are ye kissing me, m’laird?”
“Ye agreed to this condition. That ye would kiss me every morn, and every night, and anytime I felt the need to kiss ye.”
The grin splitting his face reminded her of how improper she’d been the night before. “This condition was made based on our union, and we are not yet married. So your kisses will have to wait along with the rest of ye that has arisen.” He looked crestfallen, staring down at her like a child who lost his pet.
“And if I dinnae want to wait?” Calin questioned.
“Then I’ll have to make more demands of ye.” Akira held back the smile threatening her face while contemplating her options. Her curiosity about their betrothal had been piqued the night before when he readily agreed to her requests. She wondered why he chose her so many years ago. Why not Maggie or Neala? Did Papa or Kendrick owe him a debt? Kendrick had known him longer than she’d been alive and her brother would be the only one who could answer her questions. Not that Kendrick had ever been loose with his answers in the past. She gave up trying to pry information out of her brother long ago.
She needed to know what Calin would gain from their union, but the man guarded her like a knight protecting his king. She had to ride with Kendrick today. But how?
As she stroked Calin’s dense auburn beard and inhaled his masculine scent, a mischievous idea developed in her head. She traced a fingertip over the brow that always seemed to be raised. “If ye intend to take liberties on my lips prior to our union, I would request that ye bathe with soap a minimum of once a sennight. Starting this day.”
He snorted loudly at her blatant insult. “M’lady, are ye implying that I smell?”
“I am implying naught. I am telling ye that ye stink.” Akira batted her thick lashes at him. “And this”—she tugged roughly at his beard—“I fear may be infested. If ye’ve any inclination of kissing me prior to our vows, then your beard will need to go as weel.”
Calin’s eyes widened. “M’lady, a Highlander without a beard is as rare as a sheep with nay wool. I have nary a doubt, ye are testing me.”
Akira crossed her arms over her chest and raised both brows to challenge him.
“Ye cannae be serious. Ye want me to…shave. The bath is acceptable, even desirable at this point, I admit. But the beard? ’Tis a most unreasonable request. Ye cannae ask this of me.”
“Then ye refuse?” She shot him a contrived glare to reflect her stubbornness.
Calin stroked his beard, contemplating briefly. “I’ll not do it. I refuse.”
Akira pushed him away then stepped out of the blankets of their pallet. “Then I refuse to ride with ye, too. I’ll not subject myself to another day suffocating on your repugnant odor. Nor will I have my skin crawling with your lice. Nor will I allow ye to chaff my face.” Stomping away in mock rebellion, Akira went to the brook for her morning ablutions.
Pleased as a sheared sheep in the summer months, she brought her hand to her mouth to cover her giggle then quickly asked God for forgiveness for the ruse. Granted, it was a wicked thing to do, but today she would seek answers from Kendrick.
Calin sat up and scowled. The little vixen was playing him like a fife. He agreed to every one of her requests the night before and, still, she wasn’t satisfied. This had to stop. He couldn’t have her thinking he would dance every time she opened her mouth or flashed those big blue eyes his way.
He tossed a murderous glance at Kendrick, who obviously overheard the entire quarrel as he grinned like a day-old groom. At least he was safe from the badgering of his men. His dear cousin, Jaime, would thoroughly enjoy this if he wasn’t still snug inside his plaid.
“Och, the lass is a shrew. Did ye raise her with extra spit and fire just to spite me or did she come that way?”
Two bushy eyebrows rose and curved Kendrick’s eyes into half moons. “Akira’s been
“Ye agreed to this condition. That ye would kiss me every morn, and every night, and anytime I felt the need to kiss ye.”
The grin splitting his face reminded her of how improper she’d been the night before. “This condition was made based on our union, and we are not yet married. So your kisses will have to wait along with the rest of ye that has arisen.” He looked crestfallen, staring down at her like a child who lost his pet.
“And if I dinnae want to wait?” Calin questioned.
“Then I’ll have to make more demands of ye.” Akira held back the smile threatening her face while contemplating her options. Her curiosity about their betrothal had been piqued the night before when he readily agreed to her requests. She wondered why he chose her so many years ago. Why not Maggie or Neala? Did Papa or Kendrick owe him a debt? Kendrick had known him longer than she’d been alive and her brother would be the only one who could answer her questions. Not that Kendrick had ever been loose with his answers in the past. She gave up trying to pry information out of her brother long ago.
She needed to know what Calin would gain from their union, but the man guarded her like a knight protecting his king. She had to ride with Kendrick today. But how?
As she stroked Calin’s dense auburn beard and inhaled his masculine scent, a mischievous idea developed in her head. She traced a fingertip over the brow that always seemed to be raised. “If ye intend to take liberties on my lips prior to our union, I would request that ye bathe with soap a minimum of once a sennight. Starting this day.”
He snorted loudly at her blatant insult. “M’lady, are ye implying that I smell?”
“I am implying naught. I am telling ye that ye stink.” Akira batted her thick lashes at him. “And this”—she tugged roughly at his beard—“I fear may be infested. If ye’ve any inclination of kissing me prior to our vows, then your beard will need to go as weel.”
Calin’s eyes widened. “M’lady, a Highlander without a beard is as rare as a sheep with nay wool. I have nary a doubt, ye are testing me.”
Akira crossed her arms over her chest and raised both brows to challenge him.
“Ye cannae be serious. Ye want me to…shave. The bath is acceptable, even desirable at this point, I admit. But the beard? ’Tis a most unreasonable request. Ye cannae ask this of me.”
“Then ye refuse?” She shot him a contrived glare to reflect her stubbornness.
Calin stroked his beard, contemplating briefly. “I’ll not do it. I refuse.”
Akira pushed him away then stepped out of the blankets of their pallet. “Then I refuse to ride with ye, too. I’ll not subject myself to another day suffocating on your repugnant odor. Nor will I have my skin crawling with your lice. Nor will I allow ye to chaff my face.” Stomping away in mock rebellion, Akira went to the brook for her morning ablutions.
Pleased as a sheared sheep in the summer months, she brought her hand to her mouth to cover her giggle then quickly asked God for forgiveness for the ruse. Granted, it was a wicked thing to do, but today she would seek answers from Kendrick.
Calin sat up and scowled. The little vixen was playing him like a fife. He agreed to every one of her requests the night before and, still, she wasn’t satisfied. This had to stop. He couldn’t have her thinking he would dance every time she opened her mouth or flashed those big blue eyes his way.
He tossed a murderous glance at Kendrick, who obviously overheard the entire quarrel as he grinned like a day-old groom. At least he was safe from the badgering of his men. His dear cousin, Jaime, would thoroughly enjoy this if he wasn’t still snug inside his plaid.
“Och, the lass is a shrew. Did ye raise her with extra spit and fire just to spite me or did she come that way?”
Two bushy eyebrows rose and curved Kendrick’s eyes into half moons. “Akira’s been
Similar Books
