“I will always protect you,” he said and gave her a quick kiss, let go of her chin, and walked around the table not trusting himself to do more than just give her a quick kiss.
Her lips tingled and ached for more. Not to mention the tingles that ran through her and settled between her legs. This was desire and she had to learn to control it, even though she would much prefer to surrender to it.
A thought struck her, not unusual since she was constantly struck by thoughts, though this one truly caught her unaware and startled her. What if her relentless desire for Torr was the fact that she was actually falling in love with him? She had never felt such feelings for Owen. What if this was love? How would she know it?
“What heavy thought has hold of you now?” Torr asked concerned, Wintra having paled suddenly.
She shook her head. “How do you learn about love when you know nothing about it?”
Torr walked back around the table, to sit, though he moved his chair a bit of a distance away from Wintra. Being close to her, simply touching her hand or looking upon her lovely face never failed to arouse him. And it was damn hard being in an almost constant state of arousal.
He settled himself in the chair and said, “I suppose we learn from watching others love. My mum and da loved each other dearly and one would have to be blind not to see it. Cree and Dawn share the same enduring love as does Dawn’s friends Paul and Lila.”
“I have had no such opportunity to see what you have seen. My da died before I was born, though Cree and my mum told me time and again what a good and loving man he was. And though I was curious to know more about my da, I did not ask my mum since tears always filled her eyes when she spoke of him. And being confined at the abbey certainly did not allow me to learn about love.”
She looked away for a moment and Torr knew she was thinking and let her be since his mind also had him deep in thought. This petite woman had changed his life in so many unexpected ways that he was still reeling from the shock of it. He had a duty to do, and he had planned on doing it, but now he wanted more.
“So do you think it is possible to fall in love at first sight?”
Her sudden question startled him, though he had no time to answer since she went right on talking.
“From what you tell me of your parents, it would seem that they both fell in love right away. And I do recall my mum telling me once that she had always loved my da. So that has me thinking that she loved him when she first saw him. Love at first sight then is possible,” she concluded.
“Unless of course it is lust one is feeling and once that is satisfied there is nothing else to feel.” She wanted to learn, and he wanted her to know the difference, so she could make the right choice when the time came.
Was that what she was feeling for Torr? Lust and nothing more?
“So how do you know the difference?” she asked annoyed, at what, she wasn’t sure.
“Not that I know for sure, but I would say that two people in love might drive each other a little crazy, want to be together more often than not, respect and admire each other, would do anything for each other, and, of course, the man would protect the woman he loved with his life.. At least that is my thought on it.”
As you protect me.
The thought sent a jolt through her, though she maintained her calm. Could it be true? Could she be falling in love with Torr? She did want to spend time with him. She looked forward to being snuggled in his arms in bed at night. She enjoyed talking with him so very much, especially when—so far—no subject was taboo. She did respect and admire him. And oh how she ached for him to kiss her again. Had love struck her? She certainly had not felt any such things for Owen. She was beginning to realize just how much of a means to an end he had been to her, though when her brother’s warriors had arrived to take her home, she had not thought once of notifying Owen about her departure. It had been one of the nuns who had said that she would let Owen know that Wintra had left for home when he visited at the end of the week.
“I never loved Owen,” she said, as if saying it aloud freed her of something.