All four men physically impressive, though in spite of herself Deirdre could not deny that her gaze was more drawn to Liam no matter that he had mocked her moments ago.
As he circled around Brendan, clearly gauging his first move, he took an instant to glance at her and there was no longer any teasing in his gaze. Only something akin to anger as ifshehad been the one to humiliate him.
Aye, that and almost a pained looked from the set of his jaw and the tension in his broad shoulders as he roared so vehemently that Deirdre jumped—all of her suitors yelling back at each other and flexing their arms in a primal precursor of what was to come.
Liam attacking first and grabbing Brendan in a violent hold that dropped him to his knees and then onto his back, Liam pinning him before it seemed Deirdre could draw a breath, everything happened so fast.
Brendan lay in the dirt and stared up at the blue cloudless sky as if he couldn’t believe, either, that he had been bested so swiftly, Liam now circling triumphantly around him.
His stormy-hued eyes once again met Deirdre’s, his jaw still tight and his heavily muscled chest gleaming with sweat. She swallowed hard that any man could look so handsome—or as defiant as his gaze flew to Darragh.
She sensed a ripple of hostility between them even as Cian bellowed like a wild animal and lunged at Darragh, who deftly sidestepped him and then grabbed him from behind to drive his outraged opponent to his knees as swiftly as Liam had done to Brendan.
For all of his muscled bulk, Cian couldn’t break Darragh’s fierce hold upon him and he struggled and screamed out curses as if he knew he had already been defeated.
Deirdre flinched again when Darragh slammed Cian forward onto his chest and then flipped him over to pin his back to theground so suddenly that a gasp of astonishment erupted from the onlookers.
Darragh rose to his feet and pumped his fists in the air victoriously as he glanced at Deirdre and she couldn’t help but to smile at him, she was so impressed by what she had just witnessed.
His black hair damp with sweat, and dirt dusting his muscled arms and chest that made Deirdre stare at him as if truly seeing him for the first time.
Both Darragh and Liam so physically formidable as they turned and faced each other, while Cian and Brendan were helped to their feet and escorted out of the circle, which had grown smaller as Deirdre’s clansmen pressed closer.
She stood almost behind her father now for how tightly everyone was packed together, and watched silently while Liam and Darragh were yet to make a move.
Their eyes locked and both men glaring as if they loathed each other—and mayhap at that moment, they truly did, Deirdre not having to guess why.
Her heart pounding, she waited breathlessly as the two drew closer at the same moment that some men suddenly jostled each other behind her as if to see better—ah, God!
Deirdre shrieked, falling headlong into the dirt just as Darragh lunged at Liam, who had turned his head and tried to reach for her.
“By God, woman!”
Deirdre gasped as her father, instead, was the one to haul her up just in time to avoid Liam collapsing upon her, Darragh violently knocking him to the ground.
She barely had time to blink and Liam was lying face up and staring at her in disbelief from beneath Darragh, who had pinned him with his body, a triumphant outcry bursting from him.
“I won! Now let’s see you boast that you’ve never been beaten, O’Toole.”
CHAPTER 7
Liam lay in the dirt with Darragh holding him down for what seemed like an eternity while still, he could not believe what had just happened.
Darragh’s victorious shout ringing in his ears.
Deirdre staring at him wide-eyed as if she couldn’t believe what had happened, either—and she had brought this defeat upon him, aye, on purpose, he was certain of it!
If she hadn’t tumbled to the ground in an intentional ploy to distract him, he would have beaten Darragh soundly, for it was true: Liam had never been thrashed in any wrestling event before, at clan gatherings or anywhere else.
All because he had kissed Deirdre and she wanted retaliation against him, the wily vixen!
“Get off me,” Liam grated to Darragh, who still held him down as if relishing the moment. The man stunk of dirt and sweat that dripped from his damp black hair into Liam’s eyes, making him struggle to break Darragh’s hold upon him. “Damn you, O’Sullivan, I said get off?—”
“The outcome of this contest is invalid,” came Ronan’s stern pronouncement that made both Liam and Darragh freeze and stare up at him.
Darragh cursing vehemently while Liam seized the moment to shove Darragh to one side and jump to his feet.
His arms flexed, his chest heaving as he drew in deep breaths now that he was free from the weight of Darragh’s body.
