Chapter 4
She was warm.So warm.
A smelly horse blanket shouldn’t—oh. There was a body at her back, the front of a body.
‘Twas Kester. He was curled around her, both of them lying on their sides, and despite the hard ground, despite the lack of a pillow, Robena didn’t think she’d ever slept more comfortably.
Except….
There was a hardness pressed into her backside, one she recognized. One she wanted.
One she couldn’t have.
Damn Lady Elspeth Murray and her beauty!
Robena squeezed her eyes shut and tried not to feel comforted by Kester’s arm around her middle.
She vowed then and there to write a biting, witty song disparaging his soon-to-be-bride.
There once was a lass from Clan Murray,
Whose chin was surprisingly furry.
She snorted when she laughed,
And refused to take a bath,
And her actions caused her father to wor—
Mayhap she should reconsider casting dispersions on the other lass’s reputation. Especially since she was lying here in the predawn darkness with said lass’s betrothed.
Trying not to enjoy it.
Desperately failing.
St. Kelsi, help me to be strong.
He’d made his choice. She wouldn’t humble herself.
Unbidden, her hips flexed backwards so her rear end could cradle his hardness.
Are ye no’ listening? Ye said ye wouldnae humble yerself!
Aye, but mayhap a little fondling….
She felt the moment he awoke. One second, Kester was soft and cozy against her back—except for one part of him which very much was the opposite of soft—and the next, he’d stiffened and rolled away from her.
As if she were a leper. Or on fire. Or a leper who was on fire.
Ye’re getting strangely morbid.
Well, who could blame her? She’d had a rough few days.
She saved her sigh until she felt him push himself to his feet and stomp away, and then she wrapped her arms around herself to try to mimic his warmth.
It didn’t work.
The MacBain men were an interesting lot. Her eldest sister, Coira, had interacted plenty with the Oliphant warriors…but Pudge was the only one Robena had spent any time with over the last month, and even that was limited to sitting beside him at a few meals, listening to him praise his laird. ‘Twas from Pudge that Robena had learned of Kester’s unfailing devotion to his clan, and how he’d put his own life on the line many times to protect his men.