Prince of Desire Read Free

working at the tavern, she had never feared living alone. In one night, that had changed. It would always be in the back of her mind that someone could lay in wait for her, and it would give Mr. and Mrs. MacDonald more reason to push her to move into town.
    At least if she lived over the tavern she would have the MacDonalds to talk to, which just might save her sanity. But, in truth, she didn't wish to live over the tavern. She liked her home. Mostly because it was the only home she had ever known, but also because she had known love within its walls.  
    Her grandparents had given her all they had and worried endlessly of what would become of her once they were gone. Isabelle had never fretted much, thinking she had plenty of time before she had such a decision to make. And then the fever struck and taken her grandparents within days of each other.
    They reached her cottage, and as always, she felt a pang at finding no candle burning in the window waiting for her as her grandmother had used to do.   Darkness, stillness awaited her.   A tremor of something profound and intense ran through her as she found Lucian staring at her.
    Before she could dismount, he was there to help her. He set her on her feet and his hands lingered a heartbeat before he took a step back.   Isabelle drew in a shaky breath at his nearness. She tried to see more of his face, but, with his back to the moon, only shadows met her gaze.
    By the way he patiently waited, she knew he wanted something. “Would you like to water your horse?”  
    He shook his head.
    “Do you need oats for your mount?”
    Again, he shook his head.
    She wasn't about to ask him to come inside. Regardless of the fact he had saved her life, he was a stranger, dangerous and unknown to her.  
    “Then what is it you need?” she asked, trying to keep the agitation from her voice.
    “Your name.”
    She swallowed. It was a small thing he asked, but for some reason, she wasn't sure she wanted him to know. She glanced at the ground between them before raising her eyes back to him.   Though his gaze was hidden in the shadows, she felt it on her, warm and penetrating.   She caught a glimpse of a strong jaw and square chin, but that’s all the moonlight allowed her to see.
    How could she couldn’t deny him such a simple request.   And she feared what else he might ask of her, because apparently she couldn’t tell him no.
    “Isabelle.”
    “A beautiful name for a beautiful woman.”
    “Would you like to come in for some tea?” She couldn't believe the words even as they left her mouth. Hadn't she just told herself she wasn't going to invite him in? Yet, here she was doing just that.
    Excitement. Admit you want it.
    A smile pulled at his lips, and she had the urge to see what he looked like in the light of day.
    “Another time,” he answered, his deep timbre raising chills along her skin. “Until next we meet,” he said and vaulted onto his mount.
    Isabelle bit her lip as she watched him ride away. She didn't understand why she wished he had stayed.
    “He's a stranger,” she murmured as she walked into her dark cottage.
    But an exciting stranger.

 
     
    Chapter Two
     
     
    Lucian ground his teeth together. It had taken every ounce of control he had to walk away from Isabelle last eve. He had wanted to stay and tell her everything, but that would have frightened her off. She had already been afraid after her attack, and it was because of that attack that he was once more hiding in the shadows.
    Watching her.
    Desiring her.
    Craving her.
    His body knew she was the one, the other half of his soul.   He ached to pull her into his arms and kiss her.   The small touches he’d stolen while putting her on Elad and helping her dismount hadn’t been nearly enough.
    Nay, they’d only fanned the flames of his desire until he burned, blazed…smoldered with it.
    He spent the day tracking the men who had attacked her to make sure they were no longer in the village. After that