Sharon Schulze - L'eau Clair Chronicles 03 (32 page)

He was an obedient creature, he thought with a snort.

Obeying his liege, however reluctant he’d been to leave Lily to do it, had given him his heart’s desire, without fear that she’d be taken from him. He knew Llywelyn would not go back on his word in this. Especially since Inn had the backing of two powerful marcher lords, he thought with a chuckle. If he hadn’t gone to London about

Llywelyn’s business, he and Lily would likely be living in the forest somewhere, part of an outlaw band straggling to stay alive.

Like the men who had attacked the village. Rannulf and Nicholas had run them to ground without much difficulty, loaded down as the miscreants had been with loot from his village.

There was certain irony to the situation, he thought.

First, that such a large group of renegades should have chosen his forest for their lair. They’d known he was seldom home, being as busy as he was on Llywelyn’s business.

And he found it particularly ironic that, in the times he’d been attacked when he was outlawed, no one had come as close to killing him as these ill-equipped men.

But still he couldn’t regret going to London. Without making his bargain with Llywelyn, he’d probably have wound up dead eventually, and Lily married to some idiot of Llywelyn’s choosing.

And if he hadn’t met Lily, he would still be a blind, emotionless fool.

How could he have known he needed a woman like Lily, to awaken the heart of the Dragon? Courageous and loving, fearless enough to match him word for word, passion for passion. Powerful enough to hold the Dragon’s heart in her hand.

For though far from tame, he was not the man he’d been when he met her. And he thanked God he was not.

That poor fool had been so blinded by his goals, his duty, that he’d forgotten how to be a man with compassion, as well as fire.

In Lily he’d found the perfect mate. Now all he needed to do was convince her of the fact.

He smoothed his hand through his hair, then twitched at the cuffs of his shirt. Why hadn’t Lily gotten here yet?

Today, of all days, she’d kept away from their chamber.

He’d sent a servant to bring her to him, for his injured leg made it difficult for him to walk yet. He hadn’t been out of this room since Rannulf and Nicholas carried him up here more than a week ago.

His leg throbbed in remembered agony. The journey back to Gwal Draig was a long, pain-filled blur in his mind. But he’d recovered quickly. Though his head still pained him on occasion, his shoulder was healing nicely.

He felt much better now, ready for any confrontation.

Hopefully it wouldn’t come to that, he thought, sitting up straight as the door opened.

Lily’s face brightened when she saw him, those delectable lips curving in a smile.

“You must be feeling better,” she said, crossing the room and sitting beside his foot on the stool. She felt his forehead for fever, then poked gently at his knee, eliciting a mock grimace of pain.

“There’s not enough room for you there,” he said, nudging her off the seat with his foot.

“Come sit up here with me.” He patted his good leg. ““Tis a far more comfortable chair.”

She had no choice but to stand; otherwise, she would have landed on the floor.

“Do you think that’s wise?”

she asked primly.

“Come here,” he growled, tugging her onto his laP.

She landed sprawled over him. She squirmed into a more settled position, the movement sending shards of pleasure through him.

He wrapped his arms about her tightly and held her for a moment, savoring her warmth and sweet scent. Lily’s arms slipped about his waist and, sighing, she nuzzled the base of his throat. His arms tightened about her.

“I’ve missed you. I hope I am never away from you for so long again.”

“Aye. This is wonderful, don’t you think? We’ve had so little peace since we wed,” she murmured.

“I never realized I wanted it, but sitting here like this makes me complete. I have you, and a family. And there’s more,” she added, sitting up to gaze into his eyes. He couldn’t understand what she was trying to tell him, but it seemed to be something good.

“And what might that be?” He pressed a kiss to her throat.

“I find I’m feeling quite content, myself. And I like it,” he said, surprised to find it true.

“You’ve been too ill to notice the change, perhaps. But I’ve grown in the time you were gone.”

Grown?

If by that she meant that her body had become more rounded, he had noticed. A certain lushness about her breasts—making his mouth water for a taste—and a sweeter curve to her hips. Tonight, perhaps, he’d finally be up to the challenge of reintroducing his wife to passion.

If She’d allow it. Perhaps he’d better start trying to convince her now.

A glimmer of hope warmed Ian.

“Aye. I might go an entire hour without noticing you—and wanting you—if I really try.” He laughed, then looked down at her face.

“But only if you truly feel that way. I love to make love with you. Do you feel the same?”

“How could you doubt it, Ian?” she asked, her voice a purr as she nipped lightly at his neck.

“But do you like the changes in me?”

He ran his hands lightly over her from shoulders to thighs, savoring the way her eyes darkened and her breath caught in the back of her throat. His body liked the changes, very much, indeed.

She took his hand and held it over her stomach, gently rounded beneath his palm.

Could it mean—?

“A babe?”

She nodded in response to his question, her mouth curving into a loving smile.

He felt a tiny fluttering under his fingers, the movement almost imperceptible. He felt a corresponding movement in the vicinity of his heart.

“The baby dragon is fluttering his wings,” she murmured.

““Tis early yet, but he’s strong. I think he has your fierceness, Dragon.”

“Not all the time, I hope,” he said wryly.

“Else you’ll never have a moment’s peace.”

“I love your fierce nature, your determination. That determination saved my life, found my family, made you mine. A child could inherit worse qualities,” she said, kissing him lightly on the cheek.

“I hope our son is just like you.”

“It could be a daughter, sweet and kind and beautiful like her mother.” She smiled at his description.

“Are you sure you like those things about me, Lily? I don’t know if I can be any other way.”

“I have no desire for a milksop, meek and compliant.

I’d die of boredom. But you fire my blood, Dragon,” she said.

“You make me see life differently, Lily. I’ve come to see that I love a challenge.”

He lifted her chin and gazed into her eyes, losing himself in their cool green depths.

“Challenge me, Lily.

Every day of my life. I need your fire, your passion. I need you, wife.” He brushed his lips over hers.

“I love

YOU. ‘

Lily snuggled deeper into his embrace, wanting to believe, but not quite trusting that fate would be so kind.

Could she really have everything she wanted?

“The past is done with. I doubt Llywelyn will bother you again. But even if he tried, I would do whatever I had to to protect you. You are mine,” he vowed.

“I love who you are, Lily. I don’t want to change you.” He smoothed her haft back.

“Never leave me. Help me learn to live a more peaceful life. I can no longer be Llywelyn’s Dragon, Lily. But I can be yours.”

“Yes,” she whispered against his cheek. Reaching up, Lily drew his mouth to hers.

“I love you.” He took her lips in a kiss of complete possession.

Her heart light as a feather, Lily gave herself up to his caress. The darkness of the Past faded away, leaving only the bright glow of the future.

She’d found a home, a life, with the Dragon. She would never be alone again.