Page 19 of In Bed with a Highland Liar

Perhaps she could. Perhaps Aaden was more obvious than he liked to think. Then again, the entire point of this game he and Lilith had created between them was to be obvious. He wanted her to know how much he desired her. He wanted her to see the hunger in his eyes, to feel his lust like a physical touch on her skin.

If he frustrated her enough, then perhaps he could finally conquer her

CHAPTER NINE

Aaden stared at the piece of paper on the small table in front of him. He sat under the window in his guest chambers, the room as richly decorated as the rest of the castle, with its colorful tapestries and soft velvet seats. Laird Stewart had not spared any gold when it came to the comfort of his guests, though Aaden knew there was more to it than simply making sure his visitors would enjoy their time. It was a show of wealth and power. It let everyone know he had the riches to spend on frivolous things, so he surely had the riches to spend on important things, as well—namely, his armies.

An extensive, if not comprehensive, list of ideas covered the piece of paper, written in Aaden’s neat handwriting. He pored over it, rewriting each idea as he tried to settle on one of them.

“She may nae be impressed if she sees me fight,” he mumbled to himself. As formidable a fighter as he was, Lilith was surely used to seeing men spar in the training grounds. Aaden had no doubts he could best most, if not all of them, but what good would that do if it didn’t serve his purpose?

He had considered setting up an easel somewhere in the drawing room or in the library and waiting for Lilith to see him, but he was only a passably good painter at best. He risked her mockery rather than her enthusiasm and that would only hurt his chances. He had even considered finding a small animal, a puppy perhaps, or a bunny, as women found the little creatures irresistible, but he didn’t know what he would do with it afterwards. It wasn’t as though he could lug a small animal around with him when he returned.

If I return.

There was no point in ruminating on the future when there were so many uncertainties still. There was still a chance Aaden could avoid this marriage and save his mother, so he wouldn’t start to despair just yet.

No, what he had to do, he told himself, was stick to the plan. After all his failed attempts to get closer to Lilith, he had to do something that would truly impress her and make her swoon. He could already imagine the adoring look on her face when he managed to dazzle her, the way her blue eyes would widen and her plush, rosy lips would stretch into a smile, the compliments she would give him, all the sweeter for how long she had withheld them. She was the kind of woman anyone would want to impress, beautiful and smart and⁠—

Part of the plan, Aaden reminded himself. He was only doing this because of the plan.

But what? What can I dae that will impress her?

One thing came to mind. Ever since Aaden was young, everyone had been impressed by his horse-riding skills. Some could match him in speed, but none could match him in showmanship. He had a way with horses that others didn’t.

He could take Lilith horse riding, he decided. Not only would he show off, but it seemed like the kind of activity she could appreciate, more so than watching him fight or painstakingly paint trees. A race was the perfect way to get her attention. Lilith delighted in besting him, but if he showed her that he could do better than her in one task at least, then she would have no choice but to be impressed by his skills, even if losing the race angered her.

Before the ink had dried on the paper, he stood and left the room, heading to the stables.

“A race.”

It wasn’t a question, more like an unimpressed echo of Aaden’s proposal. Next to him, Lilith looked at him as though he had sprouted a second head, evidently confused about the reason behind his suggestion.

She had agreed to ride with him to a nearby lake without too much protest, much to Aaden’s relief. It was a nice day, if a little chilly, and the two of them were well on their way to the lake when the path widened and straightened before them, creating the perfect opportunity for him to show off his skills. He hadn’t expected such a flat reaction, though. Usually, when Aaden challenged someone to a race, they were quick to agree.

Then again, he had never challenged a woman to a race before.

“Ye’ll enjoy it,” Aaden said, goading her. “Have ye ever raced ‘afore?”

“I cannae say I’ve had the pleasure,” Lilith said drily. “Why dae ye wish tae race me?”

“I told ye, ye’ll enjoy it,” Aaden insisted, which was really no answer at all. “Dinnae ye believe me?”

For a moment, Lilith regarded him with curiosity as they rode next to each other in the leisurely pace they had established ever since leaving the castle, her gaze piercing as though she was trying to peer right into his mind. Aaden only smiled at her, small and tight-lipped, unwilling to divulge anything.

“Very well,” Lilith said in the end, nodding once firmly. “Where does the race end?”

“Where the path splits,” Aaden said, pointing at the fork in the road in the distance. It was a good chunk of dirt, one that would allow him to show Lilith just how good he was on a saddle, but not so long that it would leave their horses—and themselves—fatigued.

To say he was pleased was an understatement. He was close to victory now, so close to finally swaying Lilith that he could hardly contain his excitement. The only thing that was between him and Lilith’s permission to court her, however reluctant, was a stretch of road.

“From here, then?” Lilith asked, as she brought her horse to a halt. Aaden pulled up next to her, nodding.

“Ye may give the signal,” he said.

“How generous o’ ye,” Lilith mocked with a roll of her eyes. Still, there was a smile on her face, one with a dangerous edge, but Aaden didn’t have time to consider its meaning before she shouted, “Go!”

Within fractions of a second, she was gone, expertly riding her horse down the path. Cursing, Aaden followed her swiftly, chasing right after her, the two of them kicking up a cloud of dust on their way that painted the air around them a dull orange. She was fast and graceful on her horse, rivalling many of the best riders Aaden had raced against, and they weren’t even a quarter through the race when he realized that the one who would be impressed by the end of this would be him, not her.