“It will be nice to have another woman on the journey,” Allyson offered. “I get bored listening to them discussing swords and training. It gets auld quickly.”
“And I shall appreciate having someone else to speak to other than my maid, who is sure to remind me often of how little she cares to ride. Fortunately for us, her brother is one of my guards. He’ll keep her quiet since we ride with people outside our clan.” Cairstine paused for a moment. “On second thought, if I travel with you, I have no need for a maid.” She grinned, but she was nervous that Allyson wouldn’t return the sentiment. She breathed easier when Allyson did.
“When we get beyond the city, I say we race. Ewan will have my hide, but he hasn’t allowed me to go for a proper gallop since we returned here from Redheugh. He worries like an auld woman, and it makes life dull,” Allyson leaned toward Cairstine to conspire. “And I suspect you are not at all what you seem. Eoin is one of the best judges of character I know, and he has accepted you. Whatever your reasons are for how you acted, I need not know.”
“Thank you, Lady Allyson. That means a great deal to me.”
“Just Allyson. We will become fast friends or heated enemies after a sennight traveling together. I would prefer we start out as the former.”
“Agreed. And it’s Cairstine.”
The women smiled before Eoin escorted Cairstine back to her horse and helped her mount. Cairstine realized much of her trepidation at beginning a new phase eased with the Gordons’ company. They were a distraction from fearing the unknown. She and Allyson spurred their horses into a gallop as soon as they reached the city limits, much to the dismay of the twins and the humor of Laird Gordon.
Chapter Eight
Eoin watched Cairstine as she rode beside Allyson. His heart had flown into his throat when the two women took off, barreling along the road outside of Stirling. They’d egged each other on as they both took jumps that made even Eoin’s stomach flip. They sprinted down hills, making Eoin fear they would fly over their horses’ heads. He could hear his father’s laughter fading behind him as he and Ewan chased the daredevil women. Allyson and Cairstine reined in as they waited for the twins to catch up. Allyson yelped when Ewan pulled her off her horse and marched them into the treeline. Eoin was only slightly less forceful when he lifted Cairstine down.
“Don’t. Don’t say aught, Cairrie. I don’t want to hear it,” Eoin pulled Cairstine along behind him as he found their own spot within the trees. “What the devil were you thinking?” He demanded once they were out of earshot of his brother, and his father and guardsmen who approached.
“Allyson and I were having a little fun. We didn’t do aught wrong. You’re overreacting, Eoin.”
“Overreacting?” Eoin barked. He pulled Cairstine into his arms, his mouth crashing down onto hers. Stunned, Cairstine froze, but the feel of Eoin’s muscular body pressed against hers made her relax. She opened to him and moaned as his tongue swept inside her mouth. The feel was decadent as his hands cupped her jaw. When her arms slipped around his neck, he ran his hands over her back and ribs. To Cairstine, it felt more like he was checking her for injury than to seduce her. Their kiss grew more heated when Eoin’s search convinced him that Cairstine hadn’t harmed herself during her mad dash. He backed them toward a tree, and when Cairstine’s back pressed against it, his hands slid to her backside, gripping it and pulling her against his arousal. He felt the moment Cairstine panicked.
Cairstine was lost in a world comprised of only Eoin and her. The feel of his kiss was drugging her as his hands gently explored her, and she sensed it was worry that drove him to touch her. But when his hardened length pressed against her mons, the moment of need and lust transformed into uncontrollable fear. She pushed against Eoin’s chest and fought to break free. She stumbled at how quickly Eoin released her and stepped away. He caught her elbows, but she jerked away.
“Cairrie, I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to frighten you. I’m sorry.”
The haze cleared from her mind, and she found fear of a different sort in Eoin’s eyes. He feared that he’d hurt her, traumatized her, and she had a moment of regret for her visceral reaction.
“It’s all right, Eoin. I—I—it was my turn to overreact,” she finished lamely.
“I don’t know what came over me,” Eoin shook his head before running his hand through his hair. “You terrified me when you raced Allyson, and I was so relieved that you were safe. I—I—” It was his turn to stutter. He didn’t have an explanation for why he’d kissed her. It was an overpowering need that he’d given into. And his lack of restraint ruined the moment.
“I’ve ridden like that most of my life. It drives Bram to drink, or so he says, but he’s used to it now. Perhaps I should have warned you before we took off. I figured you and Ewan already knew Allyson could ride like that, but—” Cairstine leaned around Eoin to peer into the distance. Allyson and Ewan were barely visible, but she could tell they were locked in their own passionate embrace. “You had no way of knowing that I ride like that. Even yesterday’s chase wasn’t that pell-mell. A warning would have been the courteous option.”
“Or not riding like you intend to break your neck might be better.” Between the breeze and his hands running through it, Eoin’s hair stuck out in various directions. Cairstine giggled as she reached out to flatten it. The sound of her laughter soothed Eoin’s frazzled nerves before he tucked hair behind her ears.
“There’s a difference between having fun and needless recklessness, Cairrie. Maybe if you were at Freuchie where you must know every inch of the land, riding like that would be fine. But there are too many unknown dangers here. You shouldn’t have gotten that far ahead of your guard. You could have been attacked, then taken or dead, before any of us got to you.”
“I didn’t mean to upset you so much. It was thoughtless of me, and I’m sorry. And you didn’t frighten me.” Cairstine and Eoin both knew it was a lie.
“I did.” Eoin searched Cairstine’s eyes for a silent explanation, but none was clear. “Someone hurt you. I don’t know how long ago, but I know someone did. I don’t want you to ever fear that I will take advantage of you. I’ll never force you to do aught.”
Cairstine swallowed and nodded. Eoin decided saying any more would push Cairstine too far, so he slid his hand into hers and led them toward the horses. Just before they reached the road, Cairstine stopped and turned toward Eoin.
“Why did you call me Cairrie?”
“I did?” Eoin’s brow furrowed. “I hadn’t realized that I did.”
“You did it thrice. No one calls me that. My sister and friends at home call me Cair but never Cairrie.”
“I shouldn’t have taken such liberties. I owe you another apology.”
“You don’t. I like it; I’m just not used to it.” Cairstine’s smile was shy as she tilted her head back once again to look Eoin in the eye. “You’ve very tall.” Cairstine clapped her mouth shut, chastising herself for sounding like a hen-wit.
“I am. Or perhaps you’re just very short,” Eoin’s grin eased the last of the tension between them.
* * *
