Free A Storm of Pleasure by Terri Brisbin

meet his gaze, staring instead at the floor as Harald escorted her in. Although Gavin had no skills in reading faces, Harald’s glare told him much. Possession sat deep in his expression. And jealousy and anger. Though they never touched each other as they walked or stood waiting, even Gavin could feel the ties between them.
    Gavin looked from one to the other, and then Haakon said something to both of them. Harald glared at him but nodded and turned to leave. Then he paused and took Katla’s hand and spoke to her. Damn! Gavin could not hear the words, but she trembled when he finished and nodded. Now, she would not look up at him.
    “Katla,” he said.
    She startled and said something, but Haakon interrupted before he could make another mistake. When she did glance up at him, he read the fear in her eyes and hated it.
    “Do you fear him or me?” he asked.
    She looked toward the door through which Harald had just left and shook her head in reply.
    “Do you fear me then?” he asked, hoping he was not the cause for the distraught expression on her face now.
    She glanced up for a moment and then down at her hands, which were clasped before her. Then she shook her head again.
    “Haakon, leave us,” he ordered. The servant did as he was told, and within a minute they were alone.
    “Do you fear what will happen between us? Did you dislike being with me?”
    He was not sure why he asked the question when he could not hear the answer, but he waited for something, a sign from her that it was not him or what they had shared that frightened her. He had heard the sounds of her body as it peaked with his and thought she had enjoyed it, but he could not be sure.
    It seemed like an eternity passed before she responded in any way. Then he saw a blush creep up her face and, with the tip of her tongue, she licked her lips. His erect cock throbbed in his trews as he stood and walked the few paces to where she waited.
    Her eyes met his and she smiled then, just a slight uplifting at the corners of her mouth, but it was enough for him. Gavin felt his whole body ready itself as he held his hand out to her. The musky scent of his arousal began to spread and he noticed that her eyes glazed over for a moment, then brightened once more.
    She would not be bent to his will like the others. He wanted it to be her choice. Anticipation sang through his veins and his heart raced in excitement.
    The voices in his head also surged then, too many at once for him to listen to, distracting him from her. Gavin forgot for a moment that only he heard them.
    “Leave me alone!” he shouted. “Give me some peace!”
    To his horror, Katla flinched and backed away from him. She was turning when he realized what he’d said. He reached for her, grasping her arm and tugging her back to face him. In what he hoped would be a whisper, he pleaded with her.
    “Katla, I did not mean you. Stay with me this night.”
    Then, two voices pushed forward, screaming out the same words at him: Do not hurt her! The voices were so clear, he was sure the speakers stood right behind him.
    Gavin clenched his head in his hands and turned to face those who would think him capable of doing so. “I will not hurt her! Now leave me be!”
    No one stood nearby.
    Gavin closed his eyes, mortified at the insane display she’d witnessed. How could he explain it to her? Should he even try?
    The touch of her hand on his back surprised him. He turned and found her close by. Her mouth moved but he heard nothing. Hel! But when she stroked his arm in a gesture that could only be described as comforting, his heart dared to hope that she could be trusted with the worst about him.
    “Are you unwell?” Katla asked.
    She noticed that he watched her mouth as she spoke but did not answer her. Mayhap he was still caught up in whatever had controlled him during the ceremony three days ago?
    She did what she felt she should, what she’d wanted to do when he looked so vulnerable as the power entered