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Authors: Eliza Knight
Tags: Fiction
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just hoped he went away. She wasn’t ready. Not in the slightest.
Chapter Six
’Twas the eve of the Beltane celebration and Magnus had chosen to begin the festivities early since they’d a guest present. Laughter, music and dozens of voices could be heard from the top of the circular stone stairs. After dinner there would be music and dancing.
Lorna’s heart had not stopped beating erratically since she’d come across Jamie in front of the courtyard earlier in the afternoon. Would he ask her to dance? Would she even stay that long, or beg permission to leave the festivities early?
Lorna had taken extra time in her chamber to prepare for the evening feast, though she refused to explore the reason behind it. However, rounding the corner and entering the room, that very reason stood not five feet from her. Tall as a tree and as imposing as a mountain. Her belly fluttered when she caught his dark gaze.
She smoothed her skirts and swiped at invisible strands of hair. No t a single one was out of place. Her hair looked lovely, plaited and piled on the top of her head, in a high knot threaded with wild flowers, and she dazzled in a gown Magnus had given to her on her birthday. This one reminded her of spring. Light, sky blue and soft as a spring breeze. The one she’d wear for the Beltane celebration was as purple as a thistle.
Jamie stop ped speaking to the men around him, his attention suddenly focused solely on her.
Lorna’s mouth went dry as she felt the weight of his gaze boring deeply into hers. His gaze unlocked from hers and traveled, slowly, the length of her body, making her hands tremble and a shiver of…something…trailed up her spine and then back down again, circling her middle and settling in the pit of her stomach.
She swallowed. And swallowed again.
As the man assessed her, Lorna took the opportunity to do the same. He’d had a bath or a swim in the sea recently as the ends of his dark hair were still damp and hung loosely about his shoulders. His skin was bronzed from the sun, and clean. A shadow of a beard shaded the line of his jaw and around his firm lips. He wore a crisp linen shirt and a plaid similar to the one he’d been wearing earlier that morning. Just below his knees, leather boots hugged his muscled calves, but she found her attention drawn back to his knees.
Never before had she been so keen on a particular body part. But she was now. His knees… they were strong, brushed with a sprinkle of dark hair and so…firm. Lorna bit her lip, now sure that she was not the only one staring at his knees, for everyone was certain to notice that her eyes were riveted to that particular naked spot on his body.
But she couldn’t tear her eyes away. In fact, looking at the curve of his leg had her imagining the way he’d bend to lift her on a horse, or how he might kneel upon the ground. When she was able to peel her eyes away and look up at him, her face quickly flooded with heat. Jamie’s lips had curled slightly in a devilish smile and the intensity of his stare deepened. And, aye, there were others staring at the two of them. His two friends that he’d brought with him elbowed him in the ribs and chuckled as though they found the whole thing amusing. It only made her face hotter.
Zounds! As if she didn’t have enough to worry over with her aunt and the marriage talk. Now, she’d have to deal with the rumors that would surely spark from her staring very inappropriately at their guest.
Forget that she liked the way he looked at her, or that she anticipated that swirling feeling in her belly and the shivers of excitement that rippled over her whenever he was near. She barely knew the man, and he was most likely dangerous.
Any man with knees as enticing as his had to be trouble.
Lorna lifted her nose a fraction and whirled her gaze away from the handsome devil in search of… what? What could she look at? Anything but him.
She headed straight toward her aunt. Probably the safest
Chapter Six
’Twas the eve of the Beltane celebration and Magnus had chosen to begin the festivities early since they’d a guest present. Laughter, music and dozens of voices could be heard from the top of the circular stone stairs. After dinner there would be music and dancing.
Lorna’s heart had not stopped beating erratically since she’d come across Jamie in front of the courtyard earlier in the afternoon. Would he ask her to dance? Would she even stay that long, or beg permission to leave the festivities early?
Lorna had taken extra time in her chamber to prepare for the evening feast, though she refused to explore the reason behind it. However, rounding the corner and entering the room, that very reason stood not five feet from her. Tall as a tree and as imposing as a mountain. Her belly fluttered when she caught his dark gaze.
She smoothed her skirts and swiped at invisible strands of hair. No t a single one was out of place. Her hair looked lovely, plaited and piled on the top of her head, in a high knot threaded with wild flowers, and she dazzled in a gown Magnus had given to her on her birthday. This one reminded her of spring. Light, sky blue and soft as a spring breeze. The one she’d wear for the Beltane celebration was as purple as a thistle.
Jamie stop ped speaking to the men around him, his attention suddenly focused solely on her.
Lorna’s mouth went dry as she felt the weight of his gaze boring deeply into hers. His gaze unlocked from hers and traveled, slowly, the length of her body, making her hands tremble and a shiver of…something…trailed up her spine and then back down again, circling her middle and settling in the pit of her stomach.
She swallowed. And swallowed again.
As the man assessed her, Lorna took the opportunity to do the same. He’d had a bath or a swim in the sea recently as the ends of his dark hair were still damp and hung loosely about his shoulders. His skin was bronzed from the sun, and clean. A shadow of a beard shaded the line of his jaw and around his firm lips. He wore a crisp linen shirt and a plaid similar to the one he’d been wearing earlier that morning. Just below his knees, leather boots hugged his muscled calves, but she found her attention drawn back to his knees.
Never before had she been so keen on a particular body part. But she was now. His knees… they were strong, brushed with a sprinkle of dark hair and so…firm. Lorna bit her lip, now sure that she was not the only one staring at his knees, for everyone was certain to notice that her eyes were riveted to that particular naked spot on his body.
But she couldn’t tear her eyes away. In fact, looking at the curve of his leg had her imagining the way he’d bend to lift her on a horse, or how he might kneel upon the ground. When she was able to peel her eyes away and look up at him, her face quickly flooded with heat. Jamie’s lips had curled slightly in a devilish smile and the intensity of his stare deepened. And, aye, there were others staring at the two of them. His two friends that he’d brought with him elbowed him in the ribs and chuckled as though they found the whole thing amusing. It only made her face hotter.
Zounds! As if she didn’t have enough to worry over with her aunt and the marriage talk. Now, she’d have to deal with the rumors that would surely spark from her staring very inappropriately at their guest.
Forget that she liked the way he looked at her, or that she anticipated that swirling feeling in her belly and the shivers of excitement that rippled over her whenever he was near. She barely knew the man, and he was most likely dangerous.
Any man with knees as enticing as his had to be trouble.
Lorna lifted her nose a fraction and whirled her gaze away from the handsome devil in search of… what? What could she look at? Anything but him.
She headed straight toward her aunt. Probably the safest
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