She wouldn’t let him explain how he felt. What would he say? That he lusted after her? That he’d be slaking himself on her if given the opportunity. He would not tell her that.
“Well,” Sean stood and offered his hand. She didn’t take it. “I’m willing to look after ye and find yer brother.”
“What?” She finally faced him. “Nae!”
“I’m not about to leave ye unprotected, lass.” Sean’s gut tightened. Why he stepped right into the hornet’s nest was beyond him. “’Tis no problem despite what ye may think ye ken. We will locate yer brother.”
It was indeed a problem but Sean would not abandon her. She had guts. He admired that. Her father was a whoreson but her brother sounded decent. He’d track him down and then be on his way.
“What is yer brother’s name? Niall?”
“Yea.”
“Then we’ll find Niall.”
Besides she’d only get into more trouble on her own. Dark circles were etched under her eyes. Tears had left tracks down her dirty cheeks. Her hair was a rat’s nest. If he knew women at all, this lass would be appreciating a bath right now.
“Enough talk. I have the room.”
Thoughts of her in the bed with him were a bit much and he walked on ahead of her. Torn between walking behind her so no one else noticed the shapely arse of the young lad and walking ahead to work off some… energy, Sean led the way until near the opened wooden door of the establishment. The sounds inside were raucous and spilled out into the street.
“I canna go in there! That woman. She knows.”
“Ye can sneak in the back.” Sean winked at her.
Sean went around the building and found it as he expected, empty. No one saw to the cooking fire. Eating had shifted to drinking. That and fornication.
Thomasina followed at a distance. In the dim light cast by the moon, he waved his arm to draw her forward. He pulled her close to be certain she heard him. A mistake.
The top of her head came just to his chest. She leaned in to peer through the dimly lit room, touching him. She smelled delicious despite her unwashed state. He took her elbow making to steady her but he knew it was just to feel her beneath his fingers. He could easily span her narrow waist with both hands. The urge to pull her against him for a kiss increased with her nearness.
Sean forced his mind to focus. “See the stairs to the left?”
The steps were tucked into the far corner of the building.
“Yea.”
“When they’re not looking this way, cross over to the stairs. The room is right at the top.”
“Ye’ve been here before?”
The memory of the dark-haired woman faded now. She’d been insistent and Tadhg had encouraged Sean to see to his needs so she’d all but dragged him upstairs. Fighting the woman off had been a first for him. When Sean came down, he told Tadhg he’d declined her offer and wanted to wait to be wed to Brighit before slaking himself. Tadhg laughed as if he’d proposed some absurd possibility. If he could see him now all but panting for this lass dressed like a lad, he’d be doubled over with laughter.
“Aye. I came with others and we… well I avoided… yea, I’ve been here before.”
Thomasina’s heart raced at the very idea of trying to cross the room without being seen. She closed her eyes and took a deep breath. There was no other choice. Sean tried to help her and she had to trust him. She opened her eyes and looked up at him. His eyes were, again, assessing her. Perhaps trying to determine what she really looked like without a lad’s disguise.
His eyes pierced hers. Her breath hitched. The look of longing was there then quickly gone. Had she imagined it? He smiled. An innocent smile. A you’re-safe-with-me smile. So why was the intensity of his gaze making her feel lightheaded? Why was she wishing she were properly attired as a woman to see if that look of longing would return?
“Ye can wait here,” Sean said. “I’ll go in through the front and when they’re not looking, ye can go in.”
She nodded.
An owl hooted nearby. The clouds drifted in front of the moon. The woods a few feet from the building darkened behind them. Sean went around to the front. Standing back, hidden in the trees, she watched him as he ducked to come in through the door.
The owner welcomed him back but looked a bit disappointed. Sean looked huge standing in the entrance to the room. Her stomach fluttered. All the men around him were smaller, shorter, and not nearly as handsome. His long, blond hair and the darker shade of his beard gave him a savage look.
The redhead came forward, placing her hand flat against Sean’s broad chest. She tucked herself in close. Thomasina clenched her jaw. Sean took a step back, putting the wench away from him. The owner moved quickly through the crowd of men and away from them, his eyes darting about the room. He disappeared up the stairs.
