Time and Space (7 page)

“Now that the fire is growing, you need to strip.”

Cadence raised an eyebrow in challenge. “Now isn’t the time to flirt with me.”

Donnall hauled his soaked tunic over his head, his back and shoulder muscles bunched and flexed as he moved. He dragged the two chairs in the cottage over to the fireplace and draped his shirt over the back of one and set it near the fire to dry. “You are soaked to the bone. With the battle drawing nigh, we can’t afford for you to catch a chill. Strip. Now.”

Her teeth still chattering, she tried to make her fingers work to pull the dress up over her knees. The material was wet and heavy and her numb fingers weren’t having much luck shifting it higher.

“Here,” Donnall came up behind her and pulled the dress up her body and over her head. Turning it right-side out, he moved back to the fireplace to drape it over the other chair. “I’ve got a mostly dry blanket and some oat cakes and apples from my saddlebag. Come sit by the fire and cuddle with me. We will both warm up faster if we share body heat.”

Cadence found her fist smile in what felt like hours. Rubbing her frozen hands over her frozen arms she moved to stand near the fire. “I bet you use that line on all the damsels-in-distress you come across.”

“You are the only damsel who matters. Now let’s sit in front of the fire so we can get warmed up.” Donnall turned from the table where he was setting out their meager feast to see Cadence wearing the strangest and most provocative under garments he had ever seen in his life.  He knew he was staring and had to stop himself from taking a step forward. The need to touch her and those lacy under things was too much to handle.

“What are you staring at?”

“Your under things from the future.”

Cadence blushed turning her skin almost the same pink as the lacy bra and panty set she was wearing. “They’re from Victoria’s Secret.”

“I’m sorry, my beauty, but Victoria appears to have shared all of her confidences.” Donnall wrapped the blanket around his shoulders and pulled it around his front to hide the growing bulge in his soaked breeches. He knew it would take them longer to dry this way, but he didn’t have enough willpower to keep his hands off Cadence when they were fully dressed never mind when she was standing there showing almost all of her creamy, freckled skin.

Donnall turned from her near-naked form to settle himself on the floor in front of the fire. His feet were frozen solid but he made sure he kept himself far enough back so his skin wouldn’t warm too quickly.  “Get your arse over here. You won’t like what happens if I have to chase you.” His voice held a hint of danger.

Cadence walked over to the fireplace and knelt down to hold her hands over the fire.

“Come here, my beauty. You run the risk of burning yourself if you sit that close.” Donnall opened the flaps of the blanket.

“You’re soaking wet. I’m not sitting in your lap if you’re wearing wet pants. Take them off so you can warm up too.”

“I would not dream of offending your delicate sensibilities.”

Cadence arched an eyebrow. “Well that would certainly be a first.”

Donnall sighed, knowing he wasn’t doing either of them any favors by keeping his wet pants on. He would have to dig deep for the self-control to keep his hands to himself. “Turn around, please.”

“Why? I’ve seen a naked man before.” Cadence winked and did as Donnall asked.

Donnall was dumbfounded at first. “Well of course you and Carter bathed together when you were children.” He thought he saw Cadence roll her eyes before he turned around. As hard as he tried, he was still having a hard time coming to grips with how different things were in the future. It was a bit of a struggle, but he finally managed to get out of his wet pants. After he draped them over a chair, he grabbed the blanket and wrapped it around his lower half. “I am now presentable.”

“Well thank God for that. What are you doing now?”

Donnall was searching through cupboards and chests searching for more supplies. “People who use this cottage are refugees like us, needing a place to get out of the bad weather or a place to spend the night if it’s grown too late to keep traveling. Sometimes they leave supplies behind for other travelers. Aha!” He pulled a soft green blanket out of the last chest and tossed it to Cadence.

At least now he would be able to keep a barrier between Cadence and his raging erection. He settled himself on the floor in front of the fireplace, determined to keep his hands to himself.

“I thought you said we needed to huddle for warmth?”

Leave it to Cadence to remind him. “Come here and sit in my lap.” It was either going to be the best or worst decision of his life.

Donnall was looking about as uncomfortable as she felt. His eyes were darting around the room and looking everywhere but at her half-naked body. Whereas all she could look at was a shirtless Donnall. His chest was a solid wall of muscle covered in a thin matt of dark fur which tapered down his abs. A fine line of hair led from his navel down to his… She stopped herself. It was best not to think about what was beneath his blanket.

Donnall was seated cross-legged in front of the fireplace. She seated herself on the edge of his right knee and reached her still cold hands out to warm them.  She didn’t make eye contact and instead focused on the dancing flames.

Donnall chuckled low in his throat. “Afraid I’ll bite, little mouse?”

She was afraid he’d bite. And lick. And kiss. And… “Of course not,” she huffed.

“Then get over here.” Donnall wrapped his thick arms around her and pulled her back against his chest.

Cadence bit her bottom lip to avoid moaning out loud when her bare shoulders collided with his chest. His crinkly hairs tickled her sensitive skin. “I thought you were frozen solid.” She could feel the heat of him against her back.

“I am always hot when I am around you, my beauty.” Donnall smirked.

She wanted to laugh and come back at him with a clever line, but she couldn’t think of one. The only thing she could think of was the way Donnall felt against her, all hard planes and angles.

“You know it is true,” Donnall whispered against the shell of her ear.

She turned to look at him over her shoulder. His eyes were darkened to almost black and he looked hungry.

Pushing her still damp hair over her right shoulder, Donnall pressed a kiss to the sensitive hollow behind her ear. “You are so cold.”

“And you plan to warm me up with your kisses?” Her voice was low and seductive.

“Do you know a better way?”

Yes, she did, but she wasn’t about to tell him that.

“Your silence speaks volumes, sweet Cadence.” Donnall pressed a series of kisses down the column of her throat.

Tired of fighting the need thrumming through her body, Cadence threw off her blanket and turned in Donnall’s arms so she was straddling his hips with her legs.

Donnall wrapped his arms around her back and pulled her closer still, his hands rubbing warm circles into her chilled skin.

She closed her eyes and relaxed into his touch. Being in Donnall’s arms felt heavenly, but she didn’t want him to know how he was affecting her.

“Why do you hide yourself and your reactions from me?”

Cadence’s eyes popped open.

“I know you like the way my hands feel on your skin. You love the way my lips feel against your own. Why do you fight your feelings? Surely you know I would never hurt you.”

Liam had once promised to never hurt her and look where that led her. With a little time and space, she could see Liam was all wrong for her while being this close to Donnall felt so right. “I know you wouldn’t hurt me.”

Donnall’s brief smile was brilliant. He brushed his hot lips against Cadence’s, waiting patiently for her to respond to him.  He could see the fear and insecurity in her eyes and more than ever wanted to find this Liam and hurt him like he’d hurt his little mouse.

When Cadence started to kiss him back, he couldn’t help smiling against her lips. He lashed his tongue against the closed seam of her lips needing to taste and possess her. “Open for me.”

Cadence obeyed, moaning when his tongue swept inside to mate with hers. Wrapping her arms more tightly around him, she shifted her body to more closely straddle his. 

Donnall growled when Cadence shifted and her sex slid down his own. It was almost as if his sweet, innocent Cadence knew exactly how to tease and torment him. Once she was settled, he kissed her again, his hands fingering the strange, yet lacy, contraption hiding her full breasts from view. “What is this torture device?” Donnall slipped his fingers under it, his fingers skimming against the soft underside of her breasts.

Cadence giggled. “It’s called a bra. It provides lift and support to my girls.”

“I would very much like to do the same thing.” He placed tiny kisses down the column of her throat until he reached the creamy flesh at the top of her bra. He kissed all of the visible skin while teasing her nipples through the lacy pink fabric.

Cadence humped herself forward, rubbing her sex against Donnall.

“I know exactly what you need, my beauty,” Donnall whispered.

“Oh yeah?” Cadence pulled her arms from around Donnall’s neck and walked her fingers down over his massive arms before trailing up again and running across his chest.

Donnall loved the way her hands felt against his skin exploring him. He trailed a hand down from her left breast to the garment shielding her sex.

Cadence gasped and bucked against him.

“Do not worry, my beauty. I will not take your virtue. Let me show you what it can be like between a man and a woman.” He slipped his hand down her outer folds and moved to the very heat of her. He wasn’t surprised she was moist against his fingers. “I told you you’d get wet.”

Cadence snorted and rested her forehead against his.

He brushed a finger past her sensitive nub, loving the way Cadence jumped against him and he moved lower to her entrance. She was wet and ready for him. Heedless of the consequences of his actions, he slipped one finger inside her and stroked her clit with his thumb.

Cadence gripped him tighter, hitching her hips in rhythm with his finger. “Donnall, please,” she begged, clenching her muscles around him.

“Do not worry. I will get you there.”

“Where?” she asked breathlessly.

“To paradise.”

Cadence cried out against Donnall when the first ripple of her climax crashed around her. She yelled his name while his magic fingers continued to wring wave after wave of pleasure from her body. She’d been with Liam for four years and he’d never once made her feel like this, like she was flying apart at the seams.

She whined when Donnall pulled his finger from her body. She was shocked when he sucked the digit into his mouth. He looked like a cat with a saucer of cream. Liam had always told her she tasted bad, but Donnall acted like he was tasting expensive caviar. “How do I taste?”

“Like sunshine. Did you enjoy yourself?”

Instead of answering, Cadence pulled the blanket away from Donnall’s obvious erection. The head was smeared in pre-come and his cock was huge. Swiping her thumb through the puddle of Donnall’s nectar, she winked at him and licked her thumb, enjoying the salty flavor of him.

“Cadence, what?” Donnall’s hazel eyes were glazed over with passion. “What are you doing?”

“Don’t worry, I won’t take your virtue.” She giggled at repeating his earlier line back at him. She pushed back a bit and took his hot tool in her hand, slowly stroking him from root to tip and back again.

“Cadence,” Donnall panted.

“Hmmm?” She smiled sweetly at him and went back to stroking his velvet shaft. She looked up at him and Donnall was lost. He was watching Cadence’s hand work over his flesh, his eyes nearly black with need. His chest was heaving and she could tell he was struggling to hold on to his control. “Come on, Donnall. Come for me.”

Donnall snapped his eyes up to meet hers and growled low in his throat.

Cadence felt his cock get a bit harder before pulsing in her hand. Shot after shot of sweet cream ripped from his cock to coat her hand and his stomach.

“Fuck, fuck!” Donnall blew out a harsh breath and fell backward to land on the cold floor of the cottage. He threw his arms over his face.

“Donnall?” Cadence called sweetly.

“Yes, my beauty.” He moved his arms to look up at her.

“Yum.” She rasped in a low, sexy voice and licked out at his cream drying on her fingers, watching as his eyes went wide. She did it again and Donnall’s deflated cock started to rise. Liam had only been good for one go a night, but it seemed her barbarian was up for extra innings. She reached out to take him in hand when the door to the cabin slammed open.

“What in the name of the gods is going on here?” Fionn roared.

Donnall scrambled to sit up and wrap the discarded blanket around Cadence’s near-naked form before wrapping his arms protectively around her.

“Take your hands off my sister, Donnall,” Carter said in a low, menacing voice.

“Oh for fuck’s sake, Carter. Calm down.” Donnall rolled his eyes.

“We have been looking for the pair of you for hours and you have been here all along stealing Cadence’s innocence?”

“I’m not innocent,” Cadence pouted.

“The fuck you’re not!’ Donnall yelled, pulling himself away from Cadence. He wrapped the spare blanket around himself and moved to shield her from Fionn and Carter. “I did not steal her virtue, Fionn. We just…”

“Carter and I do not need to know what you did. The damage is done,” Fionn said coldly. “This is the last straw, Donnall. I kept silent when you deflowered maid after maid, but I can keep quiet no longer.”

“Maid after maid?” Cadence asked no one in particular, wrapping the blanket more closely around herself.

“Who do you think you are, taking advantage of my sister like that?” Carter yelled, his hands balling into fists.

Cadence pulled herself up from the floor, the blanket wrapped around her body like a towel. “Carter, he didn’t.”

“I should kick you out of Moone on your ass,” Fionn added.

“Fionn, no!” Cadence moved forward to get between the three men who looked like they were about to come to blows. No one was listening to a word she was saying and she wasn’t going to stand by and watch three men she loved tear each other to pieces. There would be time to dissect her feelings for Donnall later, for now she needed to get Fionn and Carter to calm down.

“If you have any hope of remaining at Moone, you will marry the girl,” Fionn demanded.

“NO!” Cadence shrieked. She’d almost made that mistake once with a man she’d known for years, she wasn’t about to marry a man she’d only known for a week.

“I would marry you, my beauty, without Fionn requiring it of me.”

Cadence shot him a look of disbelief. This wasn’t happening.

“’Tis the truth.” Donnall turned around to face her, his hand on his heart.

“You’re not marrying my sister,
barbarian
!” Carter lunged forward grabbing for Donnall but Fionn pulled him back at the last minute.

“Carter, violence will not help the situation.” Fionn wrapped his arms around his lover.

The hell it wouldn’t. Cadence sighed. “Carter, stop.”

“I’m trying to help you here,” Carter fumed.

“Help me?” You’re the reason I’m in this mess!” she shrieked.

“I didn’t send you out riding with bad weather on the horizon. Donnall’s hormones robbed him of his common sense and you got caught in the rain.”

“I was handling things,” Donnall chimed in at Cadence’s back.

“We saw exactly how you were handling things.” Fionn deadpanned.

“Fionn, for fuck’s sake,” Donnall started.

“Don’t use language like that in front of my sister.” Carter tried to charge forward again, but didn’t get very far with Fionn still holding on to him.

“SHUT THE FUCK UP!” Cadence bellowed, her voice breaking at the end. Her face was flushed and her chest heaving.

All three men took a hasty step back, but still looked ready to tear into each other.

“Carter, how dare
you
talk to Donnall like that? He’s never been anything but a perfect gentleman to me.”

Fionn bit his lip and took another step back.

“It was my fault we got caught in the rain. I was so excited to ride the beautiful horse Donnall gave me.”

“He should have been aware of the weather,” Carter growled.

“Donnall got us to the cottage when he realized the danger we were in.”

“
He
is the danger.”

“Oh really?” Cadence’s voice dripped with sarcasm. “And where were you with a warning like this while Liam was committing crimes instead of working to pay for the wedding? Huh? And where the hell have you and Fionn been for the last week? You’ve been fucking like bunnies while I’ve had to make my way at Moone alone.”

“We are getting married,” Fionn said in a small voice.

“You were fucking like bunnies before you proposed,” Donnall added, stepping back in front of Cadence.

“The point is that Donnall has been the only one who’s been here for me since I came here with you, at
your
urging.” Tears started forming in her eyes and she blinked furiously to keep them at bay. “You begged me to come here with you, Carter, and you’ve practically abandoned me since we arrived. I know you’re busy with Fionn and the kids, but I have no one here. I’m alone in a strange century with no friends and no skills to survive. I couldn’t even light a fire! All I hear everywhere I go is how wonderful you are and all I get are women sniping at me and accusing me of being a whore.”

“Maybe you should stop acting like one!” Carter challenged back.

Cadence gasped like she’d been slapped.

“Get out!” Donnall ordered, taking a menacing step forward. “We will dress and meet you outside. You had better think up one hell of an apology for your sister between now and then, Carter, or I swear to the gods I will…”

“Do not finish that thought, Donnall,” Fionn cautioned.

“Just go. There will plenty of time for the three of you to beat the stuffing out of each other later,” Cadence said, defeat etched in her tone, tears slipping down her cheeks.

Fionn nodded and started for the door, reaching for Carter’s arm and tugging him along.

When the door was closed, Donnall walked to the fireplace and picked up Cadence’s dress which was thankfully just about dry. “Here’s your dress.” When Cadence didn’t move to take it, he set it down near her and quickly got dressed. “I am sorry for everything, Cadence.” Donnall watched her for a moment before stepping outside.

Fionn and Carter were standing near the horses hugging each other. “Where is my sister?”

“She was trying not to let me see her cry, so I left her in peace.”

“I should go to her.” Carter moved to pull away from Fionn.

“No. Give her some time to compose herself.” Donnall’s voice was a near whisper.

“And I should listen to
you
because?” Carter demanded.

“Because Donnall is right, my heart. We have been awful hosts. When we arrived home, we sent your sister off with Donnall so we could make love in the meadow outside the castle walls. She’s had to fend for herself and make her own way. We should be thanking Donnall for taking care of her so well.”

“So well? They were in there…”

Fionn wrapped a hand around Carter’s mouth and turned to his oldest friend. “You were the one who gave Cadence a horse and taught her to ride, when I should have done that for my sister-to-be. You kept her safe and have been her friend while Carter and I have been wrapped up in our own selfish needs.”

Carter sighed, still visibly annoyed at Fionn and Donnall. “Thank you, Donnall. I’m just on edge with the battle coming.”

“We all are, which is why I taught Cadence to ride. She’s adamant about helping to defend Moone. I’ve also requested a dagger for her and am having a bow strung that she will be able to fire.”

Carter snorted. “She’ll like that.”

“I think so too and with your permission I would like to instruct her in how to use the weapons.”

Carter nodded.

“It might be a good idea to outfit all of the women with daggers so they can protect themselves when the time comes. Arming as many people as possible can only help our cause.”

The door to the cottage opened and Cadence walked out with her head held high.

Donnall watched with pride when she went to Starburst and checked on her welfare, patting her neck and whispering in her ear.

Fionn pulled away from Carter and joined her with the horse. Donnall could see them speaking quietly and wished he could hear what Fionn was saying. The discussion ended with Fionn pressing a kiss to her forehead and helping her into the saddle.

The ride back to the castle was silent. Even though Fionn and Carter had calmed down, no one had anything they were willing to say out loud. Cadence rode at the back of the group and seemed to be taking in the sights as she rode. Donnall knew she was still troubled but now wasn’t the time to try to soothe her. He kept turning back to make sure she wasn’t crying and hadn’t fallen behind.  He missed her sunny smile and sarcastic wit.

Everything that happened today from the weather to his out of control cock was his fault. He would have to be the one to make things right.