“No, I think—”
“You see?” He smiled, watching her when she laughed. “At least let me take you somewhere today.”
Her smile brightened. “Where shall we go?”
“Where do you want to go? In our century, of course.”
Their century. Not his and not hers.
“Swimming!” she told him. “I want to go swimming with you again.”
“Very well. Let us change clothes and meet here.”
“You won’t change your mind?” she asked playfully, but with a serious edge. He’d taken days to realize he didn’t care about her name. What if he—
“I will not change my mind about loving you, for you have taken hold of my heart in a way that no one else ever has. What choice is there when love strikes?”
Her smile on him warmed. Her gaze did the same. “You’re a romantic.”
He looked ill, but then it passed. “I’ll return shortly.
When he was gone, she looked down at her dress and sighed. She’d given in to him. She loved him. Did she love him enough to refuse to step through the veil in time if she had the chance to go back? He’d been ready to leave her, to go back into battle. But had he truly wanted to return, or had he been running from his emotions for her? She believed it was more the latter. She didn’t blame him for being afraid of it. She was, too. But more than fear, she wanted more with him. She wanted all of him. Would she give up home and marry him? She could never go back if she were his wife. She thought about it all while she changed into her white kirtle and teal overcoat, gifts from Elia.
Kes wasn’t just falling in love with Nicholas, she was also beginning to love Elia and Walter. Everyone here. Claire wasn’t even angry with her for taking Nicholas off the market, so to speak. They were becoming close friends.
She wouldn’t give up hope of seeing her father again but until she did see him, she liked building up a new family here.
As promised, Nicholas returned to her for an afternoon at the waterfalls. They rode together on his horse. The beast was a huge warhorse and handled her weight without a problem. Besides, they traveled at a lazy pace under the blessed canopy that shielded them from the hot sun.
“Would you have gone off to fight?” she asked him, sitting on his lap, leaning against his chest.
“Aye. I felt it was the safest thing to do.”
She laughed, but there was little mirth it. “Oh, great. Going off to battle is safer than staying here with me.”
“No, ’twas not great,” he corrected, confusing her a little and making her conceal a soft smile. “But ’tis safer,” he continued. “You have the power to make me ache in my guts, my chest, my head. I have never felt the pain of being empty until you left. One day felt like a thousand. Two days, ten thousand. I felt I had to go back to the field, or I would go mad. But then I saw you.” He closed his arms around her and spoke into her hair. “I saw you and I knew I would die without you in my arms.”
Kes covered his forearms with hers and sighed with delight. When had any guy ever spoken to her like this? Nicholas proved over and over again that he wasn’t like the men she knew. He’d been angry that she lied to him. But it also made him realize how he really felt about her.
“You are enough for me to be happy here,” she told him, turning to look at him. “Never to forget the people I’ve loved, like my father, but able to live without them. You saved me from going nuts.”
“I’m glad to hear that. Going nuts sounds painful.” He smiled. He often did. She was glad he found her amusing. She loved being the one who made him smile.
“I’m sorry for not telling you the truth, Nicholas. I didn’t want to be someone you hated.”
“I did not want that either. But I cannot hate you.”
Now that he knew and had accepted the fact that she was a Lancaster, it felt as if a giant weight had been removed from her shoulders.
She heard the waterfalls before they reached them. The flow was harder, and the basin was full thanks to the last storm. They set out a wool blanket on a large flat rock partially shaded by the trees. Nicholas had been thoughtful enough to bring wine and black bread and sweet butter. Walter packed some fresh fruit and cheese for them. Kes set out the food, but she wasn’t hungry. She was nervous about being with him alone, with him probably naked again. She didn’t trust herself.
“Let’s swim first,” he said as if reading her mind.
She nodded and straightened so she could begin undressing. Her bra and panties were clean and still holding up.
Once again, he stripped first. This time, he wore thin breeches. She had but a moment before he took off running and jumped into the water with a loud shout. But it was enough time to view him in his somewhat loose fitting, knee-high breeches. The waistline fell to below his hips, showing off his tight abs. The sensual flare of his back muscles into his pecs and deltoids made her want to climb him.
She blushed and followed him in. The water was surprisingly frigid for the early days of August. When she came up, out of breath, he gathered her in his arms and instantly warmed her. She didn’t fight him or make him suffer for how he’d treated her when he’d found out that she was a Lancaster. She understood they killed his family and it had been something he’d been dealing with for years. She was happy to be with him. She loved being held in his embrace. It was where she’d woken up when she arrived here.