“Like that?” she whispered, her voice rather breathless in the air.
“Aye, like that.” He raised his head, no longer looking at their hands, but looking at her face instead.
Ava’s lips were parted a little, her face unmistakably red now and he was sure it had nothing to do with the fire.
Wait… Ava…
He felt the emotion rolling off her. It was as if the air between them was full of the same fiery sparks that were in the grate. She was attracted, just like he was. She was… lustful. His heart pounding in his chest, Kai was seconds away from grabbing her hand hard and pulling her into him, crashing his lips against her own and taking the kiss he had so long dreamed of.
“Ava?”
“Aye?” she said quickly, just as breathlessly as before.
“Are ye –”
“There ye two are.” Domhnall’s voice made Ava release Kai’s hand at once. She moved away, turning to face the fire, and Kai was left staring at her back, feeling suddenly bereft and empty.
Domhnall had opened the door and walked toward Kai’s side.
“The training ground is ready now if ye two want tae spar.” Domhnall evidently read the awkward air, though Kai tried hisbest to smile and not hint as to what had happened. “Everything well?” Domhnall whispered under his breath.
“Aye, everything is perfectly fine.”
Though Kai knew it was not the case. In that moment, he felt as if the ground had shifted beneath his feet.
CHAPTER THIRTEEN
“Careful!” Kai called as Ava backed away, holding the sword aloft.
Ava laughed with delight. At least out here, she felt more like herself. The training lawn had been cleared of snow, that was now piled high around the edge in little mounds, but the ground beneath them was still frozen hard. It made it easy to run back and forth, to fight with Kai as he sparred and blocked each one of her blows.
“Ye trying tae draw blood, Ava?” Kai laughed as he swiped his blade through the air and walked around her, aiming to draw her into a circle. Ava was careful to walk the other way, pushing up the sleeves of her gown. She was not going to give him a chance to win this particular battle.
“Maybe a little,” she teased him, loving the way he smiled at her.
Here, it didn’t matter what had just happened in that withdrawing chamber. She didn’t have to think about the touch of their fingers, that spark, nor the way Kai had been looking at her. She only had to think of the laughter and winning this fight.
“Ye ken I’ll win this fight.” He winked at her, coming to a stop in his circle. “I always can beat ye.”
“Nae today, Kai.”
“I’m stronger. Ye ken that.”
“Yet I’m wiser,” she teased him. He laughed once again then lunged toward her, but she was too quick, blocking the blow with ease and dancing to the side, out of his reach. Quick parries followed, each one making the metal clash and clang in the air loudly, then Kai stepped back. Mistaking his movement for a retreat, she lunged forward, but she was wrong. He had drawn her into a trap.
Grabbing hold of her wrist, he bent it down, so that she was forced to drop the sword, then he took hold of her waist.
“Kai!” she cried in irritation, but he had already flipped her through the air. She landed on her back on the hard ground, but his other arm had come up to cushion the blow behind her head as he knelt above her.
“I win,” he said victoriously, bending over her and breathing heavily. He was mere inches away from her, smiling down at her.
Ava was suddenly still. Their sparring had gone from something fun to something that was very close and almost intimate. His arms were around her, there was barely breathing room between them, and seeing them pant as he leaned above her now filled her mind with other ideas. Is that how Kai would look if she was one of the ladies he took to bed? Would he pant for her? Be red in the cheeks for her? Smile at her with such excitement?
He is smiling at me with excitement.
It was as though they were back in that room again, the air charged and sparking between them as silently, they both just looked at one another.
What is happening between us?
