Page 37 of The Laird’s Sinful Claim

CHAPTER NINE

David froze in the doorway, one hand still on the latch. His eyes went wide with shock, then something else flickering across his face before he managed to school his expression into careful neutrality.

"I—" he started.

"Out!" Elinor sank lower in the water, crossing her arms over her chest even though the bathwater was cloudy with herbs. "What are you doing?"

"Comin' into me room." His voice was carefully controlled, but she could see color rising along his neck. "I didnae think, I didnae ken ye'd still be taking yer bath."

"You should have knocked!"

"It's me bedchamber, lass. I dinnae generally knock before enterin' me own space."

The logic of that penetrated through her embarrassment.

"Well, you should start knocking," she said, trying to maintain some dignity despite being naked in a bathtub. "Common courtesy would suggest ye knock."

"Common courtesy would suggest a wife wouldnae be surprised when her husband enters their shared chamber."

"Shared?" The word came out higher than she'd intended. "Ainsley said this was my room."

"Aye. Yer room. Which is also me room." David's eyes were fixed very determinedly on the ceiling. "Did ye truly think ye'd have separate quarters?"

The thought of the two of them, sharing the same space every day made heat rise up her neck. "You could have mentioned it."

"I thought it was obvious."

She wanted to smack the smirk of his lips.

"Nothing about this situation is obvious!"

"Fair point." He still wasn't looking at her, which she was grateful for. But his expression had become carefully neutral again, and she could not help wondering what he was thinking of their peculiar circumstances. "Are ye nearly done? I need tae speak tae ye about somethin'."

"I'll be done when you leave."

"I'm nae leavin'. This is me room."

"Then turn around at least!"

"I am turned around. I'm lookin' at the ceiling."

She huffed in frustration. "Fine. Just, don't move. And don't look."

She heard him sigh but couldn't see if he was obeying. The water sloshed as she stood, and she was suddenly very aware of every sound.

She reached for the linen towel Ainsley had left, wrapping it around herself quickly. It wasn't enough. The fabric clung to her wet skin, transparent in places.

She needed her chemise. It was laid out on the chair near the fire, but getting to it meant crossing half the room. In wet linen that left almost nothing to the imagination.

"Are ye decent?" David asked.

"No. Don't turn around."

"How long is this goin' tae take?"

"As long as it needs to!" She hurried to the chair, grabbed the chemise, and tried to pull it on over the wet towel. It stuck. She wrestled with it, cursing under her breath.

"Dae ye need help?"