“Iris,” he said, and her name sounded different on his lips. Rough, hungry.
Heat flooded through her at the realization, making her breath catch. His hands spanned her waist easily, his palms burning against the thin, wet fabric of her shift, and she could feel theway he held her firmly but carefully, as if she were something precious he was afraid of breaking.
CHAPTER TEN
Instead of moving toward shore, Iris found herself relaxing in his arms. The water was actually pleasant once she got used to it, and there was something peaceful about this hidden spot. Despite everything between them, she felt safe here.
A small smile tugged at her lips. “It’s beautiful here.”
“Aye.” But he wasn’t looking at the scenery. His eyes were fixed on her face. “Ye have a lovely smile, lass. Ye should use it more often.”
The compliment caught her off guard, warming her more than it should have. “Me entire life, I havenae had much reason to smile. Especially, lately.”
“Nay, I suppose ye havenae.” His expression grew thoughtful. “I’m sorry for that.”
She blinked in surprise. “Are ye apologizin’ to me?”
“Daenae sound so shocked. I’m nae completely without manners.”
“Could have fooled me,” she said, but there was no real bite in it. The afternoon had mellowed her anger, replacing it with something more complicated.
Iris thought once again about how devastatingly handsome he was. It was hard not to think about it when he was holding her like this, when the setting sun was turning his skin golden and making his eyes warm instead of cold. She tried to take a step back, to put some distance between them, but her foot slipped on the river stones, and she started to fall backward. With a small cry, she started to go under, the current immediately pulling her downstream.
Elijah’s arms tightened immediately, hauling her back against his chest before she could go under. “Careful, lass.”
“I wouldnae be in this situation if it wasnae for ye,” she shot back, breathless from the near fall and the feel of his hands spanning her waist.
“What situation is that?”
“Standin’ in a river in me undergarments like some sort of... what is that word again?”
“Water nymph?” he suggested, his mouth quirking upward.
“I think that can work.”
“Ye look nothin’ like a water nymph.” His voice had gone rough again, his gaze traveling over her face. “Trust me on that.”
“Then what do I look like?”
Why did I ask that?
“Temptin’,” he said simply. “Ye look temptin’ as sin, and ye ken it.”
Heat flooded her cheeks. “I daenae ken anythin’ of the sort.”
“Is that so?” His thumb traced along her jaw, making her shiver. “The way ye’re lookin’ at me right now suggests otherwise.”
“How am I lookin’ at ye?”
“Like ye want me to kiss ye.”
The answer was yes, but admitting that felt like giving him a weapon to use against her.
“Ye’re imaginin’ things,” she said, but her voice came out breathy and unconvincing.
“Am I?” He leaned closer, his mouth barely an inch from hers. “Tell me ye daenae want this, Iris. Tell me ye’re nae feelin’ the same pull I am.”
She opened her mouth to deny it, to lie, but the words wouldn’t come because she was feeling it, too. This magnetic draw that seemed to pull her toward him despite every rational thought in her head.
