"What was that? Did I hear the bell for dinner?" Alan asked as he tilted an ear to the castle.
"Aye," Mason answered as Leah glanced through the door to the hallway. The servants were making themselves busy.
"What do ye say?" Alan asked as he nudged Mason. "Care to join us for a meal?"
Leah's eyes widened. She hadn't expected to eat with Mason, but since she couldn't find any excuse to use, she agreed.
Leah sat at the dinner table, trying to make small talk with Mason and Alan, but her mind was constantly wandering elsewhere. Of course, she'd much rather be sitting beside Killian. She didn't care if they discussed the plans for the ceilidh or talked about books as long as she had his time.
Instead, she was stuck, pretending to be interested in the conversation to which she wasn't paying attention. It was bad enough that she was sitting next to Alan, who tended to spit when he talked.
As the meal drew to a close, Leah excused herself and was eager to go to her room. The day just seemed to be a disaster no matter which way she looked at it, and she was pleased it was finally over. But she couldn't help but feel a bit of disappointment. She felt like she was stuck in a never-ending cycle of pretending to be someone she wasn't. All she wanted was to have the freedom to be herself, to let her true feelings shine through.
As she entered her room, she let her shoulders relax. She moved to the fireplace and plopped down in the seat next to it. Playing with the tip of her braid, she stared deep into the flames. The sound of heavy steps caught her ear. For just a moment, Leah's heart fluttered wildly against her ribs.
Killian? Nay, he wouldnae come here, nae when he's been avoidin' me.
Holding her breath, Leah watched the shadow under the door. Slowly, she rose to her feet and moved to the door. With a trembling hand, Leah reached for the doorknob. She pried openthe door, hoping to catch Killian by her door. To her surprise, she found a large box placed at her threshold.
Confused, Leah snatched the box and closed the door behind her. Chewing on her lower lip, Leah brought it over to the bed and proceeded to rip through the ribbon. Her eyes widened as she peeled the thin paper from the fabric.
"Oh my," Leah gasped as she drew the long, elegant blue dress from the box. She had never seen such a dress before. The fabric was smooth against her face. Under the fabric, Leah noticed a white bit of parchment. With a trembling hand, she plucked the parchment from the box and turned it over.
"Dearest Leah, I wish for ye to wear this tomorrow for the ceilidh. I believe the color will match your eyes perfectly. Until then, - K."
Leah's eyes narrowed as she read the note. How could he know what her eyes looked like when he had been so cold and distant from her? Surely, he would have forgotten the same way she had forgotten what his looked like. A devilish idea popped into her mind, and she quickly slipped out of her old dreary dress into the new, elegant one, determined to get Killian's attention, one way or another.
As she slipped the dress over her head, she felt a sense of excitement and nervousness. She had never worn anything so beautiful, and she couldn't help but feel like a princess. She took a deep breath, smoothing out the fabric, and made her way to the study.
When she entered the room, she was taken aback by the sight of Killian. He was standing by the window, his eyes fixed on her, and for a moment, she forgot to breathe. The dress seemed to glow in the dim light of the room, and she felt like she was radiating an otherworldly beauty.
Killian's eyes widened in surprise before he quickly regained his senses. "I see ye found the box, good. But I thought I said to wear it tomorrow."
"Do I nae look pretty?" Leah asked as she ran her hands over the fabric.
"Aye, if that is what ye want to hear, then aye ye look... lovely," he said, his voice gruff. Flustered by his lack of interest, Leah sauntered over to him and stretched out over his desk.
"Tell me truly, does the dress match me eyes?" she teased, her voice husky with want. How could he just sit there and not care that she was throwing herself at him? The fact that he could infuriate her only riled her up even more.
"I would nae have said it did if I wasnae absolutely sure it would," Killian answered as he kept his attention on his book.
Leah's eyes locked onto his, and she smiled slyly. "And if I wear it, I may have to turn down your proposal," she said, her voice dripping with seduction.
Killian's grip on her arm tightened, and he pulled her close. "I daenae have time for any of your games, Leah," he growled.
Leah's heart skipped a beat as she felt his breath on her skin. "Who's playing a game?" she asked, her voice barely above a whisper.
Killian's eyes burned with intensity, and he leaned in close. "You are," he whispered, his lips inches from hers.
Leah's yearning for him was palpable. How easy it was to melt into his embrace. She studied Killian, watching him war with the same desires that stirred within her. Unwilling to let the moment pass, Leah rose to the tips of her toes and crushed her lips to his.
A low groan of pleasure rumbled from deep within Killian as she pressed her body against his, trying to consume all that she could. Leah needed his lips. The fact that he was so close, she couldn’t just let him walk on by, not when her body craved him as much as it did.
There was a hunger to Killian’s kiss that Leah couldn’t deny, for she had the same hunger gnawing at her. She curled her fingers into the hair at the nape of his neck and pulled him into her.
“Leah.”
Her name on his lips made her body tingle even more. She wanted to hook her leg around him and never let him go. Butbefore she could surrender to her desires, Killian pulled back, his eyes flashing with warning.
