THE RELUCTANT VIKING By Sandra Hill

Please him in bed! Little alarm bells went off in Ruby’s head. Ruby looked at him suspiciously. “As your wife?”

“Nay!” Thork exclaimed, then tried to soften his tone. “Why do you persist in this talk of weddings?”

“Then what?” An icy chill ran up her spine.

“Selik warned me that you would react thus,” Thork muttered in disgust.

“Selik! You discussed this with Selik? Exactly what are we talking about here?”

“A bedmate, pure and simple,” Thork blurted out. He saw the outrage on her face and quickly added, ” ‘Tis no disgrace in that, Ruby. I would treat you well, purchase you a home, fine clothing, jewelry, and you would be free to go when… when…” His words trailed off.

“When what?” she asked through anger-gritted teeth. “When you tire of me?”

The noncommittal expression on his face told her everything.

“You pond scum!” Ruby cried out miserably. “You egotistical, self-centered, male chauvinist pig!” Tears that she hadn’t realized were welling in her eyes streamed down her face. She turned jerkily and opened the door, wanting to escape Thork’s presence.

He followed her into the hallway, completely naked, the towel around his waist having come loose. A drunken ealdorman asked with a slur, “Need any help, young man? I have a whip in my room if the maid be too much for you.”

Thork ignored him and pulled Ruby back into the room. “Take off your clothes and get in the tub,” he demanded angrily. “More than enough have I had with words. I have coddled you for weeks and put up with more foolery than any man should. Enough! Promises aplenty you have made, and my reckoning time is more than due.”

“No!” She pulled herself out of his grasp.

“Then I will do it for you.”

Ruby backed away from him, and he stalked her around the tub toward the other side of the room. The bed separated them but not for long. Thork leapt over it and pinned her against the wall with her arms above her head, his hips against her stomach.

Laughing, enjoying the lusty pursuit, he informed her, “You can take the dress off yourself, or I will rip it off in shreds.” When she stubbornly refused, he transferred both her wrists to his right hand and placed his left hand in the neckline of the silk dress. With one swift movement, he tore it from neck to hem. Then he did the same with the underchemise.

Spreading both garments apart, he feasted his eyes on her small, firm breasts which strained the thin fabric of her black lace bra, then on the triangle of her femininity which hid behind her black silk panties. Easing the straps off both shoulders of her struggling body, he picked her up and threw her facedown on the bed, almost smothering her in the deep coverlet. He cursed as he struggled to unsnap her bra in back, finally succeeding. Then he flipped her over roughly and slipped off her panties and leather shoes.

Sitting on her waist, holding her hands pinioned above her head on the bed, he inquired smoothly, “Now will you take a bath, or must I wash every inch of your body for you?”

The tears streaming down her face didn’t move him at all. Ruby nodded her acquiescence.

Thork dumped four bucketfuls of bath water out of the glassless window, uncaring of who might be walking below, and added four clean buckets to the tub. Allowing her no modesty whatsoever, Thork watched her with smoldering eyes as she walked sullenly to the tub and slid into it up to her neck.

“Make haste. I will not wait all night,” Thork warned in a low, primitive voice.

Ruby pursed her mouth sulkily but did as he asked.

Sitting in a chair which he pulled closer to the tub, Thork sat watching her languidly, heavy-lidded, like a large cat anticipating a tasty meal. His naked body stretched out immodestly.

“Your hair grows longer,” he commented. “How long would it take to reach your shoulder blades?”

Ruby shrugged. “A year.” Then she added snidely, “Do you think you will have tired of me by then?”

Thork smiled, refusing to rise to her bait. “Mayhap.”