been the one to seduce him, and not her sister?
Judging from the way he’d held her that afternoon, he might not mind.
Oh, she didn’t have to worry about him declaring his undying love for her or anything; he’d made it very clear marriage wasn’t for him. But once he knew it had been her—the completely unsuitable MacKinnon sister—who’d climbed into his bed, she suspected he’d be much more at ease.
Once he knew that, his mystery would be solved, and he wouldn’t have to worry about marriage at all, right?
As the meal was ending and everyone was standing up and moving about, Nessa’s gaze fastened on something over her shoulder. Her lips curled wryly. “I’ve enjoyed speaking to ye, but I suspect— Oops, I was right!”
And before Katlyn could ask what her new friend meant, she felt a pair of hands settle around her waist and lift her off the bench. She barely had time to squeak before she was set on her feet and spun around, and she realized she was standing within the circle of Kiergan’s arms.
They were standing in the middle of the Oliphant’s great hall, surrounded by his clan and his family—not to mention her grandfather—and her nose was only inches from his. How easy would it be to push herself up, to press her lips against his, the way he’d merely hinted at in the courtyard earlier?
But if she did that, what would he do? Would he pull away, proving their light kisses from outside were merely flukes, something he’d done with many women? Or would he pull her into his arms and kiss her in return?
Which option scared her more?
Mayhap he could hear how loudly her heart pounded, because his smile grew as he leaned forward. But instead of kissing her—as she’d been both hoping and dreading—he placed his lips beside her ear. “Tonight, Kat.”
“Tonight?” she breathed.
“We’re going into the secret passageways, ye and I. Tonight. We’re going to get to the bottom of this mystery. Could ye find yer way to my room after moonrise tonight?”
Dimly, part of her reasoned he wanted her to come to his room because Davina would be in hers, but that part was overshadowed by the part of her which was jumping up and down and waving its arms and screaming, He wants ye to go to his room!
Her core was already wet and aching for him.
She must’ve nodded—incapable of speech—because he stepped back, dropping his hold from her. The brief time he’d held her might’ve looked like naught more than drunken flirtation to the rest of the Oliphants, who were acting as if naught out of the ordinary had happened.
But as she watched Kiergan saunter away, Katlyn had to steady herself against the table, concerned her legs wouldn’t hold her. She lifted her other hand, fingertips shaking, to brush against her ear where his lips had touched her skin for the briefest of moments.
Had that really counted as a kiss? It’d been barely the kind of kiss cousins might share, had it not? Or was it a hint of what was to come?
Either way, tonight was the night she would tell him the truth.
And then who knows what might happen in the darkness of the secret tunnels?
All she knew was, she couldn’t wait for moonrise!
Chapter 9
She was holding her breath when she scratched at his door that night. Nervously, Katlyn glanced up and down the corridor, hoping she wouldn’t be seen standing there in just her slippers and chemise.
Or maybe she was hoping she would be seen.
Before she could decide, the door opened and Kiergan reached for her hand and tugged her through.
She stumbled against his chest and dimly heard the door shut behind her. But then she wasn’t thinking at all because she’d inhaled his scent and her breath caught.
“This was the longest few hours of my life,” he growled, right before he grasped her cheeks in his palms.
And then his lips slanted over hers, and she whimpered.
Whimpered with need, with longing, with joy, as she wrapped her arms around his middle and hung on for all her worth.
His lips caressed hers, softly at first, then more desperately, and when she opened hers on a moan, his tongue slipped inside to play with hers.
Blessed Virgin, it felt glorious! She’d welcomed this man into her body, into her soul, but this—this first kiss—was heart-stoppingly wonderful.
Katlyn was certain she’d stopped breathing; she’d definitely stopped thinking. All she could do was feel, concentrating on the way his tongue and lips