She was blinking fast as she stared at the fire, wondering how many times Kai might have thought about touching her like this in their lives, and yet had never said anything.
“Kai–”
“I ken what ye want tae say.” His voice broke a little as he moved his head and placed his lips in her hair. It was another near kiss, but not quite. It made her ache, longing for him as her heart thundered in her chest. “Ye are tae marry Laird Grant. A night’s exploration with me isnae worth the risk.” She closed her eyes, for she hadn’t just wantedonenight. She had been hoping for more, deep down. Kai was the only man she had ever truly imagined making love to. “Just let me hold ye tonight, tae keep ye warm, and in the morning, I promise tae let ye go.”
She closed her eyes tight and pressed her lips together, to stop herself from asking him not to let her go.
When she said nothing, he just held her tighter, burying his head in her neck again. Ava leaned back into him, her hands splayed across his strong forearms as his hands held her body. It was the perfect thrill, the perfect intimacy, as they both fell asleep by the fire, so much unsaid between them.
CHAPTER SIXTEEN
“They’re here.” Ava looked out of the window of her father’s castle, watching as the party of horses approached.
Kai said nothing. He was sitting a short distance away, staring blankly into some of the pinecone boughs that had been hung from the ceiling.
Ava fixed him with a gaze, wishing she had the ability to read his emotions as he could read hers.
Since they had parted from the croft that morning, everything had changed between them. She’d woken to find him no longer holding her, but out with the horses, tending to them and feeding them. Neither one of them had said a word about what had passed between them, the embrace, the stolen touches, even the taunting conversation full of restraint. They had exchanged awkward and quiet conversation all day as they arrived at the castle.
“Kai?” Ava called to him. “They’re here. We’ll have tae greet them and show them tae dinner.”
Kai nodded and stood, gesturing to show he would follow her out of the room. Ava bit her lip as she led the way. Kai was nothing like his usual smiling self. He was almost a shell of the man he usually was.
In the entrance hall of the castle, decked with mistletoe and holly berries, Ava stood fidgeting constantly as Kai remained beside her, as still as stone. When the steward opened the door, the whole party walked in, rubbing their hands and bemoaning the cold beyond the doors.
“Oh, it’s freezing out there,” Thora declared, the first to arrive as she rushed in, embracing Ava then Kai. “Goodness, I’m glad tae be here. Could see meself smiling all day fer want of this moment.”
“Dae I smell our dinner, Ava?” Laird Finley MacKinnon asked as he walked in, kicking snow off his boots and embraced his daughter.
“Aye. Lyla is in the great hall now waiting fer us,” Ava nodded in the direction of the door. Finley led the way, with Kai and Thora following closely behind. Laird Grant moved toward Ava and offered up his hand.
Remembering thathewas the man she was supposed to be seducing, not Kai, she placed her hand in his. He lifted it tohis lips and kissed the back, maintaining the connection of their gaze at all times.
“Good day tae ye, Ava.”
“Good day.” She forced a smile. “Ye must be hungry.” She looped her arm with his own, touching him softly as he removed his cloak. “Let me escort ye tae our dinner.”
As Ava walked into the room, she felt Laird Grant’s other hand come up around her. He placed it to her lower back, rather possessively. He pulled out her chair in a gentlemanly way for her so she could sit. She carefully left her fingers on his arm as she sat, only looking away when he took the seat beside her.
On the opposite side of the table, Lyla and Thora were talking together in low voices, but Kai was watching Ava as if his body had been set on fire. His face was bright red, and he was breathing heavily.
What just happened?
“Well, let’s eat!” Finley declared, tucking into the roast hog before them.
Kai marched through the castle. He was determined to get back to his chamber and hide in there, to forget the awful evening and the awkward conversation over dinner. It had been painfulto watch Thora and Lyla’s attempts to make easy conversation across their group, when Kai refused every attempt, unable to stop watching Laird Grant and Ava together.
Ava had been an expert in seduction, talking low with Laird Grant and touching him at every available opportunity.
“God, I feel sick,” Kai muttered as he reached for a spiral staircase set within a wall of the castle. He was about to climb up when he heard a clash of metal. A grunt quickly followed it, and Kai spun around. He knew that sound. It was followed by a breathy gasp, then another clash of metal.
It was Ava. Those were the sounds she made when she was fighting.
Kai followed the noise, reaching for a door nearby and opening it wide.
It was the sparring room at the back of the castle. In the middle, stood Ava. She was wearing a tight-fitting kirtle and skirt, the sleeves rolled up to her elbows and a slit in the skirt allowing her to move quickly as she lunged and drove the sword into a block of wood which had been stood on end as her opponent. The first few moves were practiced, even expert in their technique, then she seemed to lose her temper and just thrust the sword with a loud grunt into the wood. It was such a sharp movement that the candles nearby all flickered.
“I wonder who ye are imagining is that block of wood tonight?” His question startled her.
