Chapter Twenty-Three 
Melinda woke in the morning to find herself curled up to James, his arm wrapped around her. She didn’t move, simply looked at him. In his arms she felt safe and secure. Cherished.
She whispered, “Boy oh boy, you’re in big trouble. You’re falling for him. Hard.”
At home everything moved faster. Dating happened at a much faster pace. Here, though, everything was slower. It was a nice change. To really get to know someone before taking things to the next level. Happiness bloomed within her. He’d almost kissed her last night. Did he feel the same?
She sat up in bed, the covers slipping from her shoulders. The chemise was modest enough. James slept in his shirt. And nothing else. She’d tried not to think about that as she’d fallen asleep last night. Maybe just a tiny peek. As she lifted the covers, he spoke. He startled her so badly, she almost fell out of bed.
“Is that a pagan mark on your shoulder?” The blasted man was looking at her as if he knew exactly what she’d been about to do.
“The innkeeper’s wife asked me the same thing last night. It’s not a pagan mark. It’s called a tattoo. In my time, lots of people have them. Of all kinds of different things. Whatever is important to them, I guess. I have two.”
When he sat up, his shirt gaped open. Melinda caught a glimpse of numerous scars running across his chest. How many other marks did he have on his body? When he climbed into bed last night, she’d sucked in a breath at all the old and new scars on his legs. The man was a warrior and had the marks to show for it.
He looked intrigued. “’Tis the sun.” He reached out, tracing the tattoo, his touch like the warmth of the sun against her skin.
“What is the other mark? Where is it?”
She turned to face him, placing a hand on her left hipbone.
“The other one is here. It’s a quote from one of my favorite childhood books, Through the Looking Glass. It says, ‘Sometimes I’ve believed as many as six impossible things before breakfast.’”
“You have writing on your body? Why?”
Melinda had never explained the tattoo to anyone. No one blinked an eye at the beach when she wore a bikini and the writing showed. They’d become commonplace enough that no one really paid attention. And in her experience, most people were too self-absorbed to notice.
“My parents died in a boating accident when I was twelve. My aunt raised us. Losing your parents at a young age changes you.”
She looked at him. “You know this. When I turned eighteen and was going off to college, I wanted something that said to me I could go on no matter what. No matter how hard things were, I would keep going. The quote from my favorite book stayed with me. I think that’s why I chose it. Because if you believe in the impossible, it makes you think you can do anything.” She grinned. “Like travel through time.”
James touched her shoulder then ran his hands through her hair.
“Your hair is like fire.” He picked up the pouch he wore around his waist and dug into it. “Hold out your hand.”
He dropped a lock of hair into her palm.
“How did you get this?”
“The day you arrived on my lands and almost lost your pretty head.”
“The sword cut that close?”
“Aye. I picked it up off the ground and have been carrying it around ever since as a knight treasures a token from his lady.”
Her hand went to her hair. It was so thick she’d never noticed.
He grabbed a fistful of hair and pulled her to him. Melinda didn’t know why she expected the kiss to be gentle. It wasn’t. It was a warrior’s kiss, and she felt it all the way to her toes. When he pulled away, she felt adrift at sea.
With one kiss he’d obliterated every other kiss she’d ever had. It was like a new beginning, a first kiss. She put a finger to her lips. A look of pure male satisfaction filled James’ face.
And then…the spell surrounding them broke. Melinda didn’t know what had changed, only that James turned away, frowning. He yanked his clothes on, angry for no reason.
She made a show of gathering her clothes. When she turned around, he was dressed.
“I’ll send someone to help you dress, lady.”
Oh. So they were back to lady again. What on earth had she done? Truth rocked her to the core. He believed himself to be a beast. That no one could care for him. He was like one of those women who wouldn’t accept getting older and had so much plastic surgery they ended up looking like an alien. The stubborn idiot wouldn’t believe she cared for him.
Melinda couldn’t make him see himself through her eyes. He would have to get past his injuries or hide in the shadows for the rest of his life. She was done with trying to change a man. If he wouldn’t let her in, she would let go, find Lucy, and go back home to the life she’d left behind. And forget all about her grumpy knight…