“My brother. I’m just passing through Lochain on clan business to the south, but Bren likes to keep up with all of our allies.” He nodded respectfully at Leon. “I willna be here more than a few days. But… I have some time tomorrow if per chance ye could show me around, my lady.”
A quick glance at her uncle told her that he was no longer listening to them, or she was certain he would have objected. “I… I don’t know. I’ll have to see if I can find the time.” She folded her hands in front of her to keep from fidgeting with them. “Or perhaps one of my maids can give you a tour. They would likely know the place better anyway.”
Eian leaned forward a little in his chair. “I would rather have ye, lass. Perhaps ye would consider it?”
“Perhaps.”
There was so much more Eian wanted to say, but couldn’t with the lass’s uncle listening, and he was all too soon drawn back into the conversation with the other men.
Tonight after dinner there was dancing, which as a lady of the house, well, theonlylady of the house, Allia was expected to participate in. And she was determined to do exactly what was expected of her this evening. She could not afford to lose any more of her already limited freedom, or she would never be able to slip the leash, so to speak. At her uncle’s meaningful nod, she rose gracefully from the table as the music started and joined those already on the floor. As she flew around the room, stepping lightly, spinning to the loud, fast music, and fortified by the wine she had consumed, it didn’t take long for her to lose herself to the exhilaration of the dance. It was nothing like the rock and roll she had mostly grown up with, but overall, it had the same intoxicating effect. Music had always spoken to her blood, the beat of the drums seeming to echo the beat of her heart, and it was effectively taking her away to forget about her problems for a while.
She laughed out loud as man after man held her in his arms, then spun her around, and she twirled with arms outstretched to reach for the next. Occasionally one of them would cup her bottom or try to cop a feel of her breast, but she ignored it, not bothered enough to care. She was actually starting to truly enjoy herself, until one touch felt different from all the rest. Hotter, stronger, justmore. Allia looked up into deep brown eyes that were all too familiar.Eian. And as luck would have it, or more likely as he had carefully planned, it was at that very moment that the music slowed to a ballad. Without even thinking, she instinctively tried to wrench out of his grasp, but his arms were like steel bands, holding her in place, just inches from the broad expanse of his muscled chest. In the heat of the room, the warm, musky scent of his skin reached her, and she couldn’t stop herself from breathing it in. Everything about the man was intoxicating, dangerous. Shaking herself, she tried once more to pull away.
“Och now, lass, just one dance. That’s all I ask.” He reached up to run one finger down her cheek and along the line of her jaw, and she felt the same pulsing pleasure in his touch. They were in the center of the crowd, hidden from view by the throng of swaying and somewhat inebriated people who were paying no attention to them.
“What are you, stalking me?” she mumbled, unable to believe his persistence. Really, he could have any woman here, so why was he so intent on havingher? Already her body was betraying her. Her heart pounded in her ears and her stomach was filled with butterflies. He pulled her a little closer, and she could feel the heat of his flesh though his thin linen shirt. Now her breath hitched too. Oh God, her body wanted his in the worst way, like two magnets drawn together she swayed closer. Her hands came up to hold onto him as they danced, and she felt the slide of his rock hard muscles under his shirt. What would it be like to run her hands over every single inch of him… it would be heaven, that’s what. If only she was the kind of girl who could just have sex for the fun of it and walk away… but she wasn’t, at least not withthisman. She would fall for him. Sheknewshe would, with a cold certainty. Then the next time she turned around, he would be in someone else’s bed and she would be left reeling from a broken heart. And she couldnotbe dealing with dangerous affairs and broken hearts right now when she wasn’t even sure if she was about to become a human sacrifice, or worse. Oh, it was just notfair!
Eian leaned closer.“Tell me lass”, he whispered near her ear, “why do ye run from me when I can see desire in yer eyes?”
She was flustered, and her voice betrayed her, coming out as a shaky whisper. “There is no desire in my eyes.”
“Aye, there is. That and more. Let me in and I’ll show ye pleasure like ye’ve never even imagined.” He slid his thumb slowly over her full bottom lip and her eyes fluttered closed. “It all starts with just a kiss.” He had her… she was trembling, just a little, but he could still feel it. She wanted him, thank god! What he had seen in her eyes up on that hill had been real, not just his own wishful thinking. For a moment he had thought he might be losing his touch. He leaned closer again to let his lips just brush the perfect shell of her ear. The scent of her skin was intoxicating…sweet… he could breathe her in all night and still not have enough. There was no way she could resist him now, no woman could if he was determined to have her in his bed. He had long ago honed and perfected his skills of seduction. In fact he had become so good at it, it wasn’t even much of a sport anymore. Often times after he bedded a lass, and it was just too easy, he felt empty inside, rather than satisfied, and he was left just wanting more of… something he couldn’t quite define. This lass had at least amused him for a time by putting up a good fight. Oh, she was about to lose, but at least the anticipation and the undeniable heat between them had been something to savor. He moved to her other ear, speaking softly.
“I want ye, lass. Come to my bed tonight, or say that I can come to yers. I swear no one but the two of us will ever ken.” Damn, how he wanted her! His cock was rock hard and aching, more so than he could ever remember it being, as it had been practically all day. He wanted nothing more in this moment than to rip her gown from her body and sink deep inside her. He was so on edge that he almost moaned out loud at the very thought of it, could almost feel what it would be like… the pleasure, the release of this need that had been riding him for days. No, he couldn’t remember ever being this desperate for a woman…any woman. It seemed he hungered for her to his very bones. Tonight…
But she had stiffened in his arms… was pushing him away.
“No”, she said. He wasn’t sure he heard her right.
“Lass…”
“I said no.”
Surprise made his grip loosen for a moment, and just like that, she was walking away from him. He stared after her in disbelief, but it wasn’t long before the women who had been all over him earlier saw their opening and had surrounded him again. He didn’t want them anywhere near him. All of them were lovely in their own way, with lush figures and pretty faces, but none of them were the one he wanted.
Damn.
For the life of him, Eian didn’t understand it, because he wasn’t usually so particular. What was it about Allia? He was acting almost as if she was his mate or…
A zing of cold shock went down his spine at the thought and for a second he stopped breathing.
No.Absolutely not. He wasn’t the kind of man who settled down with one woman, and he certainly wasn’t the kind who had a soul mate.Never. He just wasn’t a one-woman kind of man. The very thought terrified him like nothing else. He wasnotready to give up bachelorhood any time soon, not when there was still so much living to be done… new experiences to have. Hundreds of women to tup. Bren could take care of the settling down and starting a family end of things just fine without Eian getting involved in that sort of thing.
With little other choice for the time being, he let the giggling women lead him to a table, where he grabbed a cup of whiskey and downed it in one swallow, before reaching for the jug and pouring himself some more. Then another. The liquor burned in his gut, but did nothing at all to quench the lust still burning hotly in his veins. He had had her in his arms, felt her flesh beneath his hands, soft yet firm. He longed to touch all of her, taste all of her. He looked up at the high table, where Allia had returned to her seat and was now talking with an older woman who must be one of the guests that had arrived earlier today from some castle to the south. He sighed as the empty cup in his hand slammed down on the table. The lass was a vision of absolute perfection, and he couldn’t have her, well, at least not tonight. He still had tomorrow. It figured, the one woman hereallywanted was the one who wouldn’t have him. For the first time, he hadfailedwith a woman, but he supposed it was bound to happen sooner or later. It might be a blow to his ego, but he’d get over it in a few days. Eian shifted uncomfortably in his seat. Well, at least tonight he could do something about the currently overwhelming needs of his body.
He pushed back his chair and stood, starting for the door. A quick, practiced glance over his shoulder all the invitation the women needed. He would take a couple of them to the stable, he decided. He’d be quick about it, sate his lust, and send them on their way. The stables would have to do, because somehow it felt wrong to bring them to his room in the keep when Allia was so close, though he couldn’t imagine why that would bother him. She wasn’t his, nor did she even want him.
Aye, he would relieve the ache and be done with it, then maybe he would be more like himself again. He glanced back to see the giggling women gladly following him and gritted his teeth, the sinking feeling that had begun in his stomach getting worse by the moment. For the first time in his life, he had two pretty women following after him eager to do his bidding, and he wasn’t at all looking forward to it. In fact, the thought of touching them was actually making him a bit nauseous. He suddenly found himself casting about for an excuse. Bloody hell, what had come over him? He couldn’t do it… he just couldn’t.Mate… said a voice from somewhere in his mind.No! Not me, not now. Maybe never. He blocked the voice from his mind, resolutely ignoring it.
Realizing that he was not up for any sort of fun, Eian told the now pouting women he had just remembered he had to be somewhere, and then he went to his room alone. The hour was already late, so he stripped naked and got into the bed. His brothers would think him ill, he thought, if they could see him now. Heneverturned down a good tup. He told himself that he was just holding out for the woman he had his eye on, and maybe he was just becoming a little more discerning in his bed partners. Certainly there was nothing wrong with that. Then he took his aching cock in his hand and thought of what it would be like to sink it deep between Allia’s thighs. He came hard with only a few strokes, but in the end he did not feel anywhere near satisfied.
She had seen Eian leave the hall with no less than two fawning women and a coy come-hither smile on his face. And her gut had clenched. Allia took a deep breath and tried to follow the conversation going on around her. She had turned him down. Ofcoursehe was going to go off with someone else, and to be honest it hurt less that it wastwosomeone elses, because that somehow seemed less personal, less intimate. But why did it hurt at all? This was a ridiculous reaction to be having. She didn’t want a man like that, who thought one woman was as good as the next, as long as she let him stick his cock between her legs!Ugh,enough!She wouldnotbe jealous over Eian Mac Coinnach, he didn’t deserve it. She didn’t even know the man, but god, a larger part of her than she was willing to admit to wished that it washeralone with Eian right now. It might be only physical attraction between them, but it was undeniably strong.
Allia pasted a smile to her face and nodded at the elderly woman next to her, whose name she already couldn’t remember and who was saying something inane about the weather, until it was finally appropriate to take her leave for the evening.
Chapter 7
He was watching her, and the man must be a visitor to Lochain because she didn’t recognize his plaid. She wasn't sure of it before, but now she was positive, and it was giving her chills down her spine.
