The blanket was soft beneath me, cushioned underneath with grasses. I lay back, and watched as he removed the stiff leather armor, stripping down the under-padding, leaving him in only his trous. My breath quickened as I watched him, and he knew it too, if the occasional flash of his blue eyes in my direction was any indication.

With wonderful grace he settled on the blanket next to me. “Oh?” I arched an eyebrow at him. “And what important task would that be?”

He gave me a knowing smile, and leaned closer, reaching out to pull me in to his body. I yielded willingly, loving the feeling of being wrapped in his strength. Ken-nuzzled my ear, and whispered softly. “One that requires my complete attention.”

His free hand worked its way under my tunic to stroke my waist. I caught my breath at his touch, shivering with need and anticipation. The alders danced over his head, the pattern of shadow and light all around us. Somehow all my miseries disappeared when I was in his arms. It all seemed clearer, easier. Perfect.

Keir moved his hands up my back, claiming a soft, warm kiss that went on and on. He sat us up, and it was only when my breastband was pulled over my head that I realized he’d left me with naught but my trous. I shivered, and Keir wrapped me in his arms again, easing me back down on the blanket, and I welcomed him into my arms, letting my hands explore those broad shoulders.

His skin was spicy and warm, and I nuzzled him behind his ear as his hands gently stroked my shoulders, stopping to hover over my upper arm. I pulled back and watched as his fingers traced the two pale scars that lay there. His voice was a soft rumble in my ear. “These are well?”

“Yes.” The scars were from an attack that had come at my brother’s behest. They would fade in time, but the memory would take longer for both of us. Mine, for the fear of the moment, Keir’s for the guilt he felt, that I’d been hurt. I reached up to stroke his face, letting my fingers run through his hair.

“And your feet?”

“They’re fine.” I gave him a look as his fingers drifted down to the waist of my trous. “If we’re to bathe, Warlord, why are we lying on this blanket?”

He tilted his head, smirking slightly. “Well, we need to get dirty first, don’t we?”

I laughed. “Dirty?”

His hands moved again, burning the skin of my breast with his touch. “Perhaps ‘sticky’ is a better word?” He grinned at me then, his entire face lighting up.

I smiled back, pulled his head down, and kissed him. He responded, and within moments the alders, the sun, and the world around us melted away. All of my senses were wrapped in him, focused on the feel of his skin against mine.

His fingers drifted back down, under my trous to stroke the curve of my hip. I moved my hands to trail them up over his arm to rest on his shoulder. His eyes were half-closed and he nuzzled my neck, leaving soft kisses along my throat, down to the juncture of my breasts. His tongue traced the under curve, taking my very breath.

“Keir,” I whispered, afraid to say more, wanting him to continue. As swift as I could wish, our trous were gone, and his legs were entangled with mine. I ran my foot up his leg, scraping the skin with my toenails. He groaned, then caught my leg in his large hand, pulling it up and over his thigh. But still he teased, denying me the contact I craved.

Instead, he moved his hand to stroke me deep within, responding to my movements and cries to insure my joy. I’d heard tales, of course, of men who took their pleasure and gave nothing in return. But to my lover, my bliss was as important as his own. Goddess knew, Keir was adept, and I tried not to think about how he’d learned those skills. Each time we loved, he proved that the hands that wielded a deadly blade could dance over my body, leaving me breathless and ready for more. This time was no different, as I cried out, grabbing at his arms as I exploded into pure pleasure.

As I returned to sanity, he rolled onto his back, taking me with him, sprawled over his body like a blanket. Now it was my turn, to touch and to tease, using his teachings against him. He let me explore with a will, allowed and encouraged my tentative touches. I knew the male body as a healer, but it was an entirely different thing to watch it respond as a lover. I tried to return the courtesy, letting his moans and movements lead me to bolder and stronger actions. My savage Warlord gasped and trembled beneath me, and that trust wrapped around my heart.

So we loved, under the shelter of the alders, skin sun-touched and shadow-dappled. And when Keir came into me, it was more than our physical bodies joining. It was our hearts and minds caught in a precious moment of shared passion. For an instant, Keir and I were one with each other and the elements that surrounded us, filled with light and joy. It left us gasping for breath, clinging to one another, and, well… sticky.

The sun moved quite a bit before we actually entered the water. Keir extended a hand to help me walk barefoot into the pond. The water was cold at first, but it warmed as we went deeper, to stand in water up to our waists.

Keir dived in, disappearing from view. I waited to see where he would surface, but I didn’t see him come up. Just as I grew concerned, I felt something grasp my ankle. Before I could cry out, Keir surfaced before me, laughing and breathless.

“Keir!” I exclaimed, wiping the water from my face, laughing in spite of myself.

He chuckled, and strode back to the shore, returning to hand me one of the precious bars of vanilla scented soap. I thanked him, and started to lather my hands.

Keir moved closer, water streaming down his body. “Let me help you with that.”

I cast him a sly glance. “Seems only fair, since you’re the one that got me sticky.” He reached for me, but I pulled back. “But if you help me, we will never get out of the water.”

He quirked his mouth. “I fail to see the problem, Warprize.”

I laughed, and he caught me, kissing me soundly. I let my soapy hands trail over his chest. He took the soap, and soon we were laughing breathlessly as we teased each other both above and below the water.

Finally, he growled low, and pulled me toward him for a hard kiss. “Know what is even better than this, Lara?”

I kissed his nose. “What?”

“Food.” He released me and headed for the shore, looking back over his shoulder with a wicked grin as I laughed.

I plunged deep into the cool water determined to get every inch of my skin and hair squeaky clean. Bathing from a bucket in a tiny tent is no easy task. Of course, the Firelanders all just jumped nude in the water, any water they could find, every chance they got, and washed each other. Maybe if I bathed under the bells? I broke the surface of the water, laughing at the idea of waterlogged bells.

Even as I washed my hair, I cast several glances Keir’s way. Firelanders have no real understanding of modesty, and while it embarrasses me, there are times when I can appreciate its benefits. Keir was letting the sun dry his skin, not bothering to dress. The light through the leaves played over his strong back, and distracted me from my chore. I watched as he dug parcels out of the saddle bags, and laid them on the blanket. I returned to the task of rinsing my unruly locks. I didn’t really pay any attention to what he was doing until I got a whiff of a familiar odor.

I was twisting my hair, trying to wring as much water out as possible. “Keir? Do I smell bread?”

“Come and see,” he called. He was standing by the shore, with a spare blanket and drying cloth. I splashed through the water to the bank, shivering in the air that now felt cold. He wrapped me in the blanket, stole a quick kiss, and then carried me over to the ‘nest’ he had prepared.

“It is bread,” I breathed, as I settled on the blanket. I took the drying cloth and wrapped it around my hair. “Where in—”