Thomasina seethed inside at her own prideful outburst.
Idiot!
Of course she was a child. Just a boy. Not a lass of ten and eight only pretending to be a boy.
Sean kept his eyes on her face. He watched but said nothing. The shadows cast from the fire played across the strong planes of his face. She shivered.
“Are ye cold,Tommy?” His voice pitched lower this time. He took a long drink, his eyes never leaving her.
She wrapped her arms across her chest, hugging herself. “Nae.”
He licked his lips as if whatever he drank were delicious.
A fluttering inside demanded… action. She held out her hand to him. “May I have some?”
“’Tis best not to indulge at such a young age.” His tone remained even but that light in his eyes intensified as if he were holding back laughter.
She kept her hand out. “Please,” she coughed again. “Please.”
Satisfied that her voice sounded more appropriate, she tipped her nose into the air. She tried for that I-will-not-back-down expression that boys get.
His white teeth gleamed and he took another swallow. “Are ye certain?”
Her hand did not waver and it suddenly seemed of the utmost importance that she taste whatever he was drinking. She was not much of a drinker. Her father imbibed too often and too much. She preferred not to be like him. This seemed different somehow. The need to win this stranger’s acquiescence pushed her.
“Yea.”
His eyes pierced hers. She felt the jolt down to her toes and she couldn’t explain it. As he moved forward to pass her the skin, his eyes never wavered. They held hers as if in a trance. His warm fingers brushed her palm. Lightning shot up her arm.
“Thank ye.” Her voice sounded breathy.
She glanced at the glistening, pink lips just visible through his heavy beard. His eyes remained on hers. She took a sip. Bitter liquid burned down her throat and she jumped to her feet. Grimacing, she spit it onto the ground.
“Now that is a waste,” he said.
“What to hell is this?”
Sean’s hearty laugh surprised her. He remained sitting but his whole body shuddered with his deep, gut-splitting laughter. She paused to watch him. His eyes were closed. His broad shoulders shook with the sound. The tension in her gut eased a bit turning everything inside pliant.
He opened his eyes, starting as if surprised to see her watching him. He cocked a brow and gave her a sly look. “I did warn ye.”
Thomasina wiped her mouth with the back of her hand and smiled. A heartfelt smile. “Ye did.”
“Ye should have listened to me.”
“Yea.” She raised her eyebrows in expectation. “Have ye had enough fun with me now?”
Too late she realized she’d not disguised her voice. She swallowed hard. She waited.
His smile faded like early morning fog. His face became serious. “Mayhap not. Is there more fun to be had with ye?”
The intimate scene closed in around her. All alone with a handsome stranger. A stranger who believed she was a boy. Surely there was no threat to her innocence here.
She cleared her throat and brushed off the seat of her pants. “Well,Ithink ye’ve teased me enough for one night.” Her voice sounded very much like a boy now. “I’m for bed.”
Thomasina glanced around and found the long, deer skin brat. She hesitated. If she were indeed a boy, would it seem odd for them to share a covering? Maybe not but she’d certainly feel odd sharing it with this man. Odd enough to not get a wink of sleep. Mayhap she’d wait to decide what to do. She had more pressing matters at present.
“I’ll find myself a quiet spot and be back in a shake.” She did not look back at Sean before heading off into the dark forest.
