth was almost too hard to resist and Stref pulled back, breathing hard. The last thing he wished to do was to alarm the beautiful woman who had captured his heart, yet each time he was alone with her, his thoughts became carnal and desperate.

“Were your women resisting my men?’ Stref murmured, trying to calm his desires and take her concerns seriously.

“I–I–I think they were rather enjoying it,” Lena admitted softly, her cheeks dimpling as she spoke.

A slow smile spread across Stref’s face as her words were spoken. “Oh, like this?” he said, reaching out to cup her laden breast with his ample hand.

“Mmmm,” she simpered. “Like that.”

“Or like this,” Stref teased, leaning in to cover her neck in gentle nibbles.

Lena sighed as her head moved back, opening up the length of her slender throat to him. Stref sucked the tender flesh, his passion beginning to consume him again. A red welt remained as a brand of his desire as he moved to unfasten her garment. It fell to the floor, revealing Lena’s naked form. Stref gasped as Lena smiled slowly.

“Nothing under there! All this way! I could have—” Stref’s sentence was cut off as Lena took a turn in taking the lead. She fastened her mouth over his and pressed herself against him. The rise of her stomach seemed to mould against him as if he were made to adjust to her blossoming form. Her cautious tongue explored the crevices of his vast mouth.

Stref marvelled at her boldness. It sent waves of lust coursing through him and he lifted Lena up off her feet. Despite her growing form, she still felt weightless and fragile to him. Her legs wrapped tightly around him and her kisses became more intense as he walked them both to the tiny bed. Her body writhed against him, settling over the swollen mound that sought release.

Stref bent down and lowered Lena onto the soft pillows. As he broke the intimate contact between them, Lena moaned a sound of frustration. Stref looked into her eyes, full of desire, and sat back on his knees. His gaze travelled down past her lush breasts and across her taut stomach. He lowered his head and left a trail of tender kisses across the swollen mound.

“I will soon be sharing my love with, you,” he spoke softly into her skin, addressing the unborn child.

The dark hair that formed a downy triangle between her legs, finally captured his undivided attention. Although he longed to just take her and fill her with his throbbing hardness, he wanted to feel her moistness with his finger and taste her with his tongue. He wanted to feast on her and possess her in every way he could, making her want him and beg him to finally sate her with his shaft. The thought of what he intended to do almost caused Stref to lose his control. With a massive effort of will, he forced his mind to clear as he leaned down to rub Lena with his battle calloused finger.

Her reaction was instant. She bucked against him, writhing and panting as he circled around the core of her heat. Stref felt the sweet wetness of her desire as he bent over, following the path his finger had taken with his tongue. He leaned closer and licked. His tongue darted in and out of the sticky sweetness, lapping greedily at her musky cream. Using his thick finger, Stref pushed deep inside and froze as he felt her body pulsing against him. His tongue and finger worked in harmony to bring her to the point of eruption.

“Now!” she cried. “I need you in me now!”

Stref crowed at the submission. At these moments she was his, totally his. The thought filled him with primal passion. He withdrew his mouth, delighting in Lena’s desperate protest. Positioning himself over her, Stref followed the desires of his manhood. He pushed hard and deep, filling Lena with all of him. His balls tightened as his seed burst forth flooding through the woman beneath him. Her cries mixed with his own as together they reached the height of their passion. Lena forced her hips upwards as if trying to keep him within her.

Her need for him made Stref’s heart ache. She made him feel more of a man than any woman had, and he knew he wanted to find a way to keep her in his life.

He leaned forward as his racing heart began to slow, and met her eyes as he withdrew slowly. He manoeuvred off the bed to stand up. His legs buckled and he laughed as he steadied himself. “You have the power to bring down a warrior,” he said.

“In more ways than one,” Lena replied with mock severity.

Stref adjusted the covers so that Lena would not feel the chill of the night air that was beginning to wrap around them.

“I must go and attend my men,” he said. “Will you wait here for me?”

“I will also come and attend to my own men,” Lena challenged, stifling a yawn beneath her hand.

“Please, just rest,” Stref insisted. “I can take care of things for you.”

“I really should…” Lena’s words were cut short as sleepiness suddenly seemed to overpower her, and her heavy eyes began to close

Stref stood and stared at the sleeping woman. Her raven hair spilled across the pillow, and her dimpled cheeks gave her the appearance of one much younger. His heart clenched as he thought about how close he had come to losing her, and he vowed that he would not lose her again.

“Clyde!’ he bellowed, striding out into the greying light. “Fetch the holy man.”

On the other side of the fire, Clyde raised his eyebrows at his pretty companion. “Here we go again!” he remarked.

Chapter Twenty-Four

When Lena awoke, she found herself alone and chilled. Her body was naked and her cover had slipped from the cot. The dark of the night had wrapped its clammy fingers around every corner of her sparsely furnished chamber. She shivered, she hated the dark. Despite her fearsome reputation as a warrior, the dark still held the ability to send her pulse racing. Over the years she had trained her body to overcome the fear, yet since she had been host to a new life, her childhood terrors had returned with a vengeance.

Lena gasped as she realised her body would not move to collect her cover or find her discarded clothing. A cold sweat broke out all over her and tears sprang to her eyes.

“No!” she cried, rocking backwards and forwards, her mind battling her senses but being defeated.

Two strong arms suddenly gave her the power to move again. “I am here,” the strong voice of Stref whispered in her ear.

Sobbing uncontrollably now, Lena’s body was racked with tremors. “I can’t move,” she hiccupped.

“Yes, you can,” Stref coaxed her. “You are the mighty Green Bow and you can do anything. I have seen it.”

Gradually, his words penetrated her fear. She reached out and found the corner of the throw. Pulling it around her, and her shivering abated. “Thank you,” she spoke softly. “I don’t know what came over me.”

Stref’s used his voice to soothe her. He kept his arms tightly wrapped around her petite frame, and rocked her as if she were a child. Lena felt her eyes grow heavy and slipped peacefully back to sleep.

The next time she awoke, light streamed into the room. Stref still sat, perched precariously on the edge of the bed, his arms still wrapped protectively around her despite his own slumber. Lena waited, revelling in the strength of his embrace.

“I know you are awake,” he said at last. “You are holding your breath.”

“I was trying not to wake you,” Lena replied. “You must have had an uncomfortable night.”

“I was just where I wanted to be,” Stref pronounced.

Reluctantly, Lena disentangled herself. She rose and wandered into the living area, the skin covering wrapped around her tightly. The morning was cold, and ice crystals dangled from the doorframe. The sun shone brightly despite the chill, causing everything to glitter. The familiar cry of Pride as he hunted for his morning feast carried through the crisp air.

“It looks beautiful out there,” Lena remarked as she felt the presence of another walk up behind her.

“It looks beautiful in here,” Stref said with a mocking leer.

“Today we must meet and decide on what is to be done,” Lena’s tone was brusque as she turned to face her lover. His chiselled jaw and dark eyes were already causing her heart to flutter in her chest. As her gaze travelled down his toned physique, Lena’s eyes could not avoid the evidence of his desire. This man could easily make her forget her duty, but she had wasted too mush precious time fawning over the handsome Lord Harris. Today her people were her priority.

Stref’s mouth had clenched into a hard line. His face had closed and his expression appeared stormy. Lena sighed.

“And what is it that must be done?” he asked with a deceptive stillness to his tone. “What is it that we must do?”

“Well…I thought that I…we…could plan how to stop Haigh once and for all. We must meet and make a truce.”

“You are going nowhere near that man again,” Stref promised. “Have you forgotten what you have been through? You are carrying my child and that is my priority. I will single-handedly wipe out every one of Haigh’s men, including the lairds themselves to keep you from harm.”

Lena looked at the man before her. His eyes blazed with passion but she knew she needed to show him that just because he had bedded her, he could not control her or her croft. Lena stepped forward and laid her hand on his broad chest.

“Remember that I too am chief of my croft. I have protected myself for years against the enemies that would take my land. I appreciate your assistance, but at what cost does your offer come?”

“At what cost?” bellowed Stref. “You speak as if I have taken from you, when all I seek to do is give to you and your people. I offer the protection of my lands, and I offer myself to look after you and my child. I can see these things are not your priorities.”

Stref turned and stalked back to the chamber. He hastily pulled on his plaid and wrapped it around himself, securing it with his clan brooch. Without another look at Lena, he exited the dwelling and slammed the door behind him.

Lena was left in the middle of the room. The gust of wind that had entered the space circled around Lena making her shiver. Thoughts whirled through her head as she tried to make sense of the feelings that bombarded her.
Wasn’t she Green Bow, the brave warrior who had single-handedly defended her clan for years? How had she come to be a simpering female who needed a man to protect her?
Yet, Lena suddenly knew that she did not want to fight for her clan alone. She knew that her life needed Stref Harris in it, and that she had better find him and admit that before he went off and did something foolish.

“I love you, Stref,” she said to the empty room. The child within her leapt as she spoke and Lena laughed, laying her hand on the rounded swell of her stomach.

* * * *

Stref found Clyde saddling his horse and making ready to leave.

“That is a look that spells trouble for someone,” he said as his laird approached.

“We ride to Haigh,” he barked. “This ends here.”

“About time,” Clyde grinned, swinging lightly up onto his mount and pulling it around. “Come on then, let’s ride!”

Stref fetched his own horse. He was not prepared to give up on Lena despite her stubbornness. If the child inside her were not reason enough to end the bitter feud that had raged across the Highlands for generations; then the woman that he loved was. He knew his life would never be dull with Lena, but he was ready to meet the challenge head-on, day after day for the rest of his life.