Her breath hitched in her throat, and Megan staggered backward, cheeks flaming.
“Well, I’d rather ye didnae!” she shouted, swiping at her face as though his touch had left a mark.
“Well, if I do,” Ryder shot back, beginning to pare his nails again, “ye had better nae blush so fiercely. Ye cannae be turnin’ red every time I look at ye. Although that might help our story,” he added thoughtfully.
“I daenaeblush whenever ye look at me!” Megan snapped, spitting out that dreadful wordblush. She tried to calm herself, pretending that she was sighting along an arrow.
I can calm me mind when I have a bow in me hand and a target in me sights. Why can’t I calm it when I’m around this man?
Ryder snorted, shaking his head. “Oh, but ye do, lassie. Ye blush as red as a sunset. Don’t fret, it’s very pretty, but ye are giving away yer emotions a wee bit more than is good for ye. Now, do we have a deal?”
He took a step forward, lifting his eyebrows, and extended a hand. Megan stared down at his hand. It was a rough hand, a workman’s hand. She saw calluses on the palm and fingers that came from many years of swinging a sword, or perhaps an axe. It struck her then that his hand was probably at least twice as big as hers. No, that was ridiculous.
Da, Ma, let me be doin’ the right thing,she prayed briefly, and then took his hand in hers.
His grip was strong, firm, but not too tight. His palm was warm and dry, and he grinned when his fingers folded over hers.
“We have a deal, then,” Ryder murmured, his voice low and faintly amused. Fast as lightning, his free hand darted forward, grabbing at Da’s book. She gave a yelp of anger, but he only clicked his tongue in remonstrance, tucking the book away out of sight.
“For three months at least, Megan Blackwood, ye belong to me. Ye are, to all intents and purposes, me betrothed. In the meantime, I’ll hold on to this book. Just in case ye think of sneakin’ away before the work is done.”
She felt herself blushing again. What an awful thing it was, blushing so fiercely. She snatched her hand back.
“I am yer sister’s guard,” she corrected. “I am naeyers, in any sense of the word.”
He only chuckled again, making that tingling sensation gather in her chest once more. “We shall see, lassie. We shall see.”
CHAPTER 5
A demanding knocksounded on the door, making Megan flinch.
“Who is it?” Ryder snapped, looking none too pleased at the interruption.
The doorknob twisted, and the door began to creak open. Megan was just wondering who would be so bold as to stride straight into their laird’s study withoutexpressinvitation when a little girl peeped around the door.
“Ry, Alaina willnae play with me,” she complained, pushing out her lower lip. “It’s nae fair! Ye must tell her.”
She blinked, noticing Megan for the first time. This seemed to interest her more than her current problems. She stepped inside properly, eyeing Megan with unconcealed interest.
“Who are ye, then?” the little girl inquired.
“I am Megan,” she answered.
This seemed to satisfy the child. She appeared to be about seven years old, with long, light brown hair tangled in knots. She had a small, round face with a nose that turned up slightly, making her look a bit like a mouse. It was very charming. A pair of peat-brown eyes glinted with curiosity as she looked out at the world.
“Ry, are ye goin’ to tell Alaina to play with me? I’m bored, and she told me she was busy. She isnaebusy,” the girl added, with a clear tone of outrage. “It is nae fair.”
Ryder heaved a sigh, leaning back against his desk and folding his arms tight across his chest.
“Megan, this is me youngest sister, Sophie. As far as I ken, nobody wants to kidnapher. I’m fairly sure that if they tried, they’d bring her straight back.”
Megan bit back a snort at this. Sophie nodded proudly and turned back to her with inquisitive eyes.
“Have ye got sisters? Didtheyplay with ye?”
“Aye, I suppose so,” Megan managed, somewhat taken aback. “I was the second youngest, but I imagine I didnae give them their privacy as often as I should have.”
Sophie sniffed disdainfully, showing clearly what she thought aboutprivacy.
