“Aye, I’ll go now.”
Ava breathed a sigh of relief as Patrick’s footsteps moved away again.
“Until tomorrow,” Kai said quietly to Ava, and she nodded. Kai left the room first, but Ava didn’t leave the room at once. She spent a long time staring at Kai’s bed, wondering what women he’d had there. When tears started to prick the backs of her eyes at the thought that she would never be one of those women, she left as quickly as she could.
“Kai? Kai!”
Kai turned as he walked out of the great hall. Breakfast had been the same uneasy affair it had been ever since he had arrived back at the castle. With Domhnall and Thora shooting uneasy glares his way every few seconds, he had found it hard to concentrate on eating his food. It had been a pleasant distraction when Katherine had come in with Erik, and attention had swiveled toward the bairn. Kai had taken the opportunity to escape as quickly as he could, almost stumbling into Ava in the hallway.
“Ava?” His stomach lurched. Her cheeks were pink, as if she had run through the castle to find him. He wasn’t sure which took his attention more, the thought that Ava had run to find him for she was so eager to see him, or the image of her cheeks going even pinker, if she’d just give him half the chance to thrill her.
“Look.” She pressed a letter into his hands that she was waving madly. “It seems me faither has plans of his own.”
Kai looked down the letter and gritted his teeth when he read the contents.
‘It’s time, lass. Laird Domhnall has agreed tae host Yuletide celebrations with a feast fer us and Laird Blair Grant.. With the MacLeods and me watching over the night, we can be sure tae trust ye two into each other’s company as much as possible.’
Kai felt a sudden urge to tear the letter into shreds, but he restrained himself, glancing back into the great hall. Domhnall was far too distracted with his son in his arms to notice Kai’s glare. It seemed he had been more than happy to help advance Ava’s father’s wishes. He had even agreed to host the event without giving Kai any warning.
“This is good, isnae it?”
“Aye, aye it is,” Kai said hurriedly. Determined to think of something else, he folded up the letter and handed it back to her. “Come, we have time fer a quick lesson before our sparring.”
“Sparring?”
“Aye, the training ground is set up fer us. I ken it’s how ye relax, but first, we’ll have that lesson.” He beckoned her to follow, marching away into a room not far away. Ava followed, though her head was bent low over the letter as she re-read it with palpable excitement.
The way her excitement bubbled in the air between them made Kai suddenly furious. He was tempted to throw the letter into the fire, but he restrained himself, hands balled at fists at his side.
“Now, fer our lesson about touch.” His words made Ava dart her chin up as the door closed behind.
“I thought we had that lesson in the kitchen.”
“That was different. This…” He stepped toward her. “Is about catching yer man off guard. Making sure he’s suddenly thinking of ye and only ye.”
“I dinnae understand.”
“A touch can be subtle. It’s about drawing yer man in, catching him off guard. Fer instance…” He made the appearance of walking past her, as if he was going to open the door, but as he did so, he brushed his fingers down the back of her arm. It was a teasing touch, tantalizingly so. There, then gone. As his fingers dropped, he could have sworn Ava shivered.
Did she…? Or was that me imagination?
“Oh. I see.”
“Now, ye try.” He moved to stand in the middle of the room, watching as her cheeks turned pink.
Ava tried to copy his movements, but as she walked past him, she just hit his arm. Kai tipped back his head and laughed as she abruptly retracted her hand.
“Ye’re trying tae seduce him, Ava, nae wrestle him.”
“I dinnae like this.”
“Dae ye want tae seduce Laird Blair Grant or nae?”
“Ye ken I bloody well dae!”
“Ye dinnae have tae be so emphatic in yer answer.” Kai looked away as he said the words, finding them slipping out before he could stop them. She whirled around to face him, but he hid his expression for a beat longer. “Now, try again, and this time, make yer touch soft. The way ye did in the kitchen.”
She nodded, her whole expression matter of fact and controlled. As she walked past him, this time, her fingers were soft as she brushed them down his arm. She didn’t release him quickly, but let her fingers tarry, tauntingly. As her fingers dropped down to his wrist, Kai turned his hand over, desperate to touch her that little bit more. Their palms brushed together, their fingers tense yet soft around each other. He so badly wanted to hold her hand in his own, but he restrained, keeping it soft instead, their fingers teasing.
