Her Viking Lovers by J. A. Bailey Page B

have no lover. However,
she’d shown little interest in remarrying after Rennir and no man would
consider taking his place.
    Rennir
had been the best of men and a bold warrior. That he had not returned from the
expedition shocked the village to the core. None could fill such a man’s shoes,
not even Alrek, no matter how much he longed to. Alas, his injury made sure of
that.
    If
he could not satisfy Esa’s needs physically, he would at least help her in any
way he could. He had tended to her animals and home ever since Rennir had left.
In many ways, he was a husband to Esa, protecting and taking care of her as Rennir
once had. But he would never cross that line. He doubted Esa would welcome any advances
from him anyway but neither of them could taint Rennir’s memory like that.
    Alrek
released a long, low breath. No matter how tempted he was. Esa had always been
a beautiful woman. Many had envied Rennir when he had married her but it had
only been right. The strongest warrior gained the beauty of the settlement.
While longing panged in Alrek’s gut, it pleased him that his closest friend had
found happiness with a kind and dutiful woman.
    Alrek
never intended to find such happiness. No woman could come close to Esa and the
perfection that had been their marriage. He envied that—wished to emulate it.
Besides, with his injury he was half a man. How could he take a woman to be his
when he could not protect her properly?
    Shuffling
across the roof, sure enough he found the gap Esa had spoken off. The straw was
particularly thin. He proceeded to remove some of the old straw and froze. Alrek
gulped, blinked and peered through the gap once more.
    Esa
sat in the small wooden tub, wet and naked. It was a sight he had dreamed of
yet his dreams had never done her justice. Shadows caressed her skin but he saw
enough. Round, succulent breasts, tight nipples, flowing hair now darkened by
the water. Usually it reminded him of the sunset—a glowing yellow tinged with
red. He longed to thrust his fingers into those wet locks and massage away her
worries.
    She
leaned back and stared up. He jumped back before tentatively shifting forward.
It appeared she either hadn’t noticed him or couldn’t see him in the gloom of
the hut for she grabbed a washcloth and began scrubbing her arms and across her
breasts. Alrek let out a hiss as his cock tightened and he imagined using his
hands to scrub her soft skin.
    He
held his breath when she moved the cloth lower over her stomach and finally
between the shadows at her thighs. He silently cursed the lack of light. What
he would not give to see her spread open for him, to taste her luscious cream. Esa
began to move the washcloth and his raging erection lengthened. By the gods,
she was pleasuring herself.
    A
stab of something akin to sorrow tore at his gut. She should not have to
pleasure herself. Her small gasps clutched at his heart. If only he had the
will to tear himself away and not watch the torture that was a lonely woman
seeking meagre gratification. Or better yet, the courage to tear down the door,
spread her thighs and lose himself in her.
    Neither
happened. Instead, he watched her other hand caress one full breast as she
brought herself to a gentle climax. Bitter regret burnt in his mouth. If he had
been with her, he would have given her such pleasure, the rotten straw would
have dropped from the roof with her cries.
    He
drew back when she sagged against the wood. How could he bear to see her so
unsatisfied? With the sun fully up and peeking between the thick clouds, Alrek
set to work on the roof. When all the rotten straw was removed, a woman called
to him, voice curling around his gut. He slid from the roof and climbed down to
greet her.
    “Good
morrow, Alrek. I did not think you would be here so early.”
    “I
promised I would see to your roof.”
    “At
so early an hour? You have clearly been working for some time.”
    Colour
graced her smooth cheeks and Alrek forced his expression to