Love And Honour (Book 2)

Chapter XLI

Vote ~ Comment ~ Enjoy!

Three years later...

"Logan." She calls out softly, her voice sending a warm chill over his skin. Light footsteps patter up behind him. His shoulders uncoil as she secures her arms around his shoulders and rests her cheek against his. Her short light brown hair tickles his ear. She lightly presses her lips to his cheek, just above where his dark shading of stubble starts. They are soft and warm against his chilled skin. Absentmindedly he lifts up his hand and traces patterns on her bare arm. She rests her chin against his shoulder and yawns.

It is pitch black outside, all the light has gone and is not yet willing to come back.

"I do not appreciate waking up to half the bed being cold." She teases lightly. Her breath heats up his skin. "How is she doing?"

She lifts her gaze to the mare occupying the other half of the small barn. She is heavily pregnant, her belly large and swollen. There is no doubt that a foal will be among them within a few days. However it does not appear as if it will happen anytime tonight. The mare lies quite comfortably on her deep straw bed, eyes half closed and dozing. Clearly she is not yet in any pain indicating that the foal is coming.

"She is well." His answer is short so she rubs his shoulders gently. She exhales slowly, trying not to yawn again. Her eyelids are getting increasingly heavy. Her mind works slowly, the majority concentrating on how to get back to the warmth of her bed as soon as possible.

"Is there something you wish to speak with me about?" She manoeuvres around him and sits by his side. He immediately places his arm around her shoulders and hugs her close, an action so familiar, so natural that Logan does not realise that he does it. She reaches up and relaxes out the lines on his forehead, a small peaceful smile on her lips. "This is not like you. You have been distant since you received that letter." Logan shuts his eyes for a moment and her heart stutters. She fears that it could have been bad news.

His eyes open and look down at her with clarity. "The letter was from Lady Zara Ricell. It is the first time I have heard from her since..." his voice trails away, discomfort clinging in the air. "She wished for me to know that she has gotten married to a Lord from the Tikva lands. She writes that he is a good and honest man who brings out all the better qualities within her and tempers the worst."

"So you are worried about her? I can understand that. Do you think she is happy?" She asks without any judgement.

"A little. But she does appear to be happy if I can trust her words." He lightly kisses the top of her head. "I am sorry; I should have told you earlier rather than keeping it to myself."

"She is a part of your past, a part that I was not part of. I understand that you wish the best for her. All I ask is that you always come back to me. I am your present and your future." She smiles sweetly and Logan chuckles and tilts her chin up.

"I never left you and I never will."

He kisses her and she laughs against his lips. Heat grows between them. Logan pulls away and rises to his feet. He glances down and his brow furrows. She follows his gaze and flushes. Her feet are bare against the cold ground and tiny bumps have erupted all over her skin where the light nightgown does not cover. In one swift movement he lifts her from the ground and carries her out into the cold night air, frost crunching underfoot. She slaps him on the shoulder.

"What are you doing?"

"Carrying my wife inside since she was foolish enough to go out without footwear." He shakes his head and tries to look down at her with disapproval.