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‘Fight you?’
‘Aye, Meyrick will not take you if you have been bedded by another, if you are not a virgin, nor will Donald Menzies, so it is my intention to take you to bed.’ His voice was flat, resolute and deadly serious.
‘Are you insane? I’ll not lie with you.’
‘Then I will make you lie with me.’
‘You would force me? You would actually do that?’
‘I’d rather not, but I am prepared to do absolutely anything to keep you from harm, even sink that low, so, if you won’t listen to reason and wed me, then you leave me no choice.’
‘So if you can’t talk me into bed with your charms, you’ll force me, is that it?’
‘I don’t believe I will have to force you, but it’s either bed you or kill him. Meyrick will not want you after you’ve been with me. And face it, I’m not the worst prospect in the world. I swear I’ll be good to you, Kenna, keep you safe, make you happy.’
‘Conall, you can’t do it.’
‘Oh, trust me, I can,’ he said, giving her such a wicked grin it made her want to smack his arrogant face.
He couldn’t possibly be serious, so Kenna called his bluff.
‘Go on then. I dare you,’ she said, folding her arms.
‘I will.’ Conall unbuckled his belt and flung it aside. His sword hit the floor with a heavy clang.
His shirt was next, pulled over his head in a rush. His chest, oh, it was beautiful, strong and broad, narrowing to knots of muscle over his stomach. He had certainly filled out a bit since she’d last seen him, in all the right ways. The summer sun had kissed his skin so that it glowed like bronze, and she longed to touch it. Conall’s eyes were blazing and Kenna could not tell if it was anger or lust which made them so.
‘You cannot do it,’ she said again, half hoping he could. ‘You are too honourable, Conall, and that makes you weak.’
‘Are you seriously taunting me? I can do it, and I mean to do it,’ he said, tearing off his boots and socks. ‘By the time I’m finished with you, Meyrick won’t want you and, Kenna,’ he smirked, ‘you will be absolutely begging me to marry you.’
‘Why you arrogant, selfish, overbearing….’ Kenna grabbed a piece of wood and hurled it at Conall’s head.
He dodged it with ease and laughed. ‘Is that any way to address your future husband and master? We really must teach you some manners.’
Conall had a wild look on his face, and Kenna feared that if he did actually do what he threatened, it wouldn’t be gentle like before. There would be no wooing. He would just lay her down and do what he would until she belonged to him. There was no way she could stop it, for he was too big and strong, far more brawny than when she first laid eyes on him.
Perhaps she could shame him into stopping. She burst into noisy tears. ‘Please, Conall, I want to go home now. Please let me go. You’re frightening me,’ she sniffed, looking up from under her lashes.
Conall’s face was all contrition as he came over and took her gently by the shoulders. ‘Kenna, I’m so sorry.’ He wrapped his arms around her and put his head against hers. ‘Kenna, I’m sorry if I gave you the impression that I was a complete and utter fool who would fall for that.’ His grip tightened. ‘Now get into my bed, and I’ll give you something to take your mind off those pretend tears.’
‘Get off me,’ she yelled, pushing him away.
He just laughed. ‘As if I could ever believe you were that weak and helpless, Kenna Moncur. You’ve far more fight in you than that, girl.’
Kenna felt fit to explode with anger. She rushed over to the bed and his gaze intensified. ‘Alright, if you must do this, let’s get it over with,’ she snapped. She lay down on the bed. ‘Shall I open my legs for you?’
‘Aye, that’ll make my job a good deal easier.’ He wasn’t laughing now.
She pulled her skirts up briskly, spread her legs and leant provocatively back on her arms. ‘Is this how you like your whores, Conall, open wide for you?’
‘I’m done with all that, and as to whores, you don’t know how to be one,’ he snarled.
‘Take your breeches off then, Conall. Let me see what you’ve got.’
‘Aye, if you like and, Kenna, that is not something a lady would say.’ He strode to the bed and stopped, hairy chest heaving like an enraged boar. ‘But then I’m not in the mood for a lady right now.’
Conall had warned her there was a darkness in him, and now Kenna was worried it was about to show itself. When he came close and leaned over her, she slapped him so hard that his head jerked sideways, and her palm stung.
