Page 28 of Highland Steel

“I’d like that,” she said, feeling so comfortable in his presence. Never had she thought she’d like to be around a Highlander since, back in England, she’d always heard them referred to as barbaric and beastly. Logan wasn’t like that at all.

“If the rock is too heavy it will sink,” he explained. “Too light, and ye are no’ goin’ to be able to throw it far at all.”

“I see.” He seemed so excited to explain to her how to do a simple trick such as skipping a stone. Actually, he made a good teacher.

“First, ye need to hold the rock like this,” he said, showing her how he did it. “Just rest the flat edge of the rock between yer thumb and the tip of yer middle finger. Here, ye try it.”

Rhoswen tried to do it, but purposely did it wrong, hoping he’d touch her again. “Like this?” she asked, looking up with innocent eyes.

“Nay, lass. Ye need to hug the rock with the tip of yer index finger, so ye dinna drop it. Like this.”

Her plan worked. He reached out and took her hand in his and adjusted the rock to the right position. “Now angle it up like this, toward the water.”

“All right. Now what?” she asked.

“Ye need to use a sidearm throw and flick yer wrist to add a spin to the stone so it skips. Like this.” He came up behind her, pressing his body against her, making her smile. With his arms wrapped around her, he took her hand in his. Then he twisted her body and helped her toss the stone. It hit the surface of the water and skipped twice.

“I did it!” she exclaimed happily. “I made the stone skip – thanks to you.”

She turned in his arms, and looked up at him and smiled. He did nothing to release her and neither did she want him to.

“Aye, ye did,” he said softly, staring down at her mouth. She lifted her chin as he bent closer and closed her eyes as his lips caressed her mouth. The kiss lingered, sending a spiral of heat all the way from her mouth down to her inner core. Rhoswen liked the feel of Logan’s arms around her and she liked the feel of his mouth against hers even more.

Slowly, their lips parted and they stood there staring at each other.

“I enjoyed that,” he said.

“So did I,” she admitted. She would have liked to have gone back for a second kiss, but her brother came down to the water, interrupting them.

“Rhoswen,” he said. “What are you doing?”

“Newell!” She quickly stepped away and Logan released her.

“Storm MacKeefe sent me to find you and tell you they are ready to talk to us now about the Drummonds,” he relayed the information.

“Aye, of course,” said Logan, clearing his throat. “We’re ready,” he said, placing his hand on her back and escorting her up the hill.

“Were you two just kissing?” asked Newell, making a face.

Rhoswen and Logan looked at each other and smiled.

“It’s no’ as awful as ye think it is, lad,” said Logan, doing nothing to deny it.

“Well, I have no desire to ever kiss a girl!”

“Ye say that now, but as ye get older, I assure ye that ye will desire it very much,” Logan assured the boy.

“The only thing I want to learn is how to fight with a sword,” Newell told him with enthusiasm. “My father taught my sister to do it, but he told me I was too clumsy.”

“Naw, that isna so,” said Logan. “I believe everyone, lad or lassie, can learn if they really want to. Mayhap yer faither just wasna patient enough with ye.”

“Will you teach me how to fight, Logan? You’re a Highlander, and Highlanders are beasts with swords in their hands.”

“Beasts?” Logan scowled. “Now who told ye that, lad?”

“My father,” answered Newell.

“Newell, don’t bother Logan,” Rhoswen told her brother. “He has better things to do than to teach you how to handle a sword.”