Part 17 (1/2)
I'm shaving the wretched thing off! Lock thought. And this is all my own fault. She was innocent. I corrupted her. Now I'm going to pay for it. The thought of her with another man was unbearable!
The yellow-haired slave gave Sparrow an inviting smile, and Lock thought of ways to kill him.
She moved past the man and continued down the line, stopping in front of Lock. She rested her hand against his chest, and he wondered if she felt his pounding heart.
”I guess I'll take this one.”
”But you have him every night!” Someone called from the crowd. ”Try another, Sparrow!”
”No.” She slid her hand under Lock's vest and ran her nails over his ribs. That single touch made his c.o.c.k leap in his trousers. She smiled. ”I'm attached to this one.”
”That wasn't funny,” Lock said.
”Had you worried, did I?”
”I hope you two plan on staying in the barn again,” Shea-Ann said as Lock took Sea Storm from her, ”because I have no intention of sleeping in a bed beside you if you plan on humping all night.”
”That's why we want to settle elsewhere,” Lock told her. ”Why don't you try finding yourself someone to hump, if any man will have you.”
”It would be the ride of his life, boy!” Shea-Ann hissed.
”Are you two ever going to get along?” Sparrow sighed.
”Not b.l.o.o.d.y likely,” Lock and Shea-Ann replied in unison. They exchanged an annoyed look.
”I have to go back to my work,” Shea-Ann said, poking a finger at Lock. ”And don't be bothering me anymore with nonsense.”
The healer headed back to the village square, leaving Lock and Sparrow to cool down Sea Storm with a walk over the meadows.
In the village square, Sparrow and Lock brought Sea Storm to the stable, rubbed him down, and left him to rest while they collected the prizes from the race. The fisherwoman allowed Sparrow to leave her winnings at her cart until the gathering ended.
Once they'd stacked the blankets, boots, and fruit next to a barrel of oysters, the couple bought a jug of cider from one of the carts and sat under a tree to drink it. Sparrow uncorked the jug and took a long swallow, then pa.s.sed it to Lock. She noted his eyes strayed to a group of children playing tag, and he smiled.
”This is a nice place for children to grow up,” he said. ”Not like SeaSpider Island.”
”Maybe if your mother hadn't treated you so badly.”
He shrugged and took another drink. ”More than likely her mother treated her the same. Life in the Archipelago is like trying to swim with chains on your feet. No matter how you struggle, you're going to sink.”
”Then maybe it's good you're not there anymore.”
”Maybe. I know it's good because I found you.” He placed a hand to the back of her neck and kissed her.
”Not even waiting until tonight, Sparrow?” the blacksmith called as she strode toward them and dropped onto the gra.s.s. ”Can't say I blame you. It's a wonder you're able to keep up with your farm work. He looks like he could keep a woman busy all night.”
”If you want a man so badly, why don't you find one of your own?”
”Can't be bothered with that.” The blacksmith waved her hand. ”Then you have to feed and clothe them. But, I suppose I could get plenty of work out of the right man. In my bed all night and in my stable all day...Might wear him out fast, though. Are you sure you don't want to rent this one for a night? I wouldn't let him get away. I've got some good, strong chains in my stable. He'd be a sight, bound to my wall.”
Sparrow stood. ”Come with me, Lock.”
The blacksmith chuckled. ”I think he liked my idea, Sparrow. I saw a glimmer in those demon eyes.”
”He always looks that way when he's plotting someone's death,” Sparrow said, grasping Lock's wrist and walking back to the village.
”That woman is disgusting!” Sparrow said.
He smirked. ”She wants my body. Can't blame her for that.”
”And you are incorrigible! I don't want any woman getting your body except me!”
”Then why don't we go home and you can collect your prize before the hag-I mean Shea-Ann-finishes her rounds?”
Sparrow glanced at him, the cider making her head pleasantly dizzy. She noted he didn't seem affected in the least, but the G.o.ddess knew what he must have drank on that pirate s.h.i.+p of his.
”Why not?” she said. ”Few more sips of this, and I'll bed you right here.”
He slipped the jug from her hand. ”A few more sips of that, and you'll be too drunk to enjoy me.”
”You arrogant bull!” she snarled, grasping the front of his s.h.i.+rt. She bit his lower lip and licked it. ”Don't ever change, Lock.”
As they collected their belongings and Sea-Storm from the square, the sound of singing and music echoed through the village. The scent of bonfires and cooking food wafted on the air. Still, Sparrow couldn't wait to get home and make love with Lock.
While he saddled Sea-Storm and placed half the supplies on him, leaving the other half for Shea-Ann's mount, Sparrow leaned against a stall, her eyes raking his long legs and muscled arms. She approached, stumbled into the horse, and giggled.
”Good thing you didn't drink that stuff before the race.” Lock hoisted her onto the stallion and mounted behind her, taking the reins. ”You'd have gotten yourself killed for sure.”
”You're the one who flung me on the horse and forced me into the race!”
”And you had a great time, didn't you?”
She glanced over her shoulder at him and wrinkled her nose as she smiled. ”Yes, but I'm going to have a better time tonight.”
He shook his head, and though he didn't smile, she saw laughter in his eyes. ”If you don't fall into a drunken stupor before then. You didn't even drink that much, Sparrow.”
”I'm not drunk!” She reached behind her and grasped his c.o.c.k.
”Stop that, before we both fall off.”
She gave him a squeeze. ”Maybe I'm a little fuzzy-headed.”
”A little?”
”Um,” she leaned against him, her eyes slipping shut as the horse plodded toward home. She lazily stroked Sea Storm's neck. ”He's such a good horse, Lock. You did wonderfully training him.”
”You're the one who bought him from that sorry excuse for a horse trader.”