AllFreeNovel
Share Us
“Hm, no. But I think he can help you with that, if you like.”
His blush turned hectic…but not in a good way. His throat jumped as he swallowed with obvious difficulty, and a muscle ticked in his jaw. Too late, she realized that he was insecure about whatever he had going with Connor, and it went far beyond simple embarrassment.
Her smile faded. “Reg–”
“Don’t.” The hand he lifted trembled, ever so slightly. “Just – don’t.” Another rough swallow. “Please.” The last strangled-sounding, drawing her gaze to the scar on his throat, which he immediately moved to cover with his hand.
“Reg.”
His eyes had gone big, a little wild…a little wet. They widened further still, somehow, at the sound of crunching grass, and approaching footsteps.
“Here you are,” Connor said, joining them. His voice was easy, but Amelia noticed the way his gaze snapped to Reggie, and the way Reggie shook his head, once, and ducked it, massaging his throat a last time before dropping his hand. “I thought I’d go in and make a formal introduction. Smooth things over.”
“And?” Amelia asked.
His grin was sideways and wry. “I don’t think things are all that smooth.” His gaze darted again to Reggie, and his smile slipped; with Reggie’s head still down, he mouthed,What did you say to him?
Amelia pointed at herself.Me?
Connor frowned.
“The two of you are about as subtle as this dragon,” Reggie said, and Amelia jumped, caught-out.
His face, though, when she looked at him, proved its normal color, his eyes their normal size, and his normal air of superior smoothness restored. That was a relief.
“Yes, well, neither are the two of you,” she countered, “when you’re brandishing swords at our new allies.”
“Ifthey’re to be our allies,” Connor said.
She sent him a look. “What did you say to them?”
He held out his hands, all innocence. “Nothing offensive! I do have some manners.”
“Uh-huh,” Reggie said.
“Hush, you.”
“Connor,” Amelia prompted.
“I walked in, and offered my hand – same as you – though he wouldn’t take it – again, same as with you. I introduced myself, and I said, ‘Sorry about your men, but you can understand why we leaped out of our skins.’”
“You didn’t,” she said.
“I gutted one and Angus shot the other. What was I supposed to say? ‘No harm, old chap. Dust yourselves off.’”
She bit back a sigh. “Howarehis men?”
Connor brushed his hair back, and his expression went momentarily wondrous. “Healing. Right before my eyes. Phillip barely got the arrow out before the skin started reknitting.”
The news lifted her brows – but quickened her pulse, too. Stirred that humming, crackling feeling that shifted beneath her skin.Magic. That dangerous draw that left her wanting to peer at Leif again. Maybe even closer than before…
Gods, she was behaving like some sort of silly maiden at a ball.
But was old and experienced enough to recognize it wasn’t simply fascination that had hold of her. No, the heat kindling low in her belly was something far warmer than curiosity, though it baffled her; attraction wasn’t something that sparked and flared on first contact for her. She’d not felt so much as the faintest stirring of anything like want since Malcolm.
Mal…
Thinking of him didn’t bring its usual wave of grief.
