Sean’s heart was in his throat. This man was the cruelest bastard he’d ever met. He all but screamed Thomasina was worthless. The way he spoke to her. The way he scowled at her. And now the way he was willing to bargain for a better price and sell her to a total stranger.
It had required every ounce of strength to not take this man down. Sean had actually broken into a sweat when her father had struck her. Sean’s entire body locked up to keep from reacting. He had never had to work so hard to hold back his reaction. The man’s behavior merited a beating and so much more. Yet he was her father.
Sean couldn’t look at Thomasina. He didn’t dare. She’d see the truth. No one deserved a father like this. No one. He felt pity for her. So here he was bartering with this horse’s arse for his daughter. What would Sean do with her then? He had to protect her—one way or another. He could never let this strong spirited woman be at this man’s mercy again. He’d break her for certain. How she’d survived this long was a miracle.
“All that I have is of great value to me.” Sean received a frown for that answer. He wasn’t certain where the idea had come from. “What do ye value?”
“What are ye asking?”
“Clearly ye dunna value yer own daughter.”
“Of course I do. I value her greatly. It would only be a great debt that would have me parting with my lovely Tommy.” He stopped to stab a finger toward Sean. “But that’s only if she’s a virgin still.”
“Ye’ve been told she is.”
Thomasina’s father scowled at him and slapped his hand down in a dismissive gesture. “Enough!”
He turned away from Sean. His stomach dropped.
“Get on the horse, Tommy.”
“Stop.” Sean froze, afeared his desperation came through in his voice. He took a hard swallow. “I am not done with my offer.”
The older man turned, his head shaking even before he started talking again. “Ye have nothing I can use. I need to have something of value.”
“I have gold.” Sean blurted it out without pausing to think first. His heart pounded faster. As fast as the desperation threatening to swamp him. “Ye’ll not need to be taking the lass back.”
Her father shook his head in a most pitying gesture. “Get another one, lad. She ain’t worth it.”
Sean’s fist flew into the man’s face and he landed hard on the ground, blood dripping from his nose.
“Dunna be talking that way about my betrothed.” That felt good. A sense of peace settled in Sean’s gut.
He walked past the man mumbling on the ground, mopping at the blood dripping down his chin. At least her father wasn’t trying anything stupid. Sean touched Thomasina’s arm ever so gently. She resisted when he tried to move her forward.
“Come with me, Thomasina.” He paused, looking down into her face. Her eyes were wide but he couldn’t tell if it was from the shock of him punching her father or at his calling her his betrothed. “Come with me.”
A deep frown settled between her brows but she relented and went with him to Roana. He reached behind the saddlebag and withdrew the small sack.
“How much?” Sean felt like a heel asking how much he could buy Thomasina for but those were the rules of this travesty. He opened his bag then paused to turn and stare at the man who had suddenly managed to right himself.
“Well, I owe the man a goodly amount. Not sure as I ken the exact amount.”
Sean tipped his head in irritation. “So ye’ve already given him her horse. That paid for some of the debt.”
“Aye, but not a large part of it. I’m still quite bad off—”
“Tell me a number.”
“It had been going on for quite a while so ’tis an extremely large—”
Sean raised his hand to silence him. He withdrew some coins, then threw the bag at Thomasina’s father. The coins poured onto the ground but the older man caught the bag. He dropped to the floor, snatching up the coins like they were food and he hadn’t eaten for a week.
“Now get on yer horse and be gone,” Sean said.
“What about the other horse?”
“Nae! ’Tis nae longer yers.”
The man shifted nervously as he counted the gold and silver, his mouth moving with each number.
“Do as I said.” Sean was at the end of his rope. This man needed to leave or he was going to forget whose father he was and give him what he deserved. “I mean now.”
Sean stepped closer and the man scrambled onto the top of his horse. The sack of coins tucked inside his tunic. “I’m going but...” Her father glanced at Thomasina. Was the man suddenly getting a conscience? “I would see her married.”
“Nae!”
Her father stared at her long and hard before speaking. “Have ye no words of goodbye for yer old father?”
Thomasina trembled where she stood beside Sean. He wanted nothing more than to take her in his arms and comfort her.
“Goodbye.”
“Ye dinna care what happened to her afore and now ye’ve lost the right. Go! And dunna come back to bother her again.”
The older man snorted but headed the horse up the steep hill to the east. Thomasina returned to the cave without a word. Sean followed her.
“I’m sorry about all that.” Sean needed to make amends but he didn’t know how.
She turned on him. “Sorry? That ye own me now?”
He shook his head. “Nae! I am sorry that man is yer father.”
Tears shimmered but she remained unmoving. “Now what are ye going to do with me?” She shook her head, her face crumbling. “I should have just gone with him and married the man.”
A knife to the heart. He stepped closer, taking her chin in a tender grip, and urged her head up so he could look into her eyes. “Is that what ye wanted me to do? Let ye go off with him? Do as he ordered ye to?”
A tear slipped down her cheek. Her chin quivered. “I dunna ken.”
She’d been through a lot. She needed comforting. Ever so gently, he wrapped his arms around her and pulled her against him. His chin rested on her head. She shook with her tears, her whole body moving against him. He stroked her back, careful not to think of her as a beautiful woman but as someone he could help. Like a sister. Yes. A sister.
After a while her tears subsided and he was quick to release his hold of her. “I think we should get something to eat in ye and then we can decide what we should do.”
Sean moved to stoke up the fire. The dying embers quickly ignited the dried leaves he’d collected. He kept an eye on Thomasina who remained sitting on the floor facing the fire. She didn’t appear to be looking at the fire but lost in her own memories.
“These fish are plentiful. I am quite adept at catching them.”
He glanced her way, a fish in each hand, but she barely nodded in response. She was lost in her thoughts.
“I hope ye have a liking for fish. ’Tis less bloody than the little animals ye seemed to have an aversion to.”
Something must have caught her attention because she turned to him. “How did ye ken that?”
He dropped his hands and smiled at her. “Ye could not bring yerself to watch me skin it. I tried to be quick.”
She stood up, a frown on her lovely face, and came to stand beside him. “Ye cared how I felt?”
Sean’s confusion was complete. What was it she was asking? “Yea! I cared and tried to not prolong yer discomfort.”
She took the long stick poker he’d been using with the fire out of his hand. Wrapping his arm around her back, she pressed herself against his body. “Thank ye for yer kindness.”
Thomasina tipped her head back, stood on tiptoe, and kissed him lightly on the cheek. “Ye are a special man. I want ye to ken that.”
She withdrew and walked out of the cave. Sean kept her in his view as he cleaned the fish. She sat on a boulder a few feet from the mouth of the cave. The hill dropped off, creating a scenic view of dark hills and green forests. The birds chirped in the trees as if readying themselves to settle down for bed. Sean speared the fish and stuck the end into the ground so that they could stay over the fire to cook but not close enough to burn.
What had that been about? Of course he noticed how squeamish she behaved when he cleaned their supper. He feared she’d be sick but she wasn’t. Instead she ate the meal with relish and thanked him for it. She appreciated everything he did for her. He, of course, gave her a hard time because he wanted her to remember she pretended to be a boy. He’d been terrible to her. Perhaps an apology was in order.
He wiped his hands on the cloth from his bag, smoothed his hair back, and headed toward the entrance. The sun was lowering in the west, an orange and pink display that gave the sky an unreal appearance. Thomasina stood by her horse now, stroking it with the hard brush.
Sean leaned against the opening, crossed his arms, and watched her a bit. He said, “Is that yer brush for the horse?”
“Yea. Niall made it for Daisy.”
“Yer brother? Well done. Solid. And she enjoys the brushing.” As if understanding their words, the horse pressed her snout into Thomasina’s side.
“Yea.” She didn’t turn towards him but kept her attention focused on her animal.
“Thomasina, I want to explain why I’d been so hard on ye.”
She turned toward him, a curious expression on her face.
“I knew ye were a girl—a woman—and I was trying to help ye to remember yer pretense of being a lad.”
“Why dinna ye ask me why I was pretending?”
Sean felt again his knuckles grazing her breasts. Although he’d concentrated on not letting his face show what he knew, his desire had been to touch her again. He’d wanted to cup her breasts. To move in closer and feel their weight in his hands. To press against her nipple with his palm, encouraging its rigid response.
“I told ye. I dinna need to ken. It was yer decision.”
She tightened her lips and stared at him.
He shifted under her perusal.
“Is that the only reason?”
He again saw her working so hard to get a large fire going despite the damp wood. His hands itching to stroke her round cheeks with every stretch. And when she bent over the fire, a burning desire to come up behind her, pull down those trews, and take her.
“Yea. Ye kept forgetting yer part.”
“My part?” Her eyes were taking on the distinct look of displeasure. The eyebrows raising nearly to her hairline sounded like a death knell.
“Yea.”
She stood abruptly and walked toward him, stopping close enough that he could take her in his arms and feast on her lovely, red lips. “I think ye knew I was a woman and ye were afraid of me.”
Sean’s jaw dropped. “What?”
“I think ye knew and ye were afraid to be with me as a woman and it was easier for ye to pretend I was a lad.”
Air whooshed out of him like he’d been punched. She had it right. If he’d confronted her with the fact that she was a girl, he would have had to treat her differently. He would have needed to change his plans and accommodate her as the lady she was. He would have given in to his desire for her. He had chosen to pretend because it was safer.
The smell of burning fish startled them both and they hurried back into the cave. The charred fish hung by just a few pieces. Sean pulled the sticks out of the ground and dropped the food onto the rock. It sizzled, as did his fingers when he tried to get it off the stick the rest of the way.
Thomasina started to laugh when he cursed and stuck his finger in his mouth.
“Ye find humor in my pain? Please!” He indicated she try to get the burnt fish off the branch.
She cried out in pain when she suffered the same discomfort. Sean immediately took her hand and put her finger in his mouth. He licked his tongue against it as he’d done to his own. He hadn’t expected her gasp. For the tiniest second he almost withdrew her finger but when he noticed her eyes closing slightly in a look that he’d swear was pleasurable, he stopped his reaction.
When she focused her eyes on him, he held her gaze. With the lightest grip, he held her hand and stroked her finger with his tongue. He parted his lips, removing the reddened appendage but continued his ministrations. Long, sweeping strokes. Her lips parted as she watched the movement. His cock was rock hard.
He turned her wrist up and kissed where her pulse beat. A light kiss. Then another. With each kiss, he drew her closer to him. He pulled her into his arms and against his length. He wrapped her arm around his back and lowered his lips to that little spot behind her ear, at the curve of her neck. She smelled of smoke and horses. Delicious. He kissed her there. She moaned as he knew she would.
“Ye like that?” He whispered the words then stroked her ear with his tongue. “Let me pleasure ye more.”
She moved further into his arms but didn’t answer him. He dropped his hand to her delectable bottom and caressed her with firm strokes that ended with him pulling her up against his hard length. His breath quickened.
“Does this give ye pleasure?”
“Yea.”
Two hands firmly held her bottom. He was going to die if he didn’t have her. He pushed his hardened tarse against her, undulating in the simulation of the act. “Mmm, I promise ye much pleasure.” He kissed her by her ear. “Do ye want more?”
“Yea.”
He reached up and held her chin, caressing the line of her jaw with his thumb. She opened her eyes, green and sparkling like precious gems. “Do ye ken what I am asking, mo mhíle stór?”
She nodded, her lips parting. Her eyes wide. Her breathing quick. All the signs of a woman ready to be taken.
“Let me make love to ye now.”
On an exhale, she nodded again.
He took her mouth. Hot and sweet. He promised her pleasure. The lightness is his chest turned heavy. What did he know of pleasuring a virgin? It was the tried women who found his size appealing. They knew what they wanted and they took it from him. What if he went too fast or he frightened her with his size?
When she moaned against him, he was lost. All would be well. He would go slow, spending the entire night awakening her desires. Whatever it took, he would give her pleasure upon pleasure. His trip was suddenly taking on a much more enjoyable outcome.
Thomasina’s desolation turned into a deep longing, a need that had to be met. Sean’s rock hard body promised her so much. She wanted him. He was so large, she felt small in his arms. Like he tucked her into him. Protecting her. Lips firm and needy. He desired her. His hands caressing her, sending out waves of sensation. Pleasurable. Everywhere he touched her, he sparked a need in her. Low in her belly a flame grew. Lower still. When he rubbed his knuckles against the binding at her breast, she stilled.
“Yea, this needs to go.”
He lifted one side of her tunic, exposing the material. With his teeth, he notched the material then ripped it up the side. He dropped the material to the ground then ran his hand over the material covering her now unbound breads. He cupped her breasts.
His lips were close to her ear. “Let me touch yer skin.”
She nodded and he slipped his hand down her side to reach under her tunic. His hand on her bare skin made her jump where he caressed her ribs up to her breast. He held her closer as he grasped and released her.
“Coím. Never bind these again.”
A flutter of anticipation rose in her belly. He found her desirable. Loosening his hold of her, he worked her tunic over her head, dropping it to the ground. As he had done earlier, he looked from one breast to the other, but now he ran his tongue over his lips. His eyes met hers.
“Ye have the most lovely breasts I’ve ever laid my eyes on.”
He ducked his head and pressed his solid palm against her back, holding her close. He stroked her nipple with his tongue, then gently suckled. Desire like a jolt of lightning shot between her legs. She cradled his head against her and he drew her further into his mouth. His hand passed over the flat of her stomach to the juncture of her legs. Her breath caught. He stroked her with a firm hand. A hand that knew how to pleasure a woman. A hand that knew what she wanted. A hand that knew what she longed for. Wetness pooled.
He returned to her ear, his breath hot. “I want to be inside ye.” He whispered the words as his hands worked their magic. “Ye want it, too.”
Sean jerked away from her. She shivered at the cold air on her exposed body. Her eyes flew open.
“What are ye about?” Their kinsman and Niall’s dearest friend, Lachlann, stood with a knife to Sean’s throat. His green eyes wide as if he’d caught them in the actual act. A minute later and he would have.
Lachlann glanced at Thomasina. “Cover yerself lass!”
She jumped and grabbed up the tunic at her feet to obey. Her entire body heated with embarrassment. Her mouth dropped open but no words came out. After a minute she tried again. “What are ye—what are—where’s Niall?”
“He’s outside, lassie. And ’tis a damn good thing I caught ye rather than him.” Lachlann yanked Sean back, the blade glistening. “Ye’ll have some answering to do.”
Sean held his hands open as if in surrender but said nothing. His eyes were on her. She shivered in response to his lust-filled look. He had a good six inches over Lachlann. She’d swear he allowed Lachlann to hold him. Then again the look on Lachlann’s face was pure rage. He turned them both to face the entrance. She tugged at her tunic wishing it would cover her better.
Niall strode in and stopped abruptly. His friend, Aldred, had been following closely and plowed into his back. A bit shorter, his head received the brunt of it.
“What is amiss here?” Niall pointed to Sean. “Who is this?”
The blond man stopped rubbing his head where he’d smacked into Niall to peer around him. “I’ve never seen him before.”
“Someone I found with yer sister!”
Niall’s thick, red beard did little to hide his outrage as he stomped toward her. “Tommy! What is amiss?”
Her face crumbled and she fell into her brother’s arms. “Oh, Niall. It was awful.”
Sean made a strangled sound behind her.
“Tell me what the bastard has done to ye,” Niall said in a tone as cold as stone.
She jerked away and glanced at Lachlann. Blood dripped from Sean’s neck where the knife had broken his skin. He was going to kill him. “Stop!”
“Stop? Why? Tell us what he did to ye!” Niall’s face suffused with color the same shade as his hair. “He will not be allowed to live if he has touched ye, Tommy.”
Sean didn’t move to defend himself but she felt certain he could. “Lachlann, yer slicing his neck open. Stop!”
The black-haired man smiled at her. “I’ll cut off more than his head if he’s forced himself on ye.”
“Nae! He dinna force himself on me.” She pulled at his arm. Sean’s hand wrapped around her middle as if he stood there on his own without a care. “Release him!”
Niall had his broadsword pointed toward Sean. “Go on, Lachlann, let him go.”
Sean righted himself and dabbed at his neck. His fingers came back covered with his own blood. Although his lips thinned into an angry line, he didn’t speak.
“So what is amiss here?” Lachlann’s irritation apparent in his tone. “I come in here and he has his hand between yer legs, suckling yer breasts—”
Sean jerked out of his clutches and turned about to punch him squarely in the face. Lachlann’s head jerked back at the impact but he remained standing. He covered his face as blood dripped from his lips, oozing between his fingers. “Shite. His fist is like iron.”
“Dunna open yer mouth again,” Sean said.
Lachlann’s eyes widened but he nodded.
Sean turned toward Thomasina. “Are ye well? Should I speak or would ye rather?”
Thomasina’s confusion must have shown on her face because Sean gave a nod and turned to her brother. Closing the distance between them despite the sword Niall held pointed at him, Sean said, “I was about to make love to my betrothed.”