“I know it’s unconventional, but you can’t expect me to race in heavy skirts? They’ll be in the way, and I’ll fall and break my neck.”
“You shouldn’t race at all, and certainly not in that. You might as well be naked!”
She lifted a brow in amusement—probably because he sounded as flustered as he felt. “I didn’t realize so many men walked around in such a state of undress. I will have to pay more attention.”
She let her gaze drop from his eyes over the planes of his chest and down his leather-clad legs, lingering one cock-hardening instant on the heavy bulge between his legs. She might as well have stroked him, the heat enflamed every nerve ending in his body. He went as hard as a damned spike.
When she lifted those tilted golden cat-eyes to his, he felt caught in the seductive pull. He wanted to toss her over his shoulder and carry her upstairs to ravish her like one of his marauding Viking ancestors.
Where in Hades had that come from? What was it about her that made him feel so damnedprimitive? For a man who’d always prided himself on rationality, this base, unthinking reaction was a bitter blow. Not to mention confusing. She was a problem he couldn’t solve, and for the first time he couldn’t see a way around it in his head.
“And yet, you are wearing similar clothes and do not appear naked at all,” she pointed out.
Was that a tinge of disappointment in her voice? God’s breath shewastrying to kill him!
“You’re a lass,” he said, as if the distinction should be obvious.
“As that’s the second time I’ve had that pointed out to me today, I think it’s been established.” She laughed. “Now, if we are finished discussing my attire, I have a race to win.”
She attempted to sweep past him but he caught her arm. He wasn’t fool enough to bring her closer than arm’s length, but it was still close enough to wreak havoc on his senses. She might be dressed like a man but she sure as hell didn’t smell like one. “That’s just it, you can’t win. Don’t you see? Even if you beat him, you lose.”
She frowned. “What are you talking about?”
“Ladies don’t stage a public race with men and they certainly don’t win. It isn’t done.”
Christ, he sounded every bit as prudish and uptight as the nun Fin had accused him of being. And she knew it, too. She seemed to be fighting back more laughter.
“Maybe not here, but I do it all the time at home and no one bats an eye. They’ll get over it. It’s a harmless bit of fun.” She smiled up at him. “You take things too seriously. It’s sweet, but I know what I’m doing.”
Sweet? He wasn’t sweet. “Do you?” Damn it, he didn’t want to hurt her, but it needed to be said. “They will never accept you, if you do this.”
Her smile turned wry. “I’m not sure that was likely to happen anyway. But really you are making too much of this.”
Was he? Maybe. He was just trying to protect her because...
He didn’t want to finish that thought.
“Look, even if I wanted to, my family wouldn’t let me back out of it. It’s too late.”
Realizing the truth in that statement, and that her mind was made up, he stepped back and let her go. What else could he do? This wasn’t his battle. She wasn’t his.
She was already outside when he called out to her. “Fin is one of the best riders I’ve ever seen. Do you really think you can win?”
Her family must believe she could to let her go through with this.
“I wouldn’t have made the challenge if I didn’t.”
He couldn’t help smiling as the lass threw him a dimply grin before darting across the yard.
She sure as hell didn’t lack for confidence. And damned if he didn’t admire it.
7
MARGARET’S CONFIDENCEwas well deserved. The race was over in less than five minutes. Barely had the shock died down from her unusual attire, than the crowd was stunned by her more-dramatic-than-she’d-intended finish through the portcullis gate.
First, thank goodness.
But it had been closer than she would have liked. Finlaeie had been ahead of her until the turn up the hill. He’d slowed at the sharp corner and she’d taken the straighter line by jumping across. She’d had to clear a few rocks to do so, but Dubh had been more than up to the challenge.
