“And he would be correct.” Christian matched her steps.
“Where is Father?”
“He is looking for work in town.”
Father was always seeking employment to support his three daughters. But he had not lacked, not in the twelve years she had been with him. Not since their mother died. “Why aren’t you searching for work?”
“Youare my work.”
She swung and connected with his blade. “I should find that insulting.” The blow clanged through the small glade. “I am most certainly not work.” His comment had insulted her. As the youngest sister, she always sought to keep up with her sisters. Raven was a natural with the sword. And Sage was brilliant; she could figure out how anything worked.
Christian attacked, swinging his sword, again and again, driving her backward through the clearing. He arced the blade over her head, and she put hers up to block it. He caught her sword, flicked his wrist, and sent her blade flying through the air. “That’show it’s done.”
Willow scowled at Christian. “You better not have lost my blade.”
“Me? I believe it came out of your hand,” he said, following her into a thick patch of long grass where the sword had landed.
Willow stood at the edge of the thick stalks. “We’ll never find it.”
He sheathed his weapon. “Not standing here, we won’t.” He marched past her into the grass, and it swallowed him, closing the path behind him.
Willow could still make out the direction he had gone from the bent stalks. She went in a different way. If she could locate it first, she would still win. She kicked the stalks, searching the ground. The stems moved, but they were so compact she might easily pass her sword. She dropped to her knees and used her hands, pushing the stems, feeling the ground, swiping back and forth systematically. She would not miss it.
And she would find it first.
When she cleared an area, she crawled forward, searching. She brushed her hand in a semi-circle before her. Back and forth. Then the other hand. Back and forth. Sweat trickled down her temple. She was so hot from practicing beneath the bright rays of the sun and now from trying to find her weapon. Back and forth. What if she didn’t locate her sword? Father would be furious. They couldn’t afford another one.
Christian suddenly appeared on his hands and knees before her, exploring as she was. His hand grazed hers. And froze.
Their eyes met. Her heart leaped, but it had nothing to do with her exertion. “I’m never going to find it,” she whispered.
He leaned toward her. “You will.”
Her gaze dipped to his lips and then quickly back to his beautiful blue eyes. He was close to her. Closer than when he started. His warm hand on top of hers sent waves of hot tingles through her body. He reached for her with his other hand, cupping it behind her head. The next thing she knew, he pressed his lips to hers. Warmth flooded through her body in response to the pressure of his gentle lips. They moved over hers with a soft, sensual caress.
The world was swept out from beneath her, spinning. It was as if she were floating.
He pulled back to look into her eyes.
All she could think of was...Christian. Her gaze glided over his face—his ruggedly handsome, strong face to his moist lips. She had wanted to kiss him, to know what he felt like. But she was unprepared for the emotions flaring to life inside her. Confusion, doubt, arousal, excitement. She parted her lips to speak, but no words came out.
In unison, as they still knelt, they lurched forward into each other’s arms. Their bodies surged together, their arms around each other. Their kiss deepened, putting all the passion and unhindered longing into their touch.
With every heated brush of his lips, with every stroke of his masterful tongue, Willow’s mind whirled.
“Willow!”
Willow and Christian separated instantly.
Father!
She whirled to find him standing behind them, his gaze swiveling from her to Christian and back. His tall shadow fell across her, and Willow stood. “My sword.” She scanned the ground as if trying to track down her weapon. “I was searching for it.”
Her father said nothing for a long moment. His dark eyes locked on her as a breeze lifted the strands of his shoulder-length dark hair.
Hesitantly, Willow raised her gaze to him.
He glared intensely at her. “You lost it?”
