He couldn’t be sure—her thoughts were difficult to read. But the realization that he might not be alone in his attraction only made the situation more uncomfortable and fraught with tension. Every touch, every brush of their bodies made his body jump and his skin flush with heat.

When they finally reached the courtyard, he gave up. This was ridiculous, damn it. She was wincing every other step, and at this pace it would be dawn before they made it to the tower.

Taking matters into his own hands, he swept her off her feet and into his arms. Ignoring her gasp of shock at being carried like a bairn, he gritted his teeth and fixed his eyes straight ahead. He wouldn’t think about how good she smelled, how soft the hair was that was brushing against his chin, or how her bottom bumped perilously close to the growing bulge in his braies with each step. A little lower . . .

“What are you doing?” she demanded, oblivious to his suffering.

He didn’t need to glance down to see the eyes that were surely shooting daggers at him—he could hear her outrage in her voice.

“Carrying you,” he said matter-of-factly.

“I can see that,” she snapped back furiously. “But I did not give you permission—”

“You were in pain, and I knew you would object, so I decided to make it easy on you.” He looked down at her with a smile. “You’re welcome.”

He could feel her eyes on him, studying his face as if looking for something. “Are you always so high-handed?”

“Only when I anticipate someone is going to be unreasonably stubborn.” He laughed again at her expression. “Besides, I prefer to think of it as gallant.”

“Is that so?” she drawled. “I guess that means I’m the helpless maiden in need of rescue to your Sir Galahad?”

Unknowingly, she’d hit a nerve. She wasn’t the first person to call him that, though the other—MacRuairi—had done so with considerably more disparagement. Pushing aside the bad memory, he smiled. “Now you’re getting the idea.”

She shook her head as if he were an incorrigible bairn. “I hope you don’t expect me to swoon.”

She looked so adorably disgruntled he laughed again. “Nay, a simple thanks will suffice.”

All too soon, they reached the door to her chamber. He set her down carefully—and maybe a little too reluctantly. “Now that wasn’t so bad, was it?”

She looked like she wanted to argue, but her good nature won out. Her mouth twisted in a smile. “As it would be shrewish to argue when I have arrived so quickly and in such comfort, I think I’ll swallow my pride and just say thank you.”

He grinned. “Smart lass.”

He was a moment away from dropping a kiss on her soft red mouth before he caught himself.