Redeeming Her Viking Warrior

‘Is that what you think?’ At that precise moment, the idea struck him as several stages beyond ludicrous. ‘That I was just pretending to desire you?’

‘If you were, then it was my fault.’ She gave a stiff-looking shrug. ‘I shouldn’t have asked questions. We should forget it ever happened.’

‘Not until we get one thing straight.’ He steeled himself and then twisted around, lifting a hand to the side of her face. ‘For a start, I’m not that good at pretending. Trust me, it doesn’t work that way. For another thing, you’re beautiful, Sissa, inside and out. You’re strong and brave and... I like your company. I like you. You’re the first woman in three years I’ve been even remotely tempted to share a bed with, but I can’t.’

‘Oh.’ She looked faintly stunned.

‘I shouldn’t have let it go so far. I’m sorry.’ He pushed a lock of hair back behind one of her ears, distracted by the ridge of her cheekbone and the dip beneath it. Her skin was soft and smooth, tempting him to place his lips there, but if he did that, then he knew he wouldn’t want to stop. He’d want to claim more kisses, in other places. On her chin, her jaw, her eyelids, against the thud of her pulse at the base of her throat...

He was supposed to be apologising.

‘Don’t be sorry.’ Her expression softened beneath his touch. ‘I started it, but I wanted to stop, too. It wasn’t what I expected.’

‘You mean you didn’t like it?’ He snapped his brows together.

‘No, it wasn’t that. It was just...more than I expected. Too much.’

To his own surprise, he found himself leaning forward, pressing his forehead lightly against hers. ‘Thank you.’

‘For what?’

‘For telling me that. It helps. The last thing I’d want is for you to regret anything.’

‘So we can forget it ever happened?’ She looked relieved when he nodded. ‘Good. But I still don’t understand. Why did you make such an oath?’

‘Because it was the least of what I deserved.’ He moved back, though he didn’t turn away again. If he were going to tell her the truth then he deserved to see her expression, too. He deserved to witness the moment when she realised how unworthy he really was... ‘I’ve been with a lot of women, Sissa. Too many women. I’ve behaved badly, without thinking about the consequences. It was a weakness my family’s enemies were able to use against me.’

‘What do you mean?’

‘On the day of the wedding, after Rurik and Brandt had ridden north, Alarr and Sandulf were persuaded to leave their weapons outside the wedding hall. With me, however, the assassins knew there was no need for anything so subtle. They knew exactly which weakness to exploit.’ He shook his head in self-disgust. ‘I was lured to the far side of the village by a woman. She kept me...distracted while my kin were slaughtered in cold blood.’

‘Distracted?’

He nodded grimly. ‘I didn’t even hear the fighting until it was almost over.’

‘Oh.’ She was silent for a long moment. ‘And you didn’t think it strange that a woman would seduce you just before your brother’s wedding?’

‘No.’ He winced at how incriminating it sounded, still holding on to her gaze, though the intensity in hers made him feel even worse. What was she thinking? He could feel his chest constricting as he waited for her to pass judgement, though none seemed to be forthcoming.

‘Don’t you have anything to say?’ he asked when he couldn’t bear the silence any longer. ‘Say what you think. Do your worst. I deserve all your condemnation.’

‘You already know everything I might say.’

‘Maybe I still want to hear it.’

‘I’m not going to condemn you, Danr.’

‘Why not?’

‘Because what good would it do? You already have to live with what you did. Even aside from your oath, that sounds like punishment enough.’

‘It still doesn’t feel like enough.’

‘No, I suppose not.’ She looked thoughtful. ‘Were there any signs of trouble at the wedding beforehand?’

He shook his head. ‘There were too many people, too many unknown guests who came for the wedding, but the only threat seemed to come from the war band Brandt and Rurik went after.’

‘Had you been told to stay and guard your family?’