Total pages in book: 95
Estimated words: 90574 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 453(@200wpm)___ 362(@250wpm)___ 302(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 90574 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 453(@200wpm)___ 362(@250wpm)___ 302(@300wpm)
“Why?”
“I see how you tolerate my endless madness for healing out of necessity. I cannot imagine any husband enduring it willingly, and yet I must search for a husband who will. I had hoped I would not be forced into such a difficult situation.”
“You will not.”
She popped her head up, surprised.
“I told you that if we can find this culprit that attacks my people, then we can find a solution to your problem.”
“And if we do not find the culprit?”
Rogan stopped in front of the door to the cottage. “Do you really believe you will let the culprit escape you?”
“Absolutely not.”
“Then your situation will also be resolved, worry not.”
Aliss laid her head on his shoulder with a sense of relief. She did not know how it would all work out, but Rogan’s reassurance lifted the burden for now.
She was grateful when he laid her on the bed. She rolled onto her stomach, cringing at the pain that stabbed her neck and shoulders.
His hands were instantly at her neck kneading and rubbing until she wanted to die from the pure relief of his touch.
“That feels good,” she said, sighing.
“Your neck and shoulders tighten like a warrior who has drawn his bow or wielded his sword in an all-day battle.”
“Some warrior I am, needing to be carried off the battlefield.”
Rogan snickered.
“Was that a laugh?” she asked, raising her head.
His fingers kneaded along the center of her neck up into her head until she surrendered and lowered her head to the mattress.
“You walked with dignity off the battlefield.”
“Really? You believe that?”
“I witnessed it for myself,” he reassured her. “More importantly, you refused to leave until you knew all was well. Only a brave warrior would posses such spirit.”
“I am not brave. My sister is but I am not.”
He laughed. “You could fool me, considering the way you jumped off that large boulder onto the man below to protect your sister.”
Aliss sat up with a bounce. “How do you know about that incident?”
“I am the man you fell on.”
“You! I jumped on you and knocked you out?”
“Almost knocked me out,” he corrected. “You dazed me well enough that I could not move right away and I watched as you ran off to help your sister. It took courage to enter an unknown fighting arena with no thought of your own life, only that of saving your sister.”
“She is my sister and I love her. I could never leave her to die without . . .” Aliss attempted to choke back her tears, but fatigue left her without an ounce of strength and she began to cry.
Rogan reached out for her and she went willingly into his arms.
“I do not cry this much.”
“It is only the second time I have seen you cry, and you are tired.”
She continued crying. “Yes, I am.”
“And you miss your sister.”
“I do.” She nodded. “And I know how helpless she must feel not being able to help me.”
“She will see you soon enough.”
Aliss looked at him and burst into a torrent of tears. Seeing her sister would mean leaving Rogan and never seeing him again. The idea ripped at her heart.
“It is all right, Aliss,” he said, attempting to comfort her. “Very soon you will be reunited with Fiona.”
She continued to cry, her mind filled with joyous thoughts of hugging her sister, as well as a heart-wrenching vision of watching Rogan sail away forever on his ship. He would never hold her again, touch her again, kiss her again. The thought was too much and with teary eyes, she reached out to claim his lips.
He tasted so good and so very familiar, as if the taste of him belonged to her and her alone. She loved the firmness of his kiss. It made her feel that he wanted to drink deeply of her as if he could not get enough of her. The feeling was certainly mutual for she could not get enough of him and that thought enflamed her already fueled passion.
They fell back on the bed together, arms locked around each other and lips sealed in a thirst-quenching kiss that refused to end.
Aliss protested each time Rogan attempted to end their kiss, nipping at his lips, running her tongue across his mouth and wreaking havoc with their senses.
Rogan finally grabbed hold of her chin. “This must stop now.”
“Why?”
He pressed himself firmly against her.
Her shocked gasp was not for the hard feel of him but how she had reacted to it. She had moistened instantly and a tiny throbbing sensation had begun to build.
“You are right,” she said, and shoved gently at his chest to move him away.
He did move, though he did not get off the bed. “I like when we kiss.”
“So do I,” she admitted with a sheepish smile.
“Why do you hesitate to love?”
His query startled her speechless until she thought on his question. She was about to deny her resistance to love when she answered, “I do not know.”