The Handfasting Read Online Free

kiss.
    To
him perhaps.
    Reason
reared, for one valiant fight. She fought herself, fought him, pushed against
that broad chest. Only half a battle as half still clung to the kiss. He lifted
his head, eased his hold.
    Her
father and brothers had warned about men, her mother issued cautions against
unwedded desire. Everyone spoke of young Alicia, who disappeared one day, drawn
by desire to an evil stranger she spoke of but no one ever saw.
    The
Bold would leave in the morning.
    She
would not be so foolish as to leave with him.
    What
harm to steal this moment, this one time, to allow desire free reign in a
stairwell where it could not go further, with a man she would never have to see
again?
    "Meet
me in this." The whisper brushed her lips.
    Always
impetuous, she charged heedless in to frays more dangerous than this.
    "You
will not best me at this, Bold." She pulled his head down to hers.
    The
Bold seized her opening, lifted her against him. She refused to hang, toes
dangling above the floor. Hands gripping his hair, her mouth as hungry as his,
she lifted her legs, wrapped them tight around his waist, reveled in his
shocked stillness.
    He
pulled away long enough to chuckle, or was it a groan? She didn't know, didn't
care, too focused on his mouth as it suckled a line from the tender skin behind
her ear, down her neck. Thrilled, as he pressed her against the wall, against
the core of her. Shocked tremors ricocheted through her.
    It
was not enough.
    Wild,
untamed, raised among a people who spoke of earthy pleasures, instinct led her
game. No demure lass but a woman with a new found appetite for the battle of
desire, to be desired. To take.
    He
stilled, pushed her legs down, set her to the ground, eased away. She grabbed
his arms, to pull his attention back.
    "Shhh."
    Laughter,
orders, whispers sounded in the hall. The clan moved back to the duties of
life. Everyone but Maggie. She drew in a deep breath, tried to settle aroused
uncertainties.
    He
pulled her deeper into the shadows under the winding tower stairs and leaned
his head against hers. "Maggie mine," a hoarse croak, “with the heat
in you, it's a wonder you don't have a dozen children by now."
    "You
miserable swine.” She batted at his hold. Voices in the hall reminded, she
lowered her voice, "You shouldn't be teaching me such things."
    "Did
I teach you, Maggie? I wonder if you're not teaching me."
    Stunned,
Maggie stammered for words to fling, only to find she had lost him to something
over his shoulder.
    She
peeked around the side of him.
    Her
brothers stood in the doorway, arms akimbo. Grand, great men. A wall of them. Her
protectors. Pride swelled at the sight of them. She had met him in the battle
of senses and now her brothers would kill him for taking her to that
battleground.
    The
Bold turned to face them, his arm still wrapped around Maggie, forcing her
around as well. "She's mine," was all he said. No request, no rights
to others, just pure possession.
    "Aye,"
Douglas nodded, "I'd say she better be."
    Rage
soared. "You say nothing, Douglas!" she fought for breath, “He took
advantage, as you've warned a man might. He pushed beyond manners!"
    Her
brothers did not rise to her anger but smiled. James answered for them. "We
think you've met your match, Maggie MacBede. Time a man took charge of
you."
    The
Bold squeezed her closer, she shoved away, furious with him, with her kin, with
herself. "I am no one’s!  Do you hear?" she stalked past her brothers,
but not without ordering, "You are to protect my honor." She reminded
them. "So you best take care of him. He's nothing but a boastful braggart
of a scoundrel!"
    They
all laughed. Laughed!  She refused to listen. Refused to think of what her body
had tried to tell her. She was a woman of intelligence. She would not let her
flesh dictate what she would do, who she would do it with. All it took was
keeping that man away from her.

 
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
    CHAPTER 3 – BAWDY  WOMEN
     
    Aulay
Gunn looked