Page 22 of Shared By the Vikings

On his next pull it slipped from her hands and landed on the ground.

She stood before him utterly naked and acutely aware of Tali and Gunnvar staring at her. “What are you doing?”

“I told you I’d punish you, Ingrid. That time is now.”

She frowned at him. “No, you can’t do that. I said I was sorry.”

“You also said your father was a good man, and I’m sure he would approve of his wayward daughter being taken in hand by a Jarl.”

“Taken in hand?”

As she’d spoken he wrapped his fingers around her wrist and pulled her closer.

She was aware of the heat of the flames licking over her skin, and also the heat of Erik’s legs as her knees knocked against his thigh.

“Over you go, woman,” he said.

“What? No!”

“You deserve a sound spanking, and well you know it.”

“Not from you.”

“Ja, from me.” He pulled her again, forcing her to stoop.

“Don’t you know who I am?”

“Ingrid Baardsen. A woman who has brought us the most inconvenient bad fortune of being stranded without a longboat and several good warriors down.”

“I am the daughter of King Baardsen of Ravndal, have you not heard of him?”

“No.” Erik paused and narrowed his eyes. “Gunnvar, Tali, what do you say?”

“Never heard of him,” Gunnvar said gruffly.

“No, not me,” Tali added.

“And I’d say a good red ass might remind this new woman of ours not to lie again.” Gunnvar’s voice was every bit as low and rough as Erik’s had been.

She glanced at him. His eyes reflected the flames and he sat forward, elbows on his knees, hands dangling between them as if eager for the show to start.

The show of her having her bottom reddened.

“You can’t do this to me. My father will have your entrails. Leave me be.”

“King Baardsen isn’t here.” Quick as a flash Erik whipped out his arm, encircled her waist, and dragged her over his knee.

Suddenly Ingrid’s world turned upside down. She flailed for purchase, managing to grab his leg with one hand and bury her fingers in the sand with the other.

His thick pants were coarse on her naked flesh, scratching over her stomach. “Get off me!”

“Keep still, woman, you’ll only make this harder on yourself.” He clamped one hand over her back, while trapping her legs with the other. Ensnaring her to him with all the strength of a wolf’s jaw.

He shifted his knees and she dipped further forward, letting out a gasp as she realized her rump was now the highest part of her body and was offered up and vulnerable. “Erik! I swear I will have you—”

“What? You’ll have me what.” He dragged her closer, so the side of her body molded up against his belly.

“I’ll have you... I’ll have you.” The blood had rushed to her head. Her scalp wound throbbed. She writhed and bucked.

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