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She rolled her eyes. “There’s hardly enough here to get you drunk.”
Chuckling, he reached out for the cup and took it with his right hand, but with the other, he reached out and tugged her close. Her eyes, this close, had flecks of amber in them. Her gaze eclipsed his mind. Dropping his gaze to her lips, he then returned them to her eyes. “Thank ye for caring about me.”
Adelaine nodded and swallowed, “I—”
His hand crept from her forearm up to her shoulders, and then framed the back of her neck, digging into the soft hairs there. She did not move away, instead, she came forward. Pulling her close so her mouth was between the bars, he dipped his head and softly, tentatively, pressed his lips to hers.
Adelaine’s lips were soft and curved so sensually. He ached to have them open for him so he could suckle on them, but the space was too tight. He pressed his lips more firmly over hers this time, and ran the tip of his tongue over the seam, evoking a delightful shiver from her. She was hesitant and probably did not know what to do with a man’s lips on her. Her innocence both pulled him and pushed him away. He moved his lips away from hers and he wiped his thumb under her trembling bottom lip.
“No one has ever kissed ye, have they?”
“No,” she whispered.
“Would ye want me to apologize?” Caelan said while searching her eyes. “Because I really dinnea want to.”
“I don’t want that either,” Adelaine said as she reached up and cupped her hand over his. “But we can’t…can’t do anything.”
Brushing his knuckles over her cheek, he dropped his hand and pulled away completely. “I ken.”
“T-try the cider,” she said.
Knowing that she needed an escape from the heavy moment they had just had, Caelan smiled and took the cup to his lips. “I’m still kennin’ ye want to get me drunk.”
The cider was bittersweet and mildly strong. It warmed his chest and gave him a faint taste of his home back in Scotland. He pretended he did not see how she pressed her fingers to her lips. He finished the cup and licked his lips.
“How was it?” she asked.
“Yer English dinnae ken how to make real cider,” Caelan teased. “If ye ever taste ours back at Scotland, ye’ll realize what a poor mockery this is.”
She scowled, but her twitching lips betrayed the laughter bubbling under her sour expression. “Noted, so I’ll only bring you milk from now on.”
Handing her the cup through the bars, he grinned. “Ah, ye may nay have to go that far, lass.” When she took it from him, he dropped his voice to stress his sincerity, “I am grateful for yer help, Adelaine.”
“And I’m glad to give it,” she smiled.
Chapter 11
The kiss lingered. Deep into the night, Adelaine kept feeling the press of Caelan’s firm lips on hers and feeling a strange excitement at the fleeting wetness of the tip of his tongue against her lips.
Why did I freeze?
Her fingers had ached to touch him, if magically, her hands could slide past the bars and rest on his wide shoulders and around his neck. She knew what intimacy between a man and a woman was supposed to look like, she had seen her parents kiss, but it still felt new to her.
What will I do if he kisses me again? I did say we can’t but…I liked it. What can I do if he tries again?
She turned over on her stomach and faced the flickering tongues of the fire and deliberated. Having affection for this man went against everything she should be feeling from him. Her father was convinced that he had killed her brother but she did not think the same. Someone had the third side of this story and she hoped it would come from Robert Duglas.
What will I do if he does kiss me again? No one has told me how to kiss a man…that way. But I cannot deny I want to kiss him.
She could never admit this to Martha, or anyone. Caelan must have realized that she was innocent when it came to matters like this.
If the opportunity came around another time, could Caelan…possibly teach me?
Oh, how she wished Peter was here. Every time she had a problem, little or big, her brother would solve it for her. Granted, she’d never found herself in a situation like this before, but she would have like to think Peter would have told her how to handle it.
I suppose I will just have to handle this on my own.
She drifted off as the wind began to pick up loudly enough to make the windows shake. It did not bother her much as she had grown up with this sound, but her mind did run to Caelan. She knew his clothes would keep him somewhat warm but what about his emotions?
