Gannon’s mouth popped open and his lips flapped up and down but nothing came out. He looked to Ewan for help, but the laird was too busy shaking his head.

Keeley didn’t waste a moment longer. She latched on to Alaric’s arm and began pulling him toward the steps entering the keep. Alaric chuckled but followed behind her and allowed her to guide him inside and up the stairs.

All the way up to his chambers, she lectured him about taking better care of himself. How else was she to impress upon him the seriousness of his injuries? ’Twas no small scrape he’d suffered. If the cut had gone any deeper, it would surely have gutted him. He would have bled to death long before he could have sought aid from her.

She shoved him inside his chamber and then slammed the door behind them.

“You’re mad,” she said. “Completely and utterly mad. Now we must get those boots off you. How on earth did you get them on? It must have been agony. And your tunic.”

Alaric eased onto the edge of the bed and extended his foot to her.

“You want me to take your boots off? You put them on. You can bloody well take them off.”

“Has anyone ever told you that you have what could possibly be the most outrageous, delectable, enticing, incredible mouth?”

She halted her tirade and stared dumbly at him. “I—you—what?” she sputtered.

He grinned, making a dimple appear in the side of his cheek. Lord, but the man was simply irresistible.

“Come here,” he ordered, crooking his finger at her.

Too befuddled to do anything but obey, she closed the distance between them and came to stand between his thighs.

“That’s better,” he murmured. “Now come closer.”

He wrapped his arms around her waist and pulled her in until his mouth was a breath from her bosom. That knowledge did peculiar things to her nipples. They hardened and stabbed relentlessly at the bodice of her dress, and they ached as if they’d been stroked by fire.

“You won’t ignore me and pretend I’m not here,” he reproached. “You won’t shut me out.”

She placed her hands on his shoulder and looked down at him with a look of consternation. “Is that why you came out of your chamber?”

“ ’Twas the only way to get you to attend me again,” he said lazily. “Think you I’d put on those boots just to get a breath of fresh air when it’s fair freezing out there? You were right, lass. Those boots damn near killed me.”