Willy followed suit and then, reluctantly, Rory.
“I am shifù. Teacher. You obey me.”
“Shifù,” they echoed awkwardly.
She bowed again. “Good. We begin with breathing.”
“I know how to breathe,” objected Rory. “I want to learn how to fight.”
“I do this long time. I know more than ye. Accept this or I not teach.”
“How long?” asked Rory.
“Since five years old.”
“How old are ye now?”
“Twenty-five.” She met his sceptical glare with calm. “Ye want to fight?”
He nodded.
“Good, ye listen and learn.”
Col, watching the lesson from the lee of the back entrance to the kitchen, marvelled at Aihan’s ability to get the boys to obey her. Even the truculent Rory seemed in thrall to her. He hid a smile, like father like son’s. For he was as surely in thrall to her as much as the boys, if for a different reason.
She was twenty-five, older than she looked. But then her calm demeanour spoke of maturity. She was no girl, and based on last night’s encounter, no virgin either. He shuddered with remembered desire, his cock thickening. He took a breath, trying to push the memories away. What they did last night, the way they did it, he’d never done before. Even courting Cat—and they had done everything but fuck, before the wedding—he’dnever rubbed himself fully clothed against her and come. And so hard too, he’d practically blacked out. He took another breath, bringing his attention back to the activities in the courtyard, resolutely blocking out thoughts of a repeat of last night.
At the end of the lesson, she sent them off with instructions to create a mattress so that they could practice throws without hurting themselves. They raced off to obey her, and she headed towards the kitchen. Not wanting to be caught spying on her, he beat a hasty retreat to his study. An hour later, she came in to let him know luncheon was ready and to thank him for the trunk of clothes.
“They belong to yer wife?” she asked.
He nodded.
“Ye don’t mind I wear them?”
“Nae.” He cleared his throat. “Better they be used. Cat would be glad they were getting worn. She wouldn’t want them going to waste.”
“Thank ye,” she said, accompanying him to the dining room. “I found sewing kit in drawers,” she said, indicating the changes she had made to the gown she was wearing.
“I noticed,” he said with a smile. “Ye’re shorter and smaller than Cat.”
The fact that she was smaller-breasted didn’t bother him. He had always thought he preferred larger ones. Seemed the size wasn’t the deciding factor. For all his determination to stay away from her, he was failing miserably. She was like a lodestone luring him in. A magnetic force as powerful as a current.
He could feel his body reacting to her proximity, and it was addictive. He liked the thrill of arousal her mere presence stirred in him. He couldn’t even pinpoint the cause. It was something in her aura, rather than anything in particular about the way she looked. He’d likened her to a seelie fae at first sight, with her slender build and indefinable air of glamour. But he didn’t thinkit was that, unless it was in the power of her beautiful black eyes, which seemed to see right through to the heart of him?
He took his seat at the table after seating her and surveyed today’s meal. More traditional fare today. Tatties and neeps, stew, and fresh bread. But the flavouring in the stew pointed to Aihan’s touch. It was spicy and slightly sweet and salty. She had made her mark in a matter of days on all of them.
That evening, Aihan appeared for dinner in one of Cat’s other gowns, and he was forced to eat his words about her attraction having nothing to do with her appearance. She had done something with her hair and altered the gown to fit. The neckline was low-cut and the deep blood-red of the gown’s velvet fabric altered her colouring somehow. Made her appear more vibrant. It certainly drew the eye. A wide sash emphasised her waistline in a way that wasn’t necessarily fashionable, but showed off her slender form.I definitely cannot be alone with her tonight in that!
Aihan had spent considerable time and effort on her appearance tonight, altering the gown to fit, pinning up her hair, washing thoroughly, and applying some rose water she had found in a sealed bottle. She had an agenda. She wanted more information, and she was prepared to use any methods to get it. And if she was honest, she wouldn’t mind more of what last night had promised. The man aroused her. She wanted him, and she knew he wanted her. She could see no reason not to act on that.
Mac took the dogs out for their evening walk, and she went to his study again. The library was a treasure trove of knowledge that pulled at her. She was frustrated by her inability to read any of the texts, but the illustrations in many of the books werefascinating. She found one about animals with lots of pictures of creatures she had never seen.
Sitting down with it, she waited for Mac to return from his walk. He was gone much longer this time. It was almost ten o’clock, and she was dozing over the book when the door opened and the dogs muscled in, panting.
Like last night, she greeted them, putting the book aside to do so, and glanced over at the door where Mac stood, looking at her.
“I thought ye’d be in bed by now,” he said.
