Chapter Sixteen
The warrior village was surprisingly unguarded.
Since tonight was a game night, people were wandering in and out of the warrior village even though there were at least four guards that Lilia could see. But the guards were gathered in a bunch in conversation, and they completely ignored the people going in and out of the warrior village.
Lilia used that to her advantage.
Brody had said he was at the end of the warrior village, which she took to mean the opposite end.
She scurried down the narrow avenue that ran between the neat cottage rows, trying not to slide in the slush that had developed from the snowfall.
As she neared the end of the row, she saw the big Saxon emerge from one of the cottages.
Quickly, she hid against another cottage, saying out of sight but hearing the Saxon speak to someone, telling him to remain still and do what the physic demanded.
She sank back against the wall as the Saxon walked past her, heading back to the arena, but something told her that he was speaking to Brody.
It was just a feeling she had.
Quickly, Lilia made her way to the cottage, hiding in the shadows and waiting for the physic to depart.
Because of the stone, she couldn’t hear what was going on inside and the wait became an impatient one.
She was worried about Lady Currie, wondering if the woman had indeed found a young warrior to spend her time with or if she’d given up and had gone back to the arena.
That being the case, she was probably looking for Lilia.
That concerned her.
Still, she didn’t want to leave before finding out if Brody was okay.
Fortunately, she didn’t have to wait too much longer. The door to the cottage opened again and slammed back against the hinges. She could hear footsteps crunching on the slushy ground before peering around the corner and seeing a man walking away.
Carefully, she made her way up to the cottage door.
Lilia stood there a moment, putting her ear against it and hearing nothing. Whoever was inside was alone because she didn’t hear any movement whatsoever. Very quietly, she knocked on the door.
“Brody?” she whispered loudly. “Brody?”
It took a moment, but she finally heard an answer. “Lilia? Is that ye?”
She shoved the door open, coming face-to-face with a pale Brody as he struggled to sit up in bed. His wound hadn’t needed stitches, but his entire torso was tightly wrapped and she slammed the door, rushing to him and pushing him back on the bed.
“Nay,” she said. “Dunna strain yerself. Lay down.”
Brody did, but it was clear that he was surprised to see her. His hands went up, grasping her by the arms even as she lay him back on the bed.
“Ye found me,” he said, a smile on his lips. “Did ye see the fight?”
“Of course I did. Did ye not see me right in the front row with Lady Currie?”
He sighed faintly as she checked his bandages. “I looked for ye but the fight started so quickly that I dinna have a chance,” he said. “I’m sorry I lost. I would never intentionally shame ye.”
She stopped fussing and looked at him. “Is that what ye think? That ye shamed me?”
He closed his eyes, feeling the drag of the pain potion the physic had given him. “I’m ashamed of myself,” he said softly. “I dunna blame ye if ye are.”
Lilia stared at him for a moment. “I’m not sure how ye can even say that,” she said softly.
“Brody, ye came here tae make money tae pay off my father’s debt.
It was a great and noble gesture. Do ye really think I would be ashamed of anything ye did?
If ye do, then ye dunna know me very well.
I’m never ashamed of a man who gives an honest effort, in anything he does. ”
He met her eyes. After a moment, he reached out to gently touch her cheek.
“Then I am ashamed of myself more than I ever was,” he murmured.
“I dinna stop tae think that I would slander yer character by thinking ye might be ashamed. ’Tis only that I want tae always be a victor in yer eyes. I always want ye tae be proud of me.”
Her concern turned to warmth and she sat next to the head of his bed, her arm across his shoulders.
“I am,” she assured him. “For a man tae do what ye’ve set out tae do, for a woman ye havena known very long…
of course I’m proud of ye. There’s something between us that was forged strong from nearly the moment we met.
I felt so much pity for ye because ye seemed so…
defeated. I wanted tae help ye, so I did.
I dinna do it so ye’d return the favor by signing yer life over tae a fight guild. ”
He had his arm up in such a way that his right hand was on her head, gently stroking her hair.
“I know,” he said. “But I told ye before that ye gave me hope. Now, ye’ve given me purpose.
Ye’re my purpose, Lilia. The men from the Ludus Caledonia tell me that they can change my life and I want tae do that, but only if ye’re a part of it.
The hope, the change, the future… it means nothing without ye. ”
Lilia was deeply touched by his words. “After this time apart, ye’ve not changed yer mind?”
Brody didn’t know why he felt indignant about that question.
He also felt sad, as if somehow, he’d caused her to mistrust his motives.
Even though the physic had given him a potion for the pain that was making him sleepy, he abruptly sat up, wincing when his wound pulled.
He sat on the edge of the bed, looking down at Lilia as she sat beside him.
“I’ve not changed my mind,” he said firmly.
“I realize that everything I’ve done seems like a rash decision but I assure ye, there’s nothing rash about it.
I dunna make foolish decisions, so it wouldna matter if we spent two weeks apart or two years.
I would never change my mind about ye. Is that in any way unclear? ”
Lilia shook her head slowly. “It is clear.”
“Then I dunna want tae hear doubt in yer voice again.”
“I promise. Never again.”
As he looked down at her, he felt guilty for being stern with her. He knew how abrupt all of this looked. He’d barely known the woman a week before he was making life-changing declarations.
But he meant every word.
He wanted her to know that.
Reaching down, Brody pulled her to her knees, cupping her face in both of his big, battered hands.
His lips moved to her cheek, gently, his nose inhaling the scent of her skin.
There was something about smelling her that drove him wild.
The hands on her cheeks began to caress her, feeling her silken flesh against his fingers.
It had been years since he’d tasted a woman he wanted to taste and the feel of her, the scent of her, was overwhelming.
His lips began to move along her jaw line.
Lilia felt his hot, gentle kisses and her body began to tremble. His touch had an intoxicating effect and she could feel herself surrendering as his mouth moved across her chin. He was close to her lips, but he didn’t kiss her mouth; instead, he continued across her jaw to her other cheek.
It was titillating, gentle, and passionate as his kisses moved across one eye and then the other. Lilia quivered, feeling every kiss like a thousand pinpricks of joy, waiting for the magic moment when he would claim her lips with his own.
Brody was moving in that direction and the more he tasted, the more his control was lost. She was warm and delicious, better than he had ever tasted in his life.
He didn’t realize until he touched her how starved he was for her flesh.
Finally, he slanted his mouth hungrily over hers, his hands entwining in her hair to hold her fast against him.
In his grip, Lilia gasped at the delight of his touch. She was wildly aroused by it. It felt like the most natural of things, his lips against hers, his hands in her hair. She knew she could learn to love it. Her arms snaked around his neck and she pulled him close.
Her response to him fed Brody’s lust. He removed his hands from her hair and wrapped his big arms around her body, pulling her up against him and trying to be mindful of his wound.
It ached, but not as much as the ache in his heart for Lilia.
His tongue licked at her lips, silently encouraging her to admit him, and she timidly opened her mouth.
He invaded her with his tongue, tasting her sweetness and losing himself completely.
Lilia held on to him tightly as he flipped her onto her back, laying her on the small bed and covering her with his enormous body.
His arms, massive strong things, were around her but she could feel his hands moving, caressing her, exploring her back and her torso.
She was relishing everything about it when his hand began to move across her belly, up towards her breasts.
Lilia could feel him getting closer, finally stroking the underside of her right breast. As exciting as it was, it was also intimidating.
If she let herself go, she knew there would be no end to their passion.
It would go on until he took her innocence.
When he moved to enclose her breast in his palm, she put up a hand and stopped him.
“Brody,” she breathed, tearing her mouth away from his. “I dunna think… someone might come in and catch us.”
Brody had been far gone with passion. But as she spoke, he came to his senses enough to realize he was moving for intimate places.
He further realized that he fully intended to bed the woman.
There was no question in his mind. But as he pulled back and gazed into her beautiful face, his ardor cooled.
“Forgive me,” he whispered. “I shouldna have taken such liberties but… Lilia, I canna explain what I feel for ye. All I know is that… that I love ye, my angel.”
Lilia sighed at the sound of his words, feeling them ring a chord within her. “When ye were going intae the arena, I thought that’s what ye said tae me.”
“It was.”