had not heard the man’s words. For a moment, he was angry that Simon would dare to give him such a warning. Then he inwardly sighed, admitting to himself that it was probably deserved. He had been thinking about seducing Morainn. In truth, he had been thinking about riding back to her cottage to get her naked and into a bed as quickly as he could.
“Want her for yourself, do ye?” he asked, and was not really surprised by the tone of possession edging into his voice. Tormand had to accept that he already felt very possessive of Morainn.
“I wouldnae turn her aside if she smiled my way, but that isnae why I am speaking up about this. The lass has enough trouble in her life without ye adding her to your list. Especially now. If we are right in believing all of this is connected to ye, that someone is trying to destroy ye by killing women ye have bedded and pointing the finger of blame toward ye, then bedding Morainn Ross puts far more than her heart and virtue at risk. Aye, and I do mean virtue. I dinnae e’en think that boy is her bastard as so many claim he is.”
“Nay, I dinnae believe he is, either.”
Tormand was chilled by Simon’s words. It was a chill that went far deeper than it should, if all he felt was a simple concern that yet another woman might suffer and die because she had found some pleasure in his arms. Forcing himself to look closely at what he felt, he saw that it was fear, a fear that she would be taken from him before he had ever had a chance to find out what she meant to him.
In some inexplicable way he and Morainn had become connected to each other. He was certain of it. He was also certain that she had shared the dream he had had last night, and he wondered if she had seen them making love. Had she felt the same heated need he had? There was also what he felt when he had touched her hand to consider. It was as though the bond that had begun in that dream, even in the first meeting of their eyes, had been strengthened by that simple touch.
He had the sinking feeling that his days as a man who took what he wanted whenever he wanted it were Page 43
ABC Amber Text Merger Trial v ersion, http://www.processtext.com/abcmerge.html
rapidly drawing to a close. Tormand had always felt that the women of his family had been talking romantic nonsense when they had claimed one just knew when they met their true mate. However, just in case there was some truth in that, he had actually avoided any woman who had stirred anything more than lust in him. The fact that he had liked Marie was one reason he had never tried to return to her bed, had stepped back before that one night of comforting could become anything more. He knew he could not step back from Morainn.
For a moment he nearly convinced himself that that was because her gift was needed to help them find this killer. The lie did not hold firm for any longer than that. Tormand knew he was drawn to Morainn in ways he could not fully understand, at least not yet. Even the fact that she was beautiful and he lusted after her did not explain away what he felt, was feeling.
His unwillingness to look too closely at those feelings was now proving to be more a hindrance than a defense. He knew he was going to have to overcome that unwillingness. Although he was reluctant to change the way he lived, he was not fool enough to push aside or turn away from the woman who might well be his fated match. Then he thought of the list Simon had mentioned and nearly groaned. He might not have to even try to push Morainn away; his past might well do it for him.
“Why dinnae ye believe he is her true child?” asked Simon, cutting into Tormand’s rambling thoughts.
“He has black hair and blue eyes as she does.”
“Nay exactly as she does,” Tormand replied, grasping at the change of topic Simon offered like a starving man would clutch at a crust of bread tossed his way. “Aye, ’tis true that children can hold a mix of each parent, e’en look akin to some
“Want her for yourself, do ye?” he asked, and was not really surprised by the tone of possession edging into his voice. Tormand had to accept that he already felt very possessive of Morainn.
“I wouldnae turn her aside if she smiled my way, but that isnae why I am speaking up about this. The lass has enough trouble in her life without ye adding her to your list. Especially now. If we are right in believing all of this is connected to ye, that someone is trying to destroy ye by killing women ye have bedded and pointing the finger of blame toward ye, then bedding Morainn Ross puts far more than her heart and virtue at risk. Aye, and I do mean virtue. I dinnae e’en think that boy is her bastard as so many claim he is.”
“Nay, I dinnae believe he is, either.”
Tormand was chilled by Simon’s words. It was a chill that went far deeper than it should, if all he felt was a simple concern that yet another woman might suffer and die because she had found some pleasure in his arms. Forcing himself to look closely at what he felt, he saw that it was fear, a fear that she would be taken from him before he had ever had a chance to find out what she meant to him.
In some inexplicable way he and Morainn had become connected to each other. He was certain of it. He was also certain that she had shared the dream he had had last night, and he wondered if she had seen them making love. Had she felt the same heated need he had? There was also what he felt when he had touched her hand to consider. It was as though the bond that had begun in that dream, even in the first meeting of their eyes, had been strengthened by that simple touch.
He had the sinking feeling that his days as a man who took what he wanted whenever he wanted it were Page 43
ABC Amber Text Merger Trial v ersion, http://www.processtext.com/abcmerge.html
rapidly drawing to a close. Tormand had always felt that the women of his family had been talking romantic nonsense when they had claimed one just knew when they met their true mate. However, just in case there was some truth in that, he had actually avoided any woman who had stirred anything more than lust in him. The fact that he had liked Marie was one reason he had never tried to return to her bed, had stepped back before that one night of comforting could become anything more. He knew he could not step back from Morainn.
For a moment he nearly convinced himself that that was because her gift was needed to help them find this killer. The lie did not hold firm for any longer than that. Tormand knew he was drawn to Morainn in ways he could not fully understand, at least not yet. Even the fact that she was beautiful and he lusted after her did not explain away what he felt, was feeling.
His unwillingness to look too closely at those feelings was now proving to be more a hindrance than a defense. He knew he was going to have to overcome that unwillingness. Although he was reluctant to change the way he lived, he was not fool enough to push aside or turn away from the woman who might well be his fated match. Then he thought of the list Simon had mentioned and nearly groaned. He might not have to even try to push Morainn away; his past might well do it for him.
“Why dinnae ye believe he is her true child?” asked Simon, cutting into Tormand’s rambling thoughts.
“He has black hair and blue eyes as she does.”
“Nay exactly as she does,” Tormand replied, grasping at the change of topic Simon offered like a starving man would clutch at a crust of bread tossed his way. “Aye, ’tis true that children can hold a mix of each parent, e’en look akin to some
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