The Warlord Forever (6 page)

“I don’t want to have sex with you on my uncle’s desk,” she said bluntly.

“Your lips are telling me
no
, but your body’s telling me
yes
.” He took her sweet, soft mouth in another kiss, hoping to convince her.

But her mind was made up. She pulled away and glared up at him with those enchanting green eyes. Christ, but the woman was beautiful.

“I’ve only just met you,” she argued, though more with herself than with him. “I don’t usually have sex with strangers.”

Ian smiled. “I guess we’ll have to remedy that, won’t we?”

She gave him a tentative smile, then went back to frowning at him. “If you’re here long enough.”

So that was it. She feared he’d be leaving. He feared she wouldn’t want him to stay. Maybe they did need some time. To take things slowly. Ian knew what he wanted and always went after it, but this time was different. Kenna was different. He’d never met a woman who was so strong and smart and sure of herself.

The women of his time were for the most part docile, gentle creatures, ready to do a man’s bidding. They sought the protection a man could give them from the evils of the world. Kenna was a woman who wasn’t afraid to stand on her own and face the world. She wasn’t a woman who needed a man. She’d have to
want
him.

Winning her might be harder than he thought.

But win her he would.

He stepped away from her, giving her some space, and she immediately slid off the desk. “I’m going to get dressed,” she said. “I assume I can leave you with the television for a short while.”

“Aye, don’t worry about me, lass. I can manage.”

“Whatever you do, don’t leave the house.”

Ian looked down at the bathrobe barely covering him. “Certainly no’ in this.”

He needed to get some new clothing as soon as possible so he could leave the house. There was so much waiting to be seen. What would he do first? Would he like this new world?

Kenna stifled a giggle. “We’ll get you some new clothes, don’t worry. I’ll be back down shortly.”

She opened the door and left the room, when Evan suddenly swept in behind her. “You scare her away so fast?”

He glared down at Evan. “I did no’ scare her, lad. It’s herself she’s running from.”

If she didn’t feel something for him, she wouldn’t kiss him with so much passion. He would have her melting in his arms eventually. Like in the dreams they’d shared. Ian always got what he wanted.

Evan walked up to him and pulled out a strange kind of rope. “Hold this.” He put one end in his hand. It was covered with numbers and lines.

Evan squatted down, stretching his end to the floor and looked up. “To the top of your head,” he ordered. “I need to get your measurements.”

Now Ian understood. He was being measured for clothing.

“Six-seven.” Evan rose to his feet. “Arms out to the sides.”

He obeyed, watching curiously as Evan measured his arms, legs and neck.

“There’s no way I’m letting Kenna dress you,” he said. “I’ll have my tailor come over this morning, bring you some things to wear and get better measurements.”

“I would appreciate some proper clothes.” It was getting a little drafty in the short bathrobe. He also didn’t think Kenna took him too seriously dressed as he was. He needed to change that.

“How do you feel about cutting your hair?” Evan studied him.

Cutting his hair?
He’d never thought about it. He’d been growing it since he was a young lad. Like all men in his clan.

“Most men who want to look respectable in these times cut their hair short. It might help you to fit in better.”

Evan was right. He wore his own hair quite short. It didn’t even touch his shoulders. Perhaps it was time for a change. He could always grow it back if he didn’t like it. “I think I will do this.”

“When I’m through with you, my cousin isn’t going to be able to keep her hands off you.” Evan laughed as he walked out of the study.

Just what Ian wanted. He was thankful for Evan’s assistance. If it would make Kenna unable to resist him, he’d let Master Evan do anything to him.

****

Kenna and Rosa stood together in the dining room, watching Ian from across the shiny, polished table. Rosa looked the same as always: short, plump, brown skin, black hair perfectly coiffed around her face, uniform of a white blouse and black skirt.

Morning sunlight poured in through the high windows and warmed the room. It was a nice break from all the rain they’d had lately. The green potted palms running along the far wall had to be soaking up the rays.

Kenna looked over at Rosa again, gauging her reactions to Ian. She’d told Rosa Ian was an old friend of her uncle’s, come from Scotland to help them with the find, and the airline had lost his luggage. Rosa was buying the story so far. In fact, she didn’t seem to mind having the warlord there at all.

In front of Ian on the dining room table were plates of scrambled eggs, bacon, sausage, ham, toast, hash browns, pancakes, French toast, fruit and nuts, a glass of orange juice, and two mugs, one filled with coffee, the other steaming with tea. Every time he asked about something, Rosa went to the kitchen, made it, and brought it out to him. On the good china. With no complaints. She liked the warlord.

“This food is delicious.” He stuffed two more pieces of bacon into his mouth.

She and Rosa just stood there, entranced by the way he gracefully devoured the enormous amount of food. Turns out he did know how to use silverware, better than she did, and even when he used his fingers, he was neat and clean.

Kenna found herself growing more and more curious about him. He was slowly transforming from a wild savage into a cultured gentleman in her eyes. Her attraction to him was undeniable, and it worried her how much she was starting to like him. She didn’t
want
to like him.

Ian ate the last of the pancakes and made a sound of satisfaction, then moved on to the French toast.

Rosa rushed over and grabbed up the empty plate, her wide brown eyes taking in every inch of him. “Would you like more pancakes, sir? I’d be happy to make them for you.”

“I’d love some more.” He smiled broadly at her, clearly enjoying the way she was indulging him. “And more warm syrup.”

Rosa smiled back. Her real smile. Kenna knew the fake “service” smile, the I-don’t-agree-with-you-but-I’m-keeping-my-mouth-shut smile, and the I’m-pissed-off-at-you-but-have-to-be-here smile. Rosa really liked him.

At least Kenna no longer had to worry about how the woman would react to Ian. Now she had to worry Rosa might feed him too much.

“Will you no’ join me, lass?” Ian sipped his coffee, then picked up the morning newspaper next to him as he reclined in the chair.

Geez
. He sure was getting comfortable. He sat there like he owned the place. He had that kind of effect. He so casually dominated whatever space he was in, and the people in it, that you hardly realized what he’d done until you were already under his spell.

“I’m not hungry,” she told him.

She was starving, but too nervous to sit with him at the table and share his food. Have a conversation with him. What if she found herself liking him even more?

“We canna let all this scran go to waste,” he said. “It’s a braw meal, but it could take yonks to finish it.”

She caught about half of that. It was already getting easier to understand him. If she spent too much more time with Ian, she’d be fluently versed in his language.

“I think you’re doing a fine job,” she said. “Whatever you don’t finish, I’m sure Evan will.”

“Did I hear my name?” Evan wandered into the dining room, freshly showered and dressed in a button-down, black silk shirt and pants. He did a double-take when he saw all the food laid out on the table. “Did you cook everything in the house?”

“I didn’t cook anything,” she replied. “Rosa’s been feeding him.”

“Rosa?” He raised a brow. “She’s never fed us this well.”

“I know,” Kenna mumbled.

Rosa was always giving them bran muffins and fruit for breakfast. Or cold oatmeal. They had to beg to get real food out of her. Ian only had to look at her.

Evan took a seat across from Ian at the table. “Mind if I join you?”

“No’ at all.” Ian looked up from the paper. “How are you this morning, lad?”

“I’m about to be great once I help you eat all this.” Evan looked eagerly at the food, trying to decide what to start with. He snatched a sausage link. “I have my people coming at ten. They’ll take care of everything you need.”

“What people are those?” Kenna questioned.

What were Evan and the warlord up to?

“He needs clothes and a haircut,” Evan explained, biting into his link of sausage. “Are you going to take him to the mall dressed like he is now?”

He had a point. “I guess not.” She started to leave the dining room.

“Aren’t you going to stay and eat with us?” Evan wondered.

“I’m not hungry.” She hurried into the kitchen to see Rosa was finishing up with the pancakes.

“Ahh, Mija.” Rosa smiled.

She’d been so much like a mother to her.

“
That
is the kind of man you should marry.” She wagged her finger towards the dining room. “Not those pretty little rich boys you go out with.” She left with a plate piled high with pancakes.

Pretty little rich boys?

Kenna was stunned. But the feeling quickly passed. Leave it to Rosa to speak her mind. Was that really the type of guy she went for? She wanted a man like Ian: big, handsome, strong, dominant. The only guys who ever asked her out were none of those things. They were usually Ivy League lawyers or business men she ran into when she went to town. One could hardly call them men. Not when being compared to Ian.

“What are you doing in here?” Rosa came back into the kitchen. “Go in there and sit with him.” She swatted Kenna’s bottom a few times, urging her on.

“I don’t want to sit with him,” she argued.

But it was no use. Rosa was pushing her out the door, and Kenna really did want to sit with Ian. She’d be so screwed if she fell for him. In all ways.

****

Over the last few hours, she’d made up her mind while sitting alone in the dining room, pretending to read the newspaper. Kenna was resolutely determined not to fall for Ian. No matter what the circumstances. He might be strong, perfectly built, with the manners of an old world gentleman, and he kissed her like she’d never been kissed before, but she could resist him. She had to.

Ian could not be a part of her world.

He was an entity unto himself. An immortal warlord who would continue to roam the Earth long after she was gone. Unless he gifted her with immortality. She’d been thinking about it more and more. She had, after all, opened his tomb.

What would it be like to live forever? To not fear death? Her head spun just trying to grasp the concept of forever. The infinite.

She thought again of Ian. He carried a certain sadness in him that made her wonder if being immortal was something she even wanted. What if she was doomed to wander the Earth alone? Or worse, what if she had to spend eternity with Ian?

Oh, who was she kidding?

Being with Ian would be more than enjoyable, if she could get over her fear of him. Every time she was around him, she was afraid of coming apart. Of losing control. He was everything she’d imagined a man should be, and he was
real
. Maybe even more real than her because, after centuries, he was still full of joy and wonder, where she, after only twenty-seven years, was jaded and mistrustful.

When was the last time she’d had any fun? Simply threw caution to the wind and let herself get carried away by a moment, a feeling, a desire...

She realized how foolish it was for her to ponder the concept of living an immortal life, when she’d hardly lived the current life she’d been given. She was always too busy, too focused, too worried about what others would think of her. If she really had to look at herself, she thought she’d find herself a bore.

Kenna sighed.

She might never be immortal, but she was alive. Here and now. She had the gift of life, and she was going to start living every minute of it – no, every second – to the fullest. No more being shy. Being afraid. She had nothing to worry about except that her life would pass her by before she’d gotten the chance to live it.

Her new boldness brought her back to the closed doors of the study. Evan and his entourage had been locked in there with Ian for hours. Kenna was done waiting. Done being shut out in her own house.

She threw the double doors open wide without bothering to knock. “Honestly,” she said, coming into the room. “What could be taking so long in here?”

She stopped when she saw Ian, dressed in a fine black suit with a crisp white shirt. The soft waves of his blonde hair had been cut so they barely brushed the collar of his jacket. His face was freshly shaven, his green eyes glittering at her.

Kenna couldn’t swallow, couldn’t grasp on to one single, coherent thought. Ian had been handsome before, but now, like this, he was absolutely devastating. He smiled at her like he knew it, and she felt her cheeks grow hot, felt butterflies in her stomach, fluttering wildly. To think, this man could be hers. All she had to do was say the word.

Yes.

“Don’t you knock?” Evan crossed his arms over his chest from where he was leaning against the desk and gave her a scolding look.

“Didn’t I?” she wondered, still staring at Ian, absorbing the amazing transformation he’d undergone. Something about the civilized look made him seem even more fearsome. “I did knock,” she told Evan. “Didn’t I knock?”

“Impatient lass, aren’t you?” Ian teased from the other side of the room.

The old man, who had shown up with two female assistants, was on his hands and knees, finishing with the hem of Ian’s pants. The two women conversed with each other in hushed whispers, ogling Ian like they’d seen exactly what was under his shiny, new clothes and wanted another look.

Kenna’s temper flared. She wanted those two gone.
Now.
“You’ve been in here for hours.” She looked at Ian.