to use the extra moments until I fall into bed to hear how you are faring.”
“Oh, I’ve been aching to tell you! Susannah, Byron the shepherd’s wife had her baby today!”
“Ah, yes I heard she and Byron have a son. We shall send a gift—”
“Caleb, I helped bring the beautiful baby, Byron Jr. into the world!”
His tired eyes opened wider as they entered his room. “I hear giving birth is gruesome.”
She laughed directing him to his bed. “This coming from a Warrior who hacks people to pieces? Sit,” she commanded. “Let me work the pain from your sore body.” She climbed onto the bed behind him and sat back on her knees.
“So, how was it?” he asked.
“Bloody.” She laughed. He was right. It was gruesome. “But, somehow, there was this beauty to it. We became this family of women around Susannah and helped her accomplish one of the physically hardest things I think I’ve ever seen a woman do, and I was a part of it.”
“That sounds quite amazing and miraculous,” he said, half turning to her to smile. He grimaced instead and she pushed him back around.
She told herself she would only massage his neck and shoulders. But his bare arms in his sleeveless shirt tempted her to distraction. Bad enough the feel of his strong shoulders beneath her fingers was humbling. She didn’t feel powerful because she held him in her hands. He’d told that he had never been in love before. She felt humbled that a man such as him would allow her such intimacy.
His groan delighted her while she worked her fingers into the tight muscles of his neck, and then down one of his bare arms.
Every muscle on him was taut and sore from pulling and pushing and digging and lifting. Poor man. He worked so hard at healing the land. He needed a little healing now too.
She let her fingers glory in the long, hard sinew of his arms. She worked out knots and even massaged his palms. Then she did the same with the other arm, loving the feel of him.
She let her gaze soak in the broad streaks of gold in his hair, lightened by so much work outdoors. She brought her hands to his shoulders and ran her fingertips between them, brushing them across his hair.
“Caleb?” she asked, gently kneading beneath his shoulder blades with her knuckles.
“Hmm?”
“Do you think I could have a bath tomorrow? I know I’ve just had one a few days ago, but it was only the third bath I’ve had since I arrived here, and I feel vile.”
“Yes,” he whispered on a ragged breath. “Anything you want.”
“Thank you,” she said. It was something Shauna told her she should learn to say more often. She continued to knead his muscles until he hunched over, almost lifeless.
Smiling, she left the bed and helped him lie down. She waited a little while longer, making certain he was asleep, and then leaned down and kissed his lips. “Good dreams to you, my love.”
She tiptoed out of the room. When she entered the sitting room, Jonas greeted her, donned in his sleeveless tunic and light, loose breeches. “Good eve, princess. I would rise from my chair, but I fear I left my spine somewhere near one of the water tanks.”
Giggling into her hand, Willow took a seat beside him. “Did Shauna move you from the kitchen?”
He nodded then grinned beneath his mustache but said nothing. Willow smiled happy that Shauna was more open to being around him and Jonas was quite happy about it.
“I just left Caleb in bed. I think he may sleep for another week.” She studied the brute with a crease marring her brow and a twinkle in her eye. “How is that you are awake? Is Caleb working harder than you?”
Jonas simply laughed, then flexed his muscular arm at her. “Virility.”
She couldn’t help it; she was truly growing to love this man. “Tell me something, Jonas, is there always a smile lurking beneath the thick fur over your lip?”
He laughed and propped his booted feet on a table in front of him. “What man wouldn’t be happy to be in the company of two women as lovely as Shauna and yourself?”
Willow laughed with him, but blushed, nonetheless. “I daresay, your tongue is as deadly as your sword.”
“I’ve had to learn to wield both to protect my very life,” Jonas whispered as Shauna entered the sitting room, carrying two cups of warm mead.