Her breath quickened, evident by the rapid rise and fall of her bosom as if she too could see his thoughts. How he longed to cup her breasts in his palms and tease his tongue over those taut pink tips.
He swallowed and forced himself to turn away. “Duff,” he called out in a thick voice. He cleared his throat as the man approached. “I’ll need ye to ride ahead later to see if ye can secure an inn for our party or find a village with more than one inn, aye?”
Duff, of course, was quick to comply, and William filled the time waiting on Alec with planning where they might stop for the night. The conversation wasn’t the distraction William wanted. Considering an inn for the night made William think of the bed he would be sleeping in, and the fantasy immediately following of who he wanted in that bed with him.
Kinsey.
His body ached for her. It had for the last several days. Every time his eyes met hers, or he caught the delicate scent of her, he was dragged back to that intimate night when his fingers had explored her so intimately. When they’d slept the night together.
Fortunately, it did not take long for Alec and the four others to return with several horses in tow, the animals still strapped with travel packs. “They dinna know what hit them, we came so fast.” Alec tossed a leather bag high in the air and caught it. “Blighters had a good bit of coin on them too.”
“Paying to lodge us in an inn, and providing a bit of ale and food, is the least the bastards could do.” William leapt onto one of the horses.
He glanced back to ensure his men were ready and found Kinsey watching him, her cheeks flushed, her eyes bright in a way he recognized well enough to send heat rushing to his cock.
Lovely.
Strong.
Enticing.
Never had he wanted a woman so badly in all his life. And never had his heart been more at risk.
* * *
The sun had begun to sink into the horizon when they finally stopped at an inn. Through the duration of the ride, Kinsey could not take her mind off William. How she wished that kiss could have lasted longer in the forest. Mayhap become more.
She’d hardly noticed the frigid wind several of the men groused over. Not when her body was burning up with longing, reliving the way his fingers had played over her sex, drawing out that incredible release.
It was a foolish thing even to waste time remembering when he’d resolved not to have her. He would be another woman’s husband.
He could never be hers.
Why then did he keep watching her like he wanted to drag her into his arms? And why could she not stop herself from wanting him?
She needed a solid night of sleep, a chance to be alone with her torment. Behind a door that she could lock. She bided her time as they filled the inn, eating a hearty meal of freshly cooked venison and crusty bread. Through it all, William’s stare continued to glide toward her.
She might have thought she imagined it, except that the serving wenches confirmed his distracted attention with their continued glares and spiteful resignation.
When enough time had passed that her departure would not bring attention, she pushed to her feet, bade good evening to the men and slowly climbed the stairs.
“I dinna ever thank ye.” William’s familiar voice came from behind her.
She didn’t turn, not trusting herself to even look at him. “For what?”
He appeared at her side. “For saving my life.” His voice was practically in her ear, low and intimate.
She repressed a shiver and kept her focus on the stairs. “Ye saved mine as well. Else I would have been fighting my blade and the Englishman all at once.”
“Were ye injured?” He turned her gently toward him, and his deep brown eyes searched hers. “I dinna ask…”
She shook her head. “And ye? Were ye injured?”
He lifted a shoulder. “A few swipes with a hammer.”
“I can look at them for ye if ye like.” She made the offer without first thinking about how such an invite might sound when clearly, he would have to come into her room for her to do that.
Heat flooded her cheeks and she continued up the stairs. “That is—I mean, I could do it in the hall, or—”
Her thoughts jumbled together, and her heartbeat echoed through every sensitive place on her body. She continued on to the landing, wishing she hadn’t made the offer.
“That’s no’ necessary.” William followed her, not stopping until they reached her door. “Kinsey, I…”
Whatever made him hesitate was the very thing that made her press him to say what he’d intended. “Aye?”
“I dinna trust myself with ye.” His gaze was locked on hers, each of them studying the other with an intensity that made it hard to breathe.
“Why?” she whispered.
His brows furrowed as if he were in pain. “Ye know why.”
Her lips went dry. She flicked her tongue over them, and his attention drifted to her lips. “I do.”
The muscles at his jaw flexed as if he were gritting his teeth. “I should go.” He didn’t move.
She nodded mutely but wished she could shake her head, to beg him instead to stay. As he’d done before.
He would have a wife someday, and that wouldn’t be her.
William reached for her and gently caressed her cheek. Kinsey closed her eyes, reveling in his touch as an embarrassing little whimper rose from the back of her throat.
A moment passed, and his hand didn’t move as she’d expected it to. As she’d hoped it wouldn’t.
The spicy scent of him grew more apparent, and she recognized that he’d drawn nearer. His hand slipped to the back of her neck to cradle the weight of her head, and his mouth found hers.
His lips brushed hers. Sweet. Tender.
She could have cried at the beauty of it. At how greatly her soul had longed for this.
His
