And it appeared to do so, as he blinked and refocused his attention back on the matter at hand. “Yes, well, I’ve never been a big believer in coincidences. Come on, let’s get you back inside.”
He took her elbow and led her back into the inn. She was beginning to get very used to his hand on hers, and it was nice, for once, to enjoy, even look forward to being touched instead of so fearful of any contact.
With a sinking heart, she knew she shouldn’t get too used to such a thing, for once they discovered what they needed to, they would go their separate ways. Which was, of course, what she wanted, wasn’t it? After all, she should be reveling at the prospect of being a free and independent widow. Not lamenting soon being parted from Alec. But then she cheered up; having a limited time together meant she should at least enjoy it while it lasted.
Chapter Twenty-Five
Walking down the hallway back toward the entrance of the inn, Alec couldn’t help but delight in the soft feel of Connie’s skin under his as he held her hand to guide her. Not that he really needed to, but it seemed like any excuse would do to touch her, regardless that each time his mind warned him against doing so. Particularly now that she wasn’t flinching every time he touched her.
She was like a drug slowly working its way into his system, teasing his appetite. And he was truly addicted now, almost like he was craving her.
“What is the plan?” Connie asked. “It sounds like we might need to go to that club, do you not think?”
There were many things that Alec was thinking right then, but taking Connie to a club, which from all accounts specialized in the finer arts of seduction and scintillation, was not one of them. “You would never be allowed into such an establishment. Especially not at this time of night. The only way I could smuggle you in is if you dressed the trollop and I paid the doormen enough.”
“Oh, so it’s that sort of gentleman’s club, is it?”
Rather than the moral outrage that should have been in her voice, Alec could hear the curiosity. “Among other things.”
“Perhaps then we can go,” she replied, a keen light of excitement in her eyes. “I would just need some scissors and I could refashion the day dress I’ve still got to look like that of a trollop.”
Alec groaned. “You are not cutting away any part of your dress, Connie. I said I’d protect you, not place you in danger, which I’m certain this club would be.”
Good Lord, the image alone of Connie dressed up as a prostitute was enough to send equal amounts of concern and anticipation warring within him.
“You know time is running out, Alec. Especially with Fergus looking for me. This club, along with the ladies listed on the sheet of paper that Malcolm gave us, are some very good leads that we must follow up on.”
“I’m not saying it won’t prove to be a good source of information.” They began to climb the stairs to their room. And suddenly, the image of the bed rose to the forefront of his mind. It was going to be a bloody long night. He pulled out the key to their room from his trouser pocket. “We shall work something out in the morning, I promise.”
They stopped in front of the door, and Alec unlocked it before holding it open for her to step through. She swept in and wandered across to the middle of the room. The gaslights had been left gently lit and were casting a warm glow across the space.
It was too intimate by far. Stalking over to one of the lamps, Alec turned the knob all the way up. And repeated the process for each one.
There, that was better. Light.
Though the illumination seemed only to enhance the silk strands of Connie’s blond hair and cast a warm glow on her alabaster skin. For a moment an image of her lying naked on their bed with her hair sprawled across her shoulders, spilling out onto the pillow, was so vivid that Alec had to blink several times to clear it from his vision. How was he going to get through tonight? “Now, I did promise to teach you some fighting tactics, did I not?”
“You did,” Connie agreed. “I don’t think I can go through such an experience again of not being able to help you.” Her voice had died down to a whisper. “I would never forgive myself if you were hurt when I could possibly have helped you.”
The idea of teaching her physical techniques, while he didn’t seem to be able to get a rein on his growing attraction to her, seemed like a very bad idea indeed. But he’d promised her, and there was hope and anticipation in her gaze, so much so that he couldn’t bring himself to disappoint her.
She did need to know how to protect herself, that was a certainty, particularly with Fergus and his men after them now. Besides, Alec would look at it from a detached and professional viewpoint. He had self-control and discipline. He could employ it now with Connie. He would make sure he did.
…
Connie didn’t quite know what to make of Alec’s expression. It seemed as if he were fighting some sort of internal battle. She didn’t know why that would be, but after a minute of wrestling with whatever it was, he nodded and walked across to the middle of the room, next to where she was standing.
“Let us get these lessons started, then,” Alec muttered.
She smiled at him. “Excellent.”
“The first things I am going to teach you,” he began, “are the best places to hit a man to stop him in his tracks.” He cleared his throat. “There are three main areas that men are vulnerable.” Alec paused for a second. “One in particular, is specific to a man, but the other two can apply to anyone.”
“Oh, that’s good.”
“Planning on attacking any ladies in the near future?” There was a note of amusement in his voice.
Connie shrugged. “You never know… Society ladies can be rather ruthless, might be good to know how to deal with them.” She grinned at the look of incredulity crossing his face. “Oh, do relax. I’m only teasing. What are these three special places, then? I think I may know the one that undoes men in particular.” She couldn’t help herself, but she glanced down at his crotch. “Am I correct?”
Though her brother was extremely well versed in fighting techniques, he’d never thought to teach her such things before, though he had briefly mentioned that if ever a suitor was getting too forward, that that area was his weakness. Her mother had overheard and nearly had a fit of apoplexy at the suggestion so had banned any such further discussion on the subject.
Alec swore under his breath, and Connie laughed.
“You are easy to rile, Alec McGuiness.” She’d never had such fun teasing anyone before, and seeing the look of chagrin on his face was well worth the impropriety of her comment.
“Aye, you’re correct,” he allowed, taking a step toward her until there was barely an inch between them. “But do you know what to do to incapacitate a man, my dear? I’d hazard a guess you do not.”
She smiled sweetly up at him. “I think you’re forgetting that I, too, have a brother.”
“I remember well enough,” Alec replied. “But if he had taught you, you would have had a lot more tools at your disposal against that monster of a husband of yours.”
Just the mention of Duncan took Connie back to all those times where she’d felt completely helpless. Not to mention, completely worthless and hopeless, too. “No. Richard didn’t teach me anything of that nature. He and my father always protected me. Too much, upon reflection.”
Alec ran a hand through his hair, and there was an expression of sorrow in his glance. “You should never have needed to be taught such things. Not someone in your position. There never should have been a time you weren’t safe. And I’m sorry that was not the case.”
“It’s not your fault.” She was beginning to realize that it was no one’s fault, apart from Duncan’s. The majority of men did actually treat their women with respect and kindness and even love. Duncan obviously had not been capable of such emotions, instead abusing them.
At least now he never wo
uld hurt anyone ever again.
“I feel like it is, though,” he murmured.
Connie couldn’t bear looking into his eyes for a moment longer. There was such pity in their depths, or at least what she thought was pity, that it was almost suffocating her. She hated that Alec pitied her. It made her seem weak, and she was done with being weak.
“Is this what I should do?” Before he could answer, Connie raised her knee up to the junction of his thighs. “I imagine if I did this with force, it would hurt, yes?”
Alec inhaled sharply. “Aye, it would.”
“How long for?” she asked him.
“Depends,” he replied. “Anywhere from a few minutes to longer. The force you use determines that.”
Interesting. She’d always known that part of the male anatomy was rather sensitive, but she hadn’t realized just how so. It may have come in handy with Duncan, although he’d have beaten her only harder if she dared to do such a thing. But still, to see the look on his face would have been worth it. Very worth it.
“Could you perhaps lower your knee, lass?”
She did as requested, and Alec breathed a sigh of relief. “Do you have any other tips for that particular part of the anatomy? If I ever have to use such a technique, I would want it to be effective for as long as possible.”
“A man will be expecting such a move,” Alec said. “So firstly, you want to catch him off guard.” His hand reached out and gently brushed across the column of her neck. “This area of the throat is also very vulnerable.”
Connie did all she could to focus on his words and not what his touch was doing against the soft flesh of her neck, as every single stroke of his fingers sent a delicious shiver down to her toes. She pressed her lips together and tried to ignore the sensation.
A little whisper at the back of her head was warning her not to let him too close. That it was dangerous to allow a man to touch her like this. That eventually, he would hurt her.
Connie pushed the voice aside.
That was her past. It was time she was courageous. Time to take a chance.
“The throat and neck area are your first point of call if someone comes in to attack you close.” Alec’s voice became very soft as he leaned his head down toward her right ear. “Well, that, and the eye area. Scratching at a person’s eyes or digging your fingers into their eye sockets will disable them long enough for you to run. But a hard enough punch or hit to this area”—his thumb brushed across the middle of her neck—“will wind somebody and potentially even kill them.”
She blinked as his words finally penetrated her foggy mind. “Kill them?” Had he really just said that? “I don’t wish to kill anyone. I’m in enough trouble as it is already. I simply want to disarm or disable somebody.”
Alec grinned, and instead of anger at his amusement, Connie felt like sighing again. The man was a walking sin just waiting to happen. And his smile simply amplified the effect. It was mesmerizing.
“I seem to remember when you were a lass of…fourteen perhaps,” he continued with a smile, “barging into my grandfather’s library, demanding to borrow a rifle so you could go and shoot yourself some village boys, I believe…”
“Oh my!” Connie exclaimed. “I’d forgotten all about that.” The memories of the time when she’d found out some local boys had been poaching in her father’s forest to hunt foxes and deer, simply for sport, returned to her. She’d been so furious, and so determined to teach the boys a lesson. “And you wouldn’t assist me.”
Alec laughed. “Of course I wouldn’t. There was bloody murder in your eyes, talking about those lads.”
She pursed her lips. “Well, I hadn’t intended to actually shoot them, just scare them into never trespassing on my father’s land to try to kill poor innocent animals again! Instead, I had to use a pitchfork.”
“You did?” Alec had refused her request with a great laugh, and she’d stormed back to her house. He should have known that Connie wouldn’t have been deterred by a no. She always found a way.
A burst of laughter came from her mouth. “I did! And goodness, it felt good. Though my mother found out, and I was confined to my room for a week to learn the lesson that a lady should never deign to speak with those of lesser consequence than she.” Connie shrugged. “She didn’t seem to care I’d threatened them with a pitchfork, just that I shouldn’t have been speaking to boys from that lower rung of society in the first place.”
“Your mother has always had particular ideas about society and its classes of people, hasn’t she?” Alec shook his head. “Anyhow, back to your lessons. And truly, you have no need to worry about killing anyone, for I doubt you have the strength in your arms.”
Well, she wouldn’t say she was at all muscly, but surely she could do some damage? She would simply have to show Alec that she was made of sterner stuff than he thought she was. “Show me what to do to damage them, then.”
Alec proceeded to do as asked, and for the next half hour they worked on scratching, hitting, poking, and punching techniques to disarm and disable somebody. Connie was actually starting to feel confident that she might indeed have learned some skills to help herself. Though she rather hoped she’d never have to use them.
“You’re a quick learner,” Alec praised.
The comment filled her with a sense of pride, and she smiled back at him. Alec’s easy grin grew, and Connie felt truly happy sharing that moment with him.
“Now for our last lesson tonight,” he continued, “I need to teach you how to get yourself out of someone’s grip.”
“Like if someone was choking me?”
He nodded and slowly circled around behind her. “Prepare yourself, as I’m going to grab ahold of you from behind, all right?”
Licking her lips, Connie nodded and prepared herself for the assault.
His arms wrapped around her waist from behind, and she found her back pressed flat against his chest. She tensed for a second, but then the heat of his chest felt so warm and comforting that she wasn’t afraid, instead she suddenly wanted nothing more than to melt back against him. To grab ahold of his hands and bring them up until they were cupping her bosom.
Her body felt like it was burning, his very touch singeing her through her clothing. She couldn’t stop a low moan from escaping her lips as his grip tightened slowly, but oh so gently, around her.
He was saying something about how to move her arms and hips to get out of his grip, but she could barely pay attention to his words, not when his breath was feathering along her ear and sending tiny bumps over every inch of her flesh. Besides, she didn’t really want to get out of his grip right at that moment.
Her body fit snugly against his, almost as if it was made to be tucked up next to him. The smell of the sandalwood of his cologne and the roughness of his stubble gently caressing the side of her face was beyond pleasurable.
It felt as if she was home in his arms.
She didn’t know if she should be alarmed that she felt so safe and secure and so very alive with him. Or that every single fiber of her being was aware of Alec on a level she’d never been aware of with anyone else before. It was exhilarating.
“Connie?” Alec’s voice gradually penetrated through her haze of desire. “Are you paying attention?”
“Uh-huh,” was all she could manage to mutter. Really, how could he expect her to think when he had his arms about her like he did? He obviously wasn’t equally as entranced. The thought was rather depressing. She shook her head, determined to refocus her attention on the techniques he was teaching.
“Right then, let’s practice.” He stepped through the moves for her, and again they spent the next half hour with Alec grabbing her from behind and Connie practicing dislodging his arms from her waist.
It was an odd technique of shifting her hips to the left, then elbowing him in the ribs, to duck under his arms and break out o
f his grip. Then she had to sweep his legs out from under him, with the goal being to get him on the ground as quickly as possible to give her a chance of getting away.
And by the end of their lessons, Connie was actually starting to get rather proficient at it.
“Very good work,” he praised her, and there was such a happy grin on his face that Connie couldn’t help but launch herself into his arms and hug him tightly.
“Oh, Alec, thank you so much!” She was speaking into his shirt, so her voice was slightly muffled, but she was certain he could somewhat understand her. Connie pulled back from his arms and returned his grin. “You’re an excellent teacher.”
There was such a look of intensity in his expression that it confused her but also sent a deep tug of desire to the center of her stomach. She gulped. There was a hunger in his eyes. A hunger she didn’t want to resist.
His head lowered down to her own, and his lips found hers.
Chapter Twenty-Six
She tasted of cinnamon and honey. And like nectar to a bee, Alec was helpless to resist the heady combination, wanting to lose himself in her sweet taste.
Connie’s lips were pillow soft, and there was a strength beneath her outward fragility that drew him to her. For too long he’d resisted the attraction he felt, but after touching her and feeling her pressed against him for the past hour, the walls of his resistance had crumbled like they were made of nothing more than sand. And when their lips met, he couldn’t have stopped himself even if it meant being condemned for the rest of his existence.
Kissing her was worth it.
Alec tasted her softly at first, savoring the sweetness and the fire that was Connie. Reveling in it, even. And he couldn’t get enough. Slowly he deepened the kiss, and when she moaned in response, it was all he could do to stop himself from picking her up in his arms and carrying her to the bed.
But what was he doing? He couldn’t take advantage of her like this. She was too vulnerable and had been through too much. He could never give her his heart, which was what she deserved, so he had no right to be kissing her like he was a dying man.
The Sinful Scot (Saints & Scoundrels) Page 17
