Page 33 of Don't Give A Damn About My Plaid Reputation
She smiled. “I’m going to bathe, Kester. I’ve been riding a horse for what seems like eons, and I’m filthy. Yer men have complimented my ‘manly stench’, but now I’ve removed the mustache and am no longer Robbie….”
Turning, she offered him a jaunty wave and sauntered toward the water.
It wasn’t until Kester stumbled to stay upright that he realized he was unconsciously following her.
“Oh!” She froze when the water lapped against both her feet. “‘Tiscold!”
He could no more answer her than declare the sun to stop shining.
She shrugged, hugged herself, and then in a sudden flurry of movement, threw herself forward into the water.
“Lass!” he barked as he lunged, yanking himself to a stop only when he saw her rise to the surface.
Water slicked off her shoulders, between the valley of her breasts, and toward the darkness below her navel. Beneath his kilt, his cock throbbed in response.
“Kester?” she called sweetly. “I’m going into deeper water to bathe.”
He thought he might’ve grunted in response.
“And Kester?” Her grin was wide enough he could see it from here. “I cannae swim.”
“Ye…cannae swim?”
“Nay! I never learned. I guess I’ll just have to trust ye to keep me from drowning.”
As she turned away and began that awkward half-swim, half-walk toward deeper water, Kester reached for the clasp of his sword belt.
* * *
As the waterclosed over her breasts, Robena gave a little shudder which wasn’t entirely from the cold.
She wasn’t entirely comfortable in the water, aye, but ‘twas more than that; the memory of Kester’s words did all sorts of funny things to her insides.
He loves me. He said it himself.
The thoughtshouldmake her sad, remind her of the fact a future together would never happen. Instead, though, she focused on the assurance that what she was doing wasright.
Here and now.
They had here and now to be together.
And judging from the splashes she heard behind her, Kester agreed.
Or he was worried about her drowning.
Either way.
Smiling, she turned toward the shore.
For certes, there was her love, scowling as he splashed toward her. The water hadjustclosed around his hips, but that delightful V leading from his abdomen—pointing downward as if to sayHere is the cock! ‘Tis right here!—was visible for a few more steps.
“What are ye staring at?” he barked as he reached her, and they stood awkwardly a few paces apart.
She couldn’t afford to be coy. “Ye,” she said bluntly. “Ye’re a handsome man, Kester MacBain. I’ve enjoyed riding with ye these last few days, especially since so many of ye seem content to remove yer shirts in the hottest part of the day.”
The teasing didn’t work, judging from the way his countenance darkened. “And ye were looking at all of us?”
“Och, jealousy isnae fair.”Hewas the one on the way to marry another woman. “I only have eyes for ye.”
