“Kaden.”
“Ye cannae tell me that ye daenae have any experience in speaking to women. Even after meeting yer sisters only a couple of times, I am certain that they would have told ye better than that.”
The conversation from earlier rang in her mind. If he had truly been gone for so long, then he might not have had the experience. Or perhaps he simply didn’t find the time to care about things like that.
“Flattery works well on a lass, ye ken?” Emily continued, turning toward him. Her knee brushed against his under the table. She was testing her luck and his resolve all at once. “I think I have done a pretty good job of convincing yer clan that this is a real betrothal.”
Kaden smirked, his gaze dropping to the table for a moment, and he nodded. “Aye, I suppose that ye have done that.”
He turned in his seat, his knee pushing between hers slightly, only enough to make her acutely aware of the fact that he was invading her personal space easily.
“But perhaps I need a bit of convincing? A show of faith, if ye will,” he breathed.
It sounded like that was going to be the closest thing she would get to a plea from him as he leaned closer.
Her heart fluttered in her chest, feeling flighty and unsure. A tingling warmth spread from where his leg touched hers, while he remained annoyingly calm. It was almost as if he were testing her resolve.
“One.” She licked her lips and steadied herself so that her voice wouldn’t sound so breathy. “One kiss was enough to convince ye of that, surely.”
Kaden’s hand covered hers on the table, his thumb brushing over the back of it softly, making her heart flutter faster. It would be so simple for him to overwhelm her. He was easily twice her size, if not more.
Heat spread through her as she imagined what it would be like to be underneath him, to feel the weight of him parting her thighs, to run her hands over the undoubtedly scarred skin of his back, to hear him hissing in discomfort as her nails raked over his skin, but not letting it stop him from?—
Emily blinked furiously and shook her head. “Nay, there is nay need for further tests.”
She pushed at the table to force her chair back, feeling like the ground wasn’t steady under her feet.
“Ye havenae been dismissed.” Kaden’s voice darkened as he spoke, curling deliciously around the letters.
“In fact, we daenae need to consummate the marriage any time soon. We have a whole year ahead of us, so perhaps it is best if we just keep our distance.” Emily barely recognized her own voice for how high-pitched and breathy it was.
No need to be this close to him at all, actually.
“It’s nae as if anyone would ken. Nobody would understand what is between us.”
Oh, she was rambling now.
She didn’t even make it all the way around the table before Kaden was following her.
A wolf stalking a rabbit.
He was closing the distance between them too quickly.
“What is that supposed to mean?”
“W-we agreed, nay bairns until a year passed.”
Kaden smirked. “A bairn doesnae have anything to do withconsummating,if ye ken what ye are doing.”
Emily was going to turn red and combust.
“Give me one good reason why I should contain meself.” He smirked, and heat spread through her once more.
It was too warm in here. Did he not understand how handsome he was? He was being cruel, pursuing her like this. She was utterly defenseless.
“Unless, of course, ye think it would be so terrible to be married to me.”
“Nay!” Emily answered quickly, too quickly. “Well, aye… aye and nay! Would ye please stop advancing!”
