“I cannae dae this,” she huffed, turning away again.
“Aye, ye can.” He caught her arm and turned her back to face him. “Trust me, I ken what I’m doing.” He took her hands and walked her, so she moved backward to her original position. “Now, I’m going tae direct yer movements. Ye can stop me at any point.”
“Stop ye? Why…” Her voice trailed away as he released her hands and moved his fingers to the curve of her waist. She nodded, showing she understood. He was explaining that he was going to touch her, but she could stop him at any moment.
I trust him tae touch me. I trust him more than any other man in this world.
“Now, step forward,” he instructed gently. She took one step, feeling the way he had pressed softly on one of her hips. “And another step.” They repeated this action, with him moving back as she moved forward, and he continued to sway her hips ever so softly from side to side.
“Dae women really walk like this?”
“Some women,” he whispered. “Ye are beautiful, Ava. Ye just need tae be more confident in what ye have.”
She jerked her head up to look at him and managed to trip on the edge of his hearth rug. He chuckled as his hands tightened around her hips, holding her up.
“Another tip.” He added with a smile. “When yer future love pays ye a compliment, dinnae look as if the world has just disappeared from beneath yer feet.”
“I dinnae receive compliments that often. Ye surprised me!” She could feel her cheeks burning now in embarrassment, as if flames from the fire were licking them.
“Aye, I can see that. Now.” He steered her back toward her starting position. “Try on yer own.” He hastened back to the place where she was to walk toward him. “Look at me as ye walk toward me, as if I am the man ye want tae marry.”
Ava felt a strange sort of flicker of heat in her stomach. She tried to consider what Blair Grant would look like, but quickly brushed the image away. Instead, she focused completely on Kai, staring at him as she walked toward him, sinking her hips a little as she walked. As she stared at him, she remembered his lessons about soft expressions, but she found her mind wandering. She thought about the dreams she’d had of him instead, the way she had pictured Kai satisfying that ache between her legs the night before as they sat together in the kitchen alone.
By the time she had reached him, her heartbeat was thundering in her ears and that wet feeling was back between her legs. He was just staring down at her, saying nothing, a pinkness spreading in his own cheeks.
“Well?” she murmured, clearing her throat to try and keep her voice level. “How did I dae?”
“That was… good.” He nodded rather quickly. “Aye, much better. The look…” He pointed briefly at her face. “That is a good look. Ye stare at a man in such a way, and they’ll be dying tae take ye tae their bed.”
“They will?” The thought didn’t make her afraid. She felt exhilarated. She stood before him, not moving away as she decided to try something else that he had already taught her. She reached out, pretending to adjust the way his jerkin lay over his shirt, but used it as an excuse to touch his chest instead.
An explosive feeling went off in her chest as she felt how toned Kai was beneath his shirt. He inhaled sharply at the sensation, his eyes unblinking as he looked at her. Oddly, it was as if the stormy color of those eyes had grown stronger in the last few minutes.
“That’s a good touch,” he whispered softly. “Our next lesson…” He seemed to be struggling to breathe smoothly. “What else ye can dae tae capture a man’s attention.”
She drew a finger down the center of his chest, unable to take her eyes off him.
What am I doing?
She reasoned it was the mead. It had given her confidence she didn’t usually have. Surely it had nothing to do with the dreams or the way he had just been holding onto her hips.
“Careful how low yer hand goes,” he whispered.
She snapped her hand away.
The tension in the air suddenly evaporated as they both laughed. It was freeing, that sound. Ava couldn’t remember being this happy in ages. For so long, she had been feeling anxious. She was worried for Lyla and worried about seducing a man she had never met and who was likely to have no interest in her.
“Ye make me smile.” The words escaped her. “Ye always dae.”
“I will always try tae make ye smile, love. Ye can count on that.”
“Kai…” She had to ask him what he meant by calling her love when they were alone now. Was it all just part of these lessons?
Footsteps sounded outside the chamber and they both whipped around to face the door. A loud knock suddenly sounded.
“Who is it?” Kai barked, as he and Ava both backed away from each other.
“It is Patrick,” a servant’s voice came from the other side. “The laird wants tae see ye.”
