Page 8 of Highlander’s Haunted Past

“Aye. She used to let me and Elizabeth, my sister, play pretend with it—saying there was no use to owning a fine gown if it went unworn. We weren’t altogether kind to it as children, so it did not last in good condition fer long. Also…” Kenna’s blush deepened. “I outgrew it at some point.”

“I can hardly find fault with the fit,” Rob said, his voice low and his gaze still on Kenna’s chest.

Kenna was astonished. What was she supposed to say when a man said something like that while eyeing her body so openly, with such disregard for decency? She had caught her reflection earlier in the evening, and she had nearly fainted when she saw how tightly the gown clung to her. She had commented so to Elizabeth when she came to hug and whisper her congratulations. The little witch had lied and said no one would notice. Clearly, she underestimated the eyes of men.

“Aye, well, do not come to expect it. ‘Tis terribly uncomfortable. I’ve been on the verge of collapsing all day; the corset is tied so tight.”

“Is that so?” Rob’s eyes slowly met her own. “Then ‘tis only wise to remove it.”

It had been a trap. Kenna had set it herself and then immediately stumbled back upon it. He knew it as well as she. All she could do was nod, watching his eyes darken dangerously like a predator who had found easy prey as he stood to approach her. The hand that had been grasping hers since earlier gracefully pulled her to her feet, and she turned away from him, not sure if she preferred to be blind to his advance or to meet his eyes, which seemed to read so intrusively into hers.

Each of her senses became so suddenly sharp, picking up every warm exhale as it tickled across her neck and the ever so slight trace of his fingertips as they casually flipped the black sash from her shoulder before sliding across her back to find the laces working so hard to hold the dress against her. When he lightly gripped the end and began to pull, Kenna felt the rest of her beginning to undo, the heat of his breath sinking into her chest and then lower still. One final slow tug and the gown gave way, slowly sinking to the floor.

How desperately she wanted to turn back around. To distance him from undoing her even further. But then she would have to face him and those dark eyes. What expression would she find there? He robbed her of the chance to consider the options for his achingly slow pace was suddenly shattered as he gave her corset laces one swift pull and the heavy fabric and boning tumbled to the floor, abandoned. Kenna gasped, fully filling her lungs for the first time in hours.

Now it was only her shift. Kenna looked down at herself, suddenly conscious of how thin the fabric was. She didn’t have time to regret it, for his hands were on her again, moving in a gradual and gentle knead from her back to her sides and then forward to her stomach.

“Better?” he whispered in her ear.

His hands, the ones she had yet to object to, began to sink, and the veil of seduction fell from her eyes as she guessed his destination. She twisted away from him, stepping back until she was free from him and those hands that tempted her so.

“Aye! Thank ye. Much better. Much better indeed.”

His hands hovered in the air where she had once been. Kenna enjoyed the look of shock on his face until his gaze sank from her face to, well, the rest of her. She clutched her arms about herself awkwardly, doing her best to be nonchalant while also covering as much as she could. He seemed to find this amusing, a smile flitting across his face while the slow rumble of a chuckle filled the room.

“Ye’re quite bonny, Kenna.”

“Kind of ye to say.”

“I imagine ye ken what it is that we are expected to do tonight?”

Kenna blanched. It was one thing to know but another to say. “I do.”

“Then—” He took a step forward.

Kenna immediately stepped back.

He took his jacket off with a sigh and tossed it over the chair beside him before looking back to her with a fresh conviction. It was almost more intimidating than the dark look he had cast upon her earlier.

“Ye ken that I’ll not hurt ye, right?”

Kenna did not know that. How could she? “I ken.”

He took another step forward, and she another step back, eliciting another laugh from Rob, but this one was hollow—certainly more to soothe himself than to be true.

“If ye do not fear me, then what is wrong?”

“Ye just…” Kenna’s mind reeled for an excuse. “Ye just seemed to ken how to undo a woman’s dress with a bit too much ease.”

His laugh was genuine once more. “Laces are hardly complex.”

“Aye, well…” Kenna trailed off, wishing she had considered the options for steering this argument before she had headed down this trail.

“Is it jealousy?” Rob asked, his eyes full of childish delight.

Kenna snorted. “Hardly.”

Rob reached for her. It wasn’t quick, or frightening, but she jumped away just the same, clutching herself even more tightly.