along if he
didn’t want to sit there and watch me. I certainly hadn’t asked him to stay.
Does he really
want me to go with him?
I was
giddy with excitement, but pangs of guilt resounded as I knew that I should not
lead him on, should not go with him. I wanted to spend more time with him. I
was enjoying these new-found attentions that my father’s over-protective ways
had deprived me of. I wanted to be a carefree young woman, chased after by a
handsome man.
“Let’s go then,”
he said, standing up and tossing the grass stem to the ground. He reached out
a hand in my direction. His hands were large, tan and calloused. I noticed
that there were scars of various sizes covering his hands. He was such a
contrast to the aristocratic men that I was accustomed to. I had never met a
man that had calluses from actual labor. I knew that Devon’s calluses came
from wielding a sword. Something that was absolutely unimaginable to me. “I
mean tae take ye with me,” he smiled. “It’s nae fun having the day off if ye’ve
no one tae get into trouble with.”
I brushed my hands
on my skirts, reached up and took his hand. I was committed now and allowed
his hand to close around my own, hoping that this was not as big of a mistake
as I was afraid that it might be. My hand was completed enveloped by the size
of his work hardened tan hand. His hands were masculine, warm and strong as he
gently pulled me to my feet. My heart beat faster in anticipation.
“And why would I
allow you to take me anywhere?” I questioned feigning a half-hearted excuse not
to go with Devon as I squinting up at him in the afternoon sunlight. Although
I prided myself in being a free woman, I knew that going out alone with a man
was frowned upon. Or at least it was frowned upon where I came from. Devon did
not seem to be the kind of man who would care about what was frowned upon.
“Ouch, a fiery
lass ye are!” he said, eyebrows raised in surprise, seeming to somehow
appreciate my quick refusal of his invitation. “I’ll do ye nae harm, Kate.
I’d like to show ye around the lands surrounding the keep, as further means of
thanking ye for putting up with my antics last night. It will be most
respectable, I promise,” he said, flashing me a devilish smile.
I questioned if
Devon McClain was capable of being respectable. He was a rebel if I had ever
seen one. “Should I change?” I questioned, self conscious as I looked down at
my dirt stained wool dress. I imagined that I must look affright, hair
disheveled and dirt smeared across my face from gardening. I felt Devon’s eyes
upon me and I knew that he did not share my opinion about my looks. I could tell
when a man liked what he saw. The look on his face made me nervous, yet
strangely, I trusted him to be the perfect gentleman. Well, maybe not perfect.
“Yer lovely as ye
are,” he smiled encouragingly. “And if ye don’t hurry up, I’ll have tae kidnap
ye.” Devon grabbed the basket from my hand and strode from the garden towards
the kitchen. I brushed my hands on my skirt once more and followed after him
towards the kitchen. I was intrigued by Devon and I could not deny that I had
noticed the way he had been looking at me, examining me. I could see that
there was something about me that interested him.
I tried to quell
the fire that his gaze had ignited deep within me as I trailed behind him. I
would allow him to show me about the keep, but that is all that I would allow
him.
Chapter Five
“Put yer arms
around my waist lass, and hold on tight!” he warned before kicking the horse
into motion.
I quickly obliged
out of fear from falling off the horse, scolding myself for noticing how firm
the muscles of his abdomen and back felt
didn’t want to sit there and watch me. I certainly hadn’t asked him to stay.
Does he really
want me to go with him?
I was
giddy with excitement, but pangs of guilt resounded as I knew that I should not
lead him on, should not go with him. I wanted to spend more time with him. I
was enjoying these new-found attentions that my father’s over-protective ways
had deprived me of. I wanted to be a carefree young woman, chased after by a
handsome man.
“Let’s go then,”
he said, standing up and tossing the grass stem to the ground. He reached out
a hand in my direction. His hands were large, tan and calloused. I noticed
that there were scars of various sizes covering his hands. He was such a
contrast to the aristocratic men that I was accustomed to. I had never met a
man that had calluses from actual labor. I knew that Devon’s calluses came
from wielding a sword. Something that was absolutely unimaginable to me. “I
mean tae take ye with me,” he smiled. “It’s nae fun having the day off if ye’ve
no one tae get into trouble with.”
I brushed my hands
on my skirts, reached up and took his hand. I was committed now and allowed
his hand to close around my own, hoping that this was not as big of a mistake
as I was afraid that it might be. My hand was completed enveloped by the size
of his work hardened tan hand. His hands were masculine, warm and strong as he
gently pulled me to my feet. My heart beat faster in anticipation.
“And why would I
allow you to take me anywhere?” I questioned feigning a half-hearted excuse not
to go with Devon as I squinting up at him in the afternoon sunlight. Although
I prided myself in being a free woman, I knew that going out alone with a man
was frowned upon. Or at least it was frowned upon where I came from. Devon did
not seem to be the kind of man who would care about what was frowned upon.
“Ouch, a fiery
lass ye are!” he said, eyebrows raised in surprise, seeming to somehow
appreciate my quick refusal of his invitation. “I’ll do ye nae harm, Kate.
I’d like to show ye around the lands surrounding the keep, as further means of
thanking ye for putting up with my antics last night. It will be most
respectable, I promise,” he said, flashing me a devilish smile.
I questioned if
Devon McClain was capable of being respectable. He was a rebel if I had ever
seen one. “Should I change?” I questioned, self conscious as I looked down at
my dirt stained wool dress. I imagined that I must look affright, hair
disheveled and dirt smeared across my face from gardening. I felt Devon’s eyes
upon me and I knew that he did not share my opinion about my looks. I could tell
when a man liked what he saw. The look on his face made me nervous, yet
strangely, I trusted him to be the perfect gentleman. Well, maybe not perfect.
“Yer lovely as ye
are,” he smiled encouragingly. “And if ye don’t hurry up, I’ll have tae kidnap
ye.” Devon grabbed the basket from my hand and strode from the garden towards
the kitchen. I brushed my hands on my skirt once more and followed after him
towards the kitchen. I was intrigued by Devon and I could not deny that I had
noticed the way he had been looking at me, examining me. I could see that
there was something about me that interested him.
I tried to quell
the fire that his gaze had ignited deep within me as I trailed behind him. I
would allow him to show me about the keep, but that is all that I would allow
him.
Chapter Five
“Put yer arms
around my waist lass, and hold on tight!” he warned before kicking the horse
into motion.
I quickly obliged
out of fear from falling off the horse, scolding myself for noticing how firm
the muscles of his abdomen and back felt
Similar Books
