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Everywet so she knew it couldn’t have been all that long since she had washed it Still, it seemed an eternity

Gabrielle wore her white sleeping gown—a fine gossaold and silver threads sewn into the neckline She had wanted to wear her blue gown, but there were tooShe sown and sat in front of the hearth to brush her hair by the fire The roo and frantic day, she should have been exhausted But she wasn’t She ide awake and in a near panic

Where was he?

He had said he couldn’t wait to have her True, the wedding had happened sooner than he had expected, but they were ed his mind, had he?

Every sound made her stomach flutter in anticipation and fear As she continued brushing her hair, she tried to think about less worrisos The weather had been nice today, and the meat pie she ate for dinner was quite flavorful

What was taking hi? Were the demands of the clan sonight?

Oh, how she wanted to get this over and done with She had been told enough about the physical act between a htened

She decided to coer When she was nine years old, Gabrielle had fallen froersound and was bent in a bizarre direction It hurt like it had been stung by a nest of hornets, but her father had known just what to do While Stephen held her still, her father popped the finger back into place, and the hurt i to happen and had dreaded it, but once it was finished, she didn’t have to worry about it any longer

As far as she was concerned, the otten

When her aran to ache, she put her brush down The curl was back in her hair, and the long strands were just a little damp now She stared at the floor and tried to concentrate on so pleasant Some of the water from her bath had spilled over the tub She had helped mop it up, but there were still damp spots on the floor She stared at them as they slowly faded away

Had Colotten her?

Think only pleasant thoughts, she reet worked up

Colift of salt, and surprised Gabrielle suddenly realized she had forgotten to tell hi, and by next year he would havetime He’d have extra, too, that could be bartered for seed or anything else the clan needed

Was she so unimportant to him?

Gabrielle felt herself beco kind when he’d told her he wanted her And she had just thrown herself at him But no, he wouldn’t have done that, she decided Colm was blunt and brutally honest He wouldn’t lie just to be kind He didn’t take s She doubted he’d ever given theht

Tears ca about them, she would soon break down Gabrielle rarely cried, but when she did, it took a long ti out every last pain and heartache she had ever endured and weep over each one Since leaving Wellingshire, her list of heartaches had grown considerably, and she estih them all

Concentrating on pleasant ry

How dare Colhed then because it wasn’t working The iven her his na in return No, she couldn’t suer at all Granted, it was rude of him to make her wait, but not cruel

She atory with his scroll and his suspicion Still, he was only doing King John’s bidding, and, in truth, he was an affable fellow She couldn’t bla the words he had been given

Joan What a shrew that woman was! She had such a conteed Gabrielle Did she think that all she had to do was announce that she was going to marry Colm, and it would come to pass? Had she expected Gabrielle to wilt in front of her? Or cower? How dare she! Aye, she was a shrew and a hateful troublemaker as well

There weren’t any tears in Gabrielle’s eyes now If Joan were to walk into her rooht pick up her brush and pu this made Gabrielle smile

There She was feeling ever so much better

Footsteps sounded in the hall

Col to her

She juain Should she stand by the fire, or should she sit on the side of the bed? Did he expect her to be under the covers?

She decided to wait by the hearth She also decided that it was i dizzy holding her breath

Dread…pain…forgotten

Colm knocked on the door, waited a second, then opened it and walked inside He went completely still when he saw her

She was a vision The soft light froown translucent He could see the perfect shape of her body Every curve was cast in a golden hue: her full breasts, her narroaist, her shapely hips, her long legs She was perfection, andthere wearing nothing at all

He wasn’t going to be leaving her this night or any other

Gabrielle’s hands were at her sides, and she stared into his eyes

She knew this man

Why was she so afraid? He would never hurt her Dread drifted away Aye, she knew him well

A width of Colht and in this small chamber he see about him His hair et, and there were still drops of water on his chest indicating he had gone to the lake to wash, as did many of the other clansmen The color of his eyes…the firm line of his jaw…his wide shoulders…

She wanted this man

She stepped toward him “Know you how handsome you are?” she whispered softly

His reply was raspy “I do not think about such things When you know me better…”

She took another step toward hi She brought the light scent of floith her as sheher She aroused him as no other woman could

“I know you, Colm”

With her fingertips she traced the scar that began at the tip of his shoulder and followed it down his arm “Your body tells your history”

He did not“You are a warrior,” she whispered as her fingers brushed across his shoulders His muscles flexed and his skin felt warm to her touch “You are a protector”

She gently stroked the side of his neck, and when she was again standing in front of hiain, “I know you”

Colown Her cheeks became flushed, but she didn’t shy away from him or shield her body He pulled her into his arms and kissed her fiercely Her body was so wonderfully soft, her skin silky and warently brushed across hers and then he wanted ulfed him

He carried her to the bed She wasn’t given time to pull the covers over herself He quickly reasped when his bare skin pressed intiainst hers

Colered over her mouth, then kissed the side of her neck, inhaled

the sweet scent He felt her heart beating under his, and when he kissed the base of her neck, she trembled He lowered his head to caress her breasts and kiss the valley between His hands slid down her back, the curve of her spine

Gabrielle loved the feel of hiainst her She wrapped her ar

With each touch, Colhs He felt her tense in reaction, but he would not be denied She began to ainst him

The way he was stroking her was driving Gabrielle wild He made her want more He wouldn’t let her deny him as he moved lower and lower to kiss every part of her The sweet torment soon became unbearable Her nails raked his shoulders as she demanded release