Page 24 of A Highlander Bound by Oath
She moved closer to him and ran a finger lightly on his arm.
"Hello," she drawled seductively. At least she thought it was seductive, although in her head, she seemed like a frog someone stepped onto. "I was hoping I would meet a strong man today. I guess I must be in luck because here you are," she praised. She almost puked when he wrapped an arm around her waist and pulled her closer until her chest was almost pressed against him.
"Ah, I would be more than happy tae get acquainted and spend the night with a gorgeous lass like yerself."
Charlotte giggled lightly and batted her lashes at him while, internally, she wanted to poke her eyes out and break both his sweaty hands squeezing more tightly with each second. "Oh, is that so?" she asked, increasing the seduction in her voice. As she spoke to the man who looked at her like he had just won a trophy, she could almost see all the things he thought of her andwhat he was planning on doing to her. She felt nausea rising in her throat and wondered if she could change the tactic and lie that she felt sick.
"Aye, lass. Ye are going to enjoy this," he grinned, baring his browning teeth, a waft of liquor hitting her nostrils.
Bloody hell, I will strike him any second. Breathe, Charlotte, breathe from the mouth. Don't retch all over the clothes Owen will dress in.
She fought off a grimace and affected a smile to match his when she realized he had just referred to herself as a lady of the night. She had nothing against them, of course. They were all doing what they could to survive the circumstance they had found themselves in. Yet, she was far away from the carnal pleasures. In truth, Owen’s slight kiss on her lips was the first act of intimacy she had ever received.
She moved slightly away from him when his hands drifted to her bottom and grinned when he frowned at her.
“Now, we can't have you doing that." She wiggled her finger in front of his face. "Some things are better left until later," she fluttered her lashes suggestively once again, almost sighing in relief when his face regained its smile.
"Aye, ye are right, of course." He agreed, nodding his head eagerly. Well, that was easier than she had thought, but she was about done with this performance.Where, for heaven's sake, is Owen?This time, she could not stop her eyes from wanderingtowards the bush she had left but a minute ago. Her irritation grew when she did not see him coming. Just how distracted did he want the man to get before he came out? Charlotte was certain this was enough.
She was sure Owen was hiding behind the bushes and laughing his head off as he watched her make a fool of herself.I will wring his neck when this is all over.
Charlotte fought the temptation to look around once again, but she did not go through all of this just to give up his position and the game just like that. She was certain that Owen could take the man so easily, but he was wounded and now was not the time to test how strong he was. There were so many things riding on their ability to steal clothes off a man's back.
Come on, Owen! I don't know how much longer I can keep up with this charade. Is he waiting until I completely embarrass myself first?
And then she felt the hand of the man before her crawling on her skin again, this time with no sign of stopping.
CHAPTER ELEVEN
Owen was furious. Very few things affected him to the extent that he felt murderous. And the sight before him was one of them. His hands were clenched into fists beside him as he imagined pummeling into the man Charlotte was sidled up to.
Och, who am I kidding?No matter how he tried to explain it, he was mad and not getting any less angry by rationalizing what he saw. He had to put an end to this. His eyes twitched when he heard her giggle and saw the man's eyes move to her face before returning to the cleavage she had put on display.
Aye, I definitely have tae put an end tae this.Owen had been the one to ask her to seduce the man and she was just doing what he wanted. So then, why did he feel so frustrated by the sight? As for the man, Owen assumed that he was interested and had decided to take advantage. And who could blame him? Charlotte was beautiful, and any man would want to be with her.
Owen watched the man pull her closer and draw circles around her body, touching her in ways he wanted no one to touch her besides himself. Owen took small satisfaction in imagining how hard he would pummel the man. How could Charlotte allow him to touch her like that? Why was she not pushing him away? He had been blinded by fury when he noticed that she had pushed up her cleavage and exposed her ankles for him to see. Now, he was ready to explode.
Owen was jealous. Right from the moment Charlotte had approached the man, he had tried to fight the feeling. Her sultry gaze did not make him feel any better. She was seducingOwen,too.
Deciding that putting his hands on her was too much for him to bear, all rationality went out the window. Owen got up and stepped forward quietly without drawing the man's attention. The moment he reached them, Owen smacked the man across the head, admittedly harder than he had intended. He watched with deep satisfaction the man's eyes roll up as he collapsed immediately. He had not drawn blood and the blow would not kill him. But he would have a large bruise on his head and a very terrible pounding in his skull when we woke up.
Owen had tried not to look at Charlotte as he acted. He did not want to direct his anger at her. She did not deserve it, not after what she had done. Yet, despite his best efforts, Owen looked up and glared at her when he heard her gasp. His face deepened into a scowl when he saw her staring at the man on the ground with concern.Should she nae be happy that I put an end to his disgusting touch?
"Are ye touched in the head?" he asked, lightly hitting the side of his head with the tip of his fingers as he questioned her.
"What?" she asked. Owen turned away, unable to stand the innocence in her eyes and the look of pride at a job well done transforming into something else.I shouldnae be angry with her. She doesnae deserve this.
"What did I do?" she asked.
Owen could not tell what it was about his question that quickened his anger even more. What did she mean by asking what shedid? Was she so innocent as to not know where to draw the line? Owen did not know who he was angrier at; himself for asking her to do it or her for agreeing and going overboard in a way he had not expected. The ache in his groin was a clear sign she overdid her task.
"What did ye do? Why were ye being so revealing and why did ye let him touch ye in that manner?" he almost shouted. But Owen managed to hunker down on his anger when she blushed in embarrassment and looked away. Charlotte remained silent for a while, almost as though she was trying to keep from reacting in the way Owen currently was.
"Why are you angry? I do not understand. You were the one who came up with the idea. I do not make it a habit of showing my body to men for the pleasure of their gaze." Charlotte quickly covered herself up until she looked presentable once again. Owen hated how something that should have been over and done with had turned into an argument between them.
She was embarrassed, but even worse, she was angry. He could see that in her gaze. She had done it for him. And instead of the gratitude she had expected for letting that disgusting man's eyes roam her exposed body, he had inadvertently directed his anger toward her.
Before he could speak, she continued, "Maybe you should have told me what was all right to do while you were planning to use me as a distraction. All I wanted was to try to do my best so that your plan would not fail and we could get a room and have your wound treated."
