Page 35 of Shared By the Vikings

Ingrid blinked up at Erik and Tali.

“Here.” Tali held out his hand.

She took it and he pulled her to standing. “Thanks.”

Gunnvar sprang up and knocked the sand from his knees.

“Sorry to break up your fun,” Erik said. “But the headland is clear of the waves. Tali and I are going for a walk.”

“Ja.” Gunnvar nodded.

“So behave yourselves while we’re gone.” Tali gripped Gunnvar’s shoulder and laughed.

“Be off with you.” Gunnvar shrugged from Tali’s touch.

“And she ate all your strawberries,” Erik said, nodding at Ingrid. “It wasn’t us.”

She frowned. “I only had a few.”

Erik snorted and stepped away.

She placed her hands on her hips and watched the two big Vikings stride to the headland.

“You attacked me and ate all of my strawberries.” Gunnvar held out his hands.

“Take no notice of him.”

“You owe me.”

“Strawberries?”

“Ja, come, we’ll eat some bird then I’ll go and get more.”

She followed him up the beach, her attention on his ass, encased in brown suede pants. She wondered if he had the same indents as Tali had on either side of his buttocks. Within seconds her mind was wandering in the direction of his cock and how it had felt against her just now—huge and solid as steel.

A shiver of longing gripped her. Her maidenhead had been around for too long, she was becoming sure of that. But as swiftly as the longing had arrived, guilt blustered into its place. How could she be thinking of giving up her maidenhead? All this time she’d thought Raud would have it. And now...

She braced her emotions. It would be easy to curl up in a ball and cry for her loss, wallow in self-pity about not knowing what had become of him, but that would get her nowhere.

She had to find the strength her father had instilled in her, and carry on. Make the best of the situation she’d found herself in.

“So you’ve proved you can fight,” Gunnvar called over his shoulder gruffly. “Given the right weapon.”

“I can handle a sword and shield. Not too bad with a bow and arrow either.” She was glad of the conversation, to take her thoughts in a new direction.

“And where’d you learn that? Thought you said you were a princess.”

“I am.”

Didn’t he believe her?

“My father,” she said, “he wanted me to be able to look out for myself, not rely on a man.”

“Every woman has to rely on her man.”

“Not this one.”

He stopped and turned. “A man and woman belong together, they each give something to the other.”

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