“Right, umm… what’s tonight’s lesson?” Her nerves waved off her.
Kai quickly crossed to a table and poured out two tankards of mead, passing one to her. She halted as their fingers brushed on the tankard, staring at him.
Pray, dinnae think too much of that touch, love.
“First, drink this,” he urged. “Ye’re so nervous with me these days.”
“Stop reading me emotions,” she said, looking to the heavens as if pleading for patience.
“I cannae help it.” He shrugged. “Drink that and relax a little. I’m here tae help, remember?”
“Aye, aye, I remember.” She took rather quick sips of the mead.
Kai was beginning to think this was a very bad idea indeed. He was staring at Ava openly, very aware that her gown today was a little lower cut than normal. It revealed more of her chest to him. It felt as if a prowling animal had awoken in his, and it was purring loudly, wanting to see more of Ava.
“Aye, now I have had a drink,” she put the tankard down on the table, “come, tell me tonight’s lesson.”
“Body language,” he said simply, watching as her cheeks pinkened and her brows shot up.
“Body language? As in…” She gestured to the bed.
“Nay!” he barked quickly. “God, Ava, I have told ye, anything ye want tae ken about what happens in a bedchamber, I will tell ye.Tellye,” he emphasized, showing he would not be one of those men who ever tried to force her into a bed. “I’m talking about confidence in the way ye move, the way ye hold a man’s attention. I can teach ye how tae walk in a way that will make Blair Grant stare at ye.”
“Is that possible?”
“I’ve had many women stare at me as I walk.”
“That’s called boasting, Kai.” She narrowed her eyes at him, prompting him to laugh.
“Let me teach ye, love.” He offered his hand out to her.
CHAPTER TWELVE
Ava didn’t hesitate to take Kai’s offered hand. The way he had said that word again,love,did something to her chest. Suddenly, she wasn’t as nervous as she had been.
“This way,” Kai whispered, leading her to a part of his chamber away from the bed. All around them there were a myriad of candles, casting them in an orange glow. The effect was warm and inviting with the burning fire nearby. “Now,” Kai released her as he placed her at one end of the room by the fire, “walk toward me.”
“Walk?” She couldn’t keep the doubt out of her tone. “I really dinnae see how the way I walk can seduce a man, Kai.”
“And which of us is the man here and can answer that question fer ye?” He reminded her with a roguish smile. “Now, walk toward me.” He backed across the room, creating space between them. “Instead of yer usual walk, try tae make it more confident.”
Once he stopped, she did as he asked, walking toward him. She lifted her chin more than usual and just moved forward, halting in front of him.
“Dinnae laugh,” she snapped quickly when she saw he was biting his lip.
“Ye looked like a soldier being frog marched to his superior.”
“I didnae!” she insisted, spinning on her heel and walking back the other way.
“This time,” he held up a hand, apparently trying to quell her fury, “imagine ye are walking toward someone ye like. A lot. Ye are eager tae be beside them, nae incandescent with rage.”
“Aye, aye, as ye like.”
“Dinnae drive yer heels down so much either.”
“Aye, I said aye, Kai!” she cried impatiently, noting the way he was trying not to smile again. Once in place, she walked toward him, this time her chin not lifted so high and not striking the ground so forcefully.
“Ye look like ye’re on yer way tae see yer maid fer a very serious chat.”
