Page 46 of Tempted By a Highland Beast
“Proper?” Constantine paused in his undressing to raise an eyebrow at her. “Lass, if ye should ken one thing about me is that I couldnae care less for propriety.”
“That’s nae the point,” she protested, though she couldn’t quite articulate what the point actually was.
Constantine finished removing his clothes and waded into the water without ceremony, his sharp intake of breath the only sign that the cold affected him. The water rose around his lean form as he moved deeper, and he watched Rowena with cold, dark satisfaction.
“Then what is the point?” he asked, settling into the water with obvious relief. “Two people seeking solitude in the same place? There’s nothing scandalous about that.” A smirk curved his lips. “Unless ye’re affected by me naked body.”
“Dinnae be ridiculous! And I was here first. I wish fer a moment alone, so if ye’d be so kind as tae leave…” Rowena fluttered her lashes, but the sharp glint in her gaze left Constantine in no doubt that her request was anything but gentle.
“And miss watchin’ ye try so hard nae tae look at me? Nay, I think I’ll stay right here.”
She scoffed, but her gaze flickered, just for a heartbeat, toward his bare shoulders, the water sliding down over the curve of muscle. “Ye think far too highly of yerself.”
“Aye, if ye say so.”
Rowena gritted her teeth. “Ye’re making me sound unreasonable, Constantine, whilst ye’re the unreasonable one here.”
“Just enjoy the water, Rowena. ‘Tis hardly as scandalous as ye’re makin it out tae be.”
But there was something scandalous about it, Rowena thought desperately. Something intimate and charged about sharing this space, this vulnerability.
The way he moved through the water toward her with easy confidence, closing the distance between them until she could see the dark centers of his eyes, the water beading on his eyelashes.
“Ye should have left,” she said, though her voice lacked conviction.
“Aye, probably.” He was close enough now that she could feel the displacement of water from his movements. “But I wanted tae make sure ye were safe. There have been strangers spotted in the area.”
The reminder of potential danger should have sobered her, but instead she found herself focusing on the concern in his voice, the protective instinct that had brought him after her despite the impropriety of the situation.
“I can take care of meself,” she said automatically.
“I am sure of that.” His eyes held hers steadily. “But that daesnae mean ye should have tae.”
The simple words, spoken with quiet conviction, sent heat spiraling through her chest. This close, she could see the drops of water clinging to his dark hair and could make out the faint scar that marked his left shoulder. He was beautiful in a harsh, masculine way that made her mouth go dry.
“Ye’re staring,” Constantine observed, a hint of amusement coloring his voice.
“So are ye,” she shot back, though her cheeks burned with embarrassment at being caught.
“Aye,” he agreed without shame. “I am.”
The admission hung between them, honest and unadorned. Rowena felt something flutter in her stomach, a nervous excitement that had nothing to do with the cold water and everything to do with the way Constantine was looking at her with the focused attention of a man genuinely interested in what he saw.
A strand of her wet hair had caught on her cheek, and before she could reach for it herself, Constantine’s hand was there, his fingers brushing her skin as he tucked the copper curl behind her ear. The contact was brief, gentle, but it sent electricity racing along her nerves.
“There,” he murmured, his hand lingering near her face.
Rowena’s breathing had gone shallow, her heart hammering against her ribs as she stared up at him. This close, she could see the flecks of gold in his dark eyes, could feel the warmth radiating from his body despite the frigid water. When he moved slightly closer, she didn’t retreat.
Their fingers brushed beneath the water’s surface, an accidental contact that neither of them pulled away from. Constantine’s thumb traced across her knuckles, a feather-light touch that made her shiver in a way that had nothing to do with temperature.
“Rowena,” he said quietly, her name carrying a weight of meaning she wasn’t sure she was ready to interpret.
The sound of her name on his lips, spoken with that rough intimacy, shattered whatever spell had been weaving around them. Suddenly aware of exactly how close they were, how little separated them except dark water and failing light, Rowena jerked backward.
“This is madness,” she gasped, her composure finally cracking. “Complete madness.”
Without waiting for his response, she turned and began wading toward shore.
