A Warrior s Desire - By Pamela Palmer Page 0,18

smile on Tarrys's pretty face bloomed, lighting him up inside like a thousand-watt lightbulb.

But he had yet to make her laugh.

And he really wanted to hear her laugh.

"Okay, here's the best one.

My buddy Dunc is a grade-A practical joker who married a woman just like him last spring."

The eyes Tarrys turned to him shone with anticipation, her mouth already starting to turn up.

His breath caught, the slam of desire to kiss her sudden and nearly overwhelming.

But he continued, his need to hear her laughter nearly as great as his need to kiss her.

"We decided we had to get them both, and good.

So as a welcome home from the honeymoon, the guys and I hid alarm clocks all around their bedroom, each set to go off at a different hour.

The first was buried in the hamper."

Charlie started chuckling, watching Tarrys's disbelieving smile with delight.

At the sound of her giggle, his heart tripped.

"After the third alarm went off, Dunc turned on all the lights and went on a massive alarm clock hunt.

The two of them thought they'd rooted out the rest.

But they missed the one under the bed."

Tarrys's laughter erupted like a song, as clear and beautiful as he'd known it would be.

As perfect.

As right.

A soft yet brilliant light casting out the darkness.

Goose bumps broke out on his arms, then were gone, a visceral reaction he couldn't even begin to explain.

Grinning like a fool, he continued the story.

"An hour after they finally went back to sleep, that last one went off.

Dunc said they both shot up, then started laughing.

And started planning their revenge."

Tarrys's musical laughter floated away.

"What did they do?" she asked, still grinning.

Charlie's smile turned wry.

"I'm going to have to get to know you a little better before I spill that story."

"Tomorrow, maybe?" she asked hopefully.

"Next year, maybe."

Her expression turned wistful.

"I'm sorry I didn't get a chance to meet these friends of yours."

"You'll meet them.

I'll introduce you when we get back."

She nodded, but the laughter and amusement were gone from her eyes.

Instead he saw regret and resignation.

The belief that she wouldn't make it back.

A belief he refused to share.

As Tarrys looked out over the blue landscape toward the forest that hemmed them between stream and trees as they walked, she wondered how a human could possess such magic.

Charlie's enchantment wove around her, his power over her growing with every minute she remained in his company.

Never had she felt so comfortable with another person.

When was the last time she'd laughed so freely? When was the last time she'd laughed at all? In the human realm, perhaps, watching a television comedy.

But never with such pleasure, such joy.

Charlie made her happier than she'd ever been, yet desperately wary, for she felt herself falling under his spell.

A magic from which she feared there would be no escape.

Beside her, Charlie made a sound of disbelief.

"What on earth...?" Her gaze followed his to where a large yellow animal lumbered up the far bank of the stream.

"What is it?" he asked.

"It looks like a cross between a crab and a giant sea turtle."

"They're called cralmonts.

They're harmless.

And not very good eating."

"Speaking of eating...I'm getting hungry."

Charlie patted his chest.

"We need to preserve the little bit of food I'm carrying for as long as we can.

Kade said the fruit here is all edible, but I haven't seen anything that looks like fruit."

Tarrys glanced at him, watching his keen eyes scan the distance.

"Did he tell you how to call the fruit from the trees?" His gaze cut to her, a look in his eyes that was at once doubtful and amused.

"He told me some mumbo jumbo, but I think I'd feel like a fool trying it."

She smiled, amazed at how easily her mouth turned up when she looked at him now.

He grinned back at her, his gaze dropping to her mouth, setting her pulse to racing as it lingered there.

"You're not in D.

C.

anymore, Charlie."

"I noticed."

A huskiness that hadn't been there moments ago deepened his voice.

Slowly, his gaze lifted to hers and in his eyes she again saw that intensity, that desire.

Her heart tripped, her cheeks growing warm, and she turned away.

"The land provides.

It's said that in the old days, when the seven stones still resided in Esria, the trees were laden with fruit at all times."

"And now they're barren."

His voice remained rich and deep with awareness, even as he allowed her to pretend the air hadn't grown thick and charged between them.

"So your world has missed those stones."

"In some ways, yes.

The land still provides when asked, but not otherwise.

And not as conveniently.

It