Mist Warrior (29 page)

Understanding this brough
t him no closer to an answer. Branan
would have to see this through and lose Catriona in the process. What kind of future was that? The price of justice was too high to pay.

Branan also had to admit to himself one solid truth. He wanted Catriona with a lust that burned so powerfully
,
it frightened him.

Catriona provoked in him such powerful emotions...an intense physical response that was like nothing he had ever experienced. God's wounds! Why was this happening? He could not have Catriona and without her his future proved worthless.

His anger faded and the pain of her rejection grew like a hot blade in his heart. The one time his resistance to marriage crumbled, the last thing on God's creation that he wanted, and when he offered it, his offer was thrown back in his face. There had to be a lesson in the folly of it all. In his male vanity, he had been so sure she would accept.

Branan stood, still no closer to an answer. He shoved his tangle mess of emotions into a dark corner of his soul and slowly returned to camp.

****

Catriona grew more concerned over Branan. He seemed to withdraw deeper into the mist. She prayed her refusal to marry him had not hurt his heart, that it would not cause him to fall into the void beyond her reach. The more he withdrew, the more she worried over him.

The men worked in the tower again this morn. She forced her attention to her own du
ties. Catriona and
Beth worked on some mending by the large cam
pfire. Catriona
tied her thread and bit it.

“
Glory,
”
she mut
tered, threading her needle. Catriona
turned the shirt to mend another hole.
“
I think these men are putting more work into tearing their clothes than building the tower.
”

Beth looked up at her, smiling brightly. In the short time she had been at camp, she and Catriona developed a friendship.
Beth was an intelligent young woman, perhaps not as bold as Catriona, but definitely fun-loving.

Catriona spotted Branan walking toward them. He wore only his trews and boots and for a brief instant, Catriona's heart pounded in her chest. He was beautifully made, that she could never deny. Her gaze traveled slowly over his heavily muscled shoulders to his massive chest. His ribs were wide and covered with thick sinew, narrowing quickly to an ironclad stomach and lean hips. Good God
,
he had long legs. His thighs were well-muscled
,
but not bulky, the power seeming to accent their length. His fluid stride remained balanced and graceful. As she watched him, a tiny breathless sigh escaped her.

S S="Gnd">
he realized what she was doing
and mentally kicked herself. Catriona’s
gaze snapped to
his
face.
Branan’s
sea-green eyes stared at her steadily, darkening with a feral spark. Sweet Mary, he had seen her admiring him. She felt her face grow warmer.

Then she saw his jacket in his hand and groaned.
“
Not another one.
”

Beth looked up in confusion.

Catriona gestured to Branan.
“
He ripped his last good inar.
”

Beth looked over her shoulder and froze. Catriona saw her hands tremble
and
fought down a smile. Branan would have that kind of effect on any woman. Beth quickly turned back to her work, her cheeks rosy. Catriona almost burst out laughing, suddenly feeling as if she had a comrade in arms. She wasn't the only one who Branan addled.

Catriona looked back to him
,
but Branan's eyes remained locked on her, as if he never even acknowledged Beth's presence. A strange feeling knotted Catriona's stomach and she battled to force it down.

Branan stopped before Catriona, giving a brief nod to Beth
,
but otherwise ignored her. Catriona rose as he held up his inar. His expression changed from intense to rueful. The right side dangled, attached by only a few threads.
“
I fear I have more work for ye, lass.
”

“
Catriona sighed then dug through the mending she had just completed.
“
Here,
”
she said handing him a leint.
“
And try to keep this one intact for more than a few heartbeats.
”

His lips tugged upward and he inclined his head.
“
I shall do my best.
”
For a long moment
,
Branan
just stood the
r
e, gazing at her in the most disconcerting fashion.

A deep tremor echoed through her body, as if she could feel his hands touching her, his lips soft brushing over hers, his....

Branan’s
lashes lowered slightly, giving him a hooded look. His muscles tightened, standing in sharper relief under his tanned skin. His sensual lips parted imperceptibly and his nostrils flared, as if he could scent the betrayal of her body like a predator. And Catriona suddenly felt like prey locked in his hypnotic gaze.

The muscles in his arm
contracting subtly, he reached out and lightly ran a fingertip across her cheek. The contact sent a blaze of hot energy coiling through her body, so intense she almost flinched. His lips tugged upward in a tiny smile that was absolutely wolfish. Suddenly
,
he dropped his hand and spun on his heel, striding smoothly away.

Catriona remained rooted, trembling like a leaf and fighting to regain her breath.

“
Catriona?
”
Beth called.
“
Are you all right?
”

She blinked at her.
“
Aye.
”

Beth scowled and shot a glance at Branan as he departed.

Catriona's gaze was drawn to him again, locking on his back. Sweet Mary have mercy, even his back was pleasing to look at. Long powerful muscles moved with strident grace. His buttocks were tight, in perfect proportion to the size of his body.

Abruptly, Catriona spun and walked away.

“
Catriona?
”
Beth called again.

Catriona ignored her, increasing her pace until she was running back to her shelter.

****

Jesus, Mary and Joseph!
Branan's thoughts raged. It had taken every
ounce of control not to pull Catriona
into his arms and kiss her senseless.

He had never seen such raw, impassioned desire in a woman's eyes. She had gazed at him brazenly, seemingly unaware of her impropriety. To call the action innocent was completely inappropriate
,
but Branan knew, after watching so many women calculate the Scal="Garamir advances and responses to him, Catriona's actions were wholly opposite from them. Unfettered, unplanned, uncontrollable.

That had sent the blood roaring to his loins. He was abruptly grateful he carried his leint, for leastways no one else would see his swollen cock standing upright and feeling as if it would burst. Damnation, the intensity of the throbbing need within him nearly drove him brainsick. His blood thrummed between his temples. A light sheen of sweat formed on his body and he abruptly turned away from the tower. He didn't want anyone to see him, not in this madly aroused state.

It was cold outside and Branan
wandered half naked
,
but the heat from his body made small wisps of steam rise from his skin. If he didn't think he'd catch a lung fever
,
he'd jump in the icy stream, that would shrink his bloody ballocks.

He paused, leaning against a tree, trying to force the lovely visi
on of Catriona from his mind. Branan
had to get his body under control. But her face remained emblazoned on his thoughts. Her blue eyes wandering over him in blatant appreciation, turning darker with unfeigned desire as she stared at him. The subtle, unconscious straightening of her back which had lifted her soft, round breasts ever so slightly, as if longing for his touch. How her lips had parted slightly and her tongue unwittingly dampening them in a lightning quick movement.

“
Sweet Jesu,
”
he snarled, feeling himself grow even harder. He was on the verge of doing something inane. To bloody hell with the lung fever. Abruptly
,
he turned and stalked toward the stream.

****

This is madness,
Branan thought as he moved silently toward Catriona's shelter. It was late at night and everyone was abed. After dunking himself repeatedly in ice cold water that should have
frozen
his cock clean off, he had barely managed to get through the day in a state of agonizing half-arousal. He couldn't take it any longer. Perhaps he should send her back to Courcy before he lost control.

A man's pride and his cock could only take so much.

But the thought of sending her away sickened him.

Christ Almighty, why was he doing this to himself? Perhaps he should seek relief with one of the many whores in camp. And there were whores already, make no mistake.
Branan
had turned a few in his youth, first out of curiosity, and later
,
very rarely
,
,="+0" pan>
out of just plain need. But the thought of taking a whore doused his arousal almost immediately.
Branan
hesitated. Now
,
that may be an idea. If thinking of a whore eased his state, he might be able to survive.

But the image of Catriona surged forward again. This was ludicrous.

Branan
realized he stood before
Catriona’s
door, his hand half raised to knock. It was time to put an end to this madness. He had to send her back to Courcy, no matter how much he detested the thought, before he ruined her honor.

Summoning his courage, he rapped lightly, regretting waking her.

The door opened much more quickly than he expected. Catriona stood before him, wearing only a chemise, a blanket wrapped around her, and her gorgeous red-gold hair unbound.

Branan,
”
she whispered in surprise.
“
Is everything all right?
”

“
Aye,
”
he lied.
“
I...I just wanted to talk.
”
But he studied her face, noting a sadness in her eyes. She certainly didn't appear as if she had been sleeping.
“
Catriona, are ye all right?
”

She nodded
,
but her shoulders slumped in a telling fashion. Branan's arousal faded as his concern grew.