Page 12 of Secrets of a Kilted Seduction

“How can I when ye told me nae tae breathe anywhere near yer door?” he countered.

That infuriated her. “So, ye’re usin’ that against me, are ye?” she cried.

He shrugged. “I’m only doin’ what ye said.”

It took everything she had not to hit him, but she knew she needed him, so she just stamped her foot. “All right, I give ye permission tae go in and out as many times as ye damn well like as long as ye catch the mouse,” she finally said, angry he had gotten the better of her.

“Very well, as ye wish,” he told her with an air of triumph that irritated her even more before he finally entered the room.

A strange few minutes followed as she watched from the doorway, while Tadhg searched the room methodically, finding nothing until he pulled a chest of drawers next to bed away from the wall, and a tiny ball of fur whizzed across the floor boards in a bid to find new shelter. Alana squeaked in terror as it headed towards her. Suddenly, Tadhg threw himself after it, and it was a bizarre sight to see the huge warrior without his shirt stretched out full-length on the floor, with the beast trapped within the cage of his fingers.

“Got it!” he declared. He went to show it to her, but she jumped back, her hands to her mouth.

“Eek! Keep it away from me!”

“All right, dinnae worry, I’m nae gonnae set it on ye. I’ll put it outside,” he promised.

“Thank ye,” was all she said, not waiting to see what he did with it. Flustered by both the rodent and Tadhg’s bare-chested state, she retreated quickly into her room and shut the door. She leaned her back against it, panting. She felt like a fool, for she hated being beholden to him for anything. She hated the way that seeing him like that, in state of undress, made her feel hot all over. It daesnae bode well fer the trip, she thought.

It took her quite some time to calm down before finally going down to the dining room for dinner.