Love's Call (40 page)

Leargan’s expression was tender as he waited, saying nothing, but her stomach jumped. He would listen to her.

Which was more than she’d offered him.

He entwined their fingers, and her vision blurred. His touch was familiar, but more than that, it was
right.

As
right
as it ever was, as it ever would be.

“I’m sorry,” Ansley blurted. She wanted to look away but the dark pools of his eyes drew her in.

“I’m sorry I hurt you,” Leargan echoed.

She needed to be with him.
Now.

Ansley threw her arms around his neck, scooting as close as she could get. Prayed he wouldn’t reject her. She buried her face against his tunic, inhaling his familiar scent. Masculine. Clean.
Sandalwood and leather.
Fresh soap coming off his heated skin. She closed her eyes against the tears that wet her cheeks.

Leargan rubbed her back and pulled her flush to his chest. He whispered in her ear, but Ansley couldn’t make sense of the words as his heat washed over her.

He hadn’t pushed her away.

She felt his lips on her cheek and temple, then the crown of her head.

It wasn’t enough. Lifting her face, Ansley met his lips with hers.

Leargan moaned into her mouth as he deepened the kiss, but she let him, slipping her tongue against his.

Need threatened to swallow her whole. Desire set low in her belly; her sex pulsed. It’d been too long. She wanted him.

Tearing his mouth away, Leargan rested his forehead against hers just when she was getting lost in him. “Wait,” he breathed.

“Wait?”

“We need to talk…”

“Later.” Ansley pushed forward, trying to kiss him again.

He settled both hands on her shoulders and squeezed. “No, love. I have some things I need to say to you.” One corner of his mouth lifted.

“Making love won’t fix all our problems?”

Leargan chuckled and shook his head. “Would that it could.”

Ansley gave a small smile.

His expression sobered and his gaze bore into hers. “I love you.”

She froze.

He loved her?

He loves me
.

Knowing what her friend thought and hearing him
say
it were two different things. “You…love…me.”

“Aye. So much…” He smiled, his chest rising and falling against hers.

Ansley whimpered and blinked away more tears. “You really love me...”

“Aye. I love you.” Her captain grinned. “Do I have to keep saying it so you’ll believe me?”

“I believe you. And I love you, too, Leargan.” Ansley pressed her lips to his, initiating a kiss he quickly took control of.

She melted into his chest as he pulled her closer, sliding back onto his bed and settling her on his lap. His erection dug into her, but there was too much fabric between them.

“I want you,” Ansley panted. “I
need
you…”

“We’re not done talking.” Leargan’s chest pushed into her breasts; he struggled to speak.

She rocked in his lap. “After.” Leaning back, she grabbed the edge of the gown and ripped it up and over her head. She hadn’t bothered with breastbands.

Leargan gasped. “Ansley…”

“I just…need to be with you,” she whispered, lavishing wet kisses around his mouth.

He shuddered, but pulled her to him instead of pushing her away. “I need to be with you, too. Always.” Leargan’s lips were warm on her forehead, and he held her close for a few moments.

Then he laid her down on his bed, tugging off the short pants she’d donned. Leargan held them up. “Love? Men’s undergarments?”

Ansley giggled. “They were handy. And I always wear them on long message runs; they’re more comfortable.”

Leargan shook his head and grinned, tossing her short pants over his shoulder as if they were offensive. His eyes zoned in on her nudity, and Ansley squirmed, her cheeks hot. His gaze devoured her.

“I need you. I love you, Ansley.”

Ansley smiled and reached for him. “I love you, too. Lose the clothes so I can show you how I feel.” She pressed a kiss to his hand like he’d done so many times to hers.

“You’ve always shown me,” Leargan whispered, discarding his shirt. “Sorry I was so bad at doing the same for you.”

She would have answered, but she couldn’t stop staring at his chest. How could he have gotten even more beautiful in their time apart? Ansley’s mouth went dry.

Leargan pushed his breeches off his hips slowly, a twinkle in his dark eyes as he watched her stare.

Impatience had her on her knees at the edge of the bed, grabbing his wrist and dragging him closer so she could finish the job herself.

He chuckled, cupping her face and kissing her deeply after stepping out of his breeches and boots.

Ansley sighed against his mouth as their tongues danced. She dragged her fingertips down his chest, teasing the tip of his erection until he groaned.

He wrapped his arms around her, and they fell into his bed in a tangle of limbs, their mouths never parting.

Their naked skin met from head to foot and she shivered in anticipation of his touches, kisses, the feel of him inside her.

Leargan pushed her down even further, parting her thighs with a knee as his hands roved her body.

Ansley writhed as he devoured her mouth and skimmed over her sex with passing fingers. She rocked, lifting her hips in a demand for more.

He broke the seal of their lips, dragging warm wet kisses down her neck and onto her breasts. Leargan circled and teased her nipples into taut peaks before sucking her until it drove her mad. Her core pulsed, begging him to join them. His erection rested against her inner thigh. Hot and hard, but too far from where she needed him.

“Leargan,” Ansley moaned.

“I know, love. I’m torturing us both.”

“I…need…”

“I know.” He leaned down and took her mouth in a kiss that curled her toes and made her even hotter for him.

She felt his hand shoot between them, positioning his erection to take her. Then with one long stroke, Leargan joined them, filling her exquisitely and completely.

Ansley cried out, lifting to meet his first thrust and entwining their legs so she could move with him. She caressed his back as he took her mouth again, kissing her deep and hard, like the movement of his hips.

Their lovemaking was fast and frenzied and exactly what she needed.

The reconnection with Leargan was perfect.

“Love, I…” he whispered near her ear.

“I know,” Ansley groaned, throwing her head back and closing her eyes as her muscles tightened. She tilted her hips as climax hit her with the force of a storm, her muscles contracting against Leargan, inside and out. She cried out, squeezing his rear end with both hands as he came back to her with a firm thrust.

He called her name and buried his face against her neck, his back stiffening as his release shot into her.

Heavy breathing was all she could hear as Ansley’s vision cleared.

They panted against each other, Leargan still on top of her. She loosened her grip on his buttocks, but ran her hands up and down his damp back until he moaned against the overheated skin of her neck, his warm breath tickling.

When he lifted his head, their eyes met. “I love you, Ansley.”

****

A warm smile curved her lips. “I love you, too.”

Leargan stared into her teal eyes. Sweat bathed her forehead. Her cheeks were flushed pink and damp, her freckles prominent. Her lips were swollen from his kisses and her glorious red tresses were spread out on his pillow like they belonged. In his bed. Always.

She was his again.

This time, he wasn’t going to let her go.

He slipped from her body and rolled over, taking her with him. Leargan kissed her forehead as she nestled close, propping herself on his chest to look down at him.

“I’ve loved you for turns you know,” Ansley whispered, her cheeks even pinker.

Leargan cupped her face before she could avert her gaze. “For turns?”

“Aye. Since I was about eighteen.”

Shock rolled over him. He’d seen her in Terraquist, of course. Leargan had known who she was, but other than polite conversation in passing, had never spoken to her. She was just another Senior King’s Rider, but more than that, she was his captain’s daughter.

Her father had said he was afraid she wouldn’t marry if it wasn’t Leargan, but had Sir Murdoch known how long Ansley had loved him?

He could’ve had her turns ago, in his arms, in his heart. His wife. “Why didn’t you approach me, love?” Leargan whispered.

“You never looked at me,” Ansley said, one corner of her mouth up. “I was that lanky freckled redhead, your captain’s daughter. I mean, even if you knew that.”

Leargan laughed. “I knew who you were, love.”

“And never looked at me twice.” Her teal gaze challenged him.

He kissed her. “And I was a fool for it. You’re gorgeous, and you’re mine.”

Ansley grinned and snuggled close. When she met his eyes again, her beautiful face was somber. She licked her lips and his heart fluttered. “I’m sorry.” She averted her gaze, and he let her. Obviously his love needed a moment to gather her words. “Sometimes…because of how long I’ve loved you…you just seem too good to be true. That’s why I didn’t believe you wanted me. Why I thought I was just an order to you.”

“Oh, love.”

Their eyes locked and she flashed a watery smile. “It doesn’t excuse what I said.”

“Nothing compares to what
I
said, Ansley.”

“Leargan…”

“No. I mean it. What I said to you was
inexcusable
. No matter our situation, it was…unforgivable.”

Ansley grinned when their eyes met.

Leargan paused, staring. A smile wasn’t unwelcome, but it wasn’t exactly what he’d expected in response.

“So, you won’t take our child away from me?”

Shame rolled over him, and he looked away, closing his eyes. He felt Ansley’s hands on his stubbled cheeks, pulling his face back to hers, then her lips on his eyelids and forehead before she pressed a tender kiss to his mouth.

He met that blue-green gaze.

Ansley quirked a half-smile and kissed him again. “I suppose that was in poor taste. I was…trying to tease you. I need to tell you something.” Her face reddened, but she didn’t look away.

Leargan’s heart started to gallop. “Tell me what?”

Her gorgeous breasts rose and fell against his chest as she inhaled deeply. “You weren’t wrong when you spoke of a child.”

“What?” His pulse thundered in his ears.

“We’re going to have a baby, Leargan.”

They stared at each other in silence.

When Ansley smiled, his stomach jumped.

He cupped the back of her head and pulled her gently toward him. She met his mouth with hers, twisting their tongues as he slid his hands down over her shoulders and back, holding her gingerly to him.

Ansley laughed into his kiss. “Leargan, I won’t break.”

Panic squeezed his chest. “Blessed Spirit, I took you so roughly—”

“Leargan.” Her voice steadied him. “I’m fine. Our child is fine. I promise. You didn’t hurt either of us when we made love. You touched me how I wanted you to.” Their eyes met and held. “Wow, you’ve paled out…” She caressed his cheeks again, calming him with her touch and small kisses she placed all over his face.

“Promise?” Leargan croaked. He grabbed her wrists.

“Aye. But we’ll go see Tristan if you like.”

He nodded, his shoulders relaxing into the bed. They sighed at the same time and he stroked her back, holding her closer. “Will you marry me now?”

She studied his face before she spoke. “Because of the baby?”

“Because you both belong to me.”

Tears slipped down her cheeks and his heart clenched. “I love you,” Ansley whispered.

Thumbing her tears away, Leargan smiled. “I love you, too. But you didn’t answer me.”

“You didn’t answer me, either.”

“It’s no secret I want this child, Ansley. I told you from the start that I wanted children. They have to be
your
children, love. The baby isn’t why I want to marry you.”

“Why do you want me, Leargan?” Ansley quirked one red eyebrow. Her full mouth quivered as if she was fighting a smile.

“Well, you see, I was given this scroll, and there was this order…”

“Wretch!” Ansley pummeled his chest until he caught her wrists and showered kisses over her fists.

When their eyes met, she giggled and he laughed. “I love you, Ansley. I want this child because it belongs to us both.”

“Then I have no choice but to marry you, I suppose.” She rolled her eyes but scooted closer.

Her mouth hovered over his, teasing, but Leargan closed the distance and tasted her again. It grew desperate and heated in moments. He buried his hand in the soft hair at the back of her neck, holding her closer as she kissed him harder.

His arousal throbbed, trapped pleasantly between them but it wasn’t enough. Leargan yanked his mouth from hers before he lost the ability to think. “Did I answer correctly this time?”

“I think so.” She straddled him, their bodies coming together in the right places. They both groaned.

“Did you come back to me because you discovered the presence of our child?”

Concentration was difficult as she started to rock, pressing her wet hot sex against his erection.

“No.”

“Then why?” He grabbed her hips to hold her still.

She moaned and ground against him.

Leargan’s manhood pulsed, but he ignored the demands of his body.

“Because you were miserable.”

He arched an eyebrow. “Oh?”

Ansley grinned pure mischief, but said nothing.

“Is that all?” he prompted.

“No.” Ansley leaned down, her nipples brushing his. She licked his bottom lip.

Leargan groaned. “What…what…else?” Running his hands down her back, he followed the curve of her bottom, cupping her with both hands and pulling her down as she rocked and rubbed against him again.

Ansley trembled but sucked in a breath, her lips only millimeters above his. “I was miserable, too.” She made a move to kiss him, but Leargan tilted his head away.

“What about now?”

“I’m not miserable, are you?”