Cailean sat hunched on the stool, chin propped on his hand. The candlelight cast golden highlights into his dark hair as it fell around his face in lazy waves.
“Ye canna make yer move unless ye study yer pieces first,” he rumbled.
“Iamstudying my pieces,” she protested.
“Really? It seems ye are more interested in yer opponent.”
Rose scowled, annoyed that he’d noticed. “Don’t flatter yourself, MacNeil.”
His only answer was a broad grin. She reached out and moved one of her pieces. Cailean sucked his teeth then moved one of his own. Rose moved another of hers. Then Cailean jumped her piece and claimed it.
Rose sat back in the chair, narrowing her eyes at him. “That was underhanded.”
“That was strategy. I said ye ought to be concentrating, didnae I?”
She forced her attention to the game. Did he know how much his presence was distracting her? Was he doing this deliberately? Damn it. She really needed to get a grip on herself.
She moved another of her pieces, but her attention was still more on her playing partner and the way the firelight flickered in his eyes than on the game. To make matters worse, as he leaned forward the collar of his linen shirt fell open, giving her a glimpse of the sculpted chest beneath. She swallowed. Oh hell.
As the game progressed Rose couldn’t have named any of the moves she’d made since Cailean had sat down.
“Thanks, by the way,” she said suddenly.
“For what?” he replied, a little startled. “Beating ye at drafts?”
“You haven’t beaten me yet, MacNeil.”
He laughed. “Ah! There it is, that famous MacFinnan fire the stories talk about.”
“Yep. You better believe it.” She hunched forward and studied the game’s layout. Unfortunately, there was no way she could now win. Under her breath she muttered the words of a spell and several of the pieces changed color so quickly it was almost impossible to detect. Then she made her move, using the changed pieces to take several of his. It tipped the balance.
“Ha! I win!”
Cailean was not fooled. He crossed his arms over his broad chest. “Do ye think I’m blind, woman? Ye cheated.”
“I did not! How dare you?”
“Lass, I have been schooled in cheating by the very best.”
Rose burst out laughing. “Oh, all right! So I cheated a little. Happy now?”
He shrugged. “I dinna mind losing,” he said softly, “if it means I get to hear ye laugh.”
Rose went very still. Her eyes met Cailean’s and she was suddenly unable to look away. Her heart began to beat a staccato rhythm that she was sure Cailean would be able to hear if he leaned a little closer.
Silence stretched between them, broken only by the howl of the wind rattling the shutters as the storm gathered. Rose was suddenly hyper aware of him, of the soft rise and fall of his chest, of the strand of hair falling across one eye that she longed to reach out and brush away.
“Cailean,” she began, not sure what she wanted to say.
Somewhere outside a dog barked. Rose jumped and Cailean was off the stool and over to the tiny window in an instant, suddenly alert and tense.
Then his shoulders relaxed. “Uneasy because of the weather,” he said. “Naught to worry about.”
Rose stood abruptly, nearly upending the drafts board in her haste. One of her red pieces rolled across the desk and clattered to the floor. “I… I should go.”
Cailean turned from the window. “Did I do something wrong?”
“No,” she said quickly. A little too quickly. “Nothing like that. It’s just that…” What?I’m worried that if I stay in your company much longer, I’ll do something I’ll regret. I’m worried that when I’m near you I seem to lose all common sense.
