imagined possible.
The water was spilling over a large outcropping of boulders. It cascaded down into
a pool that was several dozen feet across, before flowing down the side of the valley.
The moon was half hidden behind the clouds, but the faint silver light still turned
the surface of the water into a mirror. Ripples disturbed its surface as the water
continued to pound down.
Saer took a moment to survey the entire area, scanning the far shore of the small
pond and the top of the waterfall. Once he was satisfied they were alone, he dismounted
near the water’s edge, smoothing his hand along his stallion’s neck, then removing
the bridle. The animal shook its head, making its mane bounce, then lowered its head
to graze.
Saer pulled off his sword and leaned it against a rock. The trees had thinned out
near the shoreline. He leaned against a boulder and began to unlace one of his knee-high
boots. Nareen slid from the back of her mare and removed the bridle so the mare might
graze as well. The horses moved off, slowly nibbling at the grass.
Saer’s second boot hit the ground, and he reached for the tail of his wide belt.
He opened the belt holding his kilt around his waist and caught the length of pleated
fabric with a practiced hand. He draped it over the boulder.
“There is a tub in the kitchen.”
He shook his head and pulled his shirt off. Her mouth went dry as the starlight washed
over every hard inch of him. All of the strength she’d felt through the layers of
their clothing was there to behold.
“I’m not a babe to be washed in a tub like a dirty dish.”
He certainly wasn’t.
Every bit of him was molded and chiseled. Her gaze roamed along his shoulders and
chest, and farther down, to his flat belly.
She jerked her attention away. “Ye have no shame,” she accused, but she was breathless.
“What I have is no use for nonsense, preached by those who have always been fortunate
enough to have a bathing tub. It’s simple enough for them to tell ye it is a sin to
make use of what nature provides. The way I see it, God created this world, so wouldn’t
it be a sin to shun what he has crafted?” Saer pulled something from the surface of
the rock and started walking toward the water. “I’ll clean me body here, nae sitting
in me own filth. All I need is this bar of soap.”
He lifted his hand holding the soap, and continued on into the water.
“Ye had no right to have me follow ye here, when ye planned all the time to…to…”
He stepped into the water, wading until he dove straight into the pool. His body glided
through the water smoothly, making her skin itch to enjoy the same thing.
He surfaced and began to rub the bar of soap along his body. “Ye can turn around if
yer gentle sensibilities are too bruised, Nareen.”
“Do nae be ridiculous.” The words just slipped out, earning a chuckle from him.
“As I thought, ye are concerned only because ye are tempted to join me.”
He stood waist deep in the water, the dark liquid hiding the part of him she’d shied
away from looking at. She regretted that now. It was easier to fear the unknown.
She’d learned that under her cousin’s rule.
“Are ye trying yer hand at gentling me?” Suspicion coated her words. “Bringing me
along and allowing me to see ye in yer private moments so I’ll become more accustomed
to ye?”
He shrugged, drawing her gaze to his powerful shoulders again.
“Ye’re a woman fully grown, lass… What I want to know is what sort of woman do ye
plan to be? One who lives her life squeezing her eyes shut, or one who dances into
the shadows simply because they are there. I suppose there is some truth in yer words,
but consider this. What other man would care to put ye at ease when all he need do
is gain yer brother’s approval to have ye?”
“Why did ye no’?”
He stared at her, and she felt the connection just as keenly as she would have his
touch.
The water was spilling over a large outcropping of boulders. It cascaded down into
a pool that was several dozen feet across, before flowing down the side of the valley.
The moon was half hidden behind the clouds, but the faint silver light still turned
the surface of the water into a mirror. Ripples disturbed its surface as the water
continued to pound down.
Saer took a moment to survey the entire area, scanning the far shore of the small
pond and the top of the waterfall. Once he was satisfied they were alone, he dismounted
near the water’s edge, smoothing his hand along his stallion’s neck, then removing
the bridle. The animal shook its head, making its mane bounce, then lowered its head
to graze.
Saer pulled off his sword and leaned it against a rock. The trees had thinned out
near the shoreline. He leaned against a boulder and began to unlace one of his knee-high
boots. Nareen slid from the back of her mare and removed the bridle so the mare might
graze as well. The horses moved off, slowly nibbling at the grass.
Saer’s second boot hit the ground, and he reached for the tail of his wide belt.
He opened the belt holding his kilt around his waist and caught the length of pleated
fabric with a practiced hand. He draped it over the boulder.
“There is a tub in the kitchen.”
He shook his head and pulled his shirt off. Her mouth went dry as the starlight washed
over every hard inch of him. All of the strength she’d felt through the layers of
their clothing was there to behold.
“I’m not a babe to be washed in a tub like a dirty dish.”
He certainly wasn’t.
Every bit of him was molded and chiseled. Her gaze roamed along his shoulders and
chest, and farther down, to his flat belly.
She jerked her attention away. “Ye have no shame,” she accused, but she was breathless.
“What I have is no use for nonsense, preached by those who have always been fortunate
enough to have a bathing tub. It’s simple enough for them to tell ye it is a sin to
make use of what nature provides. The way I see it, God created this world, so wouldn’t
it be a sin to shun what he has crafted?” Saer pulled something from the surface of
the rock and started walking toward the water. “I’ll clean me body here, nae sitting
in me own filth. All I need is this bar of soap.”
He lifted his hand holding the soap, and continued on into the water.
“Ye had no right to have me follow ye here, when ye planned all the time to…to…”
He stepped into the water, wading until he dove straight into the pool. His body glided
through the water smoothly, making her skin itch to enjoy the same thing.
He surfaced and began to rub the bar of soap along his body. “Ye can turn around if
yer gentle sensibilities are too bruised, Nareen.”
“Do nae be ridiculous.” The words just slipped out, earning a chuckle from him.
“As I thought, ye are concerned only because ye are tempted to join me.”
He stood waist deep in the water, the dark liquid hiding the part of him she’d shied
away from looking at. She regretted that now. It was easier to fear the unknown.
She’d learned that under her cousin’s rule.
“Are ye trying yer hand at gentling me?” Suspicion coated her words. “Bringing me
along and allowing me to see ye in yer private moments so I’ll become more accustomed
to ye?”
He shrugged, drawing her gaze to his powerful shoulders again.
“Ye’re a woman fully grown, lass… What I want to know is what sort of woman do ye
plan to be? One who lives her life squeezing her eyes shut, or one who dances into
the shadows simply because they are there. I suppose there is some truth in yer words,
but consider this. What other man would care to put ye at ease when all he need do
is gain yer brother’s approval to have ye?”
“Why did ye no’?”
He stared at her, and she felt the connection just as keenly as she would have his
touch.
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