Page 51 of Wolf's Keep

How did he…? Had the wolf warned Gaharet? She shook her head. Those were questions for another time.

She stepped closer to him as the five men approached. “Should we be worried?”

“That depends.”

“On what?”

“On what type of mood he is in.”

“Who?”

“Erin, the man on the lead horse is Lothair, Comte de Anjou.”

Chapter Twenty

“Gaharet.” Lothair brought his horse to a halt before them. “I received word you were on your way, so I came to meet you and give you company.” His gaze slid to Erin. “But I see you already have company.” He winked at Gaharet. “You sly dog. You have not told me of this woman, Gaharet. Keeping secrets from me now, are you?”

Lothair’s gaze lingered on Erin, and Gaharet pulled her closer within the protective embrace of his arm.

Lothair riding out to meet him was unexpected. He had Ulrik to thank for the warning. It did not excuse his vassal from following them, of spying on them. He and Ulrik would have a long talk when they got to Langeais. A discussion he had put off for far too long.

“Mon Seigneur Comte.” Gaharet drew Erin to stand in front of him, his arms clasped around her waist. “May I present Erin of the family Richardson?” He assessed the situation—the desirous looks from Lothair, the sly grins of Lothair’s men. “My betrothed.”

Erin spluttered, tensing in his arms, but wisely said nothing.

“Gaharet, my friend. You gave no indication you wished to be married. Why did you not say? I could have found you a most suitable wife, one with a good title, money and land.”

“I have more than enough of those.”

“Sheislovely. A bit old, but”—his gaze raked over Erin, taking in her disheveled dress and the bits of grass sticking to her head veil—“perhaps she makes up for it in other ways.”

Gaharet’s hackles rose. A throaty growl rumbled not from him, but from Erin. He turned her away toward his horse before she could respond to Lothair’s insult. They could not risk her giving voice to her displeasure, as justified as it may be. She muttered a whispered retort beneath her breath. Foul words. Words he had never expected to hear slip from her delectable mouth, calling Lothair unflattering names that would make a battle-hardened chevalier blush.

Gaharet made a show of coughing to cover her voice. Lothair did not have the acute hearing of his kind, but he would not take kindly to her insults should he hear them. Over his horse’s back, he caught sight of the big, sandy wolf hiding downwind among the trees. Ulrik. His tongue hung out, uncontrolled mirth shaking his whole body. Ulrik collapsed to the ground and rolled around on the grass, laughing so hard he could no longer stand on all fours. Unlike Lothair, Ulrik had heard Erin’s curses. Gaharet’s lip curled in a snarl, glaring at the wolf, and Ulrik’s amusement died. Getting to his paws, he slunk away into the trees, his tail between his legs.

Gaharet mounted his horse and pulled Erin up in front of him, side saddle. They had no choice but to ride with Lothair and his men all the way to Langeais. There would be no time to talk and no time to finish what they had started by the creek.L’enfer.

About to give herself to him freely, at last surrendering to the heat between them, she had reached for him, rocked her core against his straining cock. Gaharet grunted as she shifted on the horse, his unsated desire flaring anew as her hip brushed against his groin. He was so hard it hurt.

“Sorry.”

She tried shifting away, but he held her close.

“I’ll survive,” he whispered back. “For now.”

She flushed, and the scent of her arousal spiked. Good. He had plans to pick up where they left off as soon as the opportunity presented itself. Unfortunately, that would not be for some time. If he must be uncomfortable, filled with anticipation of having his cock buried in her to the hilt, he would have her thinking about it, too.

“Why did you tell him I am your betrothed?” she murmured into his neck.

Gaharet hesitated, the words on the tip of his tongue. Taking her as his wife had been his intention almost from the beginning, but as cautious as his little filly had proven to be, he could not be sure of her reaction to such an admission. Not yet.

“Lothair and his men knew what we were doing when they rode up. Did you see the looks they were giving you?”

She nodded.

“Unless you are content to fend off unwanted advances, it is best this way. As my betrothed, you are under my protection. No one will dare proposition you for fear of my reaction.”

“Oh.”

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