Her head tipped like she was thinking through something. Then someone spoke to her, pulling her attention away. She was so well-loved by these people, such an integral part of her community, she would likely never even consider an outsider.
But as he watched her interact, watched her laugh at something one of the gray-hairs said, he couldn’t suppress the longing. Especially when she patted an elderly man’s gnarled hand and sent a smile to one of the children scampering by.
He’d recognized her outer beauty from the first time he’d studied her against the cave wall. But this inner beauty was even harder to ignore.
And he wasn’t sure he even wanted to anymore.
19
Something was different about Evan.
Brielle watched him from the corner of her gaze as they followed the crowd through the corridor after the feast. He’d seemed to enjoy seeing everyone and watching the festivities. Especially when Monsieur Marley had started up the old French songs. At first, Evan had listened with a smile playing at the corners of his mouth. But partway through the second ditty, his lips had begun to move, as though recalling words from long ago. He’d grown up in Scotland. Maybe he’d even traveled to old France and heard some of the ballads there.
A tiny spike of longing pressed in on her. She’d never thought she wanted to leave Laurent, but a trip like that sounded almost magical. The picture forming in her mind included Evan by her side. Something about him called to her. Made her think there was more to life than what she’d allowed in her tiny existence.
Voices in the corridor quieted after they passed the last of the chamber doors. Soon, they reached the entrance to the storage room. She pushed open the door and motioned forhim to step in first. When she closed the partition behind herself, the quiet in the room seeped around them.
He turned to look at her, and it seemed as if he was struggling within himself. A long moment passed before he spoke. “That was very ... interesting.” The way his expression shifted just before the words came out, he might have wanted to say something different.
She lifted her brows as she stepped close and untied his hands. “Food and music are two of the things my people enjoy most. You’re lucky Erik didn’t bring his mandolin. I should have remembered your mouth harp. You could have joined in.”
Evan smiled, his whole face softening. “Not sure I’m good enough to keep up with these musicians.” His tone grew almost wistful. “But I liked it. Every part. Your people are special, Brielle. I understand why you treasure them.”
The burn of tears rose up her throat and seared her eyes. She never cried, but his words churned so many emotions inside her, she could barely hold the drops back. She loved these people, too. This home she’d committed to protect. How could she reconcile the longing to leave with her intense love for this place?
She turned away from him and pretended to busy herself with the stack of arrows she’d left at her spot against the wall. Maybe he would take the hint and settle himself on his fur. A bit of distance would help her regain composure.
“Brielle?” Evan’s voice drifted across the space between them, the hesitance in his tone pulling her back around to face him. The soft light of the torches glimmered in his gaze. “Did I say something wrong?”
The earnestness of his tone nearly broke her. Why did hecare so much? Why had she let herself get so close to him? Learn so much about him? See him as more than a stranger, as a potential threat to Laurent? He was a man who cared deeply, who was kind to her people, even the vulnerable. Who stood up for right, even when doing so might make his position more precarious.
Even as she looked at him now, his image blurred with the picture of him grinning as he sang along with the other villagers. He could have been one of them. Did he want to be?
She squeezed her eyes against the image, drawing in breath to still the whirling of her mind, the churning of her emotions. Why couldn’t she control herself?
“Brielle.” Evan’s voice sounded right in front of her, and she jerked her eyes open.
He’d closed the distance between them and now stared down at her with worry furrowing his brow. “What is it?” He touched her arm, and the contact made her freeze.
She stared into his eyes, held there by the warmth. The concern. The ... attraction. Her breath cut off, stolen by the awareness sparking between them.
This man. He’d proven his goodness through every action. Every restraint. How could she question any longer?
How could she resist what every part of her longed for?
Evan’s gaze roamed Brielle’s face, cataloging each strong beautiful line. And those lips ... He’d never had a mouth call to him as strongly as hers did.
He’d not meant to draw so close, but she’d looked so vulnerable, so ... desperate. His every instinct pushed himto reach out. If he’d caused her pain, he had to fix it. If something else, he had to help.
He forced his gaze upward to her eyes, to a place where desire wouldn’t steal away his last bit of good sense.
But her eyes were no safer. Had she been looking vulnerable before? Now her gaze carried heat.
He had to clear the unwise thought of kissing her from his mind, so he struggled for something to say. “Is everything ... ?” His voice came out breathier than it should, and his traitorous gaze dipped to her mouth again.
Her lips parted. Had he closed the distance between them or had she? He was near enough to touch her face now, and he reached up to cradle her jaw.
Her skin was softer than he’d imagined, and the touch of her sent a tingle all the way up his arm. Her eyes searched his, seeing all the way to his soul. He showed himself to her, the core of him, the part that wanted only good for her and her people. The part that longed to close the final space between them and press his mouth to hers.
