Page 84 of Wedded to the Devilish Highlander
He lowered her hand to her waist and held it there for a moment. He wanted to do something other than teach her how to fight, but she had to be ready.
So, he let her go, even though he ached to be close to her, beside her,insideher.
“Try that on one of the dummies,” he instructed.
Eileen turned to him and licked her lips, her face a little flushed. “Aye, I’ll pretend it’s O’Gunn.”
Archer smiled. He moved over to the straw dummy and showed her how to use a dirk, repeating the motions he had shown her previously, driving the blade into the dummy’s gut and chest.
“Now, ye cannae just stand like that,” he noted.
“Like what?”
“Ye have yer legs and feet together.”
Archer made his way back over to her before reaching down and placing his hand on the inside of her thigh. She let out a little moan and then gasped when she realized she had.
His hand lingered on her thigh for a moment, then he pushed her legs apart. He wedged his foot between hers and widened her stance. Then, he got down on one knee and pulled her left foot back so she had one foot in front of the other.
“This stance will give ye more balance,” he explained. “When ye strike, it’s nae like strikin’ a dummy. A man will shift, and hemight strike back. Ye have to be ready to block a blow or turn and run. If ye manage to stab him in the gut or chest, ye flee as fast as ye can. Try it with that stance.”
Archer watched her again. She might not be a natural, but she was better than many young men he had watched train in his childhood. She had a much better figure, too. With her legs spread, the trousers clung tighter to her thighs, and as she twisted her torso to strike, the blouse accentuated her jiggling breasts.
“Keep yer weight on yer front foot,” Archer instructed. “Ye’re nae dancin’—ye’re endin’ a man.”
“Aye, but it kind of is like dancin’,” Eileen pointed out. “Except ye want the dance to end quickly in yer favor.”
“Aye, somethin’ like that,” he relented. “Now, as ye’re stabbin’, move like flowin’ water. Ye want to stab and move, stab and move. Dinnae give yer attacker the chance to strike ye. One stab, then move, and another quick one. That’ll be enough to stop any man in his tracks, and ye can get out of there.”
Eileen did as she was told. She struck, then moved, then struck, then moved.
Archer watched with his hands on his hips, a smile on his face, and pride in his chest. Still, he was a little nervous. He wanted her to be trained up should she need it, but he didn’t want her to ever need it.
If O’Gunn made a move, he would go after him directly, but he might also target Eileen and Reid. If he learned that Reid wasn’t yet awake and speaking, he might give the order to kill him and then claim ignorance of his capture.
“Aye, ye’re gettin’ it,” Archer praised. “Now, I ken ye dinnae want to carry the dirk around, but I’d appreciate it if ye wouldnae keep hidin’ it. There’s nay point in trainin’ with it if ye dinnae have it when the time comes. Will ye promise that ye’ll keep it on ye at all times?”
Eileen paused and turned to him. She pursed her lips and stood with her hip tilted to the side. “Aye, I suppose I could hide it on meself, and maybe ye could find it.”
Archer laughed again. He was about ready to take her, but there was one more thing to do. He went to the wall and picked up a belt and a sheath.
“Here,” he said, walking back to her. “Ye can wear this around yer waist; ye’ll have the blade with ye at all times.”
He moved behind her again—not so close this time—and wrapped his arms around her waist with the belt, grabbing it at the front and bringing the ends around to the back, where he buckled them. Then, he shifted the belt so that the buckle was on one side and the sheath on the other.
“Aye, that looks good,” he murmured.
He leaned down and kissed her neck, relishing how her head lolled back onto his shoulder immediately. He wrapped an arm around her and placed his hand on her midriff.
Eileen let out another low moan.
“Ye should put yer weapon away,” he teased.
“Ye can talk,” Eileen retorted.
Archer laughed before he kissed her neck again. Then, he moved his head to the other side of her neck and kissed her there.
Eileen moaned again, moving her hands to his.
