Page 17 of The Herald's Heart
She slapped a hand over her exposed flesh.
He sighed and raised his gaze to her face, disappointed and at the same time relieved.
“Here.” He lifted his cupped hands. “Do you wish to see it?”
Larkin’s lips still trembled, but she nodded.
He brought his hands closer and slowly lifted his upper hand away.
She stared at the small brown ball. “Is that it?”
“Aye.”
“It seemed much larger when it leapt at me.”
“It probably was. Drawing in its legs seems to be some sort of defense.”
She shuddered. “I wish you would put it out of the room.”
“You don’t wish me to kill it?” He strode to the door.
She cocked her head. “Why would I want that?”
He set the spider on the floor outside the solar. “Because it frightened you, I suppose.”
She gave a throaty chuckle. “If I killed everything that frightened me, I would have murdered you on first sight.”
“Truly?” He walked to the bedside. “You did not seem fearful when I saw you in the fog.”
She was calmer now. He knew one of them should leave, but he did not want to. For the first time, he felt as if the barriers between them might fall.
“I learned early that to show fear was a sure way to attract danger.”
“’Tis a good lesson to learn.” He held out his hand to her. To help her stand, he told himself, not because he wanted to touch her even in the smallest way. “But you showed your fear of the spider.”
“I was surprised, and a spider is a far different thing from a man.” She took the offered hand and stood.
He should have stepped back but remained where he was, staring down at her lips.
She inhaled and put her hands on his chest, pushing gently. “Please?”
Was that “please” consent or protest? The touch of her hands was too pleasurable to stop him. He anchored her hands in place with one large palm and bent his lips to hers.
The kiss was sweet, more plea than demand. He scraped his teeth along her lower lip. She opened, and he dipped his tongue within.
A small moan moved from her to him. His hands went to her shoulders, but she pushed away before he could draw her nearer.
She moved several steps from him, her face heated, her breathing rapid.
“Do you fear me now?”
She frowned and twisted her hands. “If I did, I’d neither tell nor show you.”
“However, I did surprise you?”
She turned away, and he could not see her expression. “Nay, it is not surprising that a man would take advantage of a woman who has neither strength nor power to deny him.” Her voice was hard.
Did she regret yielding to his kiss, even for that brief moment? What a shame she could not be honest even in this, for her desire had been palpable.
“Mayhap you are right.” His voice dripped sarcasm as he walked past her to the door. “However, you have denied me, have you not?”
He disappeared down the stairs before he could say something he might regret.
