She spun on her heel to leave Liam there, but he caught her around the waist to turn her back around to face him.
Deirdre gasping at his rough handling of her, though the weight of his hands seemed to stir her in a way she hadn’t felt before.
“You seem to have forgotten that it’s my turn to walk with you. Now will you cease fighting me or will I have to toss you over my shoulder and carry you while we talk?”
Liam’s eyes were so blue as he stared at her, the determined set of his jaw telling her that he was daring her to try and break free of him…which she did not, though she desperately wanted to for how he made her feel to hold her so close.
Her heart racing and a wild fluttering in her stomach that was so much stronger than what she had felt with Darragh—ah, God, what was it about this infuriating man that made her feel so unlike anything she had experienced before?
“Very well, I will walk with you,” Deirdre said through clenched teeth, Liam releasing her and looping his arm through hers just as he had attempted moments before.
Still he held her close against him—too close!—but what could she do? The last thing she wanted was for Liam to make good on his threat and toss her over his shoulder, a quick glance toward the feasting-hall telling her that Darragh stood watching them, as did her father, Conor, Niall, and others.
Aye, she would spare herself that humiliation, Nora following after her and Liam as they began to walk together—though Nora maintained a slightly greater distance as if her aunt didn’t know what to expect.
Neither did Deirdre. Liam was no longer scowling, but appeared quite pleased with himself as he smiled at her—his teeth a flash of white against his bronzed skin and his reddish-gold hair glinting in the sunlight.
“There now, my soon-to-be bride, isn’t this better?”
She glanced up sharply at him, Liam so tall next to her and so powerfully built that she couldn’t have fought him if she tried—though his confidence made her bristle all over again.
“You’re infuriating, do you know that?” she snapped, though her ire only elicited a deep laugh from him that made her face flush with warmth, the sound was so rich and pleasing.
So much more than Darragh’s—begorra, why was she comparing Liam so favorably against him?
Darragh had asked her about herself and said he would never change her and bowed to her so gallantly…while Liam had done nothing but practically force her to accompany him, his long strides making her walk faster to keep up with him.
“Where are you taking me? This isn’t a race, O’Toole?—”
“Ah, there it is again. Only once have I heard you call me by my given name…while I take great pleasure in saying yours,Deirdre…”
She shivered, Liam’s voice low and husky as he slowed his pace to accommodate her. Yet he didn’t ease his firm hold upon her arm, a quick glance telling her that Nora had fallen further behind.
Deirdre realized then that they had walked to a row of dwelling-houses near the inner wall surrounding the stronghold, Liam taking a sudden turn and steering her behind the nearest one.
No one there to see them at all, Deirdre stunned when he enfolded her in his arms to hold her against him.
“W-what are you?—?”
“Shh, woman, I want to kiss you.”
Her heart slamming in her throat, Deirdre stared up at him in disbelief as Liam lowered his head to press his lips to hers, their warmth making her gasp.
Their increasing pressure making her stiffen and think wildly to fight him, though an instant later and she didn’t seem able to think at all, Liam’s deepening kiss making her lean against him instead.
Her head spinning, her heartbeat racing as the most delicious chills spun through her and she found herself kissing him back…breathlessly opening her mouth to him?—
“Deirdre!”
Nora’s raised voice made her gasp again, her eyes flying open as she glanced from her aunt’s astonished expression to Liam, his face still hovering above hers.
His eyes deepened to a dark blue and still focused upon her lips, which tingled from his kiss even as she raised her hand and slapped him across the face.
Hard.
“H-how dare you!” Deirdre pushed herself away from him, not knowing if she did so more for Nora’s benefit or her own, and she half stumbled as she fought to catch her breath.
Liam reached out to catch her, but she shoved his hand away and backed away from him still further, her gaze widening at the red splotch upon his cheek where she had struck him.
