He ran both hands through his dark hair. “’Tis madness, El! And what if he hears of it?” He pointed to the door of the room.
“Are you suggesting he’ll hear it from me?”
“No, but—”
“I will not say a word, Nicholas. You should know that,” Elia brooded.
“She could help us,” Kes suggested, getting Elia to smile again.
Nicholas held his hands to his mouth and then shook his head as if he simply couldn’t take anymore. “Who will you enlist next, Kes? Cook? The laundress, the scullery maids?”
Kes blinked and then physically pushed him out of the way—and it wasn’t easy, but he blocked her path.
“You’re a jerk just like the rest of them,” she threw over her shoulder at him and left the room.
She didn’t really want to be alone in the halls with the king possibly prowling about. She realized it was foolish to leave her room, but she had to get away from Nicholas. Madness was it? She was getting sick and tired of hearing that, too. She didn’t care how insane it sounded. Couldn’t he just suspend what he thought he knew of time and trust that she was telling the truth? Elia had done it. Elia believed her. Kes was glad she’d told her.
“Kestrel, wait!”
She heard him but she didn’t stop. She hoped she remembered her way to the wall. She’d taken a wrong turn yesterday and ended up in Reg and Adele’s wing. Harrowing.
“Leave me alone, Nicholas. I’m off to find more people to enlist. Because, you know, I’m an idiot and can’t look out for myself!”
“I never said that!” he defended, pulling himself out of the padding that had been underneath his armor.
She spun on him. “There are many ways to say a thing, you oaf!”
She refused to think about how good he looked in a léine that was just tight enough to stretch across his chest and shoulders.
She looked away and stepped through a door. She was hit with a cool northern breeze. She took a deep breath and shut the door in his face.
“Look, I really want to be alone,” she told him when he came outside.
“Kestrel, ’tis been a long day. I did not mean what I said. Come now—” He put his hand to her elbow to urge her along. She slapped it away. His arm snaked out and coiled around her waist. He yanked her in and she hit his chest hard enough to lose her breath for an instant. She meant to scold him for his treatment of her, but he used his free hand to smooth her hair over her forehead as he leaned down to kiss her.
She didn’t think about it. She wanted it. He wasn’t as bad as the others, and with a little work—
His mouth molded over hers like a caress. His lips were plump and firm, and oh so teasing. He didn’t need any help at all. He brushed his curious tongue across her bottom lip and angled his mouth over hers again, letting his hand on her back sink lower, to the top of her rear.
She felt everything in her go warm. Not a good sign. She liked it. She liked it too much. The gorgeous knight in dark armor knew how to kiss. She closed her arms around his neck and curled her fingers through his hair. She pressed her breasts to his chest and thrilled when he groaned into her mouth.
He let her go. She held on to the wall. He battled with himself over her. She could see it clearly on his face. Part of him wanted to pick her up and carry her to his room. She felt it in his kiss, saw it in his eyes. The other part wouldn’t treat her casually. Did she mean more to him than that? So soon? Did she feel something special for him in return?
“Come with me,” he whispered in the coming twilight.
Where would she go with him? Anywhere?
They hurried to the first stable. He saddled a different horse than the one he’d ridden all day. He untied his blanket and cloak from his horse’s saddle and tied it to the new mount.
“We’re riding?” she asked, pausing.
“Aye. Why? Are you afraid?”
“Yes. It’s getting dark. We could run into a tree or ride off a cliff.” She gasped and took a step back.
It wasn’t too dark to see his smile. “I know the way. Trust me.”
“Wow, you ask a lot on the first date, don’t you?”