“You aren’t going anywhere, lass.”

“If you keep gathering those reins, lass,you and the horse are going to end up backwhere you came from.”

“Caelen?” “Aye, lass?” “You were right.” “What was I right about?”“Kissing. ’Tis a most wondrous thing.” She could sense his smile.”

“Here weare, a man and a woman, both wanting thesame things, and yet, you aren’t attracted tome.”

“I love you,” he said fiercely. “ ’Tis not true that I kept a part of my heart locked away from you. You own all of it, lass. You’ve always owned it. I didn’t give it to you. You took it from the very start.”

“If I have to bar the door, I will. I can be avery accommodating man, lass, but you’vesorely tried my will. I’ve given you until tomorrowto trust me with whatever you’rehiding. After that, I can promise you won’tlike my hospitality any longer.”“I don’t like it now,” she said crossly. Shewaved her hand in his direction. “You canleave. I’ll only be going to bed now.”

“Methinks marriage has made my brother soft,” Alaric replied. “ ’Tis a shame when a puny lass has to save his arse.”