on.
Tripping on her skirt, she hurried after him.
“If you can’t behave, I want you to stay out of my room. I won’t
let you in if I can’t trust you. You’re supposed to be my
guardian!”
There was no one in the hall, and Fallon took
advantage of it, backing her to the wall. Bracing his hands on
either side of her, he said huskily, “You can trust me.” His eyes
dropped her lips. “I promise.”
She didn’t think he was promising what she
wanted, not with that look in his eyes. She shook her head, hating
the dizziness in her blood.
His head dipped closer until she could feel
his breath against her lips. “No?”
She shook her head, realized it wasn’t
enough. “No.” It came out wrong, breathy and weak.
He moved his mouth to her ear and whispered,
“Tell me if I change your mind.”
She shivered.
Her stomach felt odd as they walked
on—fluttery and unsettled. Keeping her eyes from his, she placed
her hand on her abdomen. Obviously he wasn’t good for her; he was
making her sick. Distracted, she didn’t even realize they were
passing by Haunt until about the third one. Terror made her draw a
deep breath. Her muscles locked up, tensed to flee.
Fallon slid his arm around her waist and
breathed in her ear. She almost jumped out of her skin.
“What are you doing?” she demanded in a
strangled whisper.
His hand slid dangerously low on her hip.
“Distracting you?” he said in that oh-so-innocent tone.
She grabbed his hand and threw it off,
veering right to an archway with the doors flung open. She didn’t
have to look to feel him sauntering behind her.
It was a bad sign when she could feel a man
like that.
They came to a small field enclosed by a low
stone fence. Breathing deeply, she gripped the top and stared out
over it. Just beyond it, a series of stone and adobe huts
began.
She felt Fallon’s arms go around her,
gripping the wall beside hers. Again, her muscles locked.
He sighed and let go. “We’ll work on it.”
She grit her teeth, too angry to answer as he
straddled the wall to her left.
“As a man and a warrior, I see something I
like and pursue it. I think most men are like that,” he said
reflectively, looking over the field. “The feelings confuse you,
don’t they?”
“I have no trouble understanding anger,” she
growled.
He smiled. “You haven’t been pursued by
anyone with honorable intentions, have you?”
Eyes narrowed, she dared him to lie. “You
have no honorable intentions. I doubt you’ve ever had a lasting
relationship in your life. I’m not a plaything, and I’m not a
fool.”
“No, you’re not. You might know that I’m not
a liar, though.”
“No, I wouldn’t know. When in the last few
days that I’ve known you would I have figured that out?”
“Ah. You need time, and I’m rushing you.” He
didn’t apologize.
She breathed deeply for strength. “I’ve got
no interest in a relationship with you, however brief. Don’t tell
me you’re desperate for female companionship. I’m sure there’s a
few women around here you haven’t bedded. Probably a teen or two
who came of age while you were away.”
“Ouch. I hate to disappoint, but I haven’t
been as busy as that. I’ll bet there’s ten women, at least, who I
haven’t bedded here.”
She walked off.
He hopped off the wall and joined her. “I was
joking, you know.”
“I don’t joke about this kind of stuff. Find
some beer buddies to share your gutter humor.”
He let out a gusty sigh. “I…watch out!”
She hadn’t been watching where she was going
as she turned a corner. Unfortunately, she ran right into a Haunt
taking the same curve from the opposite direction. Fallon grabbed
her arm to steady her, but it was too late. She’d already gotten a
deep lungful of his scent.
“Achoo!”
“Rain? Are you okay?” Fallon asked with
concern. The Haunt reached for her, perhaps in an effort to
help.
She sneezed twice and backpedaled, tripping
on her skirt. She would have
Tripping on her skirt, she hurried after him.
“If you can’t behave, I want you to stay out of my room. I won’t
let you in if I can’t trust you. You’re supposed to be my
guardian!”
There was no one in the hall, and Fallon took
advantage of it, backing her to the wall. Bracing his hands on
either side of her, he said huskily, “You can trust me.” His eyes
dropped her lips. “I promise.”
She didn’t think he was promising what she
wanted, not with that look in his eyes. She shook her head, hating
the dizziness in her blood.
His head dipped closer until she could feel
his breath against her lips. “No?”
She shook her head, realized it wasn’t
enough. “No.” It came out wrong, breathy and weak.
He moved his mouth to her ear and whispered,
“Tell me if I change your mind.”
She shivered.
Her stomach felt odd as they walked
on—fluttery and unsettled. Keeping her eyes from his, she placed
her hand on her abdomen. Obviously he wasn’t good for her; he was
making her sick. Distracted, she didn’t even realize they were
passing by Haunt until about the third one. Terror made her draw a
deep breath. Her muscles locked up, tensed to flee.
Fallon slid his arm around her waist and
breathed in her ear. She almost jumped out of her skin.
“What are you doing?” she demanded in a
strangled whisper.
His hand slid dangerously low on her hip.
“Distracting you?” he said in that oh-so-innocent tone.
She grabbed his hand and threw it off,
veering right to an archway with the doors flung open. She didn’t
have to look to feel him sauntering behind her.
It was a bad sign when she could feel a man
like that.
They came to a small field enclosed by a low
stone fence. Breathing deeply, she gripped the top and stared out
over it. Just beyond it, a series of stone and adobe huts
began.
She felt Fallon’s arms go around her,
gripping the wall beside hers. Again, her muscles locked.
He sighed and let go. “We’ll work on it.”
She grit her teeth, too angry to answer as he
straddled the wall to her left.
“As a man and a warrior, I see something I
like and pursue it. I think most men are like that,” he said
reflectively, looking over the field. “The feelings confuse you,
don’t they?”
“I have no trouble understanding anger,” she
growled.
He smiled. “You haven’t been pursued by
anyone with honorable intentions, have you?”
Eyes narrowed, she dared him to lie. “You
have no honorable intentions. I doubt you’ve ever had a lasting
relationship in your life. I’m not a plaything, and I’m not a
fool.”
“No, you’re not. You might know that I’m not
a liar, though.”
“No, I wouldn’t know. When in the last few
days that I’ve known you would I have figured that out?”
“Ah. You need time, and I’m rushing you.” He
didn’t apologize.
She breathed deeply for strength. “I’ve got
no interest in a relationship with you, however brief. Don’t tell
me you’re desperate for female companionship. I’m sure there’s a
few women around here you haven’t bedded. Probably a teen or two
who came of age while you were away.”
“Ouch. I hate to disappoint, but I haven’t
been as busy as that. I’ll bet there’s ten women, at least, who I
haven’t bedded here.”
She walked off.
He hopped off the wall and joined her. “I was
joking, you know.”
“I don’t joke about this kind of stuff. Find
some beer buddies to share your gutter humor.”
He let out a gusty sigh. “I…watch out!”
She hadn’t been watching where she was going
as she turned a corner. Unfortunately, she ran right into a Haunt
taking the same curve from the opposite direction. Fallon grabbed
her arm to steady her, but it was too late. She’d already gotten a
deep lungful of his scent.
“Achoo!”
“Rain? Are you okay?” Fallon asked with
concern. The Haunt reached for her, perhaps in an effort to
help.
She sneezed twice and backpedaled, tripping
on her skirt. She would have
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