Prologue

“D o ye find me bonny?” The lass gave Knox’s ear a playful nip, her heated breath fanning over it.

“Of course I do. Why else would I be here?” He’d tupped the lass before. She was without complications, never demanding anything from him. Knox found it best not to ponder too much on why she didn’t seem to mind that he didn’t call on her regularly.

“What makes ye think I will give ye what ye want?” She leaned back to meet his gaze, her eyes twinkling with mischief.

Knox smiled. “I dinnae ken for sure. Ye may nae.”

Just as he was about to kiss her, the unmistakable sound of footfalls, something or someone approaching got his attention. Unfazed, the lass leaned forward, eyes closed, with expectation, and for a moment Knox considered ignoring what he’d heard.

The cracking of a breaking branch sounded closer.

As a leader of the laird’s guard, it would be disgraceful to be caught or attacked whilst under a woman’s skirts. He’d never heard the end of it, especially if whoever approached was another guard.

“Wait here,” he whispered. “If ye hear fighting run home.”

Wide-eyed, her mouth formed an “O”, and she nodded.

Despite the fact it could be no more than a deer or someone out for a leisurely walk, there had been attacks in the surrounding areas and he would always take the greatest care to ensure a woman’s safety.

From the way the woman stood wringing her hands, any romantic notions were over. He motioned for the lass to leave. Best be safe.

Obviously frightened, the lass gave him one last longing look before lifting her skirts and dashing away.

With practiced steps from his many years as a guard and tracker, Knox crept in the direction of the sound making sure to step evenly and avoid branches that would crack under his weight. There was no one in sight. He scanned the surroundings and then studied the ground taking advantage of his expert tracking abilities.

A broken branch, a telltale sign of someone walking nearby, caught his attention. Interestingly, whatever direction the person or beast went was hard to tell until he noted the way leaves on one bush were brushed. Whoever or whatever it was had gone away from where he was.

Looking around the surroundings, he thought to have caught movement.

Sure it was a person, he moved behind a tree and slowly peered around the side. A branch flew across the air, he avoided the hit, and it crunched against the tree’s bark instead.

Just as Knox was going to announce who he was, the branch swung again, its wielder letting out a loud screech. This time he jumped back to keep from being struck.

Slender and small in stature, the branch-wielding woman was no match for Knox’s bulk and strength.

Whatever was the fiery lass thinking? He waited for the next swing, grabbed the branch, and gave it a strong tug. The woman stumbled forward landing on all fours on the forest floor.

“Are ye daft?” he yelled, yanking the woman up by an arm. “What are ye doing in the woods alone, Sencha?”

She looked a proper mess, skirts torn, and half her flame-red hair had loosened from its pins and spilled over her face.

Somehow, even in the disheveled state, she remained beautiful.

“Let me go!” She tried to pull away, whilst sweeping hair away from her flushed face. Her chest lifted and lowered as harsh breaths exploded.

When she tried to kick him, Knox easily avoided her attempts and glared at her. “Will ye stop acting like a wildling.”

This time Knox grabbed her around the waist and pulled her close, making it harder for her to kick.

Pushing against his chest, she looked up and realized who he was and let out a huff. “What are ye doing here?”

She smelled of lavender and nature, her delicate figure fit perfectly between his arms and Knox was reluctant to release her.

“I will let ye go if ye promise not to try to hit me again.” He purposely held her tighter, not as a warning, but because he’d always wondered what it would feel like to have the fiery lass in his arms.

“I thought ye were one of the attackers and meant to kill me,” she replied breathlessly.

After one last inhalation of her hair, Knox released her.

“Knox, I didnae ken it was ye. Are ye here alone? I thought to have heard several voices.” Her eyes darted in the direction of where he and the lass from the village had just been.

The way she tilted her heart-shaped face, as she studied him, made him want to lie. He glanced over his shoulder to the area where he’d been noting no one was about.

“I am alone,” he replied, not a lie, per se. “And ye, what are ye doing?”

“Looking for Blossom, my wee dog. She ran off earlier.” A crease formed between her brows. “I am quite worried.”

He studied her torn skirts and messy hair. Apparently he wasn’t the only obstacle in her search. “Ye seem to have had a time of it.”

Eyes flattening, she looked down at her dress. “It is nae easy to traipse about the woods in skirts. Branches reach out and snag everything, my hair, my clothes, my skin.” Sencha held out both arms to prove her point. Indeed they were covered with a few cuts and scratches.

In his opinion, women as beautiful as Sencha should never be so far from home without an escort. Even before the attacks, there was always the chance she’d run into men who had no scruples. Especially when they came across a fetching lass alone.

“Dogs are smart and return home when hungry. I doubt yer wee dog would venture so far away from where it is guaranteed food and shelter.”

Sencha didn’t look convinced, a frown on her features, she looked away from him, seeming to consider whether or not to continue her search. Then she studied him. “I am surprised ye are nae in the village chasing after women. Where’s yer horse?”

“I am returning to the keep from patrolling and seeing after the old MacKerns. Ye ken they live near here.” He pointed to the right. “My steed is there.”

Her eyes narrowed in thought, looking from the horse to him. “Why is yer horse tethered over there and ye are walking about the woods?”

The lass was smart. He had to acknowledge that a man involved with her would have to be someone who was either quick on his feet or honest at all times.

“I walked into the woods to find relief, when I heard ye step on a branch.” Again not a lie, per se.

“Oh,”—her cheeks pinkened—“I see.” She made shooing motions with her hands. “Well go on then. I will look a bit more for Blossom and then go home.”

Now he had to pretend to relieve himself. Knox let out a breath. “I will walk ye home. Ye should nae be about on yer own. Even with the branch, which ye did wield well, harm can come to ye.”

Knox held up a hand. “Wait here.”

For a brief moment, he glanced toward the village thinking about the lass he’d been with. Perhaps he’d visit her and set her mind at ease the next time he visited his parents.

Knox went to where his horse was nibbling on the grass oblivious to what all had occurred and taking the reins he brought the huge warhorse to where Sencha waited.

It was the first time he’d had the opportunity to spend time alone with the pretty lass. Sencha was one of the few women who seemed immune to his charms. Although always friendly, she’d never seemed to consider him more than a childhood friend, an acquaintance.

That he knew of, no one had yet to court the flame-haired beauty. Not for lack of trying, but because she refused every man who attempted to court her.

“We have known each other for a long time,” Knox said by way of conversation as they began walking side-by-side. It was time to try a new tactic, perhaps a closer friendship could lead to more.

“Aye, since we were wee,” she replied giving him a sideways glance. “Ye are older, so we were never what I would consider friends.”

His smile was careful, controlled. “Nothing stops us from being good friends now.”

“I suppose.”

“My heart melts by yer enthusiasm,” he teased.

The words elicited a throaty laugh. “I dinnae mean to sound less than enthusiastic, it is that I am truly worried. My Blossom is wee and alone. What if a wild beast gets her?”

Knox whistled several times, whilst Sencha called out the dog’s name. They continued in a wavy pattern heading back towards where Sencha lived. Knox was sure the dog was home by now, but he didn’t wish to end the time spent with the lass just yet.

“Ye’ve had the dog for long?”

Sencha nodded. “Aye, over ten years, since she was pup. The runt of a litter, she was. Wee Blossom is getting old and cannae see well.”

As they walked down the last patch of woods, Sencha looked as if about to cry. “Where can she be?” Her shiny eyes lifted to his. “Do ye really think she went home?”

It took all his willpower not to pull her close and comfort her. Instead he acted as a friend would and placed a hand on her slight shoulder. “Let us go and find out. If she is nae at yer house, I will ride back and search for her.”

“Thank ye, I do appreciate it.” To his surprise, she threw her arms around his waist and hugged him. It wasn’t a long hug and certainly not meant to be in any way flirtatious, but it made Knox feel as if he’d won first place in a competition.

Despite their continuous search while walking, the small dog was nowhere to be found.

A stately two-story stone house came to view, smoke emanating from the chimney promising warmth. The house was flanked by hills where cows and sheep grazed.

Thanks to Sencha’s brother being a successful privateer sailing to and from the West Indies, they owned a large parcel of land. Her family was not extremely wealthy, but from what he’d heard, they were able to hire several farmhands and a pair of servants.

When they neared Sencha’s house, a dog didnae trot out to greet them and Sencha let out a long sigh and once again looked to him. “It seems she is nae here.”

“I will find her,” Knox promised, unsure how to go about it since he had no idea what the dog looked like.

Just then the front door opened and an older woman, whom he recognized as Sencha’s mother walked out. She wore a serviceable, but well-tailored dress.

“Sencha, where have ye been? I thought ye went for a walk in the garden,” the woman called out as they neared.

Before Sencha could reply, her eyes narrowed at Knox and then took in the state of Sencha’s clothes and hair. “Did something occur?”

Sencha let out a shaky breath. “I went searching for Blossom. I cannae find her. I came across Knox and he offered to help.”

Shaking her head, her mother’s gaze scanned from Sencha’s disheveled hair to her torn skirts. “Lass, ye look a fright. Blossom returned a long while ago and is sleeping by the hearth. I was about to send someone out to search for ye .”

“Oh,” Sencha exclaimed, hands clutched over her chest. “I was so worried.” She gave Knox an apologetic look. “Thank ye for helping me.”

Her mother eyed Knox, seeming to see something. Perhaps his roguish reputation gave the woman pause.

Finally, she seemed to relax. “I am grateful she came upon ye. This foolish lass should nae have gone traipsing in the woods alone. Anything could happen, Sencha,” she finished pinning her daughter with a look.

“Come in for some warm broth before ye continue on to wherever it is ye were heading,” Sencha’s mother added.

“I best not,” Knox replied, not liking the way the woman watched him. It was as if she knew how strongly he was attracted to her daughter. “I am expected at the keep.”

As he rode away, he glanced over his shoulder toward the house and a smile played on his lips. Perhaps he’d finally made headway towards getting to ken Sencha. Then, with a bit of patience, he would use all his well-honed skills to seduce the lass.

Seduce.

He waited for the excitement at the thought of the thrill of the hunt, but nothing happened. Instead the thought of seducing Sencha, for the sake of a tumble, felt wrong.

Something in his gut told him that if he ever accomplished this particular goal, there would be no going back. Sencha was not a one-time woman, but the kind of woman that bespelled a man to remain forever. For whatever reason, the idea of it didn’t terrify him.

His decision changed. Perhaps it was best to stay away from her at all costs.