her sword still lying on the bed, a strange expression in his amber eyes. “Because I knew this day would come and if I had taken the oaths of a king, I could not have honorably instructed my people to give their allegiance to another leader.”
“You are the kind of leader my father says a man should be. It is why he despises MacLeod so.” Even before Mairi had come to the Sinclair lands, rumors of the other laird’s selfish behaviors had abounded.
“Why do you think I joined this clan?” Eirik asked wryly.
“I’m glad you did.” As soon as the words left her mouth she wished them unsaid. “I mean, for your people’s sake and for my father. A pack alpha and clan laird can never have too many trusted warriors.”
With a predatory expression, Eirik moved closer to her and she backed up until the stone wall prevented further retreat.
He came so close, the salty musk of his skin overwhelmed her senses. “I think you are glad I am here for more than just your father’s sake.”
She did not have it in her to lie, but no more was she willing to feed his ego with the truth. Pressing her lips together in firm refusal to speak, she looked up at him.
Undeterred by her silence, Eirik smiled that rare smile she’d learned to watch for and lowered his head. “I too am glad to have joined this clan.”
The kiss was like before, and yet different. Eirik explored her lips with his own, his tongue teasing along the entrance to her mouth. But he did not touch her otherwise.
Both of his fists rested on either side of her head on the wall and his lower body was a breath from her own. She could feel his heat all through her but nowhere but their lips did they actually connect.
Her hands pressed against the cold stone behind her, aching with the need to feel smooth skin over hard muscle.
Before she could give in to it, he broke the kiss and stepped back. “We need to speak to your father again before we leave.”
Continuing to lean against the wall, Ciara could do nothing but nod.
“I will kiss you again.”
Ciara started to nod again but realized what she was doing and shook her head quickly instead.
Eirik’s smile was purely feral. “Gather what you need; we will leave after speaking to the Sinclair.”
How did Eirik do this to her? Her brains had turned to mush, but she wasn’t about to let him see that. She turned and did her best to wrap the sword again in the Donegal plaid.
“When you had your vision, were you touching it?” Eirik asked, pointing to the not-nearly-so-neatly wrapped bundle as the one she’d taken from the trunk.
“How did you know?”
“I did not, that is why I asked.”
“Oh, well…I was. Touching it, I mean.” She sounded like a simpleton and it was all his fault.
“Mayhap we should bring it with us on this quest to find the Faolchú Chridhe then.”
“It is too big for me to wear.”
His lips quirked as if he thought her observation amusing. “It is a man’s sword. I will wear it with my own.”
“Two swords?” She’d seen other warriors with such, but only one long sword and one short one. She’d never seen a warrior carry two long swords before.
“It would be too heavy,” she protested without thinking.
Eirik laughed, his head thrown back, the sound booming in the small bedchamber. “I am a dragon shifter. I could carry an arsenal on my back and still fight with ease.”
No doubt that was true, and she would have thought of it, were her mind not still muddled from his kiss. Regardless, she hesitated to bring her brother’s sword.
“I will not keep it, if that is what worries you. Nor will I lose it. I know the value of our heritage.”
“I know.” She frowned at Eirik, not understanding why he would even think she would be afraid of such a thing. “You might be irritating beyond measure and too arrogant for any one man, but you are no thief and are certainly not likely to misplace a Chrechte king’s sword.”
He was a bloody selfless prince of his people, not even a mere man.
Eirik’s lips quirked in a wry smile. “I’m not sure if that is praise or condemnation.”
“Like you need praise to add to your overweening confidence.”
“Do you not know? It is only overweening if it is not justified. Mine is.”