She jumped startled when he turned to her.
“The scars on my back hold tales I will never tell you and you will never ask me about,” he said.
Purity’s gaze rested on his naked chest and midriff. His flesh was solid and rippled with more muscle than she had ever seen on him and a scar—long healed—marred his left shoulder. What cruelty had he lived that scars forever stained his skin? Her heart hurt for him and she had the urge to hug him tight, to infuse him with her love, and chase away the pain of the past.
“Don’t waste your time on sorrow for me, Purity. I left more scars on others than the ones left on me.” He grabbed his linen shirt off the small bench near the rain barrel. “You have today to gather what you wish to take with you. We leave early tomorrow.”
Purity sighed. “I don’t know how many times I must say this before you grasp it. I’m not going with you.”
Arran walked over to her, his shirt still in his hand and Purity wished he had slipped it on first. Rain water glistened on his chest and the pungent scent of the forest drifted off him to whisper over her. The rippling sensation it sent racing through her turned her legs weak.
Wed him.
The words tolled like a bell in her head. She wanted his love not his pity.
“I am not leaving you here on your own. You are going home with me one way or another. And you will be my wife one way or another.”
“You didn’t want me then and you certainly don’t want me now, and I don’t want you.” She ignored the silent shout in her head. Liar!
“It makes no difference what either one of us want. It is what we must do. I will be a good husband and treat you well. I will not stop you from seeing to your animals, though they will not be allowed inside our home. Listen well to my word and we will share a good life together, and I will always see you and our children kept safe. What more could you ask of a husband?”
His meaningful words hurt her heart in so many ways. She stepped away from him, needing the knot in her stomach to ease and the one in her throat to fade.
She spoke calmly when she was finally able to speak at all. “First, my animals are family and they live with me, in my home. Second, I no longer obey any man’s word. And finally, you ask what more I could ask of a husband—love—that is what I want from my husband.”
“Animals in the home we can discuss. Any husband expects an obedient wife. And If I could love you I would, but I can’t. I can promise that you will be safe with me. I won’t let anyone harm you or will I let cruel things be said about you. I also don’t expect you to love me. And this final part is not negotiable—you will wed me and that is that.”
Purity was so frustrated, she almost screamed aloud. Instead she turned and went to her garden. Working with plants and the soil always helped calm her. She would have preferred to wander in the woods for a while, but Arran would forbid her from going alone.
She groaned. He already had her obeying him and they hadn’t wed yet. She couldn’t imagine losing her freedom, being dictated to once again. It was a horrifying thought, but how did she stop it. Arran would force her to go with him and she was no match against his strength.
King rubbed up against her legs purring. She smiled and dropped down to sit on the ground to stroke the cat’s back. “You always know when I need some love.” Princess joined them. “You do too.” She hugged the large dog to her. “As long as the three of us are together nothing else matters.”
Princess welcomed the kisses she lavished on her while King tolerated a couple before making it known he’d had enough.
Arran watched the three. Purity was a loving soul and gave of that love freely. At one time he’d been loved like that by family and he had returned that love. Then that day came where he was certain he had lost his soul, his humanity. Nothing remained, not even the tiniest shred of who he had once been.
Power and strength protected—not love.
Purity would understand after a while, after she saw that she was safe with him. She would come to respect his commands and understand they were for the best. The one thing that did trouble him was how his loins stirred when she was near him. He had learned to control his cravings for a woman and only seek satisfaction when it became necessary. It was probably necessary since it had been months since he’d been with a woman. Yet it had surprised him when he grew aroused standing so close to her. She had a scent about her, a woman’s scent that enticed him more than any other woman’s scent had ever tempted. It had drifted off her and around him until it felt as if it stroked his shaft, arousing him far too fast. And while he would have simply thought to do his husbandly duty and bed her, he found himself looking forward to it.