Page 21 of Dagger’s Shield

“Papa, this is Killian Rourke.”

“Other than my parents, most people call me Rourke,” he said as they shook hands. My father attempted to hide his wince at my fiancé’s powerful grip, but I caught it. Better yet, he knew I’d caught it.

“Welcome.” My father clapped him on the shoulder and steered us all toward the salon. “You’ll forgive the house. We had no warning that my daughter was coming home for Christmas, let alone that she was bringing a guest.” He looked at my mother. “Did you know about this, Chantal?”

“Maëlle and I spoke yesterday,” my mother said. Her English was lovely, the way it had always been. “You must both be tired. Would you like to settle before dinner? Marthe made up your old room.” She stopped and looked between us. “I’m sorry—we didn’t have time to ready a second room for your friend.”

She looked at Dagger, then at me, clearly waiting for me to explain who he was.

“We’ll sort it after dinner, Maman.”

“It’s no trouble at all, Madame Valais,” Dagger said with the easy smile that worked on everyone but me. “I’ve slept in far worse places than a beautiful house in Burgundy.”

My mother smiled too, but tilted her head in my direction. I’d told her on the phone I had news, but she was too well-mannered to ask in front of everyone, my father in particular. She’d wait for it like everyone else.

Marthe took us upstairs. She’d run this house since before I was born and never used two words when none would do. At the door to my room, she stopped long enough to look Dagger up and down before muttering, “And where is that one supposed to sleep?” in French. She left without waiting for an answer.

“I take it that meeting her is a bit like being given the once-over by the head of the family,” Dagger said after she’d gone.

“You’ve no idea.”

My old room was exactly the way I’d left it at eighteen. Dagger set our bags down and looked at the bed, then at the narrow sofa under the window.

“Maybe I’ll ask Marthe to prepare a second room, after all.”

He shook his head. “We’ve a cover to maintain, mon feu. I’ll be fine there.” He motioned to the sofa.

“You will not. You couldn’t fit on the one in your own camp. This one’s half the size.”

“We’ll sort it out,” he said with a wink. “However, it isn’t the bed that worries me.”

“Then, what does?”

“We’ll soon go downstairs and tell your family we’re to be married. We’ll need to be convincing.”

“What are you suggesting?” I asked.

“They’ll want to see me touch you.”

I raised my chin. “Then, do it.”

He stepped forward and put his hand on my hip. “This is the first, Maëlle. I’ll do it whenever I want without asking.”

“Noted.”

“Second is this.” He wrapped his other arm around me and rested his hand on the small of my back, pressing against me so our bodies were flush together. “They’ll want to see our passion.”

“You’re enjoying this, Dagger.”

“Enormously. I’ll not lie about that.”

“How noble.”

“The third one will definitely give us away if we don’t get it right,” he said.

“What is that?”

“There are things I should know about you.”