Page 55 of Storm of Desire
"Yes."
The answer came out softer and breathier than she'dexpected.
One hand reached out, brushing a lock of her hair behind her shoulder. Árdís's breasts lifted as she breathed in. She wanted, very badly, to feel that touch on herskin.
She reached for him, but he captured herwrist.
"Good." The sensual languidness slid from him like a cloak, his eyes shuttering down firm and hard. Then he pushed to his feet and stepped away fromher.
The course of lust slammed to a halt withinher.
She was slower to react, her lips parted, and heat crawling all over her skin. She curled a hand around her throat. "You're playing a game withme?"
He picked up his plate, cool and implacable. "It's not very enjoyable, isit?"
Árdís slammed to her feet, gaping at him. "But I'mnot—"
"Eat your dinner," Haakon insisted, flinging his fur cloak around his shoulders and stalking to the edge of the circle of firelight. "Then get some sleep. I'll wake you when it's your turn to keepwatch."
"How am I supposed to go to sleep after that?" she demanded. He hadn't even touched her, and she felt ready tomelt.
The ghost of a smile played over his hard mouth. "That's not myproblem."
Árdís's eyesnarrowed.
You, dear husband, just started awar.
10
The next morning,fog lay across the land like a thick blanket. Haakon swiftly secured everything to the back of Snorri, and then went to wake hiswife.
Árdís's hands were tucked up under her chin, and her golden hair streamed across the blankets. Thick golden lashes fluttered against her cheeks, along with the faint splash of freckles. The sight of her so vulnerable felt like a mule kick to the chest. She slept as though she had absolutely no doubt in her mind that he'd protecther.
He wantedto.
And that was the rub, wasn't it? Despite all the years between them, despite everything, a part of him would open his arms to her if she gave him a single hint she'd run into them and stay thereforever.
But last night had been about scratching an itch, nothing more. He knew if he'd given in to her, they'd have ended up in bed. Perhaps they'd stay there for the next couple of nights. But the second she got her bracelet off, she'd fly away, and he'd be the one trying to pull himself back togetheragain.
"You didn't ask... whether I accepted hisbet."
The innocent look didn't becomeher.
Atall.
Leaning down, he curled his hand around her shoulder. "Árdís?"
Her lashes fluttered, revealing the slow dawning of awareness in her amber eyes when she saw him. A smile softened her mouth, and she brushed her cheek against his hand like a cat, stretching in a yawn before she suddenlystiffened.
He became the recipient of a hot-eyed look that felt like her hand curled directly around his cock. She wasn't the only one who remembered the way they'd solved arguments in the past, and his cock recognized that expression as if it had been trained to rouse at the sight ofit.
"You," she said, sitting up, the blankets sloughing around her waist. "Is it morning? Did you sleep atall?"
"Me," he agreed, straightening away from her before he could do something foolish. "I dozed here and there. Time to get on the roadagain."
"You should have wokenme."
Haakon shrugged. "You were snoring. I didn't want to disturbyou."
