Page 24 of The Laird’s Sinful Claim

David's eyes finally met hers. She expected mockery. Expected him to make some crude comment about her body or her modesty. Instead, his expression was unreadable.

"Get in the bed, lass," he said quietly. "Before ye freeze."

He turned away, giving her privacy, and busied himself with removing his boots.

Elinor scrambled into the bed, pulling the blankets up to her chin. The mattress was lumpy but warmer than the air.

She watched David finish undressing. He kept his inner trews on, thankfully, and she tried very hard not to notice the way muscles moved beneath his skin.

When he approached the bed, she tensed.

"I'm just gettin' in," he said. "Calm down."

"I am calm."

"Ye're clutchin' those blankets like they're the only thing standin' between ye and certain death."

"Maybe they are."

He snorted, a sound that might have been laughter. "Ye've a dark sense of humor fer a lady."

He settled into the bed, and Elinor immediately felt the shift in weight. The mattress dipped toward him, and she had to resist the urge to roll away. To put as much distance as possible between them.

But there wasn't much distance to be had. The bed was meant for one person, perhaps two if they were comfortable with each other. And she and David were decidedly not comfortable with each other.

"Ye've taken all the pillows," David observed.

Elinor looked at the wall she'd constructed between them, three pillows stacked in a line down the center of the bed. "So I have."

"I need at least one."

"Take one from the wall, then."

"The wall?" He propped himself up on one elbow, looking at her construction with something like amusement. "Is that what this is?"

"Yes. Your side." She pointed to his half of the bed. "My side. And never the two shall meet."

"Lass, I'm too big tae fit on this bed with a wall in the middle."

"Then you should have chosen the floor."

"And ye should have used one of yer favors." He reached out and plucked the top pillow from the wall, settling it under his head. "This is mine now."

"Fine." Elinor grabbed the remaining two pillows and clutched them to her chest. "These are mine."

"Ye dinnae need two pillows."

"I dae if I'm building proper fortifications."

"Fortifications." He was definitely laughing now, she could hear it in his voice. "Against what? Me?"

"Yes."

"I wouldnae touch ye."

"I'm making sure you keep that promise."

David was quiet for a moment. Then she felt him move, felt the mattress shift as he rolled toward her. His hand came down on top of her pillow wall, pushing it flat.