Highlander The Cursed Lord (Highland Intrigue Trilogy 3)

He almost laughed. He was thinking she would agree to stay with him when she was probably already planning her escape after blatantly displaying his hard shaft the way he had. And she should escape. He was evil for even continuing to give it thought.

It was having a woman suddenly thrust upon him that caused the problem.

Thrust.

Damn but he could almost feel the pleasure of each thrust of his shaft into her, of getting lost with no thought of the curse, no thought of the guilt, no thought of the never-ending loneliness. He shook the disturbing thoughts away. It could never be. He would not chance another woman dying because of him.

Bliss is not your wife.

He intended to keep it that way.

He entered the cottage, to a scent that tempted his stomach. Bread sat on the table that was warm to the touch while Bliss slept peacefully in his bed. He set the fish to cooking in the hearth and after giving his hands a good washing in the bucket, he walked over to the bed.

Bliss laid on her side, facing him, wearing her tunic over his shirt, though it failed to cover her legs and bare feet. A faint touch to her leg warned she was cold, and he carefully covered her up over her shoulders since she had rolled the sleeves to his shirt up.

He smiled at the smudge of ground barley on her cheek and with a soft swipe of his finger, wiped it away. He could get used to coming home to her after fishing or hunting and joining her in bed.

Rannick shook his head and turned away abruptly. This had to stop. He had enough blood on his hands from the curse, from battles, and from endless fights that came about for no good reason. He had gone in search of what death would bring him—peace—and had not found it. When his father had forcibly returned him home, he had sworn to himself that here was where he would live out his days alone so that not one more person would suffer the curse because of him.

It was his penance, and he would serve it well.

He went to the table and broke off a piece of the bread. His eyes went wide at the first taste, and he finished the piece in two bites. It was the tastiest bread he’d ever eaten. He should keep Bliss for the taste of this bread alone and if she could make bland bread taste this good, what could she do with other food?

“Do you like it?”

He turned with a mouthful and watched Bliss stretch herself awake, her arms reaching back behind her head, forcing her chest out.

“Very much,” he said, though he was not talking about the bread and realizing that hurried to add, “it’s the tastiest bread I have ever had.”

“Mint,” Bliss said. “It gives the bread a nice flavor.” She sat up and sniffed the air. “Fish. Next time you catch fish, I will make a fish stew. It is the least I can do after all you have done for me.”

He did not need or want her gratitude. What he wanted, needed, was for her to leave sooner rather than later. It was no good for her to linger here. No good for him to grow accustomed to her. No good that he thought too often of coupling with her. He needed her gone.

She spoke before he could tell her that she would need to leave soon.

“I have been thinking hard on your offer of wintering here with you,” Bliss said, keeping her hands folded tightly since they trembled.

He went to stop her and tell she had to leave, but his words stalled in his throat.

Bliss silently warned herself to hurry and be done with it before she lost her courage. “I would like to stay the winter with you.”

Tell her no, now!

Met with silence, she continued talking. “I would be safe here with you.”

Wrong. No woman is safe with me.

“You see I can cook, and I can mend, cloth as well as people, so I would serve you well.” And you do not know it yet, but I am your wife, and I must do this to save my two sisters.

“And will you serve me well in bed?” he snapped, hoping his blunt question would have her quickly rescinding her decision.

Ah, it is where I need you the most. I need you to get me with child. The words remained in her head as she said, “I have never been with a man, but I will do my best to please you.”

A warning screamed in his head. She is a virgin. Tell her no!

She spoke what truth she could. “I fear my fate if I do not remain here.”

A battle raged in him. Did he surrender to his loneliness and let her stay the winter or did he do the honorable thing and send her on her way.