by D. K. Combs
“I do not have one.” He moved in front of her when she would have ran past him. Kane wasn’t letting her out of his sight until he knew his nymph’s name.
He chuckled. “Of course ye’ do. I’m no’ going to punish ye’ for being in the kitchens, if that’s what yer afraid for. Come, lass. Tell me. Then ye’ can go to bed.”
She shook her head, blonde locks falling in front of her eyes, and once again tried to move past him. He growled. What was so damn bad about him that she couldn’t tell him her name? Especially if she was a servant of his? He knew that most lairds wouldn’t think twice about taking a maid, willing or unwilling. Mayhap she suspected that giving into him on anything would result to that.
His heart softened. The lass was only frightened for her safety. It only endeared her to him that she wouldn’t use her body to get out of the situation like so many servants did. Although he had to wonder why she was running around in nothing but a shift.
She tried to slip under his arm. He sighed and grabbed her by the waist, smiling when she made a sound of frightened frustration and hit at him. At least the lass was not so weak that she couldn’t try to escape him.
Ignoring the feel of how comfortable she felt against him, even though she was struggling like a wild animal to get out of his grip, he brought her to the hall, putting her in front of him at his chair. He stood there until he was sure she wouldn’t try to run away, and then sat in his chair.
He had things he wanted to know, and she was not—
Kane lunged for her when she sprung out of the chair, and plopped her right on his lap.
“Yer not going anywhere until ye’ tell me yer name,” he warned her, making sure to keep his hands on her modest parts. As laird, he could command her to take him right now, on his lap, and she would be forced to listen—but the frightened look in her eyes squelched any thoughts of that, even though he’d burn in hell before making a maid go through with it.
She stared at him like a doe who’d just caught the arrow pointed between her eyes. God, her eyes were so damn blue. When she wiggled in his lap uncomfortably, he realized he was staring, and that she’d just roused exactly what he’d been trying to hide. He lifted her and moved her bottom away from his cock, growling a little.
“Name, lass.”
Her head shook. The locks once again fell in front of her face and he reached up, pushing them away. Kane didn’t like her face being hidden like that. He wanted to see the face he’d been dreaming about every night.
She grabbed for his wrist when he pulled away. Her hand was trembling, but her grip was firm. The feel of her fingers on him, of their physical connection, burned him like fire. The sensation ran up his arm, to his chest, then down to his gut.
The woman felt it too. She held his eyes, wide and amazed, and a fine shiver wracked her delicate body. His teeth ground together.
“I do not have one,” she insisted faintly. His hand felt the leap of her pulse and he leaned forward.
“Yer lying to me.”
“Aye, well, you’re holding me in a most improper way,” she said, her voice holding more steel. A faint blush came over her cheeks, mixing with the fear that had overcome her features. Her modesty cleared away the panic.
“Aye, well, yer no’ giving me a name and trying to run from me.” He tightened his hand around her trim waist. What could be so bad about giving him a damn name? Mayhap she wasn’t a servant, but an intruder as he’d thought before. He narrowed his eyes on her.
She drew away from him, as much as his hold would allow her.
“Alice,” she said abruptly. “Alice is a name. May I go now?”
Alice, he thought, watching emotions flicker over her face. The name was as innocent as the woman sitting on his lap appeared to be. He let his hand slide from her neck, away from the pounding pulse, and to her arm.
“Now that I’ve given you my name,” she said stiffly, drawing her arm away from his touch, though a faint blush spread to her cheeks, “I will retire to my bed.”
If only I could join her. Too bad for Kane, she appeared to be as resistant to his attention as he was willing to give it. Sometimes, he thought, a mare needed a gentle hand in coming to heel. He let his eyes caress the delicate slope of her neck, the plump lips, her crystalline blue eyes. Aye, a gentle hand was what this woman needed.
He could let her go and continue his life as if she’d never bitten into the apple. That’s exactly what he should do, what with the feuding and the MacLeods’ threats. There was simply too much going on to consider keeping the lass in his life, especially since he should be courting Blaine.
Aye, that’s exactly what he should do. Let her go and gain Lady Blaine’s hand in marriage.
However, he was going to do the exact opposite. Now that he had her on his lap, he wanted to keep her there—at least until he had his fill of her. Gwen had come to his bed nearly every night, offering herself to him, and every night she came, he’d send her away because this woman’s face was in his mind.
Once he had her, he was sure she’d fade from his mind.
That was the only reason why he did what he did next, a silent seal of the deal to himself. Taking her chin between his thumb and forefinger, he drew her face until it was directly in front of his. Her breath came in short, uneven gasps, a mixture of excitement and fear and guilt. Her lips were parted, ready for him to take what he’d been dying to since he first saw her in the creek.
When she made a small sound that, rationality hit him.
He pulled away.
Aye, Kane wanted her. His throbbing cock was proof enough. But he wanted her to want him back, this nymph, this golden angel. He didn’t want to kiss her with the fear that was in her eyes, or the guilt he sensed in her movements, the hesitancy.
Even though he wasn’t going to kiss her just yet, even though every ounce of blood within him was screaming at him to, he set her away from him.
“I have no’ seen you around here,” he said, holding her hand to keep her from running away. She stood before him, in nothing but a filmy shift. His eyes latched onto her peaked nípples. Oh, aye. She’d felt what he had.
“That...that is because I am visiting and—”
“I donna care,” he said, waving a hand. Despite how much he knew he needed to wait, he drew her close, so that she was standing between his knees. He stared up at her, enthralled with the way the candle light caught on her golden hair, creating an orange-yellow shimmer around her head. “I want to see more of ye’.”
She drew back like he’d punched her. Alice stared at him with wide, horrified eyes. “That cannot happen, my lord. I’m—You’re far too busy and I am only here as a visitor and—”
He growled. She snapped her mouth closed.
“I donna care for excuses. Yer a visitor here, aye?”
She nodded silently. Her hands began to wring in front of her. He wanted to reach out and take them, sooth her fears. But he didn’t. She’d only become more skittish.
“Well, if yer under my care, then I say ye’ can spare some time to visit with me.”
“I do not know if that is such a good idea, my lord.” She shook her head, adding emphasis to her words. Kane grunted.
“O’ course it’s a good idea. Yer a visitor. A visitor vists her host. I’m the host, the laird. I want ye’ to visit me.”
“Visit...you how?” she asked hesitantly. The second the question was out of her mouth, her eyes were widening and she was taking a frightened step back. “My lord, you are to be betrothed!”
“No’ like that.” Yet. “I want to see ye’ more, and that’s that. Starting tomorrow, after the McGregors leave.”
Her head shook. “My lord, I simply cannot allow this. Bl—Lady Blaine would be furious to know her soon-to-be betrothed is...is...philandering around with another woman.”
“But we’re no’ philandering,” he pointed out, drawing her between his legs again. “Company. I want yer company, lass. No more, no less.” He ignored the way she sp
oke against him so boldly. Sure as hell he’d picked the one woman in the house, despite Blaine, that would not agree to everything he said. Twas not a bad thing, though. He actually liked it. The only person to ever deny him anything was Brodrick.
“My...company,” she said, dumbfounded.
He nodded, raising a brow when she only stared at him as if he’d grown two heads. “I do no’ see why that is such a shock, Alice. A man and a woman canna share company?”
“It’s highly uncommon, especially under these...circumstances.” Once again, she drew away from him, even pulling her arm against her. She didn’t look like she was going to run. Rather, she looked like she was morbidly intrigued. He smiled, leaning into his chair with his elbow propped on the arm rest.
“What circumstances could you possibly be talking about, my lady?” Her face turned pink, but there was a spark of something in her eyes, something he couldn’t identify. It wasn’t bad, though. Curiosity mixed with longing. Kane’s chest tightened. What could the lass be longing for?
A woman liked to feel important, he thought, watching the way she held herself. By the way she stood with her shoulders curled, she must not used to feeling like such.
“Well,” she stuttered, gesturing between the two of them. “You are...and I am...oh, and Lady Blaine,” she said, eyes widening. “No, this will not do. I’m sorry, my lord. This is not doable. You haven’t even spent time with your betrothal! It is quite unfair to her that you enjoy my company, and not hers.”
Kane couldn’t stop himself from smiling. If she was concerned about his betrothal, then she sure as hell wasn’t here for his title. Alice was honestly concerned. God, but she was quite a little thing. She was concerned for Lady Blaine, and by the formality she was showing, she didn’t know her all that well.
Poor lass. If only she knew Lady Blaine.
“Yer worried about Lady Blaine’s part in this?” he asked, raising a brow.
She nodded quickly. “Aye. It’s wrong that her betrothed ignore her for another woman.”
He waved her censure away. “Lady” Blaine didn’t deserve an ounce of his time, but...a man had to make sacrifices.
“I know of a way to fix this,” he said, gesturing for her to come forward. With the same trapped doe look in her eyes, she hesitantly crossed the space to stand in front of him. He would have rethought all of this if the interest in her eyes hadn’t been so bright, overwhelming. She was nervous but intrigued. Exactly what he needed to not feel like a brute.
“If ye’ agree to meet me tomorrow, I shall spend time with Lady Blaine.”
She considered his words for a moment, and then her eyes brightened. “Would you really?”
He nodded, even as she abruptly looked at him suspiciously.
“I’ll know if you don’t,” she warned.
“I would never go back on my word to a lady.” That was a lie. A lady was a pompous gossiper from court who knew nothing of his ways, but Alice was different. A certain kind of lady, one he’d never encountered.
As if she knew what he was thinking, she blushed. “I am not a lady by any means, my lord. Simply a visitor. It would be best if you’d stop calling me as such.”
He smiled a little. “Well, I’ve never seen so beautiful a ‘no’ lady’,” he said, telling the complete truth. He’d never seen anyone as beautiful as she, in a shift, no less! Kane almost didn’t want to know what she looked like during the day. He feared it’d knock him off his feet.
“I believe you may have had too much to drink,” she whispered, that becoming blush rising once again. He liked that. Kane liked knowing he could please her just through words.
“I believe that I’m actually quite sober,” he murmured. Then he straightened in his chair. “Meet me here tomorrow mid day.”
“When will you set time aside for Lady Blaine?” she asked, worrying her hands in front of her. He couldn’t stop himself from smiling wider. Her concern for Lady Blaine was too sweet, though the viper didn’t deserve it.
“As soon as I’ve had my time with you.”
“Only as...friends, correct?”
He nodded. “As friends.”
“Then Blaine will have your attention.”
When I’m with her, I’ll most likely be thinking of you, so nay. She’ll not have my attention.
Still, he nodded.
She bit her lip, then curtsied. “Tomorrow, mid day. Then you shall sit with Lady Blaine to sup.” Without waiting for his approval, she gave a short nod, and then turned on her heel, striding away in her filmy shift.
Kane laughed.
THT | 13
Saeran forgot all about the food as she raced to her room. Her heart was pounding, her face was burning, and her limbs were trembling.
What was wrong with her—moreover, what was wrong with him?
She threw open the door and slammed it closed behind her, locking it. Wobbly legs carried her to the bed, and then she was spread eagle, letting her heart take all the speed and time it needed to come to terms with what had just happened, and how very wrong it was.
When he’d first found her, she hadn’t known what to do. Escape. Escape and return to safety. Blaine. Blaine and her betrothal to the laird. Anything but let him manhandle her into his chair, his lap, his arms.
A shiver went through her at the memory of his arms around her. Thick, heavenly arms that were made for holding a woman. More than a tremble went through her—a burst of heat between her legs.
She moaned, partly from despair, and partly from her reaction to him.
He was meant for her sister, damnit. Not her! Not Saeran, who was meant to be a boy for all of this. Tears of frustration and fear burned her eyes. She could have been found out. She’d walked right into The Lion’s den without even knowing it when she’d gone down for the food.
None of the tears fell. She clenched her eyes closed and breathed deeply. Though nothing fell, the racing pulse of her heart didn’t lessen.
He’d almost kissed her.
He’d taken her by the chin and had been a breath away from pressing his lips to hers.
She nearly fainted at the mere memory, which was right around the time when the anger set in.
“How dare he!” she raged, slapping the bed with a balled up fist—a fist she should have driven into his face when he’d pulled her onto his lap. It was wrong, scandalous, unseemly! What kind of man would drag a servant onto his lap and hold her there as if she were a pet.
A barbarian, that’s who. And a barbarian was what he should be!
...Except for the fact that he hadn’t done anything in the “I see, I take, I beast” manner. Aye, he’d forced her to sit on his lap, but if she were honest with herself, she would say that she hadn’t given up much of a fight. The shock and fear had kept her still, as well as the interest that had welled inside of her at the hard contact of their bodies meeting.
Never had she experienced something like that, never in her life. The only man to embrace her had been her father, and the last time she’d sat on his lap was when she was nothing but a toddler, before he’d died in the fire.
The way Shaw had held her in his arms had not been paternal. It had held the promise of bliss, as much as he tried to remain chaste with his hold on her.
That should have been Blaine in his arms. Her sister, the one who was meant for him, should have been the one on his lap with his gentle, commanding teasing. It should have been her sister hearing his chuckles and watching him smile.
Blaine. Not Saeran.
“No,” she whispered to herself, scrubbing a hand over her face. She closed her eyes, pushing her head into the bed. “No, I made it okay. He’ll sit with Blaine the morrow’s eve. He’ll begin to notice my sister, and then Blaine will start to calm down, and then everything will be okay.
Everything.
Except she had to endure more of The Lion tomorrow. Her stomach cramped at the thought, but it wasn’t purely from dread. It was more of a mixture between dread, excitement, and guil
t. Always the guilt. Saeran rolled onto her stomach, groaning.
How had she gotten herself into this situation? How? Why was it always Saeran being thrown into the terrible situations? Why was it always Saeran making a fool of herself and ruining everything? He was more likely to find out now. After they spent time together, in the daylight, he’d recognize who she was. He had to. He’d note the similarities between the boy he knew as Saeran and the woman he knew as Alice. The only hope she had at hiding her identity from him was the dirt and soot she spread over her face when she was a boy. The idea had been Blaine’s from the beginning, and truly, besides the short appearance of her hair, she wasn’t sure if it was a very convincing disguise.
Once he found out, so would Blaine. He’d mention it to her, Saeran knew it.
Bile rose in her throat.
That would create an even thicker barrier between her and her sister, if that were to happen. She’d already threatened her sister, and even though it had been empty, Blaine would take it to heart—it didn’t matter if they made up or not. Saeran would turn into a threat.
As much as she disliked her sister at the moment, the thought of that happening was unbearable. Blaine was all she had left.
She sucked back her tears, maneuvering until she was cuddled under the covers. She could keep herself in the dark, she thought, rubbing her arms as a chill took over her. She could hide her face in the shadows and use more soot as a boy. Plus, she thought desperately, The Lion wouldn’t notice right away, would he? He’d hardly ever seen Saeran as a boy, not enough to tell if she was one person pretending to be two. Aye, and Connor had already said he’d be too busy with his feuding to bother with anyone except the other clans.
Mayhap that applied to not only Saeran, but Alice as well. If he were gone so much that he didn’t notice, and she was hiding and doing the accounts, everything could work out. She would go to him as a woman on the morrow as a favor to Blaine, and then he would realize what he was missing out on and then he’d forget all about Saeran.