Total pages in book: 126
Estimated words: 116749 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 584(@200wpm)___ 467(@250wpm)___ 389(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 116749 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 584(@200wpm)___ 467(@250wpm)___ 389(@300wpm)
He had warned himself to stay away from her, but since that first day in the market, when she used him to shield herself from not being seen, he had found he hadn’t been able to get her out of his mind. Images of her lingered there until he finally found an excuse to go see her. He could have easily tended the splinter in his finger. God knew he had seen to worse wounds on himself. But he wanted to see Elysia, look into those lovely, soft green eyes of hers that were filled with such sweetness and kindness that it melted the heart.
Elysia didn’t possess her sister Annis’s stark beauty, hers was more a soft beauty that drew you in without even realizing it. And the way strands of her light brown hair would always fall loose from the combs that fought to contain it had him itching to constantly brush the stubborn strands off her face. And if all of that wasn’t enough to have her endlessly in his thoughts, there was her wee size. He actually feared crushing her if he held her too tight and yet that was what he ached to do, hold her tight. He also feared how vulnerable she was with her wee size, the thought stirring his ire even more since he’d tear anyone apart with his bare hands who would dare hurt her.
The axe came down once again so hard that it split the log completely in two and sent the pieces flying. He cringed thinking of how he had turned her marriage proposal down. He had seen the hurt in her eyes and it had broken his heart, especially since his instinct or perhaps it was his heart that had wanted to rush and accept. It took all the strength he had to shake his head at her.
He swung the axe to embed it in a log, then went and picked up the pieces to add to the growing pile he had stacked near the cottage. He’d been a fool for returning to her, but he had missed seeing her smile when she looked upon him or how her eyes lit with delight when she talked to him. Most of all, he had missed his arm around her waist when he sat her on his knee and the way her soft breath would catch his cheek when she spoke, and then there was the kiss.
He hadn’t been able to resist and her eager response only fueled his desire for her. He should have realized no good would come of it—no good for her. He should have protected her better. But God help him, he favored her, cared for her, and he feared he was falling in love with her—something he had sworn to himself he would never allow himself to do.
He went to the rain barrel and scooped up a handful of water and lowered his face to give it a good splash. He did it a few times, the water running down his chest as well.
How would he keep his wife safe when her biggest threat was him?
He turned, intending to dry himself off and make himself presentable so he could return for his wife and walk her home. He stopped when he spotted her approaching the croft. Her steps were slow and at times halting and her scrunched brow alerted to her deep thought. It was when he caught the glisten of unshed tears in her eyes that he hurried to her.
Elysia shook her head, trying to shake away her troubling thoughts when she caught sight of her husband. Her breath caught for a moment, seeing him bare-chested and the damp sheen that highlighted his thick muscles. She stopped suddenly, realizing the size and strength of him.
Saber didn’t halt his steps. He went straight to his wife and hooked her waist with his arm and forced the words from his mouth. “What’s wrong?”
“You shouldn’t speak yet,” she scolded, though was pleased his voice didn’t sound raspy.
“Tell me!”
She drew her head back, surprised by the strong command.
Saber silently berated himself when he saw how his strong remark caused her to retreat from him some. His greatest worry was that she would come to fear him and that was something he never wanted, not ever.
He did the only thing he could think of to soothe her—he kissed her. A gentle kiss that she responded to and he felt her relax against him. He rested his brow to hers when the kiss ended and he lingered like that for a few moments before he took hold of her hand and walked to the cottage.
Elysia entered before Saber and would have come to a surprised halt if her husband hadn’t urged her gently in with his hand to the small of her back. Inside was much smaller than she expected, but then the place had been for Saber alone. One small table, a bench, and a bed she wondered would even fit one occupant. How two would manage in it was questionable.