Page 21 of Claimed
Finally, the gloaming arrived. Two of the men who’d ridden ahead to hunt returned with a brace of grouse, which they plucked and roasted over hot coals while the others made camp for the night.
They set up their tents upon a hillside, next to a stand of old oaks. A creek bubbled its way over mossy stones at the bottom of the hill, and Drew collected a pot of water to boil over the fire. They’d need to refill their water bladders at some point.
The semi-circle of tents sat above the fire pit, with Drew’s tent—the biggest of the group—sitting at the back.
While the grouse were cooking, Drew found herself growing agitated. Nerves danced in her belly like a party of over-excited brownies. She needed to keep busy, needed to keep her mind focused on other matters. Deciding she would sort through her belongings, she carried her saddle bags into the tent.
Carr was there already, rolling out a fur onto the ground. He glanced up when she entered, and their gazes fused for an instant.
“Will ye come to me here later?” she asked, favoring him with a coy smile.
Carr shook his head, a muscle flexing in his jaw. “It’s too near the others … they might hear something.” He paused then, his throat bobbing. “I’ll be taking the first watch after supper. When I finish it, I will fetch ye, and we will go to the oak wood together.”
Drew’s breathing quickened. “But … how will we—”
“I’ve removed the pegs behind me.” He motioned to the far edge of the tent, the side nearest the woods. “I’ll lift the hide … there will be enough space for ye to squeeze through.”
Drew nodded, her heart galloping now. This calm explanation of how they would get time alone together was causing her already churning belly to somersault. They were whispering together like conspirators; the excitement of it was dizzying.
Carr moved toward the exit behind Drew, but stopped when he was level with her. He’d stooped, to avoid hitting his head on the roof of the tent, and as such their faces were much closer than they’d have been usually.
Drew’s breath hitched in her chest when she saw the gleam in his eyes, the look of rapt attention as he gazed upon her face. She’d never had a man look upon her so intently; it made her feel dizzy.
Heart pounding, she swallowed. “I shall see ye later then?”
“Aye,” he murmured. “Are ye sure about this, Lady Drew?”
She nodded, smiling once more. “Please dispense with formalities, Carr,” she whispered back. “This eve, just call me ‘Drew’.”
His eyes hooded, and Drew realized that, like her, he was breathing faster than normal. Like her, he could feel the charge between them. It was like the air was heavy with the promise of rain, and at any moment a storm would explode.
Warmth spread through Drew’s belly, and the sensitive skin between her thighs began to ache.
The waiting was going to kill her.
Carr ate his supper without tasting a morsel. Under normal circumstances he quite liked grouse, enjoyed the gamey flavor and the char of the meat cooked over hot coals. But this evening, his hunger had waned.
A cold, windy dusk settled over the hillside, making the flames in the small fire pit flare and gutter. The party huddled around it, picking flesh off the grouses they’d cooked.
Wiping the grease off his fingers, Carr glanced across the fire pit at where Lady Drew—Drew—sat. He couldn’t get used to even thinking of her by her first name only, let alone hailing her by it.
But since they were about to get as intimate as it was possible for a man and woman, he needed to practice.
Drew looked lovely tonight, bonnier than he’d ever seen her.
Perhaps it was excitement, anticipation of the night ahead, but there was a healthy rouge to her cheeks and her grey eyes were bright and alive as she licked her fingers clean.
Carr swallowed at the sight. She had no idea how sensual that gesture was, especially after the conversations they’d had today.
Shrouded in a fur mantle, Drew perched upon a log and shared a funny story with the two men seated to her right. Her finely boned, yet expressive, hands danced while she told the tale, which had both warriors guffawing loudly at the end of it.
Grinning, Drew sat back, and then, as if feeling his gaze upon her, she looked across the fire at Carr. Her smile faded, although her eyes still danced.
Their gazes locked, and an ache rose under Carr’s breastbone.
The Lord strike him down, how was he supposed to resist her when she looked at him like that; those grey eyes promised him the world. This woman would be his ruin.
Alone in her tent, Drew felt the urge to pace—but the tent wasn’t large enough to allow it. The restlessness inside her was almost unbearable now.
