Page 32 of Highlander’s Haunted Past

Since he had already stolen one kiss, not including the chaste peck on the altar, Kenna thought that any challenge that may have wordlessly existed between them for kisses would have been through, a win set beneath her name with any future kisses coming free and frequent.

I’ll not beg ye, ye fool, she thought stubbornly.

As if he had known she was thinking of him, the door opened, and Rob walked into the room, looking genuinely shocked to see her sitting beside the fire. His red hair was disheveled and his eyes a bit tired, but he otherwise looked of sound mind.

“What have ye been up to?” Kenna asked, but then wondered if she really wanted the answer.

“Everything and nothing,” he replied, giving her that smile of his that made her heart skip. “The lairds insist on war planning. Though, as far as we know, the Earl of Huntly is still sitting in his castle biding his time. What of yerself?”

“Everything and nothing,” Kenna returned. “Though yer father will likely disagree when Florence gives him the bill.”

Rob laughed as he tugged off his shirt. “So, ‘twas a usual day fer Florence.”

Kenna nodded, too busy taking in the sight of him to form a full reply. How had she never noticed his build before? The muscles were so easy to see, each ripple so defined from the rest. They had been sharing a tent for some time, and he had taken off his shirt every night, so how had she not noticed the sculpted masses all across his tanned chest?

Because, ye fool, ye didn’t want to notice.

Since she had first set eyes upon Rob Fraser in the courtyard at Inverness, she had known that he was handsome. The Lord had blessed him with the sort of chiseled face that belonged to heroes of legend and, she now understood, the body to match. Kenna had simply ignored it. It was easier for her to despise him if she wasn’t admiring the way the muscles of his shoulders curved into his upper arms...

“Kenna?”

Kenna jumped as he pulled her from her stupor.

He stared at her, one eyebrow raised in curiosity. “Are ye all right?”

“Why haven’t ye kissed me again?”

Rob stiffened, both eyes widening at the sudden question before they broke from her own, casting about the room for anything else to look at. He picked up his shirt and set it back again, took a step toward her, then turned and went back. Kenna watched his responsive collapse in annoyance; it wasn’t that hard of a question.

“Never mind,” Kenna said forcefully, standing and slamming her goblet on the table, not sure why she was so angry. “‘Twas a long day. I had better get some sleep.”

Kenna stomped across the room to the bed, passing by Rob with a huff. But just as she thought she had put him behind her, he took her by the elbow and spun her back.

“Do ye want me to?”

“No!” Kenna pulled herself from his grip.

“Would be fine if ye did.”

Rob was getting far too much pleasure out of this. His green eyes sparkled like emeralds in the sunlight and his smirk, as lopsided as always, bated her to step into his web, where she would get tangled and lost and say something she would regret.

“Well, I do not.”

“Then why are ye so angry about it, lass?”

“Because ye made me want—” Kenna froze, catching herself from saying anything more as Rob’s eyes darkened.

Why did she even bother speaking? When would she learn that opening her mouth was the equivalent of jumping into deep water with stones in her pockets?

“Made ye want what?” He advanced upon her with the grace of a cat.

“Mint—so that I could have done something fer yer breath.”

Kenna retreated back a step, bumping into the bed. She sat, acting nonchalant as she reached up to pull the pins from her hair.

Rob’s arm snapped out to catch her hand. Kenna went to slap it him away with her other hand, but he caught that one too. He pushed her back, so she was laying on the mattress, her hands pinned above her head with him crouched over her, his knees on either side of her legs.

“Ye ken that was not what ye were going to say.”