so strict and oftentimes they buried their dead in dugout hallows without much fanfare. If one died from immoral conduct or dishonor, his body was tossed into a bog, akin to what their ancestors did when they sacrificed bodies to the Gods.
Some of their older clansmen insisted on being placed north/south as opposed to the Christian ritual of east/west. And some wanted to be sent hereafter according to their forefather’s Viking rituals.
Alone now, he took her in his arms, his large hands splaying her back, offering comfort.
“It was important to him.” Frances sniffled and wrapped her arms around his waist, and set her face against his chest.
“I know it was.” Sean felt her hands pressing into his back. The action was discomforting because the movement caused him to feel all of her pressed against him.
He didn’t want to be unsympathetic, but desire simmered to a height that tensed his body. He tried not to notice how perfectly she fit against him, how her head was just below his chin, and how his body reacted being so close to her.
“Sean, I wouldn’t have gotten through this without you. I do thank you …” She looked up at him, her pretty face inches below his. “I’m alone now. I have no one.”
Her softly spoken words affected him. There was insecurity in her bonny voice and despondency in her eyes.
“Nay, you’re not alone, Frances. I’m here.” He was about to tell her that he was pleased he could be there for her when she pressed her mouth against his. He wasn’t sure why she kissed him, but kiss him she did with more passion than he ever hoped for.
Sean let her lead the kiss and to see where she would take it. When the kiss deepened, he took hold of her face, keeping her in place and stroked the softness of her cheeks.
His hands roamed and he caressed the curves beneath the fabric of her gown. She had womanly hips and an affecting curvature to her breasts, breasts that grazed his chest as if vying for attention, for his touch. From the way she responded, Sean realized she wanted him as much as he wanted her.
Desire caused him to moan. But this was not the time or place to take care of such needs. Reluctantly, he pulled away.
His lips moist from her kiss, he would have groaned in sexual frustration or from the pleasure of it. The way her body molded his, the way her curves felt against his hardness, all led to unconventional thoughts. Thoughts now riddling him with longing. She was more curvaceous than her garments alluded to and sexy as hell.
“Frances, we should return. You’re overcome.”
She wept, broke down in a mass of sobs. Sean held her again and let her cry for her heartache was overwrought and there was nothing else to do but stand there and let her. When she calmed enough, she pulled away from his embrace and started off toward the castle walls. He walked silently beside her.
“You think me wanton, do you not?”
The words barely audible caused him to stop in his tracks. “Frances, never would I think such about you.”
“’Tis just … I haven’t been with a man in so many … so long that I forgot how pleasant it is.” She kept her gaze on the ground in front of her.
Sean realized he liked the coyness about her. “You can be wanton with me, Frances. It feels pleasing to me too, being with you.”
She kept silent for the rest of their walk to the keep. He took her hand and led her inside the walls. Sean kept her beside him when he stopped to speak to Benson.
“If everyone is within, close the gates. Let no one enter who does not belong.”
“Aye, my lord. I’ve already handled the sentry for this night’s duty as ye instructed.”
“Good. Thank you, Benson. Have me summoned if you need me.”
Sean continued walking through the bailey and noticed the clan watching them with interest. He was gladdened they saw him and Frances together. The men nodded as if asserting his newfound role as laird, and the women grinned for some unknown reason.
When they
Some of their older clansmen insisted on being placed north/south as opposed to the Christian ritual of east/west. And some wanted to be sent hereafter according to their forefather’s Viking rituals.
Alone now, he took her in his arms, his large hands splaying her back, offering comfort.
“It was important to him.” Frances sniffled and wrapped her arms around his waist, and set her face against his chest.
“I know it was.” Sean felt her hands pressing into his back. The action was discomforting because the movement caused him to feel all of her pressed against him.
He didn’t want to be unsympathetic, but desire simmered to a height that tensed his body. He tried not to notice how perfectly she fit against him, how her head was just below his chin, and how his body reacted being so close to her.
“Sean, I wouldn’t have gotten through this without you. I do thank you …” She looked up at him, her pretty face inches below his. “I’m alone now. I have no one.”
Her softly spoken words affected him. There was insecurity in her bonny voice and despondency in her eyes.
“Nay, you’re not alone, Frances. I’m here.” He was about to tell her that he was pleased he could be there for her when she pressed her mouth against his. He wasn’t sure why she kissed him, but kiss him she did with more passion than he ever hoped for.
Sean let her lead the kiss and to see where she would take it. When the kiss deepened, he took hold of her face, keeping her in place and stroked the softness of her cheeks.
His hands roamed and he caressed the curves beneath the fabric of her gown. She had womanly hips and an affecting curvature to her breasts, breasts that grazed his chest as if vying for attention, for his touch. From the way she responded, Sean realized she wanted him as much as he wanted her.
Desire caused him to moan. But this was not the time or place to take care of such needs. Reluctantly, he pulled away.
His lips moist from her kiss, he would have groaned in sexual frustration or from the pleasure of it. The way her body molded his, the way her curves felt against his hardness, all led to unconventional thoughts. Thoughts now riddling him with longing. She was more curvaceous than her garments alluded to and sexy as hell.
“Frances, we should return. You’re overcome.”
She wept, broke down in a mass of sobs. Sean held her again and let her cry for her heartache was overwrought and there was nothing else to do but stand there and let her. When she calmed enough, she pulled away from his embrace and started off toward the castle walls. He walked silently beside her.
“You think me wanton, do you not?”
The words barely audible caused him to stop in his tracks. “Frances, never would I think such about you.”
“’Tis just … I haven’t been with a man in so many … so long that I forgot how pleasant it is.” She kept her gaze on the ground in front of her.
Sean realized he liked the coyness about her. “You can be wanton with me, Frances. It feels pleasing to me too, being with you.”
She kept silent for the rest of their walk to the keep. He took her hand and led her inside the walls. Sean kept her beside him when he stopped to speak to Benson.
“If everyone is within, close the gates. Let no one enter who does not belong.”
“Aye, my lord. I’ve already handled the sentry for this night’s duty as ye instructed.”
“Good. Thank you, Benson. Have me summoned if you need me.”
Sean continued walking through the bailey and noticed the clan watching them with interest. He was gladdened they saw him and Frances together. The men nodded as if asserting his newfound role as laird, and the women grinned for some unknown reason.
When they
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