of his fingers increased as his other hand mimicked the first.
“You, for starters.”
She leaned her head to the side again, wanting him to kiss her neck. The pressure between her legs built even though he wasn’t touching her there. It threatened to overflow.
“But if there’s one area I’m quite confident in. . .”
He moved up against her, the length of his body now fully pressed behind her.
“It’s this one.”
He was relentless.
The triple assault was just too much. The building sensation shattered, and she throbbed all over, crying out unabashedly. His hands stopped their ministrations and spun her around. His kisses only extended the incredible feeling that she didn’t want to end.
Finally, he pulled away, and she was able to catch her breath.
Sort of.
“How did you know—”
He placed a finger on her lips. “You don’t want the answer to that.”
Yet she already had it. Lots and lots of practice. She tried to push the thought aside of the careless, rowdy men at the inn. Thoughts of Alex in such situations were not ones she cared to entertain.
He moved away then to pick up the tunic that lay crumpled on the sand. “Go back, and I’ll follow.” He shook it as bits of sand fell to the ground.
Her gaze fell to the ridges on his stomach and then a bit lower. She swallowed, knowing he’d been fully unclothed just a few moments earlier.
“You were bleeding,” she said, remembering the blood she’d seen earlier.
He shrugged. “Not my blood,” he said, appearing unconcerned. She’d seen him fight and pitied his opponent.
She looked up at the castle and knew they would be missed soon. But she couldn’t bring herself to leave just yet.
“You haven’t told me why you came here.” And then it hit her. He hadn’t come to find her after all.
“To—”
She stopped him, already knowing the answer. “Wash away the dirt and blood from training.” How utterly humiliating. Clara had assumed he’d sought her out, but that was simply what she’d wanted to think.
“I will go first so as not to arouse suspicion.” Of course, Emma already knew they were together out here. Alone.
Clara turned and fled, her feet not moving fast enough for her. Fool!
Why hadn’t he corrected her?
After taking out his frustrations on a number of English knights eager to best the Scotsman, Alex had finally given in to the need that had been demanding his attention all day. He’d wanted to see her. To touch her. To be with her. He’d finally walked away from yet another sword fight—he’d have to find Geoffrey for a real challenge—and inquired about the whereabouts of Clara, or rather Lady Susanna.
Something about her had made him forget his original intention—to apologize—and though he had apologized, he’d done much more than that. But Alex hadn’t been able to resist touching her. He wanted to be inside her, imagined it so often he could almost believe it had already happened. But seeing the pleasure on her face as she melted against him had been as sweet as any release of his own. Of course, he couldn’t very well walk to the castle in this state, smiling at the memory of how her cheeks had pinkened when he disrobed in front of her.
Shy maid, indeed.
So why had he allowed her to think washing was his only intention? The hurt in her eyes had been evident. Mayhap he’d done it simply to put some distance between them. Taking pleasures where they could was one thing. Taking her maidenhead was an entirely different matter.
And yet. . . he could not bear for her to think the worst. Alex swore as he began to follow Clara back to the keep, his every thought fixed on his English maid.
“There you are.”
The steward seemed to be everywhere at Kenshire. Alex had no sooner made his way through the gate, skirting the keep’s main entrance, than Peter found him in an open passageway.
“You’ve a rare ability to sneak up on a man,” he said, surprised not to have seen or heard the steward coming.
“If I wasn’t able to do so, I’d not be much of a steward to the lord and lady of Kenshire.”
“Is there word from Elkview?”
At this point, Alex didn’t know what his preferred answer would be.
“Nay, but there is a man inside meeting with Geoffrey now. He sent me to find you.”
“Me?” Unless it pertained to his mother, Alex couldn’t imagine what Geoffrey would need from him.
“Aye, they are currently occupying my office. If you’ll follow me?”
He did so with