“Can I get you something?” I asked quietly and his eyes sliced to me.
They were broody and intense.
Oh boy.
“Do you have spirits?” he asked back.
Oh boy!
“Um… you had whisky with my Dad,” I pointed out.
“Yes, and I knew I would be operating that vehicle, undoubtedly in the rain, which it does all the bloody time here, so I did not have as much as I would have liked for operating that vehicle inebriated would not be wise,” he returned.
He was right about that.
“In the cupboard by the wall,” I belatedly answered his question.
He went to the cupboard, sorted through my myriad of bottles, pulled out some bourbon, opened it, sniffed it and went to the cupboard that held my glasses.
I watched him pour himself a rather healthy dose as I grew uncomfortable.
Tor was being broody, something he could be but he was usually kind of… openly broody. As in, it was rare he didn’t tell me what was on his mind.
And he’d just had an emotional dinner with my parents and he wasn’t telling me what was on his mind.
“Is something on your mind?” I asked after he swallowed a large swig.
He looked at me and declared weirdly, “Things here, in your world, are more advanced.”
“Well… yeah,” I replied.
“Is this true with medicine?”
My head tipped to the side. “Medicine?”
“Do you not call it medicine?” he asked, didn’t wait for me to answer and he went on to explain using the word, “Healing.”
“Yes, we call it medicine and yes, it’s more advanced.”
He scowled at me a second then drained his glass. Then he poured another healthy measure.
“Tor,” I started hesitantly, not sure what to do with him in this mood, “has something upset you?”
He answered immediately, “While you were with your mother in the kitchen, your father was verbose.”
Uh-oh.
Dad could have told him anything. About my punk phase, or worse, my militant vegetarian phase, or worse, the excruciatingly uncomfortable time he found Tad Millstrom getting to second base with me in our basement.
“And?” I whispered.
“And, he told me about Rosa, your Rosa, the sister you did not have.”
“Seriously?” I asked softly, surprised by this. Dad could get chatty while smashed but that was an overshare, even for Dad. I knew this because I’d been around Dad while he was hammered a bunch of times and he’d (obviously) never mentioned Rosa.
“Seriously,” Tor replied then sucked back another large swallow.
“Tor, I don’t –”
His eyes sliced to mine and the look in them made me snap my mouth shut.
Then he announced, “You’re carrying my child.”
My body went statue-still except my eyes. They blinked.
God, I forgot about the pregnancy test. How could I forget something like that?
“I –” I started, that one syllable trembling.
“You’ve been in my bed every night for six weeks and I’ve been in you every night for six weeks and we’ve been together day in, day out for even longer. You have not once had your cycle.”
Oh God.
“Tor –”
“Your mother nearly died having your sister who did die.”
My stomach dropped. “She did?” he glared at me. “My mother almost died, I mean.”
“Indeed,” he clipped and threw back more bourbon.
Although this news upset me, greatly, I felt the need to stay focused on whatever was bothering Tor.
“Tor, I don’t –”
He gave me his eyes again and I again snapped my mouth shut. “Women in my world regularly die during childbirth. It happens so often, the midwives petitioned my father, in his kingdom, and myself, in Bellebryn, to make a law as the situation is fraught and the decision, save mother or child, is emotional. They felt the man was in no state during this time to make such a grave decision. And those around him could give thoughtful advice or this advice could be selfish or misguided. After much weighing of the matter and debate, and you can well imagine, considering my father’s history with his wives, that there was much weighing of the matter and debate, my father and I agreed that the midwife should always save the mother. So this was made law.”
My heart clutched and I knew why he was broody and struggling with his mood.
I also understood why he was being so romantic and wonderful and protective and… and… all of it.
Because he thought I was pregnant with his heir and he was trying to win me and take me back to his world not for me but to keep me sweet so he could have what he wanted most in the world.
And now he was thinking that if I were to carry that heir and we were transported to his world, he himself had created a law that, should I have difficulties, they would have to save me not his bloody precious heir.
My hand lifted and my fingers curled around the doorframe as I stared at him wondering why I kept searching for hope with this guy and always getting kicked in the stomach.
“I just don’t believe you,” I whispered, my voice trembling now for a different reason.
His brows drew together. “Pardon?”
I glared at him.
Then I shouted, “I don’t believe you! You’re not a jerk or a dick or an asshole. You’re a pig!”
Then I turned on my foot and stomped to my bedroom. I was halfway to the bathroom when I was halted with an arm around my waist and turned to face Tor.
“Would you stop doing that!” I yelled. “If I want to go somewhere, I should just be able to go!”
“Cora, what the bloody hell has you in this state?” Tor growled, he was angry, clear to see, and mystified too, equally clear to see, the pig.
“You!” I snapped then flung at him. “But you’re also lucky, seeing as you’re the big man in Bellebryn. If we go back, then along with annulling your marriage to the other Cora, you can quickly change the law so it’s the child that’s saved, not the mother. So, if I have a difficult childbirth, you’ll be certain not to lose your precious heir!”
His head jerked like I slapped him then his eyes burned into mine before he said in a low voice, “Please tell me you did not just say that.”
“I bloody did!” I shot back. “We both know I am and always have had one purpose for you. To be the vessel that safely delivers your successor.”
“Now I need you to tell me you did not just say that,” he ground out.
“Don’t pretend it isn’t true,” I hissed and he let me go like touching me was akin to getting burned with acid and he took a step back.
Then he said softly, his eyes locked on mine, “You’ve convinced yourself about me so you’ll not believe this but given the choice, both then and especially now, to save our child or to save you, I wouldn’t have to think about it even for a second. I would save you.”
I sucked in breath, my head got light and the only reason I didn’t go down was that I stayed focused on him.
He went on, “Then, because I could pretend during the days when you were away from me but especially during the nights when I had you that you were the Cora I needed you to be. And, my sweet, you’ll not believe this either but the truth of the matter is, I enjoyed every fucking second of it. And now, because I know you are.”
Oh my God.
“Tor –”
He lifted a hand. “You’ve said enough.”
Then he turned on his boot and stalked out of my room. I blinked at the doorway, frozen in shock at what he’d said. I heard the outside door open, close and the lock turn. Then I came unstuck way too late, ran through the bedroom and living room, unlocked the door and rushed into the hall.
Tor was gone.
I ran to the stairwell and down the two flights of steps (too slowly, drat my high-heeled sandals), through the foyer and out the front doors of my building.
I looked down the sidewalks to my left then to my right.
And again, Tor was gone.
I stared at the slick sidewalk as the misty rain made my skin and hair damp. Then I raced back into the building, up the steps, into my apartment and I grabbed my purse.
Then I ran to the corner store and bought a pregnancy test.
Thirty minutes later, my hands gripping the steering wheel tightly to stop them from shaking, I was in my car going back to the grocery store even though half of its goods were stuffed into the cupboards and fridge of my kitchen.
But we hadn’t bought the ingredients to red velvet cake.
And as crazy and uncertain as our worlds were, Tor and I had something to celebrate.
That was, if he came home.
* * *
I was curled up in my pink chair, the purple throw tucked around me, dozing when I heard the key scrape the lock.
My eyes opened, I sat up, putting my feet to the floor, my heart sliding up into my throat when I heard and saw the doorknob turn. I held my breath, my mind trying to recall one of the ways I came up with while making the cake as to how to apologize to Tor when the doorknob turned again.
I tipped my head to the side, staring at it and then heard the key in the lock again.
Uh-oh. Tor’s new lock wasn’t working.
Then I jumped when I heard a banging at the door.
“Cory, babe, open the door!”
Oh crap. It wasn’t Tor. It was Noc.
I froze.
There was more banging and then, “Cora! I see the light coming through the bottom of the door. I know you’re awake. Open up!”
My eyes flew to my DVD player and I saw it was nearly two in the morning. What was he doing there at two in the morning?
“Cora! Fuck me, babe, open the fuckin’ door!” he shouted then more banging.
I stared at the door, my body unmoving.
He was a big guy, just as powerfully built as Tor. My door was crap because my landlord was crap. He could bust down my door, easy.
Shit!
There was silence then he called through the door, “Right, locks changed. I get it. Ice cold.”
Oh shit.
“Do me a favor,” he went on. “Pack my shit in a suitcase and put it in the hall. I’ll be back tomorrow to get it.”
Then there was one, loud thump on the door and then nothing.
I held my breath. When I was about to pass out, I sucked in a deep breath and held that. When I heard nothing, I threw off the blanket, tiptoed (focused on the tasks at hand, I still hadn’t taken off my sandals) to my purse and pulled out my cell.
Tomorrow, should Tor come back (and, God, I hoped he came back), we were going straight back to the mall and getting him a blasted cell phone.
I looked at my phone and saw I had five missed calls while my phone was in my purse at my parents’ house, no voicemails. Checking the history, I saw that four were from Noc, one was from my friend Phoebe.
Phoebe. Holy crap!
It was too late to return Phoebe’s call so I flipped the phone shut, dropped it back in my purse, tiptoed to the kitchen, grabbed the biggest, sharpest knife I could find and I tiptoed back to my living room. I turned off the lamps then settled back in the chair, tossing my throw over me.
I stared at the door, my fingers curled around the handle of the knife and I waited for Noc to come back.
About a half an hour later, I fell asleep.
Chapter Twenty-Three
We’ll Have It for Breakfast
My eyes opened when Tor lifted me to cradle me in his arms.
“Tor?” I asked sleepily.
“Just so you know, love, a true warrior princess would not allow a man to approach and disarm her while she carried on sleeping.”
Hmm.
I didn’t know what to make of that except for the fact that it was true.
He walked us to my room and as he did last night, set me on my feet by the bed. Then he made as if to move away but I shook off the residual sleep claiming me and stopped him by lifting both hands and wrapping them around his neck.
“Honey?” I whispered and his hands came to my hips, fingers digging in.
Then I felt his forehead drop to mine.
I sucked in breath.
“I missed you calling me that,” he murmured.
My heart leaped.
“You’re not angry with me anymore?” I asked, my voice tinged with hope.
His forehead left mine.
Uh-oh.
“What you said was cruel,” he informed me and I couldn’t read his tone.
My fingers at his neck gave him a squeeze and I whispered, “I know.”
“And untrue,” he went on.
I took a risk and moved slightly closer to him. “I know,” I repeated not because I knew then, just because I knew now.
“I want an heir because it’s my responsibility to provide one. But mostly I want an heir because I want children,” he told me.
“Okay,” I said softly.
“But more than that, I want you,” he finished, his fingers digging deeper into my flesh and I pressed my lips together as my heart didn’t leap… it flew.
“Really?” I breathed.
“Cora, my love,” he started then I saw his shadowed face get close, “I know your life is in turmoil, but you really must start paying attention.”
As much as it pained me to admit it, he wasn’t wrong about that.
I swallowed then quietly I agreed, “Okay.”
His fingers squeezed again and then started to release so my fingers pressed in and I got on tiptoe so our faces were even closer. “Please, don’t be angry with me anymore,” I whispered. “I shouldn’t have said what I said. Not at all but especially with what happened to your Mom and your stepmoms. I’m really so, so sorry.”
He nodded. “All right, Cora.” And again he started to move away.
I held tight and got higher on my toes so my lips were a breath away from his.
“Don’t be angry with me anymore,” I repeated and he stilled.
“I’m not angry, sweets,” he whispered.
I touched my mouth to his and said yet again, “Don’t be angry with me anymore.”
His fingers flexed into my skin again and he replied softly, “Cora.”
I touched my mouth to his again, my fingers sliding from his neck up into his hair, my body moving in two inches so it was against his.
Tor got the message. I knew this when he groaned against my lips, his head slanted, his mouth opened over mine and his tongue slid in.
Yes.
I moaned into his mouth and the kiss went instantly wild. His arms closed around me and crushed me to him then I burrowed closer, pressing my fingers into his hair to hold his mouth to me as he drank from me and I gave to him… everything I had.
Then, suddenly, he broke his mouth from mine, turned me so my back was to him and with a hand between my shoulder blades, he shoved me forward. My arms went out to break my fall, my hands hit the bed at the same time he tossed the skirt of my dress up.
Oh God.
My knees trembled and I felt wetness saturate between my legs.
He yanked my panties over my ass.
My knees nearly buckled.
“Tor,” I breathed.
He jerked my panties down my legs. “Step out of them,” he commanded, his voice thick.
I stepped out of my panties then he pushed against me with his hips and I mounted the bed on my knees. I felt his hand working at my behind then he mounted me, filling me full.
My head jerked back at the feel of him.
“Yes,” I whispered.
He shoved in with his body and got on the bed on his knees then leaned forward, wrapping an arm around my chest, the other around my ribs, he hauled me up, still impaled on his cock.
“Mouth,” he growled, I twisted my head and the instant I did, his mouth found mine and he kissed me.
This kiss was wilder, no control, not
from Tor, not from me and I loved every fucking second of it.
His mouth broke from mine and he ordered, “Discard your dress.”
With trembling hands, I pulled off my dress and flung it aside.
“Now this,” he demanded, tugging at the cup of my bra.
Arching my back (which also succeeded in sliding him deeper inside me which felt freaking great), I reached for the hooks at the back of my bra, undid them clumsily, pulled it down my arms and tossed it aside.
One of his hands went to cup my breast warmly, the other hand slid between my legs, his middle finger hitting the core of me.
At the sensations these caused, my back arched again and I whimpered.
His thumb and finger found my nipple and he pulled. “Who’s inside you?”
“My prince,” I breathed, twisting my neck, tucking my forehead into his neck and covering his hand at my sex where his finger was working magic.
He pulled my nipple again and fire shot straight through me. “Bloody right,” he growled, his hips dipping, he drove back up inside me.
“Baby,” I whispered, my hand tensing on his.
“Who are you?” he asked on another pull on my nipple causing another shaft of fire.
“Your princess,” I answered immediately, wanting my reward.
I got it, another heady stroke of his cock.
“Who are you?” he repeated and I closed my eyes as his finger between my legs twitched relentlessly and I ground into him.
“Honey,” I breathed. I was losing it.
Another pull at my nipple, sharper, harder, better, then, “Who are you, Cora?”
“Your wife,” I whispered, his hips dipped and he surged up again, pulling at my nipple and rolling my clit at the same time and I cried out, “Tor!” as it overwhelmed me.
I barely started coming when he shoved me back down into the bed and then started moving inside me, rolling his hips as he did it, his hands at my hips yanking me back while he drove in.
God, beautiful.
I lifted up on my forearms, arched my back, lifting my ass for him and he reached forward, his fingers curling around my shoulder, he pulled me back into him, this allowing him to thrust deeper into me. I shuddered and finished my climax as he plunged in, his rhythm slow, steady, his hips rolling, his hand at my shoulder driving me back as he drove forward and it started building again.