FATE MEETING

Instead of a splash, her skin prickles in a way it hasn’t done in a long time and my ears filled with a loud curse. I turned to see a man standing waist-deep in the sea, rubbing at his cheek. Which I’d struck with the fish.“Was the fish hurt?” I asked, thinking I’d murdered it in my haste to save it.

      “Did it swim away?” The man ceased massaging his face and gave me an unbelieving stare. “What about me?” I stopped looking for the fish and gave him a closer look, my face instantly heated.

I feel a strange attraction to the man.Even with an impact-reddened cheek, he was dangerously handsome. Tall and broad of shoulder, he appeared to be only a few years older than my twenty years.

His black hair was shaved on the sides, the rest pulled back in a short tail behind his tattooed skull. He was all high cheekbones and carved lines, and while most guys wore beards, he bore scars of not shaving for several days.

He wore no shirt, and water flowed down a nude torso corded with thick muscle, his sun-darkened skin etched with dozens of inky tattoos. A warrior, obviously, and even without a weapon I sensed he was a considerable threat. 

     Realizing that I hadn’t responded, I crossed my arms. “What sort of fool swims in the sea when the ice has just broken up? Are you attempting to freeze to death?” To drive my point, I jerked my chin at the large chunk of ice floating past him.

“That is not much of an apology.” He ignored the ice and proceed closer to the water’s edge. “And it seems I’m more at risk from flying fish than freezing.” I took a careful step back, knowing his mild accent.

It was odd for the Ironclaw Dominion of the Northern region to raid this early in the spring, but not impossible, and I looked up and down the sea, seeking ships and warriors, but the water was empty.

I’m not a raider if that’s your concern.” He paused knee-deep in the water, his teeth bared in an amused grin. “Only a man in need of a bath.” “So you say.” You could be lying to me. Distracting me as your pack move on my pack to kill and pillage.”

He winced.  fine. You have caught me . I tensed, ready to yell a warning to everyone within earshot, when he proceeded, “My packmates said to me, ‘You are not such a good fighter but you are very good-looking, so your task is to swim across the sea to flirt with the beautiful woman throwing fish. With her preoccupied, we will be safe to attack.’ ” He sighed. “It was my sole task, and I have failed miserably.”

My cheeks reddened, of course, you failed. You have as little ability for flirting as you do for fighting.” He tilted back his head and chuckled, the sound deep and rich, and despite all my plans to remain on guard and watchful, a smile found its way onto my lips. Gods, but he was gorgeous.

You aim  well with words as you do with fish, woman,” he said, his shoulders still shaking with merriment as he walked out of the water, drenched jeans clinging to the tight muscle of his legs and arse.

I am so wounded, I must remain on this side of the sea forever, as my pack will never take me back.” This close, I had an understanding of just how huge he was ,I should order him to leave, for I am mated  but instead, I looked him up and down.

What makes you think I wish to keep you? You cannot fight. You cannot flirt. You cannot even catch fish when they are thrown directly at you.” He pushed a palm to the tight muscles of his stomach, appearing to double over as he gasped, “A mortal blow.”

Dropping to his knees before me, allow me to prove that I’m not entirely devoid of skills.”So I said, “What skills could you possibly have that I might be interested in?”

Better if I show you. I think you will not be disappointed.”My heart thundered against my ribs. This was wrong, but a selfish streak within me didn’t care. Wanted merely to kiss this handsome, stranger with no thought about consequences.

I swallowed hard, pushed away the throbbing, hungry longing demanding, rather l extend out a hand, dragging him to his feet. His palms were calloused and the backs of his hands scarred in a way that belied his assertion that he was no fighter.

Wherever you come from, the women must be either desperate or foolish to fall for such nonsense. Be on your way.” I strained not to hold my breath as I waited for him to react to my rejection, but he merely tilted his head and remarked, “It seems you are neither desperate nor foolish, which some would say is my loss.

He lifted my hand, not seeming to care that it stink of fish as he kissed my knuckles. I must try harder, for you are a remarkable woman .The touch of his lips against my skin sent chills shooting through my body, my mind lost in the depths of those green eyes.

Letting go of my hand, he reached up to touch my face, thumb brushing across the line Carspey ’s knife had made on my cheek. “Where is your mate?”

What makes you think I’m mated? I demanded, but he merely turned and headed up the slope, toward a horse I hadn’t even been aware was tied to a tree.

He pulled on a shirt before staring back at me. Your ring. Now, where might I find him?” Instinctively I tucked my hand, which carried a plain gold band, under the folds of my skirts.

Why do you wish to know where he is? “Because I’m going to kill him. I’m going to make you a free woman so that you can bed me with no consequences,” he answered, tightening the girth before swinging onto the tall animal’s back.

“What other reason could there be?” My stomach sank. “You cannot!” “I am confident that I can.” He circled the horse around me. “You were right to say I am talented at flirting as I am at fighting, beautiful. I will make it short for the poor bastard’s sake, and then you’ll be free to chase your every desire.”

“You will not!” I gasped, despite Carspey ’s premature demise being one of my most regular daydreams. “I forbid it!” “Ah.” He circled me, Well, in that case, I will wait for him to fall victim to a flying fish.

There will be some justice in that.” Giving me a smile full of all sorts of promises, he walked down the beach. “Where are you going?” I shouted, still not fully clear whether he was kidding or serious, the real chance that he might actually be a raider emerging in my brain.

“Are you going to kill him?” Looking over his shoulder, he grinned. “Have you changed your mind about his existence?” Yes. I balled my hands into fists. “Of course not.” “A shame.” That was no answer, and I lifted my skirts, rushing after the horse.

Where are you going? What business have you in this pack?” “None,” he called. “But Alpha Orion does, and he’ll be wondering where I wandered off to.” I slide to a stop, every part of me yearning to drop to the ground, for my brother was one of the Alpha Orion’s warriors.

If he heard I have been flirting with this man…“You ride with Alpha Orion?” He winked at me. “Something like that.” Then he pushed his heels into his horse’s sides and rode down the beach at a run, leaving me staring in his wake.