Page 103 of The Trouble with Tigers
Zeke picked up his pace, all but dragging her with him so they moved ahead of Caden and Randall. “That’s all well and good, but we haven’t the time,” he said crisply. “I’ll be happy to take you on a tour of the property another afternoon, my lady.”
“Very well,” she said, slightly taken aback.
“Are we in a hurry?” Caden asked Zeke. “If it’s Lord Hastings you’re worried about, I gave specific instructions for a footman to send word if he should awaken before we return, as you very well know.”
Kitty glanced behind her at Caden in delighted surprise. “Did you? How very considerate of you.”
“I live to serve,” he said with a grin.
“I only meant the weather may turn foul again,” Zeke muttered.
Randall darted a few paces ahead of them and pivoted in a broad circle, his hand to his brow, his face upturned to the blue skies. “Because the clouds on the horizon look so fierce?”
Kitty laughed.
“Everyone made fun of Noah, as well,” Zeke groused, though a smile played at the corners of his mouth.
As if it were the most natural thing in the world, he tucked her hand into the crook of his arm, then covered her hand with his. She delighted in the small gesture. For now, she belonged here, with Zeke.
“If I’m not mistaken, after we round the bend here, we’ll reach a small, stone bridge. Is that right?” she asked, hoping no one noticed the breathless quality of her voice.
Zeke had begun lightly caressing her knuckles. Though they both wore gloves, the stroke of his fingers created a charged awareness in her. She felt flushed and feverish even in the fresh morning air.
“That’s correct,” he and Caden answered simultaneously.
Soon they crossed over the bridge.
Caden leaned forward to loudly whisper, “Observe the bridge we shall not discuss at this time.”
Kitty laughed aloud, enjoying the ribbing at Zeke’s expense. .
“Ouch,” Caden said a moment later.
“These family outings are so much fun,” Randall announced to no one in particular.
“I’m not sure Lady Kitty would agree, Randall. Unless she considers one sibling kicking the other for no apparent reason, fun,” Caden replied.
“She’ll get used to us,” Zeke quipped.
Which was the absolute worst thing he could have said. Because she knew, even if he hadn’t worked it out yet, she wouldn’t. She would never have the chance.
***
Kitty yanked off her earmuffs and squinted to see the target through the gun smoke.
“I say, you’re a crack shot, Lady Kitty.” Caden half-shouted since all their ears were ringing, even with the use of protection. “I’m duly impressed.”
“So you keep mentioning,” Zeke tried to mutter, though the intended effect was lost in as he had to speak loudly enough to assure he’d be heard.
She sent Caden a brilliant smile. “My shooting lessons seem to have paid off.”
She wondered if any besides her had noticed Zeke’s increasingly dour mood, or what lay at the root of it. Wounded male pride.
All morning he’d attempted to charm her, engage her in conversation, stand close enough to touch her. The small of her back, her elbow.
Once, while the other two men argued over a shot, he twisted a lock of her hair around his finger. “Kitty. Why does it seem like you’re avoiding me?”
Because I am?But she couldn’t say that. Nor could she explain that being this near to him made the pain of knowing their relationship had reached its end ten times worse. That his sweet attentions made her ache almost intolerable. Instead, she shook her head in feigned ignorance, and promptly inserted herself into Caden and Randall’s conversation.
