“There ye go,” he breathed near her ear and thought he heard a quick intake of air from her.It would be so easy to let my lips brush her lobe and then nibble…He gave himself another shake. By all that was holy, the woman was enthralling him!
He stepped back. “Now bend your wrist a wee bit, then shift your weight forward, keep your upper arm straight, and throw.”
The knife landed halfway to the bales. If he hadn’t needed to concentrate on controlling his uncalled-for lustful urges, he would have laughed at her expression. And maybe he did chuckle, because she gave him a baleful look.
“It did not work.”
“It just takes practice.” He picked up the knife and handed it back to her, careful this time to keep his distance. He was having a hard enough time maintaining his composure as it was. Althoughhardwas probably not a word he should be using right now. Still. Better not put temptation back into his arms. “Try again.”
She set her mouth and took aim. This time the knife almost made it.
“Again.”
Her jaw clenched, and a determined look settled on her face. He’d seen similar expressions on the faces of clansmen preparing to go to battle. Mayhap there was a bit of Viking blood in the lass, even if she was English.
After nearly an hour, he called a stop. Her last few throws had hit the target hard, the knife making a complete spin as it should. She’d become much more proficient than he’d thought possible in such a short time.
“’Tis enough for today,” he said after she’d completed another near-perfect throw. “Besides, I canna allow ye to best me.” He grinned as she lowered her brows to glare at him. “At least, nae yet.” She pursed her lips, making him want to kiss them. He pushed the thought back. Far, far back.What is wrong with me this morning?
Juliana sighed. “I suppose you should go join the other men in the hunt.”
He’d nearly forgotten about the hunt.
“Here.” She held out the knife.
He shook his head. “Ye keep it.”
“I cannot accept—”
“Ye can. A good knife is as important as your skill. It seems ye found the right one.” He turned to go before he said something foolish about maybe having found the right one, too, only he’d meanher.
“Thank you,” she called after him. “For everything.”
He gave a curt nod, not wanting to think about whateverythingmeant.
…
After Rory left, Juliana returned to the castle and wandered the near-empty halls. She was having conflicting feelings over the knife-throwing session. They’d actually gotten along without sparring with each other, but other sensations had surfaced as well. Her first throw had been so abysmal because, with Rory standing so close, her arm had turned to mush. His warm breath had tickled her ear, and it had been all she could do not to rub against his mouth like a purring cat. She grimaced. It wasn’t smart to allow herself to be attracted to him. It…Well, I won’t go there. It just is not smart.
She found herself at the door of the solar. To her surprise, Aileen and Greer were there, although their faces were flushed as though they had been out in the cold. She sniffed the air. It smelled fresh and cool as well.
“What have you been doing?” she asked. “Playing in the snow?”
“We were helping our mother air the sleigh blankets,” Aileen said. “To get rid of any vermin that might have nested in the wool since last spring.”
Juliana felt a twinge of guilt for not helping, but no one had asked her. “Sleigh blankets? You have a sleigh?”
“Aye.” Greer looked at her as though she might be simple-minded. “Ye have never ridden in one?”
She shook her head. “London has snow, but it quickly turns to mud and slush. My sister’s husband’s estate was in Sussex, where there wasn’t much accumulation, either, so a sleigh was not practical.”
“Well, it is here, once the storms start,” Greer answered. “Ye’ll get to ride in one tomorrow.”
She frowned slightly. Had Rory changed his mind and said something to the MacDonnells about leaving tomorrow? She had thought the matter settled after the talk yesterday. But surely he wouldn’t borrow a sleigh even if he’d decided not to stay. She didn’t know much about horses, but she didn’t think either Baron or Misty would be used to pulling anything behind them. “I am?” she asked tentatively.
Aileen nodded. “The men will be cutting down the Christmas tree tomorrow, so all of us will go along.”
“To make sure they choose therightone,” Greer added.
