Page 87 of Dark Rival

“I feel fine,” he snapped. “An’ yer power has naught to do with it.”

Allie decided not to argue. And then it didn’t matter. Her eyes widened as she saw three heavenly hunks crossing a path beyond them, each one golden and gorgeous, clad in Highland garb. Her glance moved from broad shoulders to bare thighs and then up to three nearly perfect faces. The Masters started, looking her way. Interested smiles followed, as did bright, gleaming gazes.

Royce made a sound.

Allie didn’t have to look at him to know he was aggravated. She laughed. “Ooh la la. Introduce me.”

“I think not,” he snapped. Then, “Ye prefer blondes, do ye not?”

“Very much,” she said with another laugh. The three Masters veered her way. Allie knew they were checking her out in her tiny pink tee and supertight jeans. She smiled invitingly at them all.

Royce took her arm and hauled her up the road. “Brian wasn’t blond.”

“Brian was just a nice guy.”

“Who never pleased ye in bed.”

“True.” She twisted to take one last look at all that eye candy. “Who are they?”

“Doesna matter. Ye won’t see them again. They’re leaving.”

Allie sighed with mock disappointment. “Jealous?”

“Why would I be jealous? Ye dinna belong to me.”

“I sure don’t.” She craned her head to eye a dark, towering man with extremely short hair who was leaving a nearby, long, low stone house. He did a double take, glancing at her and then nodding at Royce. “You know, you could leave me here, couldn’t you? Moffat won’t step onto holy ground.” She kept a straight face.

Royce turned an incredulous gaze on her.

And she knew why he’d changed his mind about sending her to the island. Once he’d started caring, he couldn’t handle the idea of leaving her there with so many supersexed hunks. Allie shrugged. “I do like Carrick a lot, but I don’t mind spending some time here while you hunt Moffat,” she said as innocently as possible. “I mean, I could spend all my time praying.” She batted her eyes at him.

He choked. “An’ whose bed will ye climb into?”

“Bed? Do you ever think of anything else? I want to stay and pray. Why are you talking about sex?”

Royce had halted; so had she. He stared unhappily at her. “I ken yer game. Ye wish to excite me, provoke me. Ye want me jealous!”

She touched his hand. “Yes, I do, and it’s pretty easy to accomplish.”

“I’m nay jealous.”

“Really.” She hid a smile. She’d never known any man as jealous.

His mouth twisted. “If ye play me, ye’ll be sorry.”

“How sorry?” Her heart raced. She couldn’t help imagining Royce staking his claim.

He nodded. “Ye want me to take ye here, now? An’ what about yer foolish need for my love?”

His words ended the game. “I know you care. You’ve proven it time and again. And I care—and I’m not afraid to say so. I care enough to suffer your awful temper, your rude behavior, your medieval nature. I care enough to stick around for the long haul—and help you let go of the past.”

His eyes widened. “I only want to fuck.”

“Maybe. Maybe that’s what you want right now, on this particular autumn day in 1430. But you wanted more than that in my time. And, Royce? I think you lie. Not to me, but to yourself. I think you want more than sex, right now, in 1430. I think that’s why you suck up my white light like a starving man devours his last meal. I think you care a helluva lot and it terrifies you.”

He paled. Then a furious flush began. “I’ll show ye how I care.” He seized her arm and started to pull her away from the road.

Allie tensed. “If you are thinking of changing the subject with sex, forget it!”