“Give it a try,” he said, encouraging her.
Chloe took the apple from him and stepped closer to the horse. The mare snorted in greeting as she extended the fruit toward her. She happily took it from her in one bite. That made Chloe smile and she couldn’t resist reaching for the horse to pet her nose. She was soft. Malcolm disappeared for moment and returned with a brush in his hand.
“Here. She likes to be brushed.”
“Oh, no, I couldn’t—”
But he shoved the brush into her hand and stepped inside the stall. He waved for her to follow. “She willna hurt ye.”
Taking a deep breath, she moved into the stall to stand next to him. He reached for her hand, wrapping his long fingers around her wrist and lifting her arm up.
“Like this.”
He showed her how to make long, slow strokes with the brush along the mare’s neck. His hand was gently wrapped around her wrist in a non-threatening way that made her knees weak and her heart flutter. She relaxed and allowed him to move back and forth in a rhythmic motion that made her drowsy and swoony all at once.
“There. See?”
His voice was soft and soothing in her ear and she realized he stood close. So close to her. She didn’t mind. She wanted him close. But at the same time, she wanted her own personal space. It was a strange dichotomy.
If she had learned anything from her experience with Bruce, it was don’t get too close too fast. Not that she expected Malcolm to turn on her or betray her, but she had a bit of mistrust. Shewas acutely aware of the way his breath moved in and out of him. The way heat radiated off his body. The way he stood close to her and made her feel warm and safe.
Her pulse quickened as her eyes met his intense gaze rooting her in place. The rhythmic movement of his hand faltered and stopped, as though he, too, was caught in this fragile, electric moment. Her heart thudded like a drum in her chest as pinpricks of heat flared all over her.
Then her gaze drifted to his lips. The shadow of his beard framed them in a way that sent a forbidden thrill racing through her. What would it feel like to kiss him? To feel the rough scrape of his beard against her skin, the heat of his mouth claiming hers? The thought ignited a fire low in her belly, a warmth that stole her breath.
She tipped her head back, the faintest movement that felt as daring as a leap. Oh, yes, she wanted to kiss him. He leaned in, the air between them crackling with tension, his nearness sending a shiver across her skin. A breath escaped her, unsteady, betraying the longing she was unable to contain. Would he close the distance? Could she bear it if he didn’t?
“There you are!”
Evie’s voice broke the spell. Malcolm dropped his hand and stepped away from her, out of the stall and into the middle of the stable. Chloe saw her sister hurrying toward them, her cheeks flushed and her eyes bright with concern.
“I’ve been looking for you. I see you met Mist.”
She grinned when she said the horse’s name as she paused in front of the stall. She reached up and petted her nose. The mare nuzzled her hand and greeted her with a snort. Chloe let her arm drop to her side, the brush still clutched in her hand.
“Yes,” she said at last, her gaze flickering over to him. He had moved to stand across from the stall, leaning on the wallwith his arms folded over his chest. “Malcolm was giving me a tour.”
“Oh, good!” She turned to her brother-in-law. “Callum is looking for you. I think he’s in the armory.”
He nodded. He gave her one last longing glance as he headed out of the stable, leaving the two of them alone.
“Eve, why didn’t you tell me about the fight with the MacDonalds?” No use waiting for the right moment. Now seemed like the perfect time to bring that up since they were relatively alone.
“Oh. Well.” She flushed as she continued to pet the horse. “I don’t know. I guess Malcolm told you?”
“He did. And he told me you used the keystone as a weapon.”
Her hand stilled on the horse’s nose. “He told you that?”
“Yes. You didn’t. Why?”
“I was going to. In time.” She turned to her, then, meeting her gaze. “We don’t know how powerful this keystone truly is, Chlo. I didn’t want to frighten you.”
“You had lightning coming out of your hands, Eve. How is that not frightening?”
She dragged her lower lip through her teeth. “I know I should have told you. But I didn’t know how. Not yet.”
“Tell me now. How did you know how to use it?”
