Page 111 of The Valiant Knight
“Speaking of bones,” she said, changing the subject. “What do we know about Duncan?”
Since they were done in there, for now, Tony led her toward the storage room, and inside, on a table, there were the bones.
And they wereOLD.
“I can say he’s definitely male,” he admitted. “He was about six foot seven. Back then, that would be something that would be important for a Lord. It would show power, prestige, and he likely used that to his advantage, or his family did when they earned their titles.”
Gabby listened.
“He was a big man,” he said. “Look at the circumference of this bones. He wouldn’t be tall and skinny. Think more…Michael size, or Gryphen. The dude had some bulk to him, and that tells me that he had nutrition throughout his whole life. He had access to good foods.”
Yeah, she could see that.
“I bet that brought all the ladies to the yard,” she admitted. “If he was big and strong, back then, that would matter, right?”
He nodded.
“Absolutely. Our sole purpose is procreation to keep the species going. Without a doubt, the ladies would be attracted to his virility. Keep in mind, the average height of a man in Scotland in the sixteen hundreds was about five foot five. Towering over the peasants, and the other citizens would givehim the advantage. There’s no doubt why his bloodline was given a lordship.”
Gabby shook her head.
“You store a lot of information in that skull of yours, Doctor.”
He shrugged.
“I mean, I’m a forensic anthropologist. It’s my job to know. Just like it’s my job to know you’re going to sleep with the cop. You flush pink when you’re around him, and your eyes dilate. He puffs out his chest, and hovers over you like he’s protecting you. He whispered in your ear to show proprietary ownership of the new relationship. I was the other male in the room, and he wanted to ensure I was well aware that you were taken.”
She stared at him.
Why did that make her giddy?
“Okay, well, we don’t need to go there,” she said, wanting to go there. It made her feel special that he was already circling and planning.
It was nice for a change.
He wasn’t done.
“I can also tell you that a man doesn’t shower in someone’s bathroom with an audience unless he’s posturing to attract a mate. He most definitely wants you.”
God.
She wanted him too.
Keeping her voice down, she borderline whispered.
“I’m going home when we’re done, Tony. Is it wrong to start something?”
He patted her cheek like a big brother.
“It’s wrong to shut yourself out when you could find an amazing adventure. What do you have to lose?” he asked. “Heseems like a nice guy. For all you know, he might not mesh with you when you do the mattress mambo.”
She only caught one word.
Nice?
“Tony, he dove into a freezing lake and saved me. That’s more than nice. That’s damn special. That is a lake and there was nothing down there but darkness.”
Well, that and the voice she heard pulling her down.
