“Ah, ye fight dirty,” he said with amusement, which just incensed her the more.
“Aye, if ye’re me height and men aredirty, ‘tis where ye punch.” Only when Grace had finished did the color rush to her face. Belatedly, she’d realized her topic of choice had become his manhood. She’d seen it last night and it was quite impressive.
“Ye might break a hand while at it, and yer back,” he added, air from his mouth brushing her neck. Goosebumps rose on her skin and she inhaled the cool night air to stay calm. It was another thing she was grateful for. The cover of darkness, thanks to the moon’s dull light.
At least he did not have to see her wanton reaction to the proximity of their bodies. Reactions that flared every time he opened his mouth. When they’d started the journey, he stayed in a resolute silence. Then she’d asked one question about her fate and they’d started this bickering. She’d also felt him relax behind her.
Pride hadn’t allowed Grace to thank him for the food. Duncan had been thoughtful and it was more than she had expected. After all, she was a captive and he owed her no such obligation. She refused to admit that he might have a heart. If she did, she might soften and start to pity even the man who’d murdered her father.
Even Craig had turned out to be a surprise. Sent to watch her for the day, he’d spent it regaling her with tales from their trips. He had almost made her forget that she was being held captive.
As the journey proceeded, she noted that nothing phased Duncan. His confidence was staggering and it showed even in his interaction with the men. They looked up to him as if he was a god, yet he treated them all as equals.
“How long do we have left?” she asked at one point.
“Why? Dae ye long tae be in me arms?”
Grace drew a long breath. “Ye really are blessed with an inflated, misguided ego.”
His laughter did something to he, however. She found that those nervous knots in her shoulders lessened. Talking to him, bickering or not, came naturally. He actually made it so easy she risked forgetting her mission if she wasn’t careful.
“Ye saw me ego last night. If I inflate it, ye might faint.”
“Duncan!” she gasped, absolutely scandalized.
“Ah, ye finally said me name,” he laughed.
“Inflated, misguided ego. Such big words,” he commented sardonically. Hackles rose in Grace’s back. She had relaxed, but she was still unwilling to show him that she was rattled by the observation. Before he could continue, she blabbed.
“Me faither had books, stories. He taught me tae read, I’m a quick learner.”
“Hmm, what was his name?” he asked the very question she’d wanted to avoid.
Grace cast about for an appropriate name. Something common. “Williard,” she quipped. “’tis hard tae believe he’s gone,” sheadded in a quiet voice, lowering her head. While she was just trying to distract him from the line of questions, her words struck home and hurt deeply.
The hand on the rein shifted upward and tightened around her left hand in quiet consolation. He offered no more words, and kept riding. Grace emitted a slow breath of relief. In the future, if she were to stay in his clan, she had to come up with a better story.
“Ye didnae answer.”
“’Tis a long way, does yer rump hurt?”
“Rump? How crude,” she muttered.
He grunted something and fell silent. He leaned in closer, warming her with his body. Instead, Grace’s body ignited with a fierier fire. “I’m nae cold.”
He did not relent. “So ye’re trembling from being close tae me,” he mocked.
Such scandalous words would never leave Ethan’s lips, not even under torture. Ethan was soft, gentlemanly to women. He would never place himself in a situation where his naked body would be exposedandbe shameless in the morning. This man was a crude brute. So why did it excite her so?
Grace curbed her frustration because they were progressing into highlander’s territory. And if it was the wrong clan, she could make discreet enquiries. She busied herself with constructing a believable story and wondering how she’d fit into his household. Then a startling thought occurred to her.
What if he was already married?
Grace attempted to cast away the frown that thought had caused. She’d known the man for a night and a day, yet her heart had fallen at the thought. It was shameless to say the least. She had one mission and it had nothing to do with wondering about the woman who warmed this gentle brute’s bed at night. She could hardly ask him.
She did wonder though and it irked her to no end. Grace was no fool, she knew men like these could take mistresses and still be married.
So she forced her mind to the business of creating a faux family for herself.
