Chapter 15

CHAPTER FIFTEEN

L ucia and Alaric moved quickly and silently in the middle of the night, like two spirits that travelled with the wind. Lucia kept looking over her shoulder, making sure they weren’t being followed, and she knew Alaric was doing the same. She could see him move from the corner of her eye, swift and silent but still on alert, the two of them having nothing but the light of the moon to guide them.

Callum and Douglas’ horses were once again apart from the others, farther from them but closer to Callum’s tent. On the one hand, at least Lucia would only have to deal with two horses rather than the whole herd of them, but on the other, the proximity to Callum’s tent only made their task all that more difficult. If he heard them, if he suddenly came out for whatever reason, then he was bound to see them and sound the alarm.

When they reached the horses, Lucia was quick to calm them, stroking their sides and speaking softly to them. She had always had a way with animals and it was no different now. The horses remained calm even with her and Alaric’s presence, remaining quiet and grazing idly at the grass by their feet.

“Hurry,” Lucia whispered as Alaric began to rummage through the saddlebags. He worked quickly and efficiently, and it was only moments later when he turned to her with a grin, holding a fistful of letters up in the air in victory.

For the first time, Lucia allowed herself to think that perhaps this would work out, after all. She made a habit of never being too optimistic, as optimism led to disappointment more often than not, while being prepared for disaster could only mean that she would never be disappointed or surprised. This time, though, she was closer to victory than ever before and she couldn’t help it. A rush of excitement coursed through her and she had to stifle a cry at the sight of those letters. They could be the key to everything, the one missing piece of the puzzle.

Or it could be naethin’. I shouldnae be too happy afore I ken what those letters are sayin’.

Lucia was about to run to Alaric and take those letters, but before she could, footsteps sounded around them. She and Alaric both froze, looking around like two prey animals who had been caught by a predator, looking for the threat, but that only lasted a moment. With a decisive step, Alaric grabbed Lucia, wrapping his arms around her waist. Suddenly, she found herself pinned against a tree with Alaric’s lips pressed against her own.

A surprised gasp escaped her, one that was swallowed by Alaric just as the men who patrolled the camp approached them. Her thoughts were sluggish, the kiss both surprising her and exciting her to the point where she could do little more than stand there for a few seconds before she realized she had to play her own part in this.

She and Alaric were supposed to be married, she reminded herself. It would seem odd to those men if she was simply standing there, passively accepting his kiss.

Sighing against him, Lucia lifted her tunic up and wrapped one leg around Alaric’s waist just as her arms wrapped around his neck to hold him close. Pressed against each other as they were, Alaric began to move his hips slowly, in a way that only approximated a coupling. In reality, Lucia was disappointed to find that he was doing his best to keep his hips as far as possible from her without making it seem so fake that the men would take notice.

Distantly, Lucia thought it was a good thing it was so dark out there. Even if they suspected something, even if they looked a little too close, it would be impossible for them to tell the truth. That was a fleeting thought, though, one that lasted only a second, as the slow, measured movements of Alaric’s hips were soon all she could think about.

The two of them were close, their bodies melding together as they kissed. Alaric’s lips were soft against hers, surprisingly so, and the way he kissed her, like he was ravenous, like he couldn’t get enough, drove her mad with lust. No man had ever kissed her like this before. Every past tryst was nothing more than a fleeting pleasure, one that was more for the sake of her partner than hers. It had been a long time since Lucia had last concerned herself with such matters, but now, in Alaric’s arms, she didn’t know how she had gone through so much time without him.

Every touch of his hands on her hips, every brush of his lips ignited another flame inside her. Desire coursed through her, pooling in her core as she tilted her hips in an attempt to feel him against her, but he was quick to pull back just enough to avoid pressing into her pelvis. It was the exact opposite of what Lucia wanted and she couldn’t help the whine that bubbled up her throat, demanding and petulant, her lips parting to deepen the kiss.

It was only when Alaric tore himself away that Lucia realized the men were there now, staring wide-eyed at them. Some were laughing and one went as far as to whistle, much to Lucia’s irritation. She had forgotten all about them, but now they had ruined the moment between her and Alaric, and never before had she been so irritated with someone.

“What are ye doin’?” Alaric growled at them and it was then that they stopped, balking at his sudden outburst. “Get out o’ here. Dinnae ye see I’m with me wife?”

The men didn’t need to be told twice. The smiles wiped from their faces, they rushed back to the camp, leaving the two of them alone, but not before they took Callum’s and Douglas’ horses away.

Lucia cursed under her breath. There went her chance to get the letters, and now she didn’t know if she would ever get such a chance again.

They didn’t have to pretend anymore. Lucia could let go of Alaric and the two of them could linger there for a few more moments before heading back to the camp, as well. It would be the wise thing to do, she told herself. It would be the right thing, since she couldn’t allow herself to get too close.

And yet, neither of them moved to disentangle themselves from each other. Lucia couldn’t help but wonder if Alaric wanted her like she wanted him, but she also remembered what he had told her that morning when he had pulled back from her so fast, he had almost given himself whiplash.

If he wanted her, he could have had her right then and there. Surely, he knew that, since Lucia was still holding onto him, gazing into his eyes in the dark. But Alaric was still keeping his hips far from hers, refusing to get too close, and his expression was one of agony, as though it physically pained him to be close to her.

“It seems like ye were lyin’ tae me,” she said, chuckling when Alaric gave her a confused frown. “I fear that I dae, in fact, disgust ye, an’ ye simply dinnae wish tae admit it.”

For a few seconds, Alaric only stared at her, his expression blank. But then he surged forward, his hips finally colliding with Lucia’s as he pressed his manhood against her. Through his clothes, she could feel how hard he was, his pulsing length digging into her bare thigh.

There was no stopping the moan that escaped her. Lucia wanted nothing more than to reach for him and guide him to her opening, taking him inside her. She was already dripping with arousal, so eager for him that her hips seemed to move on their own accord, trying to get him closer.

“Ye shouldnae fash about whether I find ye attractive,” Alaric whispered in her ear, his lips brushing against its shell and drawing a shiver out of Lucia. He gave another thrust then and they both moaned in unison at the friction, Lucia’s chest already heaving as she gasped for breath.

Unable to stop herself, Lucia grabbed him and pulled him into a kiss, one that Alaric eagerly reciprocated. There was no one watching them, but it didn’t matter to either of them. Lucia couldn’t deny her feelings anymore; ill-advised as it was, she still wanted him and she didn’t care about the consequences.

Alaric, though, was quick to pull back, even if he had kissed her with such passion that it could only mean he wanted her, too. Lucia found herself chasing his lips before she realized what she was doing and came to an abrupt halt, pulling back from him, surprised by her own reaction.

“We may be attracted tae each other, but it doesnae mean I will bed ye,” Alaric said, much to Lucia’s disappointment. A chill spread through her, replacing the heat in her core, and she slowly extricated herself from him, taking a few steps back.

How could he be attracted to her and reject her at the same time?

“It isnae wise,” Alaric added, as though he could read her mind. “We are both smarter than this.”

Reluctantly, Lucia nodded. “Ye’re right,” she admitted and she meant it. Of course, Alaric was right. It would be far from wise, but that didn’t mean she could stop wanting it or that the rejection stung any less. Still, she would never admit this to him. If he wanted to keep his distance, then so be it .

Lucia was a grown woman. She may not have been used to rejection, but that didn’t mean she would fret and whine over it.

“Thank ye,” she said after a short pause, deciding it was best to change the subject. “Ye saved us both back there.”

Alaric gave a small shrug. “Ye dinnae need tae thank me. I wouldnae have let them catch us.”

“Ye’re a quick thinker,” Lucia said, grinning at him and in the dark, she could have sworn she saw a faint blush on Alaric’s cheeks. “It’s a shame we couldnae get any o’ the letters though.”

“The letters?” Alaric asked, frowning a little as he reached into his pocket. When he pulled his hand out, he was holding a fistful of papers up in the air victoriously. “Ye mean these letters?”

A gasp escaped Lucia, one that she stifled with a hand over her mouth. Her eyes wide, she rushed to him and took a better look at the papers in his hand, still in disbelief.

“Ye managed tae get them?” she asked, suddenly elated. In her joy, she threw her arms around him once more, pulling him into another embrace, only this one was chaste and friendly. She could hardly believe her own eyes and the relief that coursed through her was so overwhelming that her knees almost buckled, her trembling legs hardly supporting her weight.

“Thank ye, Alaric,” she said, pulling back to look at him. “Thank ye.”

It had been a terrible idea, Alaric realized. Sure, it had easily convinced the men who were patrolling that they were doing nothing sinister near Callum’s horse and they had gotten away with taking the letters, but now he could neither ignore nor hide his attraction to Lucia.

Even now, he was still aroused, still aching. It was difficult to ignore his attraction to her when she stood right in front of him, so willing to kiss him and touch him. Her disappointment when he pulled back was palpable and Alaric thought it equaled his own, but he couldn’t allow himself to continue.

Guilt gnawed at him, all-encompassing and overwhelming. He couldn’t forget that he had a fiancée waiting for him back home. Kayla was in Castle MacGregor, waiting for him to return so they could wed, and yet here he was, lusting after another woman.

Kayla didn’t even know in what schemes he was involved now; no one did. Had Evan received his letter? Was his betrothed anxiously waiting for him, worrying that something had happened to him? What if she thought he was dead? Would their marriage be cancelled if he didn’t return home soon or would they wait for him as long as it took?

An’ how long will it take? How long must I follow the Ravencloaks in their crimes?

A war raged inside Alaric. A part of him wanted nothing more than to be with Lucia, even for one night. Another part of him knew just how wrong that was and just how much trouble it could cause him, but the temptation would always be there as long as they were near each other. The only way he could put an end to it was by separating from her and returning to his family, where he truly belonged.

The only thing that gave him some comfort was the knowledge that he had offered her something precious—those letters currently clutched so carefully in Lucia’s hands. If nothing else, they had something useful now, something that would hopefully give them information on Callum and his gang. Lucia’s happiness overshadowed everything else and Alaric couldn’t stop looking at that radiant smile full of hope.

She seemed so different from the woman he had met, who was usually sharp and harsh, all thorny words and a brash attitude. Alaric couldn’t deny that he was just as attracted to both sides of her, but this side, the side she had not revealed to him before, was dearer to him if only because for the first time since he had met her, he could see she was truly happy.

And he liked being the cause of that happiness. He wished he could always give her that.