He put a massive hand on her face, dwarfing it. “I will see you tomorrow at the end of the day,” he assured her softly. “I will return to you, Cori. The only thing that can keep us apart is death and I am not even sure that is strong enough to keep me from your side. I will always be with you, no matter what comes.”
She reached up and cupped his big face with her two hands, stroking his cheeks with her thumbs. “I am not entirely sure I will have a chance to speak with you tomorrow before you go into battle, so I will speak to you now,” she said. “I am so proud of you, Cole. I’ve never known pride like this. I pray God keeps you safe during the trials you must face in the coming battle, but whatever comes, know that I will be waiting for you in the end.”
“Thank you, my queen. That means everything.”
“And then we are going to get married!”
He laughed softly. “We are, indeed,” he said. “Which reminds me – my father is probably down in the common room, wondering where I am. So as much as I hate to leave you, I must.”
She sighed unhappily. “I know,” she said. “And I must dress and come with you.”
He scowled. “We cannot go into the common room together, you silly wench,” he said. “We shall both be coming down from the upper floor? Do you have any idea how that will look?”
“Suspicious, I would imagine.”
He grunted, kissing her swiftly before pushing himself off the bed and going in search of his clothing.
“Suspicious, indeed,” he said. “I would have a hell of a lot of explaining to do, and I do not wish to get into a row with my father the night before a battle. Let me go first and you will give us about a half-hour before coming down yourself. I must tell him about us and I want to do it alone. In fact, I think I will climb out the window and come in through the front door just to be safe.”
With a twinkle of mirth in her eyes, Corisande sat up, pulling the coverlet over her chest to protect her modesty as Cole pulled on his breeches. She’d seen men half-dressed before, as patients she had tended in the course of her duties, but this was different. Cole was absolutely magnificent, muscular and powerful. It made her heart thump against her ribs simply to look upon him, to know that he was hers.
Truly hers.
She’d never felt so content or happy in her entire life.
She must have been gazing at him rather dreamily because he kept looking at her as he dressed, pulling on tunics and boots.
“What are you thinking?” he asked.
She shook herself out of her reflections. “I’m thinking how happy I am,” she said. “I’m sorry – I should offer to help you. Do you need help?”
He shook his head, able to pull on his mail coat. “Nay,” he said. “What I’m wearing now is simple. Tomorrow, however, it will be considerably more complicated.”
He may have been armed to the teeth, but he wasn’t wearing what he would normally wear on the field of battle as far as protection on his forearms, shoulders, and legs. As he’d said, he’d be carrying much more tomorrow. Corisande swung her legs over the side of the bed, still holding the coverlet up to shield her nakedness.
“Are you really going to jump out the window?” she asked.
In response, he went over to the window and peered out. They were on the side of the tavern, with a yard down below. It wasn’t too terribly high and he flung open the shutters wide.
“I am,” he said, going back over to the bed and giving her one last kiss. “Hurry and dress, please. Do not delay.”
“I won’t.”
He gave her a wink. “Good lass.”
He scooted back over to the window and sat on the sill, slinging his legs over the side. Wrapped up in the coverlet, Corisande stood up and started to come over to the window, but he hissed at her and waved her away.
“Are you mad?” he whispered loudly. “Do you want someone to see you?”
Stopped in her tracks, she shook her head, wide-eyed. Carefully, he lowered himself out of the window until he was dangling and then he let himself fall to the yard below. Throwing caution to the wind, Corisande scooted over to the window, closing the shutters, but not before she peeked out to see Cole brushing off his knees and straightening his tunic.
As he began to head out of the yard, she quickly bolted the shutters, tossed the coverlet on the bed, and began rushing around for her clothing. The moment she lifted her hands, however, she realized that she could smell Cole on her flesh. Sniffing her arms and hands, his scent was everywhere and her heart fluttered wildly.
His sweet, delicious musk.
For a moment, she stood there, nude, looking down at her body and remembering all of the delicious and wicked things he’d done to her. She was an inexperienced virgin, or at least she had been only a short while ago, but that didn’t stop lustful thoughts from claiming her as she thought of Cole’s body upon hers. Timidly, she touched her breasts, the nipples he’d seemed so fond of, and a jolt ran through her when she touched herself.
A jolt that ran right down through her loins.
Hesitantly, she put a hand down there, feeling the fluff of curls. It was also damp and sticky from their lovemaking. As much as she hated to wash away his scent, she also didn’t want to smell like a man because she didn’t want anyone to catch wind of a scent that did not belong to her. Therefore, she turned towards the cool bath water and quickly washed up.
She had a father to meet and she didn’t want to meet the man smelling of his son.
A son she loved with all her heart.
CHAPTER SEVENTEEN
“I was wondering where you were,” Jax said as Cole came towards the table he had commandeered in the crowded common room of the tavern. “I hope you do not mind that I’ve brought Julian. It is rare when I have two of my sons together, especially on a night before the battle.”
Cole eyed his younger brother as he sat at the table. He loved Julian, but he wasn’t happy to see the man. He had wanted to see his father alone.
“Nay, I do not mind that he is here,” he said, though he didn’t sound sincere. “But I have something I must speak with you about, Papa. I was hoping to do it in private.”
Jax’s smile faded. “That’s a coincidence,” he said. “I have something to tell you, too. Julian will hear of it, eventually, so I suppose it does not matter if he is here.”
Julian had a big cup of warmed wine, glancing between his father and brother, who were looking at him. His features twisted with frustration. “I will not speak,” he said. “I will not repeat anything I hear, I swear it. I think you know me better than that.”
It was true. Julian was most trustworthy. Cole finally shrugged and looked at his father. “What did you wish to tell me?”
Jax cleared his throat softly. “Do you not wish for wine and food first?”
“Nay,” he said. “Why? Is it terrible?”
Jax shrugged. “I suppose it will be disappointing, but it is not the end of the world.”
“What is it?”
Jax looked at him. “I saw Teviot tonight,” he said. “He spoke to me of Audrie.”
Cole put a hand up quickly. “Stop right there,” he said, interrupting his father. “That is exactly what I wanted to speak to you about.”