The Duke's Scottish Lass (Brethren of Stone 0.50)

She wasn’t attempting to be difficult but it was a choice she had made. She should be gone and Roderick here.

“Guard,” one of the men shouted as he lunged in with his sword. The other growled and lunged back.

Bridget rolled her eyes. “Why must they play these games? Most of the pirates are untrained and run screaming when they realize our men know how to fight.”

“You love watching them, don’t deny it.” Alexa gave them both a smirk.

“I love watching Matthew.” Bridget gave a cat-like grin. “That man still makes my knees weak—“

“I beg you, don’t start.” Delia rolled her eyes.

They both laughed. “Wait until you are married to that fine figure of a man.” Bridget wiggled her eyebrows. “Then you will see.”

“One would think you ladies were men that way you carry on,” Delia whispered as Stone and Roderick walked by.

Alexa smiled at the newcomer, waving her kerchief. “A pleasure, Your Grace.” He gave her a nod and then his eyes fixed on Delia. She blushed under the intensity of his gaze, particularly after the conversation she had just had.

“Will you train today?” Bridget asked.

“Of course.” He gave them an easy smile. “I rarely have a chance to best such specimens as the Alban men.”

Alexa seemed at a loss for words, but Delia took that as a challenge. Though it made her insides wiggle in discomfort, she had to try to push him away. “Any of my brothers could teach you the definition of humility. Only foolish ladies believe the words of a rog—”

His laugh and Stone’s frown stopped her words. “Little you know of rogues. They must be especially good at two things and one of them is fighting.” His eyes twinkled and he slapped Stone on the back. “Shall we?”

It was on the tip of her tongue to ask what the other was but her cheeks turned red all over again. She knew whatever the answer was, it would embarrass her. Rarely at a loss for words, she stamped her slipper on the wooden foot bench to release some of her frustration. Dimples appeared in his cheeks at her fit of temper. That only aggravated her more so she stepped up to him. Standing on the foot bench, the top of her head still only reached his chin. She tilted her head back to glance up and he looked down at her. Her breath heaved her chest and as their eyes met it stopped for a second. “Are you actually sharing the finer points of being a rogue with a lady?”

His green eyes sparkled with merriment and she realized her mistake. She should not have stepped so close. At the curve of his gorgeous lips, all she could think of was his lips dipping down to press against hers. Her own parted in anticipation.

“The lady brought it up first and I merely suggest that sword play is one of my strengths. In my opinion, a husband should also be able to defend his lady should the need arise.” He gave her a devilish grin. “That dress looks stunning on you. You should always be in that color.”

Eliza gave a satisfied sn

ort, but Delia ignored it. Verbal sparring was one of her favorite activities and no one else in her family enjoyed it as she did. Delia could feel her pulse rising in excitement as the words formed on her lips. “Changing the subject is cowardly at best. Another reason Stone will surely best you. He knows how to take a foe—”

“Delia, one more word and I will banish you from the kitchen for a week,” Stone growled.

Roderick, however, didn’t seem the least upset. In fact, he seemed to enjoy the sparring too. His devilish grin softened and his fingers reached up to brush her cheek. “I look forward to hearing the end of that sentence, but now I must go be trounced by a different Alban. If you will excuse me, my lady.”

Flora ran up next to her, giving him a grin. Wrapping her arms around her aunt, she bounced a little. “You’re going to fight with my papa?” she addressed Roderick as though she had always known him.

“Yes, though it is only pretend,” Roderick assured her.

She grinned again. “I know that, silly. But be careful. He is very good.”

Roderick gave her a little chuck on the chin. His eyes travelled to Delia’s face. There was almost a pleading in his eyes. He was asking her to give him something.

She looked down at her niece who was, in turn, grinning at Roderick. And then she saw it. A picture of her and Roderick and a child all their own. Would the babe have her blue eyes or his green?

Giving Flora a gentle squeeze, her own heart contracted painfully and she gave the top of her head a light kiss. “Come sit with me and we will see what happens.”

Taking a deep breath, Delia tried to steady herself. Roderick was breaching her defenses. Making her want things that she shouldn’t. She was being stripped bare of her defenses and it made her feel raw and open.

Stone and Roderick took their positions as the ladies seated themselves higher up on the benches. For all her words, Delia suddenly realized she wanted Roderick to win.

Metal clanked against metal as Stone made the first move and Roderick deftly blocked it. Men looked so beautiful when they moved. Fluid muscle rippled across Roderick’s body as he blocked, countered, attacked, blocked again. Watching him made her breathing ragged and, without thinking, she opened her fan to cool her heating skin.

The tittering next to her made her look away. Both Bridget and Alexa were giving her we tried to tell you looks. “Wait until you see him without his clothes on,” Alexa whispered so Flora couldn’t hear.