his green and black plaid.
After their return to the keep, Odo was quickly dispatched to the dungeons until a fitting punishment could be determined for him.
Tarr refused to be denied his wedding day and demanded that the ceremony take place as planned. So they were wed, just a little later than expected, and the celebration followed.
Tarr and Fiona managed to slip away from the festivities early on in the evening. They climbed the stairs slowly, pains and aches grabbing hold of them here and there, reminding them of the recent battle for their lives.
Fiona sighed, relieved when Tarr closed and latched the door behind them. They would not be disturbed tonight. Tonight was theirs and theirs alone and she was grateful.
“How I have longed for this moment, just you and me,” she said, and stretched her hand out to him.
He grabbed hold with a strength that let Fiona know he never intended to let go, and that was fine with her for she had no intentions of ever letting him out of her sight. She squeezed his hand tightly as they drifted up against each other.
“I meant to kiss every inch of your body tonight.” He laughed and it was followed by a wince. “This swollen lip will not let me do that, but I will see you pleased on this special night.”
She smiled, lucky to have wed a man with such a loving heart.
Tarr tenderly stroked the bruise on her chin. “I have felt rage before, but nothing like I felt when I saw Odo strike you. I wanted to rip him apart piece by piece.”
“You almost did.”
“He deserved it. It pains me to know that you were not safe in your own home.”
“It pains me to have been so foolish. Odo was so convincing, telling me how my sister begged for me. His words wrenched at my heart and all I could think about was Aliss, though I did want to tell you and have you go with us. Odo ordered one of his men to inform you of our absence, convincing me there was not a minute to spare. He also claimed that you would catch up with us in no time, and knowing you I had no doubt you would, that was if you were aware of our departure.”
“When did you grow suspicious?”
“When we entered the woods and I attempted to turn my mare around, it finally dawned on me that I had erred terribly. His men attacked and had my wrists tied in no time.”
“And here I had expected to see your abductors tied in knots when we arrived to rescue you.” He tried not to laugh but could not help it and suffered the consequences.
She winced, sharing in his pain. “I did take care of three of Odo’s men for you.”
“Two, not three,” he corrected and joined her by the side of the bed.
She held up three fingers suddenly switching to two. “Three, no actually two, the third man Aliss knocked out when she jumped off the boulder.”
“We found two in the woods, not three.” Tarr shook his head. “Aliss jumped off a boulder?”
“Landed right on the large wolf, saving my life.”
“Remind me to kiss her when my lips heal.”
“Me first,” she sighed, already missing his kisses.
He leaned over and rubbed his cheek against hers. “I may not be able to kiss you but I can touch you.”
His fingers glided slowly over her neck, his faint touch tickling her.
She giggled soft and sexy, stepped away from him with reluctance, and slipped off her dress and slippers to stand naked in front of him.
He smiled, ignoring the pain, rid himself of his clothes, and walked over to her. He lifted her up into his arms and gently laid her on the bed stretching out on his side next to her.
“I am going to touch you all over.”
“Promise,” she murmured.
“You have my word.”
He kept his word, and his caresses wore on with the night until they both lay beside each other content and smiling.
“I thank the heavens for bringing us together,” Tarr said.
“Do not forget to thank our stubbornness; it held us fast.”
He took her hand and brought it to his chest to rest over his heart. “Love. We cannot forget to thank love for finding us.”
She rolled on her side. “Time for a prediction, I shall make one greater than Giann.”
“A greater prediction than Giann,” he teased. “How will you know it to come true?”
“It is an easy one; you know it as well.”
“Now I am a prophet?”
She nodded, wrapping her arm around his. “You will agree when you hear it.”
“I do not need to hear it; I know the prediction.”
“You do?” she asked surprised.
He turned and pressed his forehead to hers. “Aye, every word.”
She faintly brushed her lips over his. “Tell me.”
“The prediction that will surely come true is that we will love each other forever and ever and ever and . . .”
Fiona fell asleep with whispers of love echoing in her ear.
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Copyright
This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents are products of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously and are not to be construed as real. Any resemblance to actual events, locales, organizations, or persons, living or dead, is entirely coincidental.
Copyright © 2005 by Donna Fletcher
ISBN: 0-06-075782-5
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EPub Edition © APRIL 2012 ISBN: 9780062212313
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