"starving."
She glared at him. He toyed with her and she knew it, but she'd let information slip out earlier and would have to pay the price for the cover up. She needed to be careful in the future.
While taking dainty bites of her massive dinner, Kara listened to the men talk of clan matters and the attack on the caravan. Finally, her attentions settled on Alaxandar. He was tall, muscular and sculpted to perfection. Blessed with a handsome diamond-shaped face, as were all the MacLeod sons, Alaxandar had intense yet compelling eyes that could disarm a woman's defenses. He'd disarmed hers and that was dangerous.
Her gaze drifted across a sea of faces and landed on Jamie MacLeod. His green eyes always left her cold, his leering made her nervous. She averted her eyes and slouched back in her seat. If women don't go far from the castle, how could she return the stone? It's not like her ancestors would stroll up to the front gate.
Empty platters and cups lay haplessly on the tables with all their contents eaten except for Kara's, which was still more than half full. Alaxandar lifted pieces of food off her plate and ate them. She found that intimate in a way. In the distance, the quiet melody of a lute drifted across the hall over the burping and occasional laughter.
"'Tis good to eat hearty," Patrick said. "Ye never know when war will be upon us."
"Aye." Archibald nodded his agreement while rubbing his swollen belly, a belch escaping his lips.
Two other men Kara didn't know started arguing. One stood tipping his chair over. The other leaned forward with his hands braced on the table.
"Ye kin take 'em, Hagar," someone yelled.
The two opponents headed for the doors. The rest followed laughing and shoving each other. Kara looked to Drummond or Alaxandar believing one would stop them, but neither intervened.
"I wager Hagar will take Niall in the best o' three," Iain said with a grin.
Testosterone. She couldn't believe how little men had changed through the centuries.
A clansman marched up to Alaxandar and pulled him aside. Kara hung back, more interested in hearing their conversation than seeing two men beat the crap out of each other.
"I have word on the raid," Macaskill said. "A small boy hunting rabbits saw those who killed our clansmen."
"Bring the boy to me," the chief ordered. "I wish to hear the story for myself."
"Aye, MacLeod. It shall be done."
Drummond MacLeod turned to Alaxandar. "I shall hear the story and try to name the bastards."
Alaxandar nodded. "Aye. Mayhap we should post more to guard the walls."
"Murdo!"
"Aye, MacLeod?" Murdo broke from the last of those leaving the hall.
"Double the guards. If there be a body who doesna belong, bring him to me."
"It shall be done, MacLeod."
Not knowing the enemy made Alaxandar uneasy. Movement caught his eye. He turned to see Kara lingering close by. Speaking of someone who didn't belong, their newest guest was definitely out of place, and… beautiful.
Alaxandar shook his head.
She must be fae or a witch bedazzling his mind. He'd never been so captured by just the sight of a female. A constant yearning to kiss her, please her, warred within him. Even her hair captured his attention by the way it shined. Her eyes lured him in, and those lips…. A spy or not, she posed a threat—to him.
Something bothered Kara. She hadn't protested him carrying her to the hall. What had she meant by women of her time? That would be another mystery he'd look into. He'd keep a close eye on Kara Malone. The mysteries were piling up.
At that moment, she looked up and caught him staring at her. Immediately, she spun and walked toward the doors. It didn't take much to catch up because she limped from the injury. He stopped her at the foot of the stairwell. "Waiting for me?"
"Yes, I—I mean, no, I was not." She glared at him.
Her flowery scent tickled his nose. For a moment their eyes met and he reveled in the smoldering gaze. He loved that glint in her eyes when she got
She glared at him. He toyed with her and she knew it, but she'd let information slip out earlier and would have to pay the price for the cover up. She needed to be careful in the future.
While taking dainty bites of her massive dinner, Kara listened to the men talk of clan matters and the attack on the caravan. Finally, her attentions settled on Alaxandar. He was tall, muscular and sculpted to perfection. Blessed with a handsome diamond-shaped face, as were all the MacLeod sons, Alaxandar had intense yet compelling eyes that could disarm a woman's defenses. He'd disarmed hers and that was dangerous.
Her gaze drifted across a sea of faces and landed on Jamie MacLeod. His green eyes always left her cold, his leering made her nervous. She averted her eyes and slouched back in her seat. If women don't go far from the castle, how could she return the stone? It's not like her ancestors would stroll up to the front gate.
Empty platters and cups lay haplessly on the tables with all their contents eaten except for Kara's, which was still more than half full. Alaxandar lifted pieces of food off her plate and ate them. She found that intimate in a way. In the distance, the quiet melody of a lute drifted across the hall over the burping and occasional laughter.
"'Tis good to eat hearty," Patrick said. "Ye never know when war will be upon us."
"Aye." Archibald nodded his agreement while rubbing his swollen belly, a belch escaping his lips.
Two other men Kara didn't know started arguing. One stood tipping his chair over. The other leaned forward with his hands braced on the table.
"Ye kin take 'em, Hagar," someone yelled.
The two opponents headed for the doors. The rest followed laughing and shoving each other. Kara looked to Drummond or Alaxandar believing one would stop them, but neither intervened.
"I wager Hagar will take Niall in the best o' three," Iain said with a grin.
Testosterone. She couldn't believe how little men had changed through the centuries.
A clansman marched up to Alaxandar and pulled him aside. Kara hung back, more interested in hearing their conversation than seeing two men beat the crap out of each other.
"I have word on the raid," Macaskill said. "A small boy hunting rabbits saw those who killed our clansmen."
"Bring the boy to me," the chief ordered. "I wish to hear the story for myself."
"Aye, MacLeod. It shall be done."
Drummond MacLeod turned to Alaxandar. "I shall hear the story and try to name the bastards."
Alaxandar nodded. "Aye. Mayhap we should post more to guard the walls."
"Murdo!"
"Aye, MacLeod?" Murdo broke from the last of those leaving the hall.
"Double the guards. If there be a body who doesna belong, bring him to me."
"It shall be done, MacLeod."
Not knowing the enemy made Alaxandar uneasy. Movement caught his eye. He turned to see Kara lingering close by. Speaking of someone who didn't belong, their newest guest was definitely out of place, and… beautiful.
Alaxandar shook his head.
She must be fae or a witch bedazzling his mind. He'd never been so captured by just the sight of a female. A constant yearning to kiss her, please her, warred within him. Even her hair captured his attention by the way it shined. Her eyes lured him in, and those lips…. A spy or not, she posed a threat—to him.
Something bothered Kara. She hadn't protested him carrying her to the hall. What had she meant by women of her time? That would be another mystery he'd look into. He'd keep a close eye on Kara Malone. The mysteries were piling up.
At that moment, she looked up and caught him staring at her. Immediately, she spun and walked toward the doors. It didn't take much to catch up because she limped from the injury. He stopped her at the foot of the stairwell. "Waiting for me?"
"Yes, I—I mean, no, I was not." She glared at him.
Her flowery scent tickled his nose. For a moment their eyes met and he reveled in the smoldering gaze. He loved that glint in her eyes when she got
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