intended as a gift for all men and women. Lust assured the White Christ’s followers a place in Hades.
Just to satisfy her curiosity, he stood up slowly, raking his fingers through his shoulder-length hair. Then he turned around, facing away from her, and bent over, sure his legs were wide apart.
“Good God,” he heard from the woods.
“Is something amiss?” he asked, not moving.
“Amiss?” Silvia repeated. “I cannot open my eyes until you come out of the water and dress.”
Konal hadn’t laughed so hard in a long time. “Why are you here?” He straightened and twisted around, finding her standing in the open, her hands covering her face.
“Looking for herbs and berries.”
He tsked as he headed for shore, knowing it was too early in the year for wild berries. “From the moment we met, Silvia, I admired your indomitable spirit and will to survive, even your sharp tongue, but never thought you a liar.” He stood in front of her now, unashamed of his nakedness.
Her eyes popped open, her hands fisted at her sides. “I am not a liar.”
“No?” he asked, teasing her relentlessly. “What were you going to carry these berries in?” He eyed her head to toe.
She didn’t attempt to answer his question.
“Confess, Silvia. You were spying on me.”
Her cheeks turned red. “And why should I do that?” Her gaze darted to his manhood, then back to his face.
She’d get no sympathy from him. There was no relief for his own suffering unless she offered her body freely to him. “I desire you more than any woman, Silvia,” he said, all humor fading. “I want to kiss you. Touch you. Taste you. Fuck you.”
“T-that cannot happen.”
“Why?” He stepped closer and she edged back.
“We are not promised in marriage.”
“Forget what the priests taught you. Tis only us here, surrounded by nature. Even the beasts enjoy the gift of passion.”
“So you admit you are as lowborn as a wild creature? Driven by instinct. Without a heart or conscience.”
“I admit that I want you.” He cupped her cheek then, liking the heat and softness of her flesh. “And I know you feel the same.”
Surprisingly, she didn’t reject his touch, only stood there, locked in an endless stare with him.
“The meat will burn if I don’t get back to the fire.”
“Let it.” He cradled her face with his other hand, his heartbeat thundering. “Feed me in a different way, Silvia.”
“Why should I trust you?”
“Because there isn’t another man in this Odinforsaken country that will treat you as tenderly as I will. Your pleasure is as important to me as my own. I will not fuck you and walk away. When it’s time for me to go, I will provide for your future care.”
For a brief moment it appeared she was seriously considering his words. For her features softened a bit and her fingers trailed up his arm. “You are a handsome man,” she said. “Powerful and fierce, a jarl. And I am your unfortunate slave. That fact will never change. And knowing it breaks my heart. For I am freeborn. A follower of Christ. Not your lover.”
She withdrew her hand.
“Then why are you here?”
“I wanted to be near you.”
He lowered his head and kissed her softly, then separated from her a little so he could see her face clearly. “There is no reason to hide then.” Before she could speak, he kissed her again, finding her pink tongue.
This kind of self-torture didn’t suit Konal. He wanted more of her—all of her if she’d just say yes. “Do you feel it?”
“How can I not?” She gasped. “Tis wedged between our bodies.”
He meant the mutual attraction. “Aye,” he acknowledged his erection. “I cannot hide the truth from you. No man can.”
“Does it hurt?”
“Yes, a deep ache.”
She turned away. “I will finish preparing our meal.”
“Aye,” he said, reaching for his tunic on the ground. “Run away, little thrall. Only a woman can handle what I have to offer.”
Chapter Thirteen
A s Silvia
Just to satisfy her curiosity, he stood up slowly, raking his fingers through his shoulder-length hair. Then he turned around, facing away from her, and bent over, sure his legs were wide apart.
“Good God,” he heard from the woods.
“Is something amiss?” he asked, not moving.
“Amiss?” Silvia repeated. “I cannot open my eyes until you come out of the water and dress.”
Konal hadn’t laughed so hard in a long time. “Why are you here?” He straightened and twisted around, finding her standing in the open, her hands covering her face.
“Looking for herbs and berries.”
He tsked as he headed for shore, knowing it was too early in the year for wild berries. “From the moment we met, Silvia, I admired your indomitable spirit and will to survive, even your sharp tongue, but never thought you a liar.” He stood in front of her now, unashamed of his nakedness.
Her eyes popped open, her hands fisted at her sides. “I am not a liar.”
“No?” he asked, teasing her relentlessly. “What were you going to carry these berries in?” He eyed her head to toe.
She didn’t attempt to answer his question.
“Confess, Silvia. You were spying on me.”
Her cheeks turned red. “And why should I do that?” Her gaze darted to his manhood, then back to his face.
She’d get no sympathy from him. There was no relief for his own suffering unless she offered her body freely to him. “I desire you more than any woman, Silvia,” he said, all humor fading. “I want to kiss you. Touch you. Taste you. Fuck you.”
“T-that cannot happen.”
“Why?” He stepped closer and she edged back.
“We are not promised in marriage.”
“Forget what the priests taught you. Tis only us here, surrounded by nature. Even the beasts enjoy the gift of passion.”
“So you admit you are as lowborn as a wild creature? Driven by instinct. Without a heart or conscience.”
“I admit that I want you.” He cupped her cheek then, liking the heat and softness of her flesh. “And I know you feel the same.”
Surprisingly, she didn’t reject his touch, only stood there, locked in an endless stare with him.
“The meat will burn if I don’t get back to the fire.”
“Let it.” He cradled her face with his other hand, his heartbeat thundering. “Feed me in a different way, Silvia.”
“Why should I trust you?”
“Because there isn’t another man in this Odinforsaken country that will treat you as tenderly as I will. Your pleasure is as important to me as my own. I will not fuck you and walk away. When it’s time for me to go, I will provide for your future care.”
For a brief moment it appeared she was seriously considering his words. For her features softened a bit and her fingers trailed up his arm. “You are a handsome man,” she said. “Powerful and fierce, a jarl. And I am your unfortunate slave. That fact will never change. And knowing it breaks my heart. For I am freeborn. A follower of Christ. Not your lover.”
She withdrew her hand.
“Then why are you here?”
“I wanted to be near you.”
He lowered his head and kissed her softly, then separated from her a little so he could see her face clearly. “There is no reason to hide then.” Before she could speak, he kissed her again, finding her pink tongue.
This kind of self-torture didn’t suit Konal. He wanted more of her—all of her if she’d just say yes. “Do you feel it?”
“How can I not?” She gasped. “Tis wedged between our bodies.”
He meant the mutual attraction. “Aye,” he acknowledged his erection. “I cannot hide the truth from you. No man can.”
“Does it hurt?”
“Yes, a deep ache.”
She turned away. “I will finish preparing our meal.”
“Aye,” he said, reaching for his tunic on the ground. “Run away, little thrall. Only a woman can handle what I have to offer.”
Chapter Thirteen
A s Silvia
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