The Warrior's Touch Read Online Free PDF Page A

and inviting.
    She could not believe she had agreed to this deception. But it was far too late to turn back now. She heard the soft shush of Connor’s clothes falling to the ground, then felt the weight of him as he sat upon the pallet.
    ‘You know what is expected of us,’ he said. His voice, a deep resonant sound, fell over her like a caress.
    ‘I know it.’
    His hand moved until it touched the wreath. He removed it, drawing his fingers through the length of her hair. She shivered and his hands moved over her bare shoulders.
    ‘You are beautiful,’ he said and, for a moment, she believed him. She reached out and her palm fit within his.
    This is wrong , she thought. But this night I will have no regrets. If Lianna had no wish to play the role of the Goddess, Aileen could do so.
    Connor leaned down, threading his hands through her hair. His mouth brushed against hers, teasing her. His tongue tasted her lips, and the light, gentle touch sent fires racing within her. Her breasts tightened as his mouth descended on hers, evoking a thousand sensations of pleasure.
    With her palms, she touched the firm muscles, the warm male skin. His kiss tasted of mead and girlhood dreams. He pushed the furs away, cupping her breasts in his palms.
    Feeling bolder, Aileen kissed him back, letting her mouth move against his. His tongue entered her mouth and she moaned as he slid it inside, the way he would enter her body later. An aching heat surged between her thighs.
    Every part of her body exhilarated under his touch, and she discarded the guilt. There would be time for that on the morrow.
    For now, for this night of Bealtaine, Connor MacEgan belonged to her. And she intended to enjoy every moment of it.
    Connor reached out to Lianna in sleep, but found her gone. Only the barest hint of warmth upon the fur pallet gave evidence to her presence. He rose and stretched, staring at the place where he had joined with her.
    The ritual had become a sacrament, though he had not fully believed in the superstition. Lying in Lianna’s arms fulfilled every adolescent dream he’d ever had. In his mind, he viewed it as a preliminary to their wedding night. He wanted Lianna as his wife.
    Already he had offered a respectable bride price for her, but her father had turned him down. His pride stung at the memory. With nothing but a few head of cattle and sheep to call his own, it seemed his prospects were not strong enough.
    He rose and donned his trews, his mind still filled with her. If Lianna would agree to handfast with him, they might overcome her father’s misgivings. He needed to find her and ask.
    For a moment, he stared at the empty furs, wishing she hadn’t left. He wanted to awaken with her soft skin against his, smelling the light fragrance of herbs in her hair. The thought made him yearn to have her beneath him once more.
    Outside the rain fell, spattering mud against his trews as he walked. He didn’t care. A lightness seemed to spread across his spirit, in spite of the storm.
    A woman’s moan caught his attention, the sound coming from a grove of trees. His steps grew hesitant, but he heard a familiar sound of laughter. Then he saw her, bare from the waist up, embracing Tómas.
    The black fist of jealousy caught in his gut when he saw them together. Only hours ago, Lianna had given herself to him. And now Tómas.
     
    Connor took a step back, his blood flowing like ice in his veins. How could she betray him that way? It made him sick to think of how she’d gone from his bed into the arms of another man. Had she truly been a virgin? Or was that a lie, too? He’d thought she was, but perhaps he had been too green to know any better.
    He didn’t stop to confront them, couldn’t think clearly as his footing slipped in the mud. As he righted himself, he broke into a run. Without looking, he passed the small plots of land with the beehive-shaped cottages.
    ‘Connor!’ a girl’s voice called out to him. He turned and saw Aileen.
    Clad