I’ve been warned and threatened by both your grandsire and your overprotective cousins.”
“Pay them no mind. Look up,” she said, although she wasn’t surprised to see her family had been blustering. They couldn’t seem to understand that she could take care of herself. “See what you’re missing. We’ll not even touch, if that pleases you.” She knew he’d be surprised by the view. Even though the men who traveled with the Bruce slept under the stars, it was often under cover of pines in case it rained, and the sky was rarely this clear. Scotland was often cloudy.
And it was a glorious sight to see this eve.
He didn’t rush to join her, glancing back at the guards.
She arched a brow at him. “My cousins scared you?”
“Nay,” he said, quickly settling himself on his back next to her and looking up at the stars.
They lay like that for a long time, side by side, staring up at the sky, then he finally broke the silence with a whistle. “I’ve seen stars at night, but none this bright. Why?”
“’Tis a clear night. No clouds. Uncle Aedan and Aunt Jennie invited us to sleep outside with them one night at the top of their large flat hill. I’ll show you what they taught me.” She pointed to one area of the sky. “The stars are arranged the same every night and ’tis fun to pick out their shapes.”
“Where?”
“I’ll help you get started. Do you not see the shape like a ladle over there?” She pointed off to the side.
“I do. And there’s a smaller one like it nearby, is there not?”
“Aye! Good. You found it quickly.”
They continued on, pointing out what they saw, laughing and enjoying each other’s company. They found various shapes and animals in addition to what Aunt Jennie had shown Dyna. At one point, she turned her head and found Derric staring at her. “What’s wrong?”
“Naught. I’m enjoying watching you. I’ve not seen you laugh like this before.”
She blushed, accepting that what he said was probably true. She carried much worry in her life, not for herself, but for her sister, her mother, and her grandsire. What was more, she’d learned long ago that men rarely took a smiling woman seriously. They were too busy looking for a soft mound of hay to lay her against. She’d crafted her serious look over a matter of months, testing and learning which one kept men away the most. Her mother had helped her with it because she’d experienced the same thing. Sela Seton had become so adept at keeping men at a distance she’d earned herself the title of “Ice Queen.”
“’Tis a cover, Derric. It keeps me safe from men I don’t want near me.”
“And will you allow this one closer?”
“Aye,” she whispered, turning toward him.
He leaned toward her, cupped her cheek, and settled his lips on hers in a softer kiss than she’d expected. His tongue pressed at the seam of her lips and she parted for him, allowing him inside. He tasted of apples and cinnamon. She leaned into him, wanting more, as his mouth angled over hers in a gentle exploration, teasing and taunting her with the touch of his tongue.
The more he kissed her, the more she wanted. Her nipples peaked, begging to be let out of the confinement of her tunic. The swell of her breasts from just the touch of his lips made her wonder exactly what she was missing.
Derric leaned closer, rolling her onto her back and pressing his upper body against hers. “Dyna, you are so beautiful.” He kissed a trail down her neck, pausing to nibble on her ear lobe, the sensation sending shock waves through her body that all seemed to land in the same spot. His hands cupped her breasts through the rough wool of her tunic, and even that caused her body to respond in ways she didn’t comprehend. Derric Corbett had a rare ability to put every part of her body into a super-sensitive state that left her wanting more.
How did he do it?
“Derric, stop, please,” she said, panting.
He pulled back quickly, a confused look on his face. “Did I do something wrong? I thought you were enjoying this as much as I was.” He did his best to straighten a few of her hairs that had gone astray, tucking them behind her ear.
Every place he touched reacted to him. She ran her finger down the rough stubble on his jawline, over his full bottom lip. “I do enjoy