“What’s worryin’ ye, woman? Are ye keepin’ secrets that interest me, then? There’s nothin’ in the world I want more than to hear what the child has to say.”
“Dagnabit!” said Lily. “I could have gotten more.”
“Why you little…” Lessie didn’t think she could have been more shocked than she had been when Lily first initiated the negotiation. Her daughter’s cunning seemed to far outdistance her years in savant style.
“Shhhh,” Conn said. “Let the lass speak.”
“Well,” Lily began dramatically by drawing out the word, “Luna said that you’re always pestering the alpha.”
Conn drew back, and looked a little horrified. His sudden discomfort made Lessie smile. “If you start a negotiation with a child, you can’t be sure where it will lead,” she said with satisfaction.
Lily continued. “Mama said her feelings are confusing.” Just as quickly as it had come, Conn’s discomfort was overtaken by a smug, knowing look. When his gaze pivoted toward Lessie, it was her turn to feel awkward.
“I was talking about Luna’s cabinets full of medicines,” Lessie offered weakly.
Lily went on, “Then Luna said the alpha is a grandpa and something about when it’s right, it’s right.”
Lessie looked like she might be feeling a little peaked.
“Thank ye, Lily. I will give ye bison rides this one time. But I also want ye to promise that ye will never again bargain with someone else’s secrets.”
Lily screwed up her face. “Why?”
“Because ‘tis no’ right.”
“Well,” she said, “then why was it okay this time?”
Lestriv crossed her arms in front of her chest and cocked her head, waiting to see how Conn was going to extricate himself from a double bind argument.
Conn didn’t miss a beat. “’Twas a test to see if ye’d actually betray yer own mother.” He shook his head and tsked. “And I feel terrible about the bison rides because ye should no’ be rewarded for such thin’s. And ye can be sure that ye ne’er will be again.”
Lily’s face fell into a heartbreaking crumple. “Are you mad at me?”
Lestriv’s mouth fell open in shock again. She glowered at Lily. “And you’re not worried about whether or not I’m mad at you?”
Lily looked at Lestriv without concern and said, “No. You have to forgive me. You’re my mama.”
Lessie’s head fell to her chest in resignation before she looked up at Conn. “I guess that says it all.”
Without taking his eyes off Lessie, Conn said, “No, Lily, I’m no’ mad at ye. Would ye go inside now and wash the sticky stuff off yer fingers?”
“Okay,” she said.
Once she was inside, Conn closed the door and quickly pulled Lestriv into a kiss before she had a chance to think about it. Or say no.
Her resistance gave way to the warmth of the kiss before she made a conscious decision to allow it. Her body didn’t ask her brain for permission before going soft in his hands. When he pulled back, he heard her tiny moan and saw that her eyes were closed. That gave Conn encouragement enough to think he might venture teasing just a little.
“Ye’ll have to help me, Lessie. I’ve ne’er mounted a human. Does this enraptured look on yer bonny face mean ye like my kisses?”
When she opened her eyes he thought he saw a flash of irritation. “You’re the skillful lover, aren’t you? I’m sure all the females crave your kisses, Conn.”
When she started to pull away, he knew that he’d misjudged the timing of his playfulness. His big hands held her in place, while his voice, low and raspy, seemed to rumble in his chest. “Do no’ care what the other females crave.”
That pronouncement made Lessie feel curiously shy as well as flattered. She stepped back, reached up to tidy her hair, and said, “We’ll see you soon then?”
His chin dipped. “Soon.”
He watched as she stepped inside and closed the door before ambling toward the alpha’s lodge.
“Conn. I’m glad you’re here. Could you take
“Dagnabit!” said Lily. “I could have gotten more.”
“Why you little…” Lessie didn’t think she could have been more shocked than she had been when Lily first initiated the negotiation. Her daughter’s cunning seemed to far outdistance her years in savant style.
“Shhhh,” Conn said. “Let the lass speak.”
“Well,” Lily began dramatically by drawing out the word, “Luna said that you’re always pestering the alpha.”
Conn drew back, and looked a little horrified. His sudden discomfort made Lessie smile. “If you start a negotiation with a child, you can’t be sure where it will lead,” she said with satisfaction.
Lily continued. “Mama said her feelings are confusing.” Just as quickly as it had come, Conn’s discomfort was overtaken by a smug, knowing look. When his gaze pivoted toward Lessie, it was her turn to feel awkward.
“I was talking about Luna’s cabinets full of medicines,” Lessie offered weakly.
Lily went on, “Then Luna said the alpha is a grandpa and something about when it’s right, it’s right.”
Lessie looked like she might be feeling a little peaked.
“Thank ye, Lily. I will give ye bison rides this one time. But I also want ye to promise that ye will never again bargain with someone else’s secrets.”
Lily screwed up her face. “Why?”
“Because ‘tis no’ right.”
“Well,” she said, “then why was it okay this time?”
Lestriv crossed her arms in front of her chest and cocked her head, waiting to see how Conn was going to extricate himself from a double bind argument.
Conn didn’t miss a beat. “’Twas a test to see if ye’d actually betray yer own mother.” He shook his head and tsked. “And I feel terrible about the bison rides because ye should no’ be rewarded for such thin’s. And ye can be sure that ye ne’er will be again.”
Lily’s face fell into a heartbreaking crumple. “Are you mad at me?”
Lestriv’s mouth fell open in shock again. She glowered at Lily. “And you’re not worried about whether or not I’m mad at you?”
Lily looked at Lestriv without concern and said, “No. You have to forgive me. You’re my mama.”
Lessie’s head fell to her chest in resignation before she looked up at Conn. “I guess that says it all.”
Without taking his eyes off Lessie, Conn said, “No, Lily, I’m no’ mad at ye. Would ye go inside now and wash the sticky stuff off yer fingers?”
“Okay,” she said.
Once she was inside, Conn closed the door and quickly pulled Lestriv into a kiss before she had a chance to think about it. Or say no.
Her resistance gave way to the warmth of the kiss before she made a conscious decision to allow it. Her body didn’t ask her brain for permission before going soft in his hands. When he pulled back, he heard her tiny moan and saw that her eyes were closed. That gave Conn encouragement enough to think he might venture teasing just a little.
“Ye’ll have to help me, Lessie. I’ve ne’er mounted a human. Does this enraptured look on yer bonny face mean ye like my kisses?”
When she opened her eyes he thought he saw a flash of irritation. “You’re the skillful lover, aren’t you? I’m sure all the females crave your kisses, Conn.”
When she started to pull away, he knew that he’d misjudged the timing of his playfulness. His big hands held her in place, while his voice, low and raspy, seemed to rumble in his chest. “Do no’ care what the other females crave.”
That pronouncement made Lessie feel curiously shy as well as flattered. She stepped back, reached up to tidy her hair, and said, “We’ll see you soon then?”
His chin dipped. “Soon.”
He watched as she stepped inside and closed the door before ambling toward the alpha’s lodge.
“Conn. I’m glad you’re here. Could you take
Similar Books
