“She died shortly after Brynjar was born, though many believe she took her own life. Two more wives followed, one giving him another son and the other a daughter. After those wives died, far too soon, Brynjar’s father simply took whatever woman he wanted.”
“Brynjar is left with no one and has had no success in finding a wife,” Raven said.
“A wife who would prove beneficial to him,” Wolf reminded, tossing the last of her garments aside and took his wife in his arms. “Enough talk of a man who doesn’t deserve disturbing our precious time together.”
Raven’s arms went around her husband’s neck. “There is a more important matter for us to see to.”
Wolf’s lips touched hers ever so lightly, sending a shiver through her.
“That there is, wife.” His kiss was much stronger, a promise of what was to come. He ended it with another faint brush of his lips across hers, and his dark eyes held hers in as much of an embrace as his arms did. “Will you admit to me what you admitted to your brother?”
She should have known he’d have his say and she went to step away from him, but his arms held her tight. He would not be denied an answer.
Defiance sparked in her brilliant blue eyes and she shot back. “Will you tell me you love me?”
He swung her up in his arms and planted his face close to hers. “Ek elska þik.”
“You truly do love me?” she asked, not expecting the words from him.
He smiled. “I thought you understood my language. Now I know for sure.”
Raven poked him in the chest. “You tricked me.”
His smile faded and he rested his brow to hers. “I did, but I didn’t lie about loving you. I don’t know how it happened or when I fell in love with you, and I don’t care. All I know is that you somehow stole my heart and it would break if I ever lost you. Ek elska þik, kona.”
A burst of joy raced through her and she grabbed his face in her hands. “Ek elska þik, husband. Like you, I don’t know when I came to love you and I was confused at first, unsure, and truthfully concerned—”
“That I wouldn’t feel the same?”
Raven nodded and was shocked to feel tears trickle from her eyes. “I haven’t cried…”
Wolf finished for her. “Happy tears in a long while.”
“I don’t think I’ve ever cried happy tears,” she admitted.
He kissed her. “Then I’m glad it was our love that brought you happy tears.”
“You truly do love me?” she asked as if she didn’t quite believe it.
“There isn’t a doubt in my mind that I love you, Raven. We are one, you and me, joined forever together. You’re my heart, my soul, you’re everything to me.”
His loving words astonished her. That she loved him astonished her. “Never would I have believed this possible. I thought you a savage, my enemy for so many years, and now… my heart would shatter if I lost you.” She sniffled back her tears. “So you will take care to keep yourself safe.”
“Is that an order, wife?” he asked with a teasing smile.
“It’s a plea,” she said softly.
“And I will do my best to see it so,” he whispered and kissed her.
Raven had no use for further talk. Her only interest was making love with her husband. Somehow it was different now—now that she knew he loved her. She held on to his neck when he placed her on the bed. It didn’t matter, he followed her down. He felt as she did. He didn’t want to let go.
She cherished the tenderness of his touch and the way his lips traced where his hands had been. Though he had touched her in a familiar way before tonight, it somehow felt different. Or was it that she felt different? It wasn’t only passion that stirred in her, it was love and it made more of a difference than she had expected.
“Please don’t stop,” she urged when his hands and lips stilled. He looked at her with an intensity in his dark eyes that made her shiver. “You feel it, don’t you?”
Wolf nodded. “I’ve never felt it before.”
“I haven’t either,” she confessed. “I never knew it could be so amazing, but then I’ve never been in love before you.”
“Nor I before you,” he admitted. “We belong to each other, you and me, forever and always.”
“That’s fine with me,” she agreed and sighed when his hands and lips continued to explore her.
Wolf didn’t intend to rush this special time. He wanted to give her a memory that would last forever, one that would live long in her mind and heart, and his as well. And he hoped his seed would take root tonight so that their child would be conceived with love.
Raven wanted to linger in their lovemaking forever, wanted to let the passion seep deep inside her along with his shaft. She hurried his hands away and pushed him on his back to mount him, fumbling to slip him inside her.