crack and found the antechamber blissfully empty. They snuck through and the section closed silently behind Colin. She glanced at him and gave him a slight smile.
His hand shot out and only curved around her wrist since she tamped down her instinctive reaction to move. She allowed him to tug her in closer until his green eyes stared down at her, smoky with desire and something else.
“Do not go back down there to deal with them by yourself, Najja.”
The words were said in a low tone, one covered in the iron will of a man who didn’t expect to be disobeyed. It was almost cute. But she didn’t take orders from anyone other than Father.
She stared back at him, silent. His gaze narrowed and he gripped her chin in two fingers.
“I mean it.”
Jo’s voice calling her name could be heard along with feet pounding on the stairs. She had to get him to let go.
“Promise me.”
She couldn’t lie to him. “I cannot.”
“Damn it, Najja.” She could feel his frustration.
“It is my job to protect them.”
His jaw tightened and his nose flared. “I thought it was to protect Jo.”
“Her family means the world to her. If they die, part of her will and I will do everything in my power to keep that from happening.” His eyes darkened and swirled. “In here, Jo,” she hollered before stepping out of Colin’s intoxicating touch.
Colin could think of nothing he’d like to do more than slam the door and lock it, keeping Jo out and him alone in here with Najja. What was wrong with him that he couldn’t get her out of his mind? Awake or asleep it didn’t matter, his thoughts stayed on Najja.
He took another step back ensuring there was proper distance between him and Najja when Jo barreled into the room. As she and Najja spoke to one another he allowed his gaze to linger over the woman he didn’t know how to handle.
He had never met a woman like her. She didn’t run from danger, she sought it out. Her own life not as important as Jo’s. She had this air about her he’d only seen from men he’d been allowed the honor of serving with. And at the same time she kept herself barricaded behind this veil of collectiveness. He’d seen a few glimpses of her true self but they were fleeting. Like she’d forgotten how not to be a shadow.
He wished for nothing more than to strip it from her. Along with her clothes and indulge in the fiery nymph he knew she was, the one she kept locked behind her carefully crafted mask.
“Go get it cleaned out,” Jo said.
He snapped to attention. Jo pushed Najja to the door. Drat. He’d totally forgotten about her hand.
“You have to come with, Jo. It is not proper for--”
“Stuff it, Najja,” she interrupted before launching into a torrent of words he didn’t understand.
He watched Najja blow an exaggerated breath and leave. Lord he wanted her in his bed. Maybe then his ache for her would be fed and lessened.
Jo pinned her gaze upon him. The eyes, normally full of vigor and happiness were shrewd and dare he say it, dangerous.
“I like you, Mr. Faulkner.”
“Colin,” he said, well aware of needing her in his corner.
She waved one hand. “Fine, Colin. I like you, but I love her like my sister.” She shook her head, hands fisted and rested on her hips. “She is my sister. If you hurt her--”
“I have no intention of hurting her.” He realized that was true. Many things came to mind when he thought about Najja, hurting her not one of them.
“Keep it that way. I know she seems tough, but…just do not hurt her.”
Jo preceded him from the room. “Jo?”
She paused and glanced over her shoulder at him. Her blue riding habit brought out the intensity of her eyes. “Yes?” Eyes which seemed still a bit leery.
“What…does she enjoy?”
The smile which she gave him made him realize she truly had the potential to take the ton by storm.
“Najja loves riding, falconry, and the outdoors.”
Falconry? He asked the question aloud.
“Yes. Falconry. She
His hand shot out and only curved around her wrist since she tamped down her instinctive reaction to move. She allowed him to tug her in closer until his green eyes stared down at her, smoky with desire and something else.
“Do not go back down there to deal with them by yourself, Najja.”
The words were said in a low tone, one covered in the iron will of a man who didn’t expect to be disobeyed. It was almost cute. But she didn’t take orders from anyone other than Father.
She stared back at him, silent. His gaze narrowed and he gripped her chin in two fingers.
“I mean it.”
Jo’s voice calling her name could be heard along with feet pounding on the stairs. She had to get him to let go.
“Promise me.”
She couldn’t lie to him. “I cannot.”
“Damn it, Najja.” She could feel his frustration.
“It is my job to protect them.”
His jaw tightened and his nose flared. “I thought it was to protect Jo.”
“Her family means the world to her. If they die, part of her will and I will do everything in my power to keep that from happening.” His eyes darkened and swirled. “In here, Jo,” she hollered before stepping out of Colin’s intoxicating touch.
Colin could think of nothing he’d like to do more than slam the door and lock it, keeping Jo out and him alone in here with Najja. What was wrong with him that he couldn’t get her out of his mind? Awake or asleep it didn’t matter, his thoughts stayed on Najja.
He took another step back ensuring there was proper distance between him and Najja when Jo barreled into the room. As she and Najja spoke to one another he allowed his gaze to linger over the woman he didn’t know how to handle.
He had never met a woman like her. She didn’t run from danger, she sought it out. Her own life not as important as Jo’s. She had this air about her he’d only seen from men he’d been allowed the honor of serving with. And at the same time she kept herself barricaded behind this veil of collectiveness. He’d seen a few glimpses of her true self but they were fleeting. Like she’d forgotten how not to be a shadow.
He wished for nothing more than to strip it from her. Along with her clothes and indulge in the fiery nymph he knew she was, the one she kept locked behind her carefully crafted mask.
“Go get it cleaned out,” Jo said.
He snapped to attention. Jo pushed Najja to the door. Drat. He’d totally forgotten about her hand.
“You have to come with, Jo. It is not proper for--”
“Stuff it, Najja,” she interrupted before launching into a torrent of words he didn’t understand.
He watched Najja blow an exaggerated breath and leave. Lord he wanted her in his bed. Maybe then his ache for her would be fed and lessened.
Jo pinned her gaze upon him. The eyes, normally full of vigor and happiness were shrewd and dare he say it, dangerous.
“I like you, Mr. Faulkner.”
“Colin,” he said, well aware of needing her in his corner.
She waved one hand. “Fine, Colin. I like you, but I love her like my sister.” She shook her head, hands fisted and rested on her hips. “She is my sister. If you hurt her--”
“I have no intention of hurting her.” He realized that was true. Many things came to mind when he thought about Najja, hurting her not one of them.
“Keep it that way. I know she seems tough, but…just do not hurt her.”
Jo preceded him from the room. “Jo?”
She paused and glanced over her shoulder at him. Her blue riding habit brought out the intensity of her eyes. “Yes?” Eyes which seemed still a bit leery.
“What…does she enjoy?”
The smile which she gave him made him realize she truly had the potential to take the ton by storm.
“Najja loves riding, falconry, and the outdoors.”
Falconry? He asked the question aloud.
“Yes. Falconry. She
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