She need not have worried. His expression shifted from one of study to one of incredulity. “You drew this?”
She nodded.
“Why have you never told me you knew how to draw?” He was frowning at her as if she’d kept something important from him.
She shrugged, inordinately pleased by the implicit compliment. “I didn’t know myself. But I was inspired.”
He’d turned unusually serious. “This is very good, Elizabeth. Very good.”
Her cheeks heated with pleasure, but she couldn’t resist teasing him. “You sound so surprised I don’t know whether to be flattered or offended.”
He grinned lopsidedly. “Flattered. Definitely flattered.” He pointed to the etching on the blade. “What is this?”
She turned over the parchment. “I drew a more detailed part of that section here. It’s oxen and a castle.”
It didn’t take him long. “Roxburgh.”
She grinned. “Aye, I thought Jamie would like immortalizing one of his greatest achievements on his blade.”
“He will indeed,” Thom said wryly.
They both knew that James liked nothing more than to have the name of Douglas remembered for generations.
They spent the next half hour going over the details of the design. Thom asking questions and then them discussing alternatives if he thought one of her design elements might interfere with the function.
When they were both satisfied, Thom stepped back. “I should get back to work. This sword of yours is going to take quite a bit of time, and Joanna wants it next week.”
Elizabeth nodded, strangely reluctant to go. It had been so nice being with him again like this. She wasn’t ready for the moment to end. “Do you mind if I stay awhile?”
Thom stared down at that beautiful upturned face and wanted to tell her she could stay forever.
No longer wrapped up in the discussion about the drawing—she’d surprised the hell out of him with that—Thom was thinking about being wrapped up in other things. Like her legs around his hips as he drove...
Hell.
“I’m not sure that is a good idea.”
She looked so crestfallen he had to force his arms to his sides so as to not pull her into them. “Why? I just want to watch a little while, I promise I won’t get in the way.”
“Because if you stay, I’ll want to touch you.”
She didn’t appear taken aback by his bluntness. “Would that be so horrible?”
Her soft voice was like a siren’s song, drawing him in. He wanted to answer it. Actually, he wanted to sweep her into his arms, push her back on the table, and ravish her senseless—but he forced himself back from the edge of the precipice.
“Aye, it would. I’m not going to do that while you are letting another man court you—even if he is doing a piss-poor job of it.”
She looked mildly offended. “What do you mean?”
He gave her a long, penetrating look. “If you were mine, you can be bloody well sure you wouldn’t have time to sneak away to meet another man.”
She lifted her chin. “I’ll have you know Randolph and I were supposed to go riding today.”
Thom tried to dim the hope that swelled in his chest at what she’d unintentionally revealed. “So you could have been with Randolph, but you are here with me instead.” He stepped closer, not caring that he might get soot over her fine cloak, took her arm, and pulled her to his leather-apron-covered chest. “Does that not tell you something?”
She looked startled, and then maybe a little cornered. She tried to pull away. “I wanted to get you the design.” He gave her a look that told her he knew that wasn’t everything. “You are right. I shouldn’t be here.”
She broke away and headed for the door. But Thom wasn’t going to let her go so easily. “You can’t marry him, Ella. You don’t love him.”
