Page 101 of Laird of Smoke
From the corner of his eye, he saw his cousin Jenefer watching her.Surely Jenefer would recall young Jehan of Rouen, the archer she’d shot against before.Surely she’d recognize that Falco de Malisio was the same person, despite the darkened skin.
But she didn’t.For one thing, Falco didn’t shoot nearly as well as Jehan.Falco’s first arrow hit just outside the target.It seemed Adam wasn’t the only one suffering from agitation.
Eight others shot.Their skills were impressive.But Jenefer was the only one to hit dead center.
Adam planted himself on the line for his second attempt.He had to do better this time.He’d fastened on his bracer.He licked a finger, and tested the wind.
Then he made the mistake of glancing at Aillenn.
By the Saints, he wanted her, even in that garish outfit.He could imagine slitting the laces of her tunic and baring her lovely breasts.Sliding the trews down her silky thighs and burying his head between her…
He gave his head a shake to clear it and squinted down the course.
But when he raised his bow, all he could see was how much the target with its rosy bullseye looked like a breast.
His shot went wide.This time it landed in the straw outside the target.
Adam bit out a curse under his breath.A few disgruntled onlookers booed.
He was likely out of the competition now.That damned lass had utterly distracted him.
But two could play at that game.
She shot next.Standing close by, he crossed his arms over his chest and stared at her.
Unless part of Falco’s character was that he was a terrible archer, Aillenn seemed just as rattled by Adam’s presence.Before she could even aim, her fingers slipped on the bowstring, and the arrow fluttered to the ground at her feet.
She was allowed to try again.But she might as well as have skipped her turn.The arrow landed in the outer ring.The crowd muttered in disappointment.
He supposed the other archers shot well.He paid little heed to them.All he could think about was Aillenn.Here at Darragh.His sister’s keep.Standing less than five yards away.
Now that they’d been reunited, would she try to explain herself?
Was she only a clever outlaw?Or had she had a good reason for abandoning him?
Did she feel guilty for leaving without a word?
Or would she avoid him and steal away as she had before?
He had to make sure that didn’t happen.She owed him his medallion.And an explanation.
Eve’s hopes of winning an archery prize at the tournament were dashed.
But that was the least of her worries.
What was Adam doing here?Had he managed to follow her after all?Had he been waiting all this time to confront her in the most public place possible?
Her heart told her nay.When they first locked eyes, he had looked just as astounded as she felt.
But what were the odds, in all of Scotland, that they should turn up at the same place at the same time?
The way her heart had flipped over when she recognized him—despite his cropped hair and his full beard—had shaken her to her core.
She thought she’d exorcised him from her brain.Tucked him into a dim corner of her mind as a distant memory.Relegated him to the past as one would a fond old friend.
But seeing him in the flesh, with his dark and piercing eyes, his flaring nostrils, his firm yet supple mouth, had left her breathless.
Like a beast waiting in the shadows to leap, her feelings for him came roaring back to life.
