The Healer's Passion Read online

  “Just because they practice every day, that doesn’t make them good swordsmen. Besides, Lord Tancred hasn’t been in this time period very long, either.” And Rick was very, very good, though he didn’t want to boast.

  “Didn’t you hear him say he’d been in battle? What about you? How many real battles have you been in?”

  “I belong to the Western Martial Arts Coalition, where we recreate the same techniques used in medieval times.”

  “But when Hugh attacked you yesterday, he was able to stab you easily.”

  “I was distracted,” Rick protested. “I didn’t know the coward was going to attack.”

  “And do you think Kentar will be any more honorable?”

  “With all those witnesses, he’ll have to be careful. I’ll be careful, too. I’ll watch out for tricks. I’ll be prepared.”

  Her dark eyes sparking with anger, Téa shoved him. “Don’t you get it? You might die tomorrow.”

  Oh, so that’s what this was about. Unshed tears made her eyes sparkle. He folded her in his arms. “I’m not going to die, I promise.”

  She didn’t stiffen up, but didn’t return his embrace, either. “You can’t promise that.”

  He rubbed her back, trying to console her. “Duels don’t always lead to death, especially ones like this that are for sport.” He didn’t mention that people in these times often died of wounds sustained in duels. He didn’t plan to let that happen. “I won’t die.”

  She relaxed a little in his embrace. “But you still might lose…and then Kentar would get the amulet.”

  “Then I’ll just have to win, won’t I?”

  Her arms went around him then, and Rick’s heart leaped in his chest. He hugged her closer.

  “I’m scared, Rick.” she said softly. “This is a barbarous time. If you could see what I saw in the hospital today…” She shook her head on his chest. “It was horrible. I don’t want that to happen to you.”

  She was worried about him. Did that mean she still loved him? He lifted her chin with one finger and said gently, “Hey, I’ll be fine.” Then, because he couldn’t resist her cat-tilted eyes and sexy mouth, he kissed her softly.

  He wouldn’t have been surprised if she slugged him or kneed him in the groin, but Téa never did the expected. She kissed him back.

  His heart suddenly felt so full he feared it would explode. God, he’d missed this, missed her. Heady with her touch, he deepened the kiss hungrily, though he didn’t dare do more without encouragement from her.

  Téa matched his passion with her own, meeting him kiss for kiss, letting her hands roam his back, his waist, his butt. He grinned to himself. She’d always had a thing for his ass, though he didn’t understand why.

  Bolder now that she’d initiated the intimacy, Rick clasped one of her breasts. The bulky material got in the way, but he felt her breast peak and she made a needy little sound, then tugged at his clothes. The tunic and shirt came off easily, and she eagerly ran her hands through the hair on his chest.

  Rick closed his eyes as he held on to her hips. “I love it when you do that,” he said.

  “Me, too,” she whispered. “And when I do this.”

  She reached into his braies to clasp the length of him. He couldn’t help but moan. Good Lord, that felt so good. Selfishly, he reveled in the sensation for a few blissful moments as she fisted his cock and pumped slowly.

  “Wait, wait,” he said. He knew she was protected against pregnancy, but he had to reassure her. “I haven’t been with anyone since you. I’m clean.”

  “Me, too,” she said.

  That’s what he wanted to hear. And it wasn’t fair that he should have all the fun. Impatiently, he plucked at her clothes, wondering how the hell to get them off her. Together, they figured it out as they untied her girdle and hurriedly fought through the layers of clothing until she was nude before him.

  He inhaled, then almost forgot to exhale. She was so beautiful, her long dark hair waving in a cloud around her face and the flickering lamplight casting mysterious shifting shadows over the curves and valleys of her luscious form.

  He bent his head to one plump breast, taking the fullness of it into his mouth, and suckled as he plucked her other nipple with his fingers. She gasped with pleasure and held on to his head, her hands clenching and unclenching in his short hair. Her skin smelled deliciously of some delicate floral scent. Perfume or soap? He didn’t know and didn’t care.

  “Bed, bed,” she said urgently.

  They fell onto the mattress together and she reached once more for his braies, untying the drawstring and the laces that held his hose on. He kicked them off impatiently, wanting nothing between them any longer, not even air. He folded her in his arms once more, his cock hard against her stomach as he held on and thanked whatever gods were responsible for bringing her back to him.

  A sudden thought made him pull away, look down at her. “You’re not doing this because of the wine, are you?” He wouldn’t take advantage of her inebriation.

  “No, the cart jolted all of it out of me, I think,” she said. A curtain of hair covered one side of her face and she smiled up at him with kiss-swollen lips, looking like a wicked sex kitten. “I’m sober enough to know what I’m doing, that this is what I want. I want you.”

  Exactly what he needed to hear. Holding her with one arm, he smoothed her silky hair out of her face and lowered his lips to hers. He didn’t want this to be just about sex. He wanted her to regret ever leaving him, to fall in love with him all over again, to forge a connection so strong that it could never be broken. Rick kissed her slowly, thoroughly, then when she reached for his cock, he stopped her. “No, let me love you.”

  “Well, get on with it, then,” she said impatiently.

  He chuckled at this evidence of her need, then kissed his way slowly down her neck, over the curve of her breast to flick her turgid nipple with his tongue.

  “More,” she moaned, thrusting her hips toward him.

  He knew what she wanted and he took his time getting there, worshipping the curve of her waist with his mouth, the dip at her navel, then the sweet soft flesh at her thighs. Finally, when he judged she couldn’t stand the suspense any longer, he licked slowly into the warm liquid drenching her curls.

  Téa moaned and jumped. “Yes, oh, please,” she said.

  Finally, Rick gave her what she wanted, burying his face between her legs, finding her pleasure nub and swirling it with his tongue.

  Moans of pleasure escaped her lips, and after a few quick flicks of his tongue, her pelvis thrust forward and he felt her shudder begin. Hanging on tight, he rode the waves with her, never letting up, stoking her fires hotter until she cried out in completion, then sank back down to the mattress.

  Téa’s arms fell limply to her sides and he could tell he’d satisfied her totally, but she lifted her head as if it were a huge effort, and said, “You. Inside me. Now.”

  Grinning, Rick said, “Yes, ma’am.” That was one order he was glad to obey. He was as hard as a rocket-propelled grenade launcher and just as ready to explode. He slid up her body and straddled her.

  Gazing into her eyes, he sighed in relief when he saw that she wanted this as much as he did. With one quick thrust, he entered her, almost losing it when he felt her, hot and wet, enveloping his cock. More, he wanted more.

  Bracing himself on his elbows so he wouldn’t crush her, he thrust again, loving the slick, smooth slide, the way he filled her completely. When she rocked against him, the slow ride he’d planned turned faster, more urgent, until nothing and no one else existed in the world.

  He felt Téa quiver around him and, all too soon, the pressure build to a head. He couldn’t contain it anymore. It felt too good, it was too much. He buried himself deep inside her and exploded, waves of ecstasy surging through his body as she joined him in climaxing.

  He dropped beside her, spent, trying to recover, trying to get his brain functioning again.

  After a few moments, she said, “Wo
w. Just…wow.”

  Kissing her on top of the head, he gathered her into his arms and drew the bedding up over them.

  “Yeah.” Then after a few minutes of wondering, he asked, “What made you change your mind? Yesterday, you didn’t even want to come near me.”

  “After seeing you tonight, after hearing you talk about chivalry and what it means to you, I realized you are an honorable man, one who can be trusted.”

  Warmth spread through Rick and he sighed in satisfaction. Finally.

  Téa kissed his neck. “And when I realized you might die tomorrow and I might never see you again, I couldn’t stand not making love with you once more. Even though we can never be together permanently, at least we can still have fun together, right?”

  Something roiled in his gut. “We can’t be together permanently?” he repeated.

  “No,” she said, not meeting his eyes. “One of the reasons I left you is because I could see the toll deployments took on the soldiers around me. As a healer, I don’t think I could bear seeing someone I love go through that. The past couple of days brought it home to me—I can’t be with someone who makes his living in war.”

  He’d thought about getting out, but what else could he do? The only thing he knew was how to be a soldier. “But you work for the army,” he reminded her. How did she think she was going to avoid it?

  “This is my last assignment. I’ll be getting out when we get back, probably moving back home.” When he stayed silent, she ran her hand across his chest. “So…just fun until then, okay?”

  He didn’t know what to say. “Sure,” he said before the silence could drag on too long. For now. But that would never be enough for him, and he’d keep chipping away at her objections until she realized it, too.

  He had to stay alive to win her back.

  Téa jolted up out of a sound sleep. It took her a moment to understand where she was and what was going on, then she realized Rick was having a nightmare. His whole body stiff, he fought against the covers, his head jerking back and forth as he moaned, “No, no…”

  Téa knew it could be dangerous to touch him right now, so she slid out of bed and slipped on a linen shift against the cool night air. “Rick,” she called. When he didn’t respond, she called his name louder and prodded the sole of his foot with her toe.

  That worked. He sat straight up in bed, still fighting the covers, and looked around wildly.

  “It’s okay, it’s okay,” she soothed. “You were having a nightmare.” When he calmed and nodded, she said, “Here, let me help you.”

  Somehow, in his tossing and turning, he’d managed to get all wound up. Together, they untangled the sheets, and Téa laid back down beside him, cuddling up for warmth.

  Rick hugged her firmly, releasing a shuddering sigh.

  “Are you okay?” she asked.

  He nodded mutely, and loosened his grip.

  “Want to talk about it?”

  “No.”

  That sounded final, but that had never stopped Téa before. “Was the nightmare about the war?”

  “Yes.”

  “Is this a recurring nightmare?” She thought she knew the answer, but wanted confirmation. Why had he kept it hidden from her?

  Rick let go of her and rolled onto his back. “Yes, doctor, it is.”

  Sarcasm wouldn’t stop her, either. “Come on, Rick, you know my specialty is helping soldiers deal with the stress of the war. Let me help you.”

  “I’ll pass.”

  She wanted to punch him, but since that wouldn’t help, she tried logic instead. “How is this any different than healing your shoulder?”

  “Because you weren’t messing with my mind then.”

  “And I wouldn’t be now, either.” She scooted closer so she could capture his gaze with hers. “I don’t actually get into your mind. I simply find the negative energies surrounding you and release them so they won’t affect you any longer.” When he stubbornly refused to respond, she asked, “What? Are you a coward?”

  He rolled his eyes. “Don’t be ridiculous. And that kind of thing won’t work on me, doctor.”

  “Then what will?”

  “Sex,” he said, grinning. “Want to try a little sex therapy on me?”

  He reached for her, but she pulled away. “No, and changing the subject won’t work on me.” She sighed. “Rick, I really want to do this for you. It won’t hurt, it’ll get rid of the nightmares and it will leave you more clearheaded for the duel.” She paused, then added, “Please? Do this for me?”

  Téa didn’t like playing that card, but knew it was probably the only way to convince him. Sure, she could wait until he was asleep and heal him, anyway, but she much preferred to have his agreement.

  He sighed. “Okay, I can tell you’re not going to give up until you have your way. Go ahead.”

  Good. She’d feel much better about his chances for survival this way. She sat up and moved to kneel beside him.

  “What do you want me to do?” Rick asked warily.

  “Nothing. Just close your eyes and relax.”

  “Okay, you’re the doc.”

  He closed his eyes and Téa calmed her jangled nerves and held her palms together, as if in prayer, calling the ki to her. When she felt ready, she slowly skimmed her hands a few inches above his body, sweeping them from head to toe. His crown, heart and root chakras showed serious energy blockages.

  Concentrating above each area, she soothed the knotted strands, encouraging them to open up and relax, shooing away the negative energies. When she was done, she said, “How do you feel?”

  “Good. Really good,” he said. “Though how will I know if it worked?”

  She settled more comfortably beside him. “Tell me about the nightmare, see if it still holds the same power it did before.”

  Rick hesitated, then said, “The nightmare is always about that last firefight in Iraq, just before we came home.”

  “Why that particular one?” she asked, slipping her hand into his.

  “Because it was the worst one we’d ever been in.” He paused for a few moments, then said softly, “It was night. My team took shelter in some bombed-out buildings, but we couldn’t get away because we were pinned down by enemy fire.” When he paused again, she squeezed his hand, encouraging him to go on.

  He continued in a low voice that made it sound all the more horrible. “Machine-gun rounds came from every direction. Tracers and explosions lit the night, blinding us. I couldn’t find everyone, couldn’t figure out what was going on.”

  His whispered description chilled her. “How did you feel?” she asked.

  “How do you think? Scared shitless, adrenaline screaming through my body, pissed off.”

  “Why were you angry?” Téa asked, sensing that was the key.

  “Why do you think? Because they were shooting at my men.”

  “And…?” she asked gently, sending soothing ki energy to calm him.

  “And I couldn’t do a damned thing about it. Josephs was dead next to me, Conrad was bleeding to death and those stupid kids, Grant and Jameson, were—” He broke off, shaking his head.

  “Grant and Jameson were what?” Téa persisted, hoping she’d finally learn what had really happened.

  He shook his head and pinched the bridge of his nose. “I was ordered not to dicuss this, but the truth will be out soon enough. Do you promise not to repeat what I’m about to tell you?”

  “Of course.”

  He paused for a long moment, then said, “Grant and Jameson were…missing. Gone. While the rest of us were risking our lives, they’d gotten scared and run off.”

  “They went AWOL?” Téa asked incredulously.

  “Yeah. They came back later and pretended they’d run for help, but Buckley overheard them talking about deserting before that. They were real buddy-buddy, always did everything together.”

  “Desertion under fire—that’s punishable by death,” Téa said. What the hell had the soldiers been thinking?

&
nbsp; Rick nodded. “It can be, though it’s rarely used. We arrested them, and when we got back to the States, Buckley and I worked on proving it. No one believed in their innocence, so they made a suicide pact and found a way to die together.”

  He gazed up at her, eyes sad. “So, you see, they were no longer part of my team when they committed suicide, and I wasn’t around to know what they were doing or thinking. I didn’t know until afterward.”

  Her heart swelled for him and everything he’d been through. “Oh, Rick, I’m so sorry. I didn’t know.”

  He nodded. “No one did. They kept the arrests quiet until we could prove or disprove what happened. Just before we came here, we had the last piece of evidence to prove them guilty. The story will break soon.”

  She should have known she could trust in Rick. “I—I was wrong to blame you. I should have trusted you. I’m so sorry.”

  He patted her hand. “It’s okay. I understand. And you helped, a lot, by doing this Reiki thing. This is the first time I’ve been able to tell the story without—”

  He broke off, and Téa didn’t push for him to finish his sentence. “Good. Then let me help you some more so you can get to sleep. You have a big day ahead of you.”

  She placed her hands lightly on his head and, broadcasting healing ki, she urged him to relax, to sleep and let the energies work throughout what was left of the night.

  When she was done, Rick was sound asleep and she felt energized by her contact with the ki. She should have felt peace, as well, but how could she, after hearing about the horrors Rick had endured?

  Gazing down at him, Téa wished there was a way to convince him to leave the Special Forces and their constant deployments, but he was a slave to honor and duty. She couldn’t help but admire that in him, yet couldn’t bear the thought of sitting at home, worrying while he put his life in danger, while he spent his days fighting.

  Earlier, she’d wondered if she could make it work. Now she knew she couldn’t. It wouldn’t be good for her…or for him. Tomorrow would be bad enough. Could she wait day after day as he deployed to Iraq to hear if he was alive or dead?