Erica folded her hands, already annoyed. “Things like what?”
“I daenae ken. Fear?”
“If anything, I feel more annoyed than afraid.”
“Good,” he said, straightening. “I would prefer ye angry than afraid.”
“I am neither,” she said.
“Ye just said…” he trailed off, tilting his head toward her.
“I am fine,” she said. And then, because it felt too bare, she added, “I just said I wouldratherbe annoyed than afraid.”
“Did ye? Because I remember clearly?—”
“Are we going to stand here rehashing what I did or didnae say?”
“It depends,” he said. “Are ye going to stand by what ye said or nae?”
She had to fight back a laugh. “Ye enjoy this far too much.”
“I enjoy being comfortable at me own lake,” he said. “The rest is a bonus.”
She glanced at the water. “Do ye come here often at night?”
“When I can,” he said. “It makes the noise disappear.”
“Noise?” She frowned.
“In here,” he said, tapping his temple.
A tense silence stretched and sat easily between them.
The chill worked through her shawl. Alex noticed and reached for the cloak he had hung up.
“Take this,” he said.
“Nay,” she said quickly. “I am fine.”
“Ye are shivering.”
“I am nae.”
He waited. She glared at him. He lifted the cloak anyway and held it out, but she did not take it.
“I willnae steal yer cloak,” she said. “Ye are the one who chose to take a bath under the moon.”
“It was a swim,” he corrected.
“It looked like a bath.”
“It was both.”
She rolled her eyes. “Men.”
“Women,” he returned dryly.
She tried to keep the smile back. It escaped anyway. She inclined her head toward the water to hide it, then set her gaze on the stones at their feet.
