Page 12 of The Warrior's Innocent Captive

‘Yes.’

‘It was probably a bat.’

She let out a shaky laugh. ‘Of course it was. I’m sorry. I don’t know what’s the matter with me. I’m shaking all over and jumping at shadows. I don’t know how to make it stop.’ She stepped closer, hoping he would take this as a sign she needed to be comforted and not that she craved his touch.

Erik’s hand came up and he began to draw long, comforting circles on her back. She wanted to stay there, nestled against him for ever, breathing in his comforting scent.

‘No, it’s me who should be sorry for dragging you through the night when you’ve had such a terrifying ordeal. I will find somewhere for us to shelter and then we will rest.’

He stepped back and his hands skimmed over the length of her arms, tracing over the skin of her hands and coming to rest with his fingers entangled with hers. Her heart slowed at the contact, skin on skin. His hands—rough, callused—dwarfed hers.

‘Come,’ he said quietly.

He kept one of her hands in his as they moved slowly through the woodland. She stayed close to his side, partly because of the warmth, but also because she wanted to.

A few times her eyes drifted closed. Erik slipped an arm around her waist, supporting her. Every bone in her body ached, but she forced herself to keep going. If she stopped, Erik would have to carry her and she couldn’t bear the thought of being a burden to him when he had already done so much for her.

When taking another step finally seemed impossible to Linota, Erik came to a stop.

‘Here,’ he said.

She blinked a few times, but she couldn’t make out what had caught his attention.

‘What is it?’

‘There’s an overhang. It should provide us with enough shelter for the night and hide us if those men attempt to come after us.’

He tugged her gently and she followed gratefully.

Erik crouched and patted the ground. She sank down next to him. She no longer cared if a whole army of bats wanted to touch her all over. All she wanted to do was sleep.

‘You lie down first,’ said Erik, gently guiding her into position. She was grateful for his support. She didn’t think she could move now if her life depended on it.

Erik’s large body lay down next to her. She could only make out the shape of him as he tucked an arm behind his head, his face turned towards the sky. She wanted to reach out and trace the lines of his face again, to feel that soft stubble beneath her fingertips. She wondered whether he would welcome her touch. Perhaps he would begin to see her like a woman... Or would he be shocked by her desire to touch him, to feel his lips against her again, but this time with a different intention?

She kept her hand to herself. She didn’t need to add the embarrassment of his rejection to everything else that had happened to her that day.

‘Are you warm enough?’ asked Erik.

‘I’m a little cold.’

She jumped as an arm came around her waist. It disappeared as quickly as it had arrived.

‘I’m sorry, I did not mean to alarm you,’ said Erik. ‘I’m not going to hurt you. I only wanted to warm you up.’

Her heart pounded in her throat, but it wasn’t from fright. She had never felt less frightened in her whole life. That brief touch had awakened something inside her, something she had not experienced before. Her whole body yearned for him to touch her again.

‘I... I’m not alarmed by your arm,’ she stuttered. ‘I jumped because... I thought it might be another bat.’

His body shook in silent laughter and she closed her eyes tightly. Why had she said bat? She should have chosen something believable.

She wanted that arm back around her and not just for warmth. How naive and young she must sound. Back at Ogmore’s fortress she’d often spied him from her chamber window. Catching a glimpse of him had been one of her favourite pastimes. She’d observed the way women were always fluttering around him. There was one woman who never missed an opportunity to drape herself around him in some way, whether it was curling herself around his arms or touching his chest, laughing up at him invitingly. That woman would know exactly what to say now to get Erik’s arm to come around her once more. Linota’s mind, however, was completely blank. She curled her knees up to her chest and sighed.

She was no longer tired, only cold and lonely.

‘Mistress Leofric, I am neither a bat nor a hedgehog,’ said Erik, laughter lacing his words. ‘May I put my arm around you to keep you warm?’

Heat spread across her face and she was glad for the dark so that he couldn’t see her delight at his words.

---