He leaned forward stiffly, wincing slightly as he rested his elbows on his knees. They watched the water rushing by, and she couldn’t help but glance lower at his long, muscular calves revealed by the knee-length breeches he wore, before her gaze returned to his darkly brooding face. A face as darkly handsome and beautiful as any fallen angel, she thought. As if it was made to lure unsuspecting women to their ruin because they simply could not look away. But she should not waste this opportunity to learn more about him.
“Drust?”
He didn’t look away from the water. “Hmm?”
She grasped for something to talk about, anything to break the awkward silence that seemed to need filling. Anything to make him open up to her just a little. Not an easy task when she couldn’t give up her own cover, nor would he be likely to give up his. No, she was pretty sure he wouldnevergive up his.
“What do you like to do, in your spare time? I mean… when you’re at home.”
He glanced over at her, as if puzzled by her question. “I dinna have much spare time”, he said evenly, returning his gaze to the river.
“But what do you like todo?”
He shifted on the bench, clearly uncomfortable with her questions. “I train, mostly.”
“You train for what?” she persisted.
He looked over at her as if she’d gone daft.
“For battle.”
“For battle”, she echoed. “Of course.” She gave a frustrated sigh. “Youare impossible to get to know.”
He raised an eyebrow. “Maybe ye ar’na meant to ken me, then.”
Drust returned his grim gaze once more to the ever-changing surface of the water. She wouldn’t want to know him, anyway. He was nothing, nobody, really. A warrior and a second son, and a damaged one at that. Emotionally anyway. He had never been good at relationships with women, so he tended not to have them. Physically he had always been strong. Fighting was the only thing he was good at. He was not even particularly good at magic, and he had always preferred his training with a sword over practicing the Druid arts. Likely he could be better with more effort.
Aye, the lass probably thought him to be a different sort of man. One who would make a good husband, a good father. If she knew all that he was, and all that he was not, she would likely lose interest in him. Perhaps she would not have even bothered to save him in the first place. Likely not.
Willa nearly stamped her foot on the ground at the Drust’s terse non-answers. Oh, but she would give anything to know what was going on inside his head! She knew there was much more to him than he let on. Maddening man! Gorgeous, delectable, heart-stopping, maddening man! Did he truly feel none of the attraction she felt for him? Did he not feel the same tingling, heated force which seemed to fill the air between them, making her ache with wanting to touch him? She had a mind to make him just as crazy as he was making her! She leaned closer, letting her arm brush his. He jumped and pulled away.
She sighed. “And still a man of mystery. What will you do, warrior, when you return home? Train and fight?”
He looked over at her, and she caught his gaze, held it, and he could imagine he saw so much more there than was possible.
“I’ll carry on with my life, I suppose.”
“Carry on with your life. Will you marry?” Willa nearly slapped her hand to her mouth to keep that question from bursting forth, but it was too late now, and besides, she had to know.
“No”, he shook his head with conviction.
Relief flooded through her, though why, she couldn’t say. He wasn’t marryinghereither.
“Why not? Don’t you want a family some day?”
“No”. Drust stared off at the horizon, but his jaw tightened. “I prefer to be alone. It’s much simpler that way. I have no need of a woman. And stop asking so many bloody questions!”
He stood carefully and started back to the cottage, leaving Willa staring after him. She narrowed her eyes and clenched her jaw. The blasted man! Stubborn as hell.No need of a woman? We’ll just see about that! There wasneeding, and then there waswanting. Sometimes, they were nearly the same thing. She was sure that, given enough time, she could break down his defenses. For the first time in her life, fate had given her a man that she truly desired, that she could not seem to keep herself away from, that she felt aconnectionto… Everything she had been looking for, and everything she hadn’t found with Colm (well, that and he turned out to be an evil bastard). No other man she had ever met had made her feel like this. Without even trying, Drust had made her feel soalive, sohungryfor that life… and for him. There was something about him that made her stomach flip when she saw him, made her heart race when she caught his scent. And he felt it too… at least he feltsomething. She had seen his pupils go dark when she touched him, saw the need in his eyes before he could hide it. She was so afraid she might never find this connection again with anyone else, that she was not about to let him slip away from her. Shehadto know if there could be something deeper between them. If she had to fight dirty, she would. Win or lose, at least she would not know the regret of never having tried.
Chapter 9
Willa lingered awhile longer by the water, lost in thought. Planning. Plotting. With all that had happened so far in her life… where would she end up? What would become of her if her brother didn’t win back his lands? In truth, she had always felt … lost. England hadn’t been her home, even though she had been raised there with family. She had still felt like an outsider, never quite belonging. As a half-blooded Druid, she lacked the full abilities her mother had had. Her aunt had patiently taught her, mostly in deference to her mother’s memory, but try as she might, she couldn’t use magic or even see into the future except in the occasional dream. It was said that her mother had been an exceptional seer, like Maura.
But there was no point in worrying about her future right now, when there was nothing she could do about it. What would be would be. Her thoughts turned to Drust, and as always when she thought of him, her chest squeezed and her heart beat faster. It would be so nice if he…No, Willa. Don’t get your hopes up. One day at a time. And for god’s sake, don’t let him think you’re desperate!
She stood and made her way back to the cottage over the mossy path, her steps quickening the closer she got. When she opened the door, she saw that Drust had put more wood on the fire and was sitting before it, his head lowered into his hands. He looked entirely miserable, she thought. Perhaps she had been too hasty in encouraging him to walk… was he in pain? Had the fever returned? What if he was re-injured because she had encouraged him to go out too soon?
“Drust? Are you all right?” She closed the door softly behind her and moved towards him. She should check his wound…
