He nodded. “Ah. All right.” The wine bottle went back and forth again. “Well, are ye goin’ to tell me what it is, or do I have to guess?”
“That might be fun.”
“Well, let’s review what we’ve done already. We had an archery lesson. Then, we went shoppin’ in the market if I remember correctly.”
“Aye.”
“And then… we went to visit the secret glen.” Back and forth went the bottle.
Olivia drank, feeling her cheeks flush as she remembered what had occurred in that tranquil spot. It had been an awakening. The intimacy they had shared had been her first taste of what intense pleasure a man could give a woman. Every moment was engraved on her heart.
“Aye,” she said, passing him the bottle, which was now half empty. She was starting to feel pleasantly tipsy. “And the fourth one was the Feast of Saint Patrick. But that didnae exactly go well, to start with.” She added daringly, “But it did improve later, after ye woke up.”
He nodded, his dark eyes on her. “Aye, it did.” He drank deeply and gave her the bottle. “So, what is this idea ye have for our last outing?”
Olivia took a long swig for courage. Then, she said, “I want us to spend the night together.”
The crackling of the fire and the sounds of the festivities filled the silence that fell between them.
“It is what we agreed on. Five dates, I said, and then I would give meself to ye.”
“There’s nothin’ wrong with me memory. I recall yer words perfectly,” Edan said, moving closer to her. “Ye may as well finish this,” he added, giving her the last of the wine.
Somehow, he was right next to her, so close that their arms were touching.
She upended the bottle and drained it.
“It willnae be an outing if we spend the night together,” he pointed out, his warm, wine-scented breath fanning her cheek. “Five dates, ye said. We should have five dates, and after that, we can spend the night together.”
“But I’m afraid it willnae happen that way, Edan,” she replied with some heat, looking into his eyes. “Because as soon as we have the last outing, ye’ll be leavin’. I cannae let ye go withoutclaimin’ me as yer wife properly. What if ye get hurt? What if ye get killed and never come back? I couldnae bear it.”
He reached over and stroked her cheek with his fingers. “Did I tell ye how lovely ye look tonight in the firelight?”
“Nay, and dinnae try to change the subject.”
“Well, ye do. Very lovely. I like the way ye’ve done yer hair, pinnin’ it up like that. It suits ye.” He tucked a stray curl behind her ear, his delicate touch like a fiery brand on her skin.
“Thank ye.”
He was so close now that she was sure he was going to kiss her. Her body was coming alive, responding to his touch. Disappointingly, no kiss came.
“Olivia?”
“Aye?”
“Have ye nae noticed me scars? Ye ken me history. Ye ken I’ve been a warrior all me life. If there’s one thing I ken how to do, it’s to fight. So, ye can believe me when I tell ye I’m nae so easy to kill.”
“Mmm,” she murmured non-committally, wanting to believe it but afraid to. He was still close enough to kiss her if he wanted to.
She was toying with the idea of kissing him when he suddenly got to his feet and said, “All right. We’ll do as ye wish and spend the night together for our last outing. Maybe ye’re right. Maybe it’ll be better that way. I’ll go and get us some more wine and somethin’ to eat. I’m hungry.”
He strode off, leaving her there by the fire, alone.
She had not been there for more than a few minutes, staring into the flames, wondering why he had suddenly left like that, when she noticed someone approaching.
“Me Lady, I thought it was ye. I’ve been lookin’ for ye.”
To her surprise, it was Findlay Pearson. Findlay was well-liked around the castle, and Edan held him in some esteem as an advisor. But there was something about him that made Olivia’s skin crawl. And it had nothing to do with the fact that he had been a prime party in trying to get her to marry Nurkirk.
