Page 8 of Highlander’s Dangerous Gambler

Seeing her struggle, the man came closer. "Here," he said, helping her with the paper. Aileen murmured her thanks while trying not to get too close.

Maybe it was stupid. It was not like he could smell she was a woman. Was it?

Still, as the man hung over her, Aileen almost stopped breathing. He was too close for comfort. And although he could not see her, she could see him. And almost taste him.

His scent breezed in, on the tip of an autumn wind, swirling into her face. There was a distinct musky edge to it that suggested excitement. Then, it was gone. The man took her tatty map, his thickset hands brushing past her own.

Even though there was no connection of flesh, Aileen flinched. He was too close for comfort. Deep down, she was sure he could tell what she was thinking.

Which was crazy.

Chiding herself to get a grip, Aileen tried her hardest to settle down and concentrate on the task at hand. Finding and winning this horse race should be her main priority, but in the last few minutes, this seemed to have been jettisoned for him. Now Aileen's mind was a rush of questions—who was this tall guard? In fact, was he a guard at all? Just who was he?

He unwrinkled the scrap of parchment, holding it aloft to the light. Then, he laughed.

"Och, when was this drawn?" he asked, amused. A wry smile stole itself around his lips. "By Robert the Bruce? I'd say it's a wee bit out o' date now. For a start, that barn is nae there, an', och!" He stopped himself and looked at her. "I reckon ye'd be doing better if ye just followed me."

The smile he sent her was charm itself. Despite being in a suit of armor, Aileen felt herself melting.

He was watching her intently. Instead of answering, she just nodded and then put her head down. He must be wondering why she did not remove her helmet.

"Yer wee horse is a pretty lassie," said the man admiringly. "Maybe ye do right to ride a lighter horse. Speed is of the essence...and sometimes small is best."

He raised his face into hers, inspecting it closely. Of course, he could see nothing more than her visor. The tall man stared in for several seconds too long, making Aileen uncomfortable.

Just as she was about to tell him that her horse was, in fact, a male, the man approached her again.

"Aye, wi' yer build, there'll be a muckle good o' ye walking off with the prize."

Aileen looked up. She was so surprised she did not know what to say. "Really?" she trilled. Her young, high voice escaped into the air. Immediately, she tried to drown it out. Pensively, she drew her brow into a line.

"Ye really think so?" she finally said.

The man smiled. "Ach, I really do, although it might be easier if ye took that suit off." He glanced at the armor and laughed. "It'd make ye even lighter, an' anyway, didnae anyone tell ye it's only a race, nae a fight?"

The man laughed again while Aileen made noncommittal noises. Before she managed to fashion a reply, he continued.

"Och, I expect ye ken what ye’re doing, I mean, ye've run in these things afore, aye?" His eyebrows were raised in question. Aileen noticed they were jet black. And beneath them, his sapphire eyes pulsated in interest.

"I, um," she began. She did not know what to say. "Nae exactly..."

"So, ye havenae ridden in the tournaments afore, or perhaps the Dunrobin races o' summer?" His eyes scrutinized hers, and not for the first time, Aileen was sure that he saw straight through the visor pulled down across her face.

Aileen didn't answer and instead just shook her head.

The man's beam was still stuck to her; he seemed to be thinking. "Well, dinnae fash, wee man," he said genially. "Ye still ha' a wee chance."

His face contorted into a scowl. He seemed to be thinking about something. Aileen could only wonder what. One thing was sure: He was asking a lot of questions and seemed knowledgeable.

Aileen tried her hardest to play it cool, but inside, everything had just heated up another notch. Following on behind, she trotted over to where the start of the race was to be. This was it now. There was no turning back.

With the mysterious man at her side, Aileen prepared herself to take her place in the competition.

She had no idea what she was getting into.