“Was it the blonde with the…” Duff cupped his hands in front of his chest and waggled his brows. “Or the brunette with the wide arse?” His hands expanded to frame an imaginary bottom. “I personally had my eyes on that backside for the better part of the—”
Alec nudged him hard in the ribs. Duff shot him a dirty look before taking a second glance at Kinsey. His hands fell, and he gave her a sheepish smile. “Eh…did ye want some ale before we go?”
The men tried to refrain from talking about their sexual exploits in front of her. But now Duff’s swiftness to cover it told her they didn’t realize the woman William had been with was her.
Kinsey scoffed to cover up her surprise.
They didn’t know. It was almost too good to be true.
William speared him with a glance. “Ye know better than to talk like that in front of a lass, Duff.”
“’Tis nothing I’ve not heard before with this lot.” Kinsey reached for a slice of bread and bit into it as casually as she could with her pulse racing like a warhorse.
The men laughed in reply, and Duff’s cheeks grew red even as he joined in their laughter.
“Enough out of ye.” William waved his hand at his army. “We’d best get to it before the rain starts.”
The men left the inn with Kinsey following behind them. Only then did William’s gaze catch hers. Aside from the brief moment they locked eyes, nothing on his face or stance suggested anything that had transpired between them.
The flip of her stomach, however, did.
Right along with the crash as she realized it might have been only the one time for him. Mayhap he wanted nothing more to do with her now that he’d had her. He hadn’t mentioned seeing her again that night or any other night.
Despite the hard knot of dread, she knew if that were the case, it would be for the best.
For how else could she possibly guard her heart against the likes of Sir William?
18
William had never not known how to act around a woman before. Not until Kinsey.
After all, his previous trysts hadn’t needed to be hidden. He was all too aware of how she felt about the others knowing of their intimacies. It had been plain on her face when she’d paled at Duff’s claim that he’d been with a woman.
And he was all too aware of how the others would perceive her.
What was more, he’d never been in danger of caring too much. There had always been a mutual agreement: lust without love.
Following that logic with Kinsey was impossible. He could no more halt the way of his heart than he could cease his own need to breathe.
He kept his gaze averted from her, avoiding her for the duration of their journey to another inn on the Scottish side of the border. It would result in a longer ride to Mabrick for scouting, but it would ensure they could reach the castle for observation without being seen.
William would do everything right this time, starting with letting his men enjoy a night at the tavern before they began spying on the castle.
They were gathered downstairs when a tavern wench with a pouty smile winked as she passed him.
Duff nudged William. “Looks like ye already caught the attention of the bonniest lass here.”
William stared hard at his ale to keep his gaze from wandering toward the true bonniest lass in all of Christendom.
“Keep on with that chatter, and ye’ll end up with an arrow in yer arse from our bonny archer.” Alec grinned down the table. “Eh, Kinsey?”
“My aim is better than that,” she countered with a playful edge.
William looked toward her long enough to see a confident smirk on her lips. She tossed her head, tilting her chin away from him, playing as innocent to their affair as he did.
The serving wench approached their table with several mugs of ale. She passed them out, saving William’s for the last, then he bent over as she set it in before him with a wink. “My, my.” Her stare dragged down him with appreciation. “Ye’re a fine one.”
William was keenly aware of how close Kinsey was, what she would see and hear. But he also knew his men would question anything different in his reaction.
“Ye’re a fine one yerself,” he flattered.
“Ach, ye think so?” She straightened with her hands on her hips, glancing down at her ample bosom. Her gaze caught on a droplet of ale she’d spilled atop one round breast. She swept her finger over it, capturing the drop and sucking it from her finger, her eyes fixed on William.
“The sweetest ale in Scotland, I wager.” He winked at her.
Her full lips curled into a slow, sensual smile. “Ye should taste it for yerself.”
She was a bold one—the kind of woman he used to like.
Except now, her invitation made him cringe. The kind of man he’d been before made him cringe as well.
He must have taken a while to respond, for Duff spoke up beside him. “If he’ll no’ do it, I will.”
Her gaze slid to Duff, and she winked before whisking off to another table.
“I figure ye werena interested.” Duff shrugged. “I couldna let a hot invitation go cold.”
William chuckled. “Help yerself.”
Duff followed the woman across the room with his eyes. “I believe I’ll do just that.” He pushed up from the table so fast that he nearly spilled his still-full ale.
He wasn’t the only one to get to his feet. Kinsey followed suit. “Forgive me. I’m rather tired this evening.”
The men bade her good night as she left the table, her back stiff.
Damn.
William wanted to get up and follow her but worried it might make his actions look obvious.
And mayhap his being overly concerned about every one of his damn actions was making him act strangely. Damn it—he hated this.
He would do well to keep to his own room going
