The Viking Takes a Knight Read Online Free PDF Page B

carried by servants from the kitchen into the great hall, not to mention pottery pitchers of ale and mead and milk. Ingrith had worked her fingers to the bone preparing a meal to please the most particular palate. She doubted shewould get any thanks from the scowling Hawk, however. He had made his displeasure over their presence in his keep more than obvious, not just on their initial meeting, either.
    She had never met a more infuriating man. He could show the most extreme displeasure with just the arch of one eyebrow. Without ever saying they were unwelcome, he made it obvious how inconvenient their presence was. She would have told him in no uncertain terms what he could do with his backhanded welcome if the children’s safety was not at risk.
    As it was, Ubbi had finally been banished to the cow barn for having kicked John in the shins. Twice. For perceived verbal offenses against Ingrith.
    The whole situation was a mess.
    She had not the energy to rise and make her way to the small sleeping bower that had been set aside for her on the second floor. But then she recalled the hot spring bathing house where she could ease her sore muscles. Luckily, when she got to the women’s section, it was empty, everyone either being at dinner, or serving dinner.
    It was heaven, as she had known it would be, her father having a similar natural resource at Stoneheim. A long time later, after bathing and then soaking herself until her skin wrinkled, she felt better. As she began to emerge, she heard a loud male voice from outside, shouting, “Where is she? I swear, if she’s hiding from me, best shebeware. I am not amused.” It sounded like John. Who else?
    The door to the bathing hut swung open before Ingrith had a chance to react. Having just stepped out of the pool, facing the entrance, she froze in place.
    A stunned lord of Hawk’s Lair, speechless for once, kicked the door shut behind him with a booted foot. “You…you…” he sputtered.
    Realizing belatedly that she was naked… Holy Thor! How could I have forgotten something so important? …she turned abruptly and reached for a drying cloth. Then, she glanced back over her shoulder to see why John was so quiet.
    He was staring at her bare backside. Gawking, more like.

CHAPTER FIVE
    O h, baby!
    Boiling with chagrin, John yanked open the door to the bathing house…and almost had a fainting fit at what he beheld.
    Ingrith had just walked up the steps from the small pool, her body dripping with water, and she was bare-as-a-babe naked. In all her glory. And glorious, she was, too. And… Thank you, God! …not at all like a baby.
    She was tall for a woman, but unlike most women of her height, she was not slender, no doubt due to her excessive cooking. Oh, she was not fat, either. She was soft…and rounded. Voluptuous, that was the best word to describe her. From her high, full breasts to her small waist and flaring hips. Her tiny nipples and aureoles were of the palest rose hue, almost flesh-colored, blending into the breasts themselves.
    All this he noticed in the mere moment before she collected herself and swung around to grab for a drying cloth.
    Now he was presented with her glorious backside.
    With his heart pounding like a warhorse, he watched as she bent over to pick up a drying cloth.
    Was he becoming a pervert now?
    Bloody hell, he could no more have not watched than pluck out his eyeballs.
    â€œIt really is heart-shaped,” he remarked before he could bite his traitorous tongue.
    â€œWhaaat?” She swung around to face him again, this time covered somewhat with a piece of cloth that scarce hid her breasts and thatch of golden curls, a darker shade than her blonde head hair, which was piled atop her head.
    Amazing the details a man could notice when given a bare glimpse of a female’s intimate parts!
    â€œWhy are you looking at me?”
    â€œDo you jest?”
    She made a clucking sound of disgust.