Chapter 3
Sean took a huge swallow of the bitter liquid, nearly choking himself. He shook his head at the heat working into his belly.
That was unexpected. And unwanted! When did he begin to pay attention to the fact that she was a female?
No doubt every time she forgot to disguise her voice. Or at the sight of her rounded bottom filling out the trews every time she bent over the fire. A fine sight. A mighty fine arse. She wanted to see to the fire? So be it. He’d even goaded her with disparaging comments about the small size of the flame, about it barely giving off any heat, about how he could do a much better job. She couldn’t ignore that. Instead she kept working on it, adding twigs, poking it around. She’d been working on it for nigh on two hours. And he was rock hard.
It became more difficult to focus on treating her as the lad she pretended to be. She did a terrible job. She couldn’t even alight from a horse properly.
I’m not a child.
That may sound like something a lad might say but not in answer to the opportunity to learn more swear words. By the time Sean turned ten and three, he could swear with the best of them. He’d also learned to spit fifteen feet. He laughed. Mayhap he should compete with her on that.
Sleeping arrangements may be a problem with only the one covering. It was a cool enough night. He could let her have it but would that seem awkward? A lad would expect no such treatment.
The rustling from the woods warned him of her return. Her cheeks were flushed and wisps of auburn hair had come loose, framing her face. He had to hold back the need to ask if all was well. He wouldn’t ask if she were a lad.
“Aon scéal agat?”
Damn.
He couldn’t stop himself but he refused to look at her. Just another glance. Her lips were red as if she’d been rubbing them. She must have gone back to the loch and washed herself. A huge damp spot on her tunic revealed far too much about what lay beneath. His breath caught. He looked away before he would see more.
“Yea.” She fidgeted next to the brat.
He couldn’t bring himself to see her sleep on the cold ground without a cover. “Go ahead and use the skin. I’m not for bed till later.”
“Are ye certain?”
“Aye. I don’t usually sleep much when I travel.”
“Ye’re not from here?”
Why did she have to keep talking to him?
“Just get ye to bed, youngling.” He sounded harsh and a glance toward her revealed her hurt expression. “Enough talking now.”
He closed his eyes but faced the fire. The fetching sight of one well-rounded breast and her taut nipple pressing against the rough material shot right to his groin.
“If ye’re certain—”
“To bed!” Sean took another long sip and fought against the urge to look at her.
The sound of her movement was more than enough for him to visualize her standing near the fire, shaking the deer hide, wrapping it around herself—
“Are ye certain?”
He stood and headed into the forest without another word. She was killing him. A walk would do him good. Get his raging desires under control.
He returned a short time later to find her curled up, asleep, and turned away from the fire. The brat lay a few feet away as if she couldn’t bear to take his only covering. That was not what a lad would do either.
“Stupid girl,” Sean muttered under his breath before going to retrieve it.
He shook it out and stooped beside her. Her eyes were closed. Her breathing steady. Her fine arse poking out beneath her leine. A good, firm arse. Good to caress. Good to grab with both hands. Good to hold while he pumped into her.
He leaned in to peer further over her shoulder. With her hands tucked between her legs for warmth, her loose top bunched open. A good swell of cleavage confirming her breasts were just the right size. More than a handful was a waste.
His breath tightened. He mentally shook himself.
