Page 33 of The Knight’s Reward

“What did you tell him?”

She really did need to be more careful.

“That I knew not where you’d gone to. I made no mention of escorting you here. I assumed you left to find the man who lured you here?”

His jaw flexed, reminding her this was no soft knight of the realm. She’d seen the power behind every swing of his arm, each flex of his muscles. Tingles washed through her body.

“Would he care that you look at me this way?” he prodded.

Her head snapped up. Kathryn hadn’t even realized she’d been staring at his chest.

“Pardon?”

His expression took on a harder edge. “You heard me,” he insisted.

Jealousy? Could it be?

“Nay. He would not be pleased.”

She should have denied his claim—part of her wished to assure him that he was the only man who’d ever drawn her attention in such a way—but then she would need to share everything with him. She was not ready to do so. Not yet. Kathryn was still unsure who she could trust.

“Who is it?”

Aye, he was jealous.

“I cannot say.”

His eyes narrowed.

Kathryn’s heart raced. Could he tell she was lying? It didn’t matter. She was deep into her story now and had no real way out. Aside from the truth.

Which she’d do best not to tell him.

He took one final step toward her, standing so close she could almost feel the heat from his body.

Kathryn wanted him to kiss her.

It wasn’t the first time the thought had popped into her head. But as he stood there, scrutinizing her as openly as she’d looked at him earlier, she wanted no more than to span the distance between them.

“What is he to you, then?”

The words dripped from his mouth like liquid honey. Slow and deliberate.

She could not tell him what he wished to know, so instead she described the man standing in front of her.

“A savior, of sorts.”

He didn’t move. Or even blink.

“Gallant and kind. And not just to his own kin.”

“So a gentleman, then?” He ground out every word, not even attempting to hide his displeasure.

“Aye. A knight.”

The glimmer in his eyes told her she’d said too much.

“As I’m sure you have a lady?” Kathryn blurted, diverting his attention from her words lest he realize she spoke of him.