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his eyes, inhaling deeply.
    When he turned back to her, a wicked smile came to his lips. “I did miss you.”
    “I do not see why.” Gillian spoke as levelly as she could, successfully extracting her hand from his grasp. “We only saw each other once, when we were betrothed at Sway.”
    “All the more reason to waste nae further time.” He seized her hand again, nipping her fingers with his teeth. Pure devilry glinted in his eyes, as if he wished to fluster her. “Do you no’ agree?”
    Before she could respond, he pulled her to him, whipping an iron-hard arm around her so that she was crushed to his broad, mail-clad chest. From a great distance, or so it seemed, she heard her brothers—or Donell’smen?—cheering and shouting encouragement. Despite their tumult, or perhaps because of it, he clutched her even tighter, capturing her lips in a hard, rough kiss that swept her with a current of scorching heat. With his other hand, he gripped the back of her head, holding her in place as he plundered her mouth, kissing her deeply. It was a kiss unlike any she’d ever imagined and its boldness stunned her, leaving her breathless.
    Shaken and rattled, beyond repair.
    When he finally set her from him, his flashing grin once more in place, it was clear that every man on the landing beach had watched. Worse, the approval on their faces proved they’d found masculine delight in seeing her long-lost betrothed claim what was his.
    Too bad she felt otherwise.
    Brushing down her skirts, she met Donell’s amused gaze. “I am not a tavern wench to be ravished so scandalously, before all men and—”
    “There is nae shame in a man eagerly greeting his wife-to-be.” He looked round at the others, her father and her brothers, his own crew, who’d stopped their work to stare down the beach at them.
    “You could have waited.” She followed his gaze, immediately wishing she hadn’t.
    Every man present returned Donell’s smile, the lot of them grinning like fools.
    “Nae, I couldn’t have done.” As if he wished to vex her even more, and entertain their audience, he traced a finger down the curve of her cheek and then along her jaw, studying its path as if he’d never seen anything as fascinating. “By Thor, I’m feeling a powerful urge to kiss you again.”
    And then he did, this time brushing his mouth so softly over hers that, for a moment, she wasn’t even sure if he really had kissed her.
    But he had, there could be no doubt.
    She knew because another flurry of tingles rippled through her again. They spilled from her kiss-swollen lips right into her belly, where the startling sensations twirled wickedly before tumbling ever downward until she was quite sure her toes must be curling.
    “Kisses are a fine thing, eh?” His tone was wicked. The way his eyes twinkled proved he knew what she was feeling.
    Gillian stood frozen, sure her outrage made her glow like a balefire.
    If she’d thought she was unsteady on her feet before, now her knees had weakened and spirals of shockingly pleasant heat persisted in spinning through the lowest regions of her female parts, warming her in places that shouldn’t respond to him no matter how masterfully he kissed.
    “That, good sir, wasn’t necessary.” She met his gaze, more sure than ever that she’d need more than a few silver coins and Viking baubles to be rid of him.
    He’d changed greatly.
    And much as it annoyed her to admit, she almost preferred the brutish ox she remembered. What that said about her didn’t bear consideration.
    Either way, she was in trouble.

Chapter Four

    S weet lass, I disagree powerfully.” Roag used his most charming tone, aware it would annoy her. No one else on the landing beach would hear, but he knew they were observed. So for good measure, he also rubbed his thumb across her lower lip. “Kisses are aye needed, perhaps even life-sustaining. I cannae think to forgo such a delight.”
    “I would call it otherwise.” She gave him a long,