Timeless

Chapter Five

Chapter 5

            Shaw sat on the edge of the bed and stretched, careful to avoid the sore ribs and bruises from yesterday’s encounter. As he angled his head to crack his neck, he caught sight of the woman stretched out on the bed next to him. Riona. No, Ri. She preferred Ri, or she wouldn’t have introduced herself as Ri. An unusual name for an unusual woman. Yet even her strangeness intrigued him. Shaw let his eyes drift over her sleeping form, illuminated by the embers of the dying fire and by the candle he had just lit on the end table next to him. She was laying on her side, arms curled towards her chest and knees pulled in close. A protective position, self-comforting.

He had heard her beginning to whimper towards the wee hours, and remembered being confused by the strong urge to comfort and protect. He had thought better of that soon enough. Her threat in the Great Hall, he knew, was not to be taken lightly, but he had not realized how serious she had been. He rubbed at his jaw, still a little tender from her wild swing. Even sleeping, the woman was an excellent fighter. So, instead of attempting to hold her, he simply lay as close to her as he dared, whispering words of comfort and strength. She seemed to calm at the sound of his voice, and soon drifted into a peaceful slumber.

Although she had shed the trews, she still wore his shirt as she slept next to him, the laces still opened wider than was probably modest. Upon seeing her in the great hall, multiple emotions had shot through him at once: relief that she was awake and well after near twelve hours of sleeping like the dead, shock at what she was wearing, arousal at what she was wearing, a possessive rage that every one of his men was ogling her, and pleasant surprise and pride at how well she had handled the situation. It had taken all of his self-control not to forcibly remove her from the Hall, and from all of the unwelcome eyes. Now, seeing her in his clothing, sleeping peacefully in his bed, a rumble of satisfaction echoed through Shaw’s chest.

Ri stirred, opening her mouth to take in a small, delicate breath. A lock of hair slipped from behind her ear and fell across her pert little nose. Even the twinge in Shaw’s jaw could not suede him from reaching out to tuck the hair back. When she did not immediately reach out to slap him, Shaw allowed his hand to linger, brushing his thumb across her soft lip, his fingers trailing down the velvety skin of her cheek and neck. Ri let out a breathy noise, not a moan, but not a sigh either. Entranced, Shaw continued, cupping the dainty curve of her shoulder, still covered by his shirt, rubbing gently at her ribs, careful to avoid her stitches. His knuckles skimmed the flare of her hip.

Shaw grunted as he was suddenly, and very forcefully, flipped onto his stomach, his arm twisted up behind his back. Two toned legs pinned his lower abdomen to the feather mattress, and a firm buttocks, unfortunately covered by the tails of his shirt, settled over his own. He knew, without even struggling, that short of falling off of the bed, the edge of which was a good distance away, she had him completely at her mercy.

“What did I tell you?” There was a smile in her voice. She had leaned close to murmur in his ear and he could feel the laces of his shirt tickling his back. Whatever she did to him, he decided, was well worth this.

“Not nearly enough,” Shaw chose not to answer. “Ye failed tae mention where ye might have learned such skills, My Lady.” She was silent for a moment, then, as quickly as he had been trapped, she let him free, climbing gracefully over him and off of the bed.

“I’m not a lady,” the teasing was gone from her voice, and the harshness of her words made Shaw frown as he sat up.

“Yer nay a lass?” He attempted to put the mischievous light back in her eye.

“I am female,” Ri refused to bite, “but I am no Lady. And you are no simple Logan.” She folded her arms, framing her lovely breasts, flattened as they were beneath her bandages, in a most appealing way, and leaned against the window frame. Shaw was fully aware of his state of complete undress, knew his stirring cock was being openly displayed as he leaned back on his hands. He also knew that despite her refusal to look anywhere other than his face, Ri could very clearly see the effect she was having on him. And the fact that she did not seem to be offended or flustered both intrigued and disappointed him.