Chapter 12

CHAPTER TWELVE

A va didn’t hesitate to take Kai’s offered hand. The way he had said that word again, love, did something to her chest. Suddenly, she wasn’t as nervous as she had been.

“This way,” Kai whispered, leading her to a part of his chamber away from the bed. All around them there were a myriad of candles, casting them in an orange glow. The effect was warm and inviting with the burning fire nearby. “Now,” Kai released her as he placed her at one end of the room by the fire, “walk toward me.”

“Walk?” She couldn’t keep the doubt out of her tone. “I really dinnae see how the way I walk can seduce a man, Kai.”

“And which of us is the man here and can answer that question fer ye?” He reminded her with a roguish smile. “Now, walk toward me.” He backed across the room, creating space between them. “Instead of yer usual walk, try tae make it more confident.”

Once he stopped, she did as he asked, walking toward him. She lifted her chin more than usual and just moved forward, halting in front of him.

“Dinnae laugh,” she snapped quickly when she saw he was biting his lip.

“Ye looked like a soldier being frog marched to his superior.”

“I didnae!” she insisted, spinning on her heel and walking back the other way.

“This time,” he held up a hand, apparently trying to quell her fury, “imagine ye are walking toward someone ye like. A lot. Ye are eager tae be beside them, nae incandescent with rage.”

“Aye, aye, as ye like.”

“Dinnae drive yer heels down so much either.”

“Aye, I said aye, Kai!” she cried impatiently, noting the way he was trying not to smile again. Once in place, she walked toward him, this time her chin not lifted so high and not striking the ground so forcefully.

“Ye look like ye’re on yer way tae see yer maid fer a very serious chat.”

“I cannae dae this,” she huffed, turning away again.

“Aye, ye can.” He caught her arm and turned her back to face him. “Trust me, I ken what I’m doing.” He took her hands and walked her, so she moved backward to her original position. “Now, I’m going tae direct yer movements. Ye can stop me at any point.”

“Stop ye? Why…” Her voice trailed away as he released her hands and moved his fingers to the curve of her waist. She nodded, showing she understood. He was explaining that he was going to touch her, but she could stop him at any moment.

I trust him tae touch me. I trust him more than any other man in this world.

“Now, step forward,” he instructed gently. She took one step, feeling the way he had pressed softly on one of her hips. “And another step.” They repeated this action, with him moving back as she moved forward, and he continued to sway her hips ever so softly from side to side.

“Dae women really walk like this?”

“Some women,” he whispered. “Ye are beautiful, Ava. Ye just need tae be more confident in what ye have.”

She jerked her head up to look at him and managed to trip on the edge of his hearth rug. He chuckled as his hands tightened around her hips, holding her up.

“Another tip.” He added with a smile. “When yer future love pays ye a compliment, dinnae look as if the world has just disappeared from beneath yer feet.”

“I dinnae receive compliments that often. Ye surprised me!” She could feel her cheeks burning now in embarrassment, as if flames from the fire were licking them.

“Aye, I can see that. Now.” He steered her back toward her starting position. “Try on yer own.” He hastened back to the place where she was to walk toward him. “Look at me as ye walk toward me, as if I am the man ye want tae marry.”

Ava felt a strange sort of flicker of heat in her stomach. She tried to consider what Blair Grant would look like, but quickly brushed the image away. Instead, she focused completely on Kai, staring at him as she walked toward him, sinking her hips a little as she walked. As she stared at him, she remembered his lessons about soft expressions, but she found her mind wandering. She thought about the dreams she’d had of him instead, the way she had pictured Kai satisfying that ache between her legs the night before as they sat together in the kitchen alone.

By the time she had reached him, her heartbeat was thundering in her ears and that wet feeling was back between her legs. He was just staring down at her, saying nothing, a pinkness spreading in his own cheeks.

“Well?” she murmured, clearing her throat to try and keep her voice level. “How did I dae?”

“That was… good.” He nodded rather quickly. “Aye, much better. The look…” He pointed briefly at her face. “That is a good look. Ye stare at a man in such a way, and they’ll be dying tae take ye tae their bed.”

“They will?” The thought didn’t make her afraid. She felt exhilarated. She stood before him, not moving away as she decided to try something else that he had already taught her. She reached out, pretending to adjust the way his jerkin lay over his shirt, but used it as an excuse to touch his chest instead.

An explosive feeling went off in her chest as she felt how toned Kai was beneath his shirt. He inhaled sharply at the sensation, his eyes unblinking as he looked at her. Oddly, it was as if the stormy color of those eyes had grown stronger in the last few minutes.

“That’s a good touch,” he whispered softly. “Our next lesson…” He seemed to be struggling to breathe smoothly. “What else ye can dae tae capture a man’s attention.”

She drew a finger down the center of his chest, unable to take her eyes off him.

What am I doing?

She reasoned it was the mead. It had given her confidence she didn’t usually have. Surely it had nothing to do with the dreams or the way he had just been holding onto her hips.

“Careful how low yer hand goes,” he whispered.

She snapped her hand away.

The tension in the air suddenly evaporated as they both laughed. It was freeing, that sound. Ava couldn’t remember being this happy in ages. For so long, she had been feeling anxious. She was worried for Lyla and worried about seducing a man she had never met and who was likely to have no interest in her.

“Ye make me smile.” The words escaped her. “Ye always dae.”

“I will always try tae make ye smile, love. Ye can count on that.”

“Kai…” She had to ask him what he meant by calling her love when they were alone now. Was it all just part of these lessons?

Footsteps sounded outside the chamber and they both whipped around to face the door. A loud knock suddenly sounded.

“Who is it?” Kai barked, as he and Ava both backed away from each other.

“It is Patrick,” a servant’s voice came from the other side. “The laird wants tae see ye.”

“Aye, I’ll go now.”

Ava breathed a sigh of relief as Patrick’s footsteps moved away again.

“Until tomorrow,” Kai said quietly to Ava, and she nodded. Kai left the room first, but Ava didn’t leave the room at once. She spent a long time staring at Kai’s bed, wondering what women he’d had there. When tears started to prick the backs of her eyes at the thought that she would never be one of those women, she left as quickly as she could.

“Kai? Kai!”

Kai turned as he walked out of the great hall. Breakfast had been the same uneasy affair it had been ever since he had arrived back at the castle. With Domhnall and Thora shooting uneasy glares his way every few seconds, he had found it hard to concentrate on eating his food. It had been a pleasant distraction when Katherine had come in with Erik, and attention had swiveled toward the bairn. Kai had taken the opportunity to escape as quickly as he could, almost stumbling into Ava in the hallway.

“Ava?” His stomach lurched. Her cheeks were pink, as if she had run through the castle to find him. He wasn’t sure which took his attention more, the thought that Ava had run to find him for she was so eager to see him, or the image of her cheeks going even pinker, if she’d just give him half the chance to thrill her.

“Look.” She pressed a letter into his hands that she was waving madly. “It seems me faither has plans of his own.”

Kai looked down the letter and gritted his teeth when he read the contents.

‘It’s time, lass. Laird Domhnall has agreed tae host Yuletide celebrations with a feast fer us and Laird Blair Grant.. With the MacLeods and me watching over the night, we can be sure tae trust ye two into each other’s company as much as possible.’

Kai felt a sudden urge to tear the letter into shreds, but he restrained himself, glancing back into the great hall. Domhnall was far too distracted with his son in his arms to notice Kai’s glare. It seemed he had been more than happy to help advance Ava’s father’s wishes. He had even agreed to host the event without giving Kai any warning.

“This is good, isnae it?”

“Aye, aye it is,” Kai said hurriedly. Determined to think of something else, he folded up the letter and handed it back to her. “Come, we have time fer a quick lesson before our sparring.”

“Sparring?”

“Aye, the training ground is set up fer us. I ken it’s how ye relax, but first, we’ll have that lesson.” He beckoned her to follow, marching away into a room not far away. Ava followed, though her head was bent low over the letter as she re-read it with palpable excitement.

The way her excitement bubbled in the air between them made Kai suddenly furious. He was tempted to throw the letter into the fire, but he restrained himself, hands balled at fists at his side.

“Now, fer our lesson about touch.” His words made Ava dart her chin up as the door closed behind.

“I thought we had that lesson in the kitchen.”

“That was different. This…” He stepped toward her. “Is about catching yer man off guard. Making sure he’s suddenly thinking of ye and only ye.”

“I dinnae understand.”

“A touch can be subtle. It’s about drawing yer man in, catching him off guard. Fer instance…” He made the appearance of walking past her, as if he was going to open the door, but as he did so, he brushed his fingers down the back of her arm. It was a teasing touch, tantalizingly so. There, then gone. As his fingers dropped, he could have sworn Ava shivered.

Did she…? Or was that me imagination?

“Oh. I see.”

“Now, ye try.” He moved to stand in the middle of the room, watching as her cheeks turned pink.

Ava tried to copy his movements, but as she walked past him, she just hit his arm. Kai tipped back his head and laughed as she abruptly retracted her hand.

“Ye’re trying tae seduce him, Ava, nae wrestle him.”

“I dinnae like this.”

“Dae ye want tae seduce Laird Blair Grant or nae?”

“Ye ken I bloody well dae!”

“Ye dinnae have tae be so emphatic in yer answer.” Kai looked away as he said the words, finding them slipping out before he could stop them. She whirled around to face him, but he hid his expression for a beat longer. “Now, try again, and this time, make yer touch soft. The way ye did in the kitchen.”

She nodded, her whole expression matter of fact and controlled. As she walked past him, this time, her fingers were soft as she brushed them down his arm. She didn’t release him quickly, but let her fingers tarry, tauntingly. As her fingers dropped down to his wrist, Kai turned his hand over, desperate to touch her that little bit more. Their palms brushed together, their fingers tense yet soft around each other. He so badly wanted to hold her hand in his own, but he restrained, keeping it soft instead, their fingers teasing.

“Like that?” she whispered, her voice rather breathless in the air.

“Aye, like that.” He raised his head, no longer looking at their hands, but looking at her face instead.

Ava’s lips were parted a little, her face unmistakably red now and he was sure it had nothing to do with the fire.

Wait… Ava…

He felt the emotion rolling off her. It was as if the air between them was full of the same fiery sparks that were in the grate. She was attracted, just like he was. She was… lustful. His heart pounding in his chest, Kai was seconds away from grabbing her hand hard and pulling her into him, crashing his lips against her own and taking the kiss he had so long dreamed of.

“Ava?”

“Aye?” she said quickly, just as breathlessly as before.

“Are ye –”

“There ye two are.” Domhnall’s voice made Ava release Kai’s hand at once. She moved away, turning to face the fire, and Kai was left staring at her back, feeling suddenly bereft and empty.

Domhnall had opened the door and walked toward Kai’s side.

“The training ground is ready now if ye two want tae spar.” Domhnall evidently read the awkward air, though Kai tried his best to smile and not hint as to what had happened. “Everything well?” Domhnall whispered under his breath.

“Aye, everything is perfectly fine.”

Though Kai knew it was not the case. In that moment, he felt as if the ground had shifted beneath his feet.