The Barbarians' Lover

Chapter 27

Willow was blaming herself for his injuries. It broke his heart to see her like this. Squeezing her gently he waited until her crying quieted a little.

"Kitten, it's not your fault," Sawyer said," you didn't know what his dagger was made of."

"But when you said it was burning I should have realized it," Willow cried.

"Kitten, please don't blame yourself," Sawyer said," I don't blame you for what happened, I blame my brother."

Her cries quieted then advtually stopped.

"I managed to claw his face," Willow quietly said.

"Really?" Sawyer asked.

"Yeah, and I think I got his eye too," Willow added.

"Well, now I wish I was awake for that," Sawyer chuckled.

"Me too, then you would have heard him screaming and crying," Willow said.

They both laughed. He really did wish he had seen his brother in pain. It would have made him feel less scared. Yes, he was scared. He was scared when he thought he was going to die. When he thought that he was going to lose Willow.

"I just have a question," Willow said all of a sudden.

He looked at her waiting for her question.

"Who's going to be firstmate now that Dustin is gone?" Willow asked.

Sawyer thought for a moment. He hadn't thought too much of it until now. Neither of the twins would work. Eleanor has too much to worry about when someone gets hurt. Chase doesn't have the balls to man up for the position. Polly would die before taking the position. Treasure would distrust anyone new and pick a fight with everyone that pissed her off. Dino was new and untrustworthy at the moment. Violet would fit the job just fine if she hadn't told him years ago that she didn't want the position and still doesn't. That only left Willow. Everyone trusted her and she would put in the hard work wherever it was needed.

"I can only think of one person for the job," Sawyer said.

"Who?" Willow asked.

"She's sitting beside me," Sawyer said.

"You can't be serious," Willow said," I ran away."

"Dustin got to you," Sawyer said," and you should have come to me when that started we could have stopped it."

He waited for a reply but doesn't get one. So he continued.

"Yes you ran away, but everyone here trusts you," he said," I trust you."

"But do you really think I deserve to be your firstmate?" Willow asked.

"Yes, I do," he said.

Willow still looked doubtful, so Sawyer placed his hand under her chin and moved her face to look at him. Once her eyes locked with his he leaned in and placed a gentle kiss on her lips.

"You deserve more than you've been given," Sawyer said pulling away from her.

She surprised him when she leaned in and kissed him back. She wrapped her arms around his neck pulling him closer. He started to kiss back, placing an arm around her back while he rested a hand on her cheek. As the kiss deepened there was a cough. Pulling apart they looked over and saw Eleanor giving them a look while holding a tray of food.

"Should I come back later?" Eleanor asked.

"No," Willow said moving away.

"Oh don't stop on my account," Eleanor said then looking at Sawyer," even though I told you not to do anything that could cause those wounds to open."

Sawyer just rolled his eyes. He didn't plan on doing anything that would reopen the wounds. But he also knew what Eleanor was implying. And he was not surprised that Willow wasn't understanding what Eleanor was meaning.

He watched as she set the food down and walked away. Before she left she turned and said," you two are not allowed to sleep in the same room until those wounds are healed, and no fucking."

Willow's face went beat red with the last two words Eleanor said. They watched as she left then Willow moved and handed him his food.

"She doesn't think we would actually do, you know," Willow said her face going an even darker shade of red.

"No, I don't know, kitten, you're going to have to tell me," Sawyer said teasingly.

"That we would... fuck," Willow said.

Sawyer stopped eating and looked at her. Her face was red with embarrassment. She wasn't even looking at him.

"If you don't want to fuck, you don't have to," Sawyer said.

"So I have a say in if I want to or not?" Willow asked.

"Yes," Sawyer said surprised by her question.

"Well, I should let you finish eating and then rest," Willow said not looking at him.

His brows netted together as he tried to figure out what was troubling her. Before he could ask, though, she had gotten to her feet kissed his cheek then made her way out of the room in a hurry. He was now left to his thoughts. He wondered why she was in a hurry to leave. What made her uncomfortable that she had to leave his side? Was it him? Or had he said or done something that she didn't like? Whatever it was he was going to find out whether it be tomorrow or the day after. He was going to find out.