What am I to do with you, Daniel?
She sighed, taking a seat in the shade of one of the trees. She hadn’t wanted to fall in love with him, but now she couldn’t even picture her life without him in it.
Hearing the sound of heavy boots crushing the gravel underfoot, Melissa looked up to see Daniel striding toward her with the same kind of overly confident gaze in his eyes that used to set her teeth on edge.
“Speak of the Devil,” she whispered to herself as her heart began to flutter in her chest.
“Good day, Me Lady,” he teased her with a dashing smile that melted her heart. The effect he was having on her since the dinner was more than she could bear at present. “I thought we had a plague of mice in the orchards.” He smirked. “I see that it’s ye who keeps nibbling all the cherries.”
“It could be me,” she agreed with a shrug. “Or it could be one of the women you allow in unchecked into your orchards.”
Daniel laughed. “Are ye still adamant that I’m having a secret rendezvous with me cousin?”
“Not at all.” She batted her eyelashes at him. “Now that I’ve come to know Beitris, I see that there is absolutely no way she would ever have a secret rendezvous with you.” She couldn’t help but smile when she saw the mischievous glint in his eyes. “She has far better taste than that.”
Tilting his head back, Daniel let out a laugh that warmed Melissa’s heart to a degree where she thought it would burst. He was unbelievably handsome in a dangerous way that scared and beguiled her in equal measure.
“Were you patrolling the orchards for mice?” she asked as she placed a cherry in her mouth and twirled her tongue around the stem in a seductive manner until it broke off. “That seems like a job that one of your men could do for you, does it not?”
Daniel’s eyes darkened with the same look he got whenever he was about to devour her. “I’m actually on me way to train the men for combat,” he said and folded his hands behind his back, taking a step toward her. “One of the more fun tasks of being a laird.”
“I know it’s unbecoming of a lady to fight,” Melissa said. “But I’ve always wanted to learn how to defend myself. Any chance I can join you, even if just to watch?” She tilted her head to the side and batted her eyelashes at him, again.
“Oh, I dinnae think that a distraction as beautiful as ye would be good for the men,” Daniel replied with a teasing note in his voice. “I think it’s best if ye stay here and enjoy me cherries for the rest of the afternoon.” He reached out and used his thumb to wipe a drop of cherry juice from her chin, making her breath catch in her throat.
“Men…” Melissa rolled her eyes as she quickly reminded herself that he was playing a game with her. She was the mouse, and he was the hungry lion prowling for prey. She lived for the games they played with each other, so she decided to turn the tables on him. “Why don’t you show me a few moves, then?” She raised her eyebrow in a challenge.
“Right now?” Daniel asked with his thumb still on her chin. “With just the two of us?” The corner of his mouth tilted up into a seductive smile.
“It is just us and the cherries.” She bit her lower lip to hide her smile.
“Is that a challenge, lass?” He let out a light laugh that made her insides flutter.
“If you like.”
“Well then, shall we start with the art of distraction?” He lowered his hand from her chin.
Reaching over her head, he picked one of the cherries and held it in front of her face, dangling the stem between his forefinger and thumb. “You like these cherries a lot, do ye nae?”
“Evidently,” she said and gave him a puzzled look, wondering what the cherries had to do with learning how to fight.
“I’m glad ye like the cherries.” He continued to swing it back and forth in front of her eyes as he smiled at her. “What’s that?” His eyes filled with panic as he suddenly used his other hand to point over her shoulder.
Whipping around, Melissa quickly looked to see what was behind her. “I don’t see—” Her words were cut short when she felt Daniel swiftly grab her around the waist and lower her to the ground. He pinned her down with his hands on either side of her head.
“The art of distraction,” he triumphantly whispered above her as he pressed his muscular body down into hers.
She could feel her chest beginning to heave with desire as her fingers intertwined with his. “Do you often do that to enemies on the battlefield?” she asked almost breathlessly as her leg came up at his side.
“Only the pretty ones,” he teased her. Standing and dusting off his hands, he helped her to her feet. “Lesson number one, never take yer eyes off of yer adversary. The minute yer focus is off their every move, ye’ve given them a gap to attack you.”
“I see,” Melissa said, dusting herself off and straightening her shawl.
“Let’s try that again,” Daniel said. “Show me how ye would have stopped me from grabbing ye like that.” He reached up and picked another cherry, dangling it in front of her face in the exact same manner as before.
Instead of looking at the cherry, she chose to keep her eyes locked on his face instead, waiting for her chance to make a move.
“What’s that?” Daniel shouted again as he pointed in a different direction.
