Page 21 of Craved By a Highland Beast

Bonnie nodded, staying still as Evan approached her and came to a halt a few inches from her. He would have to be especially careful with her, he thought, what with how much smaller than him she was. He was used to fighting men close to his size and compared to them, Bonnie had to be fragile.

“I will try tae grab ye,” he warned her, slowly showing her how he would do so, reaching for her with his hand. “I want ye tae hit me as hard as ye can here,” he said, pointing at the weak spot on his arm, “and then go behind me.”

“Is that all?” Bonnie asked. “It sounds too simple.”

“Fer now,” Evan said. “I dinnae want tae make it too difficult fer ye.”

Bonnie had an odd look on her face, one that Evan couldn’t decipher. He didn’t try too hard, though, as it didn’t really matter. He mainly wanted to gauge her strength and her natural talent for a fight first, and so he did as he warned her, swiftly attacking her.

And then he was on the floor, the breath knocked out of him once more as his back hit the stone, his eyes staring at the ceiling. For a moment, he didn’t know what had happened, but then pain spread over his arm and his leg—right at the weak points.

She kicked me on the knee!

Once again, Bonnie stood over him, staring down at him with a satisfied smile. Not only was she extremely accurate with her attack, but she was also incredibly fast, her size giving her the advantage of speed.

With his guard down, Evan had never had a chance to defend himself, but he didn’t think it counted at all. Bonnie had claimed to know nothing about fighting and yet there she was, fighting like someone who was raised with the expectation that one day, she may have to join a scuffle.

“Ye shouldnae underestimate me,” she said smugly, grinning down at him. “It is a mistake that may cost you sometime.”

Evan couldn’t help the chuckle that escaped him, no matter how much he tried. Bonnie was full of surprises and just when he thought he was getting to know her, she revealed a side of herselfhe had no idea was there. Who was this woman, he wondered? Where had she been all his life?

As he stared at her in the soft light of the fire and the candles, he couldn’t help but be entranced. Slowly, he stood and leaned close, only realizing that his intention was to kiss her when he tilted his head to the side, his desire getting the better of him.

There was no resisting her anymore. There was no denying how he felt for her, and so he needed to have her.

CHAPTER NINE

Evan was so close to Bonnie that she could feel his warm breath on her lips as she looked up at him, his hand ghosting over her side to draw a shiver out of her. She held her breath as he leaned even closer, not knowing what to expect from him.

Was he going to kiss her? Did she want him to kiss her? Bonnie was too conflicted to know her own desires, her attraction to Evan warring against her fear that he was not the kind of man he claimed to be and the knowledge that she didn’t know him at all. On top of everything else, they were in Ruthven’s castle and though they were alone in the room, she couldn’t help but fear that someone would see them—a maid perhaps, or a servant who would barge into the room just as Evan had.

What would happen then? Ruthven would surely be furious, Evan’s and Alaric’s mission would be ruined, and the MacLaren council would never forgive her for disgracing the clan. Everyone would find out, as the rumors would spread likewildfire, and she would never have the chance to marry a good, suitable man.

And yet, even with all the doubts that swirled in her mind, Bonnie found it impossible to move away from Evan. His pull on her was irresistible and no matter how much she tried to convince herself to stay away, her traitorous body seemed to have a mind of its own, swaying closer to him against her better judgement.

This is it . . . he will kiss me.

Bonnie’s heart beat so fast and with such intensity that she could have sworn she felt her ribs rattle with the force of it. It was odd to think that another person could have such a strong effect on her, that Evan could drive her out of her mind with nothing but a simple approach.

She closed her eyes and waited.

Then she waited some more; and then some more. The kiss never came. Instead, the clatter of an object, followed by a whispered curse, forced her eyes open once more, only for her to see that the edge of her sheet was rapidly catching fire.

“What did ye dae?” she screeched as Evan grabbed a pillow and began to hit the end of the sheet in an attempt to put the flames out. He didn’t need to explain what had happened to her, though, as she soon realized one of the candles that stood on the nightstand by her bed had fallen to the ground, the flames spreading to everything they could reach. Alarmed, Bonniebegan to stomp onto the flames with her slipper, but Evan was quick to push her aside, turning momentarily to glare at her.

“Stay back,” he commanded, startling her into inaction. Bonnie stood back and watched, quickly realizing that the fire was, in fact, very small and what had made it seem so terrifying at first was simply her panic.

Before long, Evan had managed to put out the flames and he straightened with a huff, patting the pillow he had used to get the ashes off. Some of the bedding was ruined, but the carpet seemed undamaged from where Bonnie stood and so did the bed. The candle, long since extinguished, was still smoking on the floor.

In the silence that followed, she and Evan stared at each other, stunned. Then, an awkward, disbelieving laugh bubbled out of her and she sat on the edge of the bed, burying her face in her hands.

Me first kiss an’ I didnae even have it!

“I should . . . ye should sleep,” Evan said, sounding just as awkward as Bonnie felt. Even in the half-light of the room, when she raised her gaze to look at him, she could see a faint blush on his cheeks. It was little more than a soft wash of pink, but it was enough to crack that tough and impenetrable facade that he had crafted so carefully around him. “Goodnight.”

Before Bonnie could say anything else, Evan was gone, much like a specter. Bonnie could almost be convinced that she hadimagined all of it had the evidence of the candle not been right in front of her eyes. It was difficult to believe, after all, that Evan had almost kissed her. To say they had not begun on the best of terms would be an understatement, and Bonnie couldn’t understand her own attraction, let alone his.

Cleaning up the mess as best she could, Bonnie then crawled under the covers, burrowing into the blankets. She missed her home. Most of all, she missed her sister, who would surely have some advice to give her about all this.

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