“After I give the book to Guillume,” Marcus clarified. “What are your plans?”
Sage shrugged.
Marcus stretched his hand out to grab a bag. He searched through it. He was glad to see that it was well-stocked with food. He pulled out one of the cloth-wrapped packages that were still warm. “You can always stay with those farmers. What was his name? William?”
Sage didn’t look up. “I’ll find my sisters. Maybe I’ll even convince them not to kill you.”
Marcus grinned. “I would appreciate that. I already have one person who wants to kill me. I don’t need more.”
Sage shifted her gaze to him. “Will you go see Rose?”
“I’ll leave coin for Rose, yes.” He handed her the wrapped food.
“I think you should visit with her.”
Marcus had already explained his reasoning for not interfering in his daughter’s life. “Those farmers...William. How do you know them?” He purposely changed the subject.
Sage unwrapped the food. “Family friends. My father knew them. My sisters and I saved the girls from…” She stopped, and even though she was looking down at the food, her eyes got a faraway, dark look to them, “A very bad life. Agnes and William took them in. Now they’re family.”
“It was kind of them to help you without question.”
“That’s what friends do. I would do the same for them.”
Marcus pulled out another cloth-wrapped piece of food. He longed to have that kind of friendship. The only person he considered close to that kind of relationship was Guillume. He parted the cloth and gazed at the meat. It must be chicken. Cooked, warm, and delicious. He couldn’t remember when he last had meat. Eagerly, he took a bite. His mouth watered as the intense flavor exploded through his mouth. “Oh. This is delicious.”
Sage smiled as she bit a piece of her chicken.
Marcus took two more bites and then removed the flask of ale from the bag. He drank deeply and handed it to Sage.
They ate in silence for a while, Marcus gazing at Sage. A longer lock of her hair hung loosely at the side of her face, swaying with her movements. Her angled jaw worked as she chewed her food. His gaze floated lower over her breasts and hips. “I’m sorry I got you involved in this.”
Sage shrugged. “I had nothing better to do.” She grinned at him, and her brown eyes sparkled. Then, she peered down at the book. “Besides, I wouldn’t miss finding out what secrets this book holds for anything.”
“For anything?” His gaze roamed over her face, lingering on her lips. He quickly looked away, feeling the stirrings of heat in the bottom of his stomach. He wanted to touch her again, and that was very dangerous.
That longer strand of hair fell forward. She growled in frustration, tossed aside the cloth the chicken meat had been wrapped in, and pulled her sword from its sheath. She tugged on the lock and swiped the sword through it, cutting it. She held it before her, snarling, “There,” before flicking it aside.
Marcus finished the chicken and placed the cloth on the ground. Then, he removed his dagger from his belt. “Turn around.”
She twisted to gaze up at him. “What are you going to do?”
“I’m going to even out your locks,” Marcus stated.
“Oh,” Sage said.
Marcus knelt behind her. “I’ve done this to my hair, but no one else’s.”
Sage shrugged. “It can’t be worse than it is now.” She sat straight with her hands folded in her lap.
Marcus gently drew the back of her hair straight. The strands of brown were soft, and for a moment, he stroked a strand between his thumb and forefinger. Then he snapped himself out of his reverie and ran the blade across it, evening out the hair at the nape of her neck, which was the shortest. It fell to just below her hairline. The ends curled against his fingers, wrapping around them. He swallowed in a suddenly dry throat. No woman had enticed him the way she did.
There was something about her that tempted every fiber in his body.
I’m only cutting her hair, he told himself and shifted to her side. His stomach bumped her shoulder and quivered in response. He reached for another strand of her hair and ran the blade through it, along her jaw. His gaze glided over her profile. She was beautiful. She had a strong jaw, a pert little nose, and high cheekbones. He paused for a moment to get his growing desire under control.
Quickly, he moved behind her, grateful she could not see him. He was afraid his desire would be easy to recognize. This was not the time or place. There was a man hunting them to kill them. And the book... They didn’t have time. And yet…
He moved to her other side, cutting her hair until it was even. Then he returned to the spot behind her. He brushed a hand along her warm nape to sweep the hair from her neck. He felt her shiver, a delicious temptation.
Just cutting her hair, he reminded himself again. He placed the dagger on the ground and knelt before her. Taking a lock on each side of her face, he pulled it down to see if it was even. His gaze swung from one strand across her face to the other. And then his stare found her eyes. Large, bright, brown, and beautiful. Tempting.
He knew he was lost.
He couldn’t protect her.
And he couldn’t resist her.
