Page 20 of Plaid Attitude
It wasn’t.
“Doughall?” she whispered.
“Aye?”
“What are ye doing?”
She felt his chuckle. “I’m comforting ye, love.”
Ah.
Comfort.
Like…the kind of comfort he might offer his daughter.
Aye, that was it.
She felt herself relaxing into his hold.
“Is this aright, Coira?”
“Aye,” she breathed. “’Tis good.”
‘Tis verra, verra good.
The hot ball of frustration in her chest was beginning to ease, and as soon as she realized that, his hand began to move. He rubbed her arm, up and down, down and up, and even through her gown, she could feel his warmth.
That warmth flowed up her limbs and into her chest, where it spread out and seeped down, down, down…
There was a familiar throbbing in her core, one which accompanied any thoughts of Doughall these days.
“Ye ken what I think, Coira?” he murmured, then didn’t wait for her response. “I think ye are under an uncommon amount of stress. Ye need someone to share responsibilities—to delegate to.”
“Nay!” She jerked away, his words reminding her she shouldn’t relax her guard. “Nay, I dinnaewantto give away—”
"Shhh, love.” He reached for her once more, but again, didn’t hold her any tighter than she was comfortable being held. "I didnae mean for ye to give up yer power.” His thumb was making little circles on her skin, and his tone was that of one speaking to a skittish colt.
He wascomfortingher?
She could break free from his hold, but she didn’t want to. “I—I dinnae need help,” she managed.
His lips twitched ruefully. “I ken. And I ken yecando it all yerself, I’m just saying ‘tis a shame ye need to. But for the here and now, how can I make ye feel better?”
They were doing the staring-into-each-other’s-eyes thing again, only this time they were sitting on the bed, their noses inches apart, the door wide open where anyone could see them…
And she didn’t care.
“I dinnae ken,” she whispered, her gaze dropping to his lips.
Which curled. “When I’m stressed, I find a fight or a good soak usually eases my tension.”
“Aye,” she whispered. “’Twas what I was thinking as well.”
“Ye ken what else helps? Kissing.”
She stopped breathing.
Doughall’s gaze flashed to her lips, just once, then back up to meet her wide-eyed one. “Can I kiss ye, Lady Coira?”
