Page 44 of Highland Spy

Ariana stared up at him in the darkness, her gaze locked on his, her lips parted, her chest rising and falling.

His gaze lowered to the lush shape of her mouth and his breath came a little faster.

He could kiss her.

The thought came quickly and was altogether too damn tempting.

That was when he realized he’d forgotten the footsteps.

That was when he realized he’d stopped paying attention.

That was when something hard and heavy slammed against the side of his head.

Chapter 11

Ariana bit back a scream.

Connor did not fall from his place in front of her despite the hard hit, but he didn’t move either.

The large man behind him, the one who’d struck him, was the man she’d first sat next to at the inn.

“Ye said ye’d be back.” His words came out in a low growl. “And I find ye out here wi’ him.”

The handle of her blade was hot in Ariana’s palm and now she was grateful for having not slipped it back in its sheath.

Connor’s head lolled, and a cold tightness gripped her heart.

The other man was too big. One solid hit and he might actually kill Connor.

“Ach, I drank too much,” Ariana said, slurring her words. “I thought I met ye last night. Was that this night then?” She squinted at the man.

Connor still was not responding.

Ariana steeled herself with determination.

She would defend him.

“Aye, it was tonight,” the man said, and leered down at her. “And I intend to have ye fulfill yer promise.”

His large hands fell on Connor’s shoulders and spun him around.

Before Ariana’s heart could even lurch, Connor came to life.

He thrust up with the heel of his hand under the man’s chin, snapping his head upward. Connor kicked out at his opponent’s chest and delivered a sharp blow with his elbow to the man’s temple.

The large attacker fell to the ground with a great and heavy whump.

And did not move.

Ariana stared in shock. Connor’s movements had been so smooth, so fast. She’d never in her life seen a person move with a grace so sleek, so lethal.

A shout sounded from somewhere near the inn.

Connor grabbed her hand. “Follow me and keep to the shadows. We dinna have much time before he wakes.”

So, the man was not dead after all. She realized then her shoulders had crept closer to her ears with tension.

While she was glad the man was incapacitated, she certainly had not wanted him dead.