Thank you to all those who had given me such great reviews (and you know who you are) :o)!
Okay, I am going to be away for the weekend, so I thought I would update now and with a couple of chapters.
Enjoy, and I'll be thinking of you while I'm playing in Florida!
#12 James
The phone woke Kirra and she groaned as she rolled to her feet to answer it. Shay, a shock of inky hair just visible under a blanket, shifted but didn't waken.
"Hello?" Kirra said after a moment's hesitation to clear her throat.
"Kirra? Did I wake you?"
Kirra snapped awake with the realization that it was her aunt who was on the other line. What did she want? "That's fine, Aunt Sarah, I had Shay over last night and we stayed up later then we should've."
"Well, I hope that you didn't mess your mother's house up too much," Sarah's voice was disapproving.
Kirra rolled her eyes, "Nothing that can't be folded and put away, Aunt." She paused, dreading the answer and asked, "Is there a reason you called?"
"Well sweetheart, one of your uncle's associates called and said that he saw a man riding around the property on a black horse," She waited a moment for Kirra's explanation or hint of surprise when it didn't come she continued, her voice hardening audibly. "He knew your parents were out of town and was worried about you. After the call, we were so worried that James and I decided to come right over and make sure for ourselves that you were all right."
Kirra frowned, this would not be good. "Well, I am sure that Uncle James' friend was mistaken, but I'll run down to the stable and check to make sure that Fate is safely in her stall."
The horror in Sarah's voice was a little too thick to be real, "Oh no, dear, don't do that! It could be dangerous." -- Like you care, Kirra thought -- "You stay right where you are and James will take care of it when we arrive."
"And just when will you be here?" Kirra asked, again dreading the answer.
"Within the hour. Now promise me you will stay in the house."
Kirra's stomach did a belly flop, That didn't leave much time, which she knew was exactly what James and Sarah were going for. They were dying to catch her doing something her parents would not approve of.
"Of course," She managed to croak in a strangled voice that woke Shay. Her friend sat looking at Kirra with a questioning expression on her sleepy face.
"Shay, too," Sarah's voice was sugary sweet and sing-songy. It made Kirra want to vomit.
"Yes, Aunt Sarah, Shay too," Kirra said with deceptive obedience. "I'll see to you soon."
"Yes, you will. Good-bye."
Kirra hung up and turned to her friend with a dark expression, "Someone saw Gawain yesterday. They called James and Sarah." Shay stood up in alarm. "Stay here and clean this up and I'll go upstairs and wake him up. I've got to get his stuff cleared out of the room before they get here." Kirra ordered before turning and racing for the stairs without waiting for her friend to agree.
"Okay," Shay called to her friend's retreating back. She wished Kirra would tell her the truth about the man staying in her house – without her parents' permission, but now was definitely not the time. She knew all too well what Kirra's aunt and uncle were like.
Kirra threw open the door to the Day Room without knocking. She shook Gawain with one hand while reaching with the other to open the blinds. "Come on, get up." She begged.
The knight sat bolt upright, hissing at the pain the sudden movement caused. He slid from the bed and stood watching Kirra as she flew around the room gathering his things, "What is this about, Kirra?" he asked, running a hand through his sleep tousled hair, well tried to anyway.
She stopped for a breath of time, "My aunt and uncle are on their way. Someone saw you riding yesterday." Her face was flushed and her eyes rolled like a frightened horse's.
Gawain placed his hands on her shoulders and squeezed gently, "Breathe, girl. I'll stay in here until they leave and not make a noise, it will be fine."
Kirra tossed her head, "No, they'll stay here overnight; they always do, and will expect to use this room. They are here to find out if I messed up. One call from them and my parents will be home in a flash and then we'll never figure this mess out. You've got to help me get your stuff into my room." She shoved the armful she had at him, "It's the only room in the house that they won't dare go into – I hope."
"Kirra," he protested, remembering all too well what had happened the last time he had gone into her room, "I'll stay in the forest."
Kirra searched Gawain's eyes desperately, "No, you can't stay in the forest. James will make it a point to search every square inch of it for a couple miles out, if he found you, he would have you arrested and I wouldn't be able to do a thing about it. Just please, I'm sorry about the other night, but you have to do this for me."
The knight arched an eyebrow and shook his head as he trudged off to her room. "Can't see why your room wouldn't be the first place he looked if he suspected you of having a man here."
"He wouldn't dare go into my room without my permission. He tried it once and my dad nearly hit the roof." Kirra said, but she hung Gawain's clothes in the back of her closet, well behind her own and took the armful from him. She tossed it on the closet floor, there it looked like a mess of laundry, but was virtually indistinguishable as men's clothing and not women's. She threw a pile of her stuff on top, just to make certain, then turned on her heel and went across the hall.
He followed her back to his room, "Why would he have reason to go into your room?" He questioned blackly, realizing that he really didn't like her uncle, even if he hadn't ever met the man.
She leaned over and sniffed at a pillow, "Damn, it smells like you." She proceeded to rip the cover off and then attacked the bedclothes. "Take it easy. It isn't what you think. James was badgering me one day about the whole land thing. Finally when I couldn't take it any more, I escaped up here -- after saying some pretty nasty things to him. It made him furious and he charged up here like a bear, nearly broke my door down before dad could talk some reason into him." She threw the pile of lsheets on the floor and remade the bed with clean bedclothes from the hall closet.
Gawain crossed his arms over his chest and his eyes glittered dangerously, "You are sure that he won't go in there? Because I do not have the same restraint as your father. That man gets pushy with you and I won't be responsible for what I do to him."
Kirra stopped what she was doing and looked at the knight. She had never heard such a tone in her life, especially not with her safety in mind and she knew that he meant it. "No, you won't. Promise me, Gawain."
A muscle rippled ominously down the knight's jaw. Kirra drew a deep breath and grabbed his arms, "Promise me, Knight." She demanded with a little shake and was relieved to feel him relax a bit at her touch.
"Fine," He agreed through clenched teeth and Kirra sagged with relief.
"Good, now put on some pants and help me."
It was intensely distracting to have him dressed in nothing but a pair of boxers. Kirra could still feel the hardness of him under her fingers and rolled her eyes to herself. This was not the time to be letting her hormones run away with her.
What was it with the man anyway? One minute she felt ready to slap him and the next she had to turn away, unless she wanted her blush to reveal certain thoughts that – she knew from yesterday, were not reciprocated. Thankfully he had found a pair of jeans and tugged them on, no luck with the shirt though. Kirra turned and saw Shay standing in the door, eyes huge and mouth hanging open as she watched the man move about the room. And for once there was absolutely no hint of suspicion in those dark depths whatsoever.
Oh, the curse of adolescence.
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The doorbell sounded just as Kirra was throwing the sheets in the washer. She whipped her head around and caught a glimpse of bare feet as Gawain retreated upstairs. Shay came down.
"Everything is spic and span in the room. I opened the windows too, to air it out. Man, Kirra. He really shouldn't be allowed to go shirtless."
Kirra rolled her eyes, "Yeah, yeah, I don't have time for this. Go make some coffee. This is going to be tricky."
"Don't get your knickers in a twist," Shay grumbled as she huffed off to the kitchen.
"Uncle James, Aunt Sarah." Kirra said with forced civility when she opened the door. "Thanks for coming to check on me."
"It's our pleasure." Her uncle said looking Kirra over with suspicious eyes as his wife embraced Kirra with what she thought was a motherly hug. "Your father would do the same for me, if you were my kid."
Kirra couldn't wait to get out of such close proximity to her aunt and uncle and moved away almost before her aunt had let her go. "Are these all your things?" She asked gesturing to the various bags they had brought in from the car. "I'll take them up to the guest room, if you'd like," She took a hold of two and started for the stairs.
James nodded, "I'll help you with those."
Kirra forced herself to smile in thanks as her uncle took the other bags. Please let him be in my room and please let the door be closed. Please, please, please. Kirra prayed. She nearly fainted with relief when she stepped onto the landing and saw her door was closed. She set the bags on the floor beside the bed in the Day Room and turned to go back downstairs.
"Shay's making coffee, Uncle, if you would like some."
James set his bags down and turned to her, his expression was cold, "Not so fast, little niece," The word niece was said in a mocking tone. "I would like to take a look at that beautiful painting your father decided you were old enough to have, against my better advice."
When Kirra and her mother had decided to redecorate the house, Scott had given Kirra a museum quality reproduction of Hassan's, Moonlight on the Isle of Shoals. It was Kirra's favorite. She had fallen in love with it after seeing it in a calendar and had spent years begging for it. Scott, never one to be sentimental, had surprised her with it on her fifteenth birthday. James had been livid that his brother would spend that kind of money on a pricey work of art for teenager's bedroom.
Kirra kept her face carefully composed. She should have known James would try something like this. "Well, my room is a huge mess right now, Uncle. Could you do it later? After I have had time to clean it up?"
James' sludgy-green eyes narrowed, "I don't think so, Kirra." He took her roughly by the arm and propelled her towards her door, "Open it." He hissed into her ear.
Taking what she thought would be her last breath, Kirra threw open the door to her room. Everything was in its place and nothing male could be seen. She let her breath out slowly and tried to keep her eyes from roaming over the room to find Gawain. Where had he gone? James let her go and peered around the room. He opened the door to her bathroom and looked in the closet as Kirra fought the urge to squirm.
"See Uncle James, no one here." Kirra said letting her uncle know she knew the reason for his insistence on begin admitted to her room. Her arm ached where he had grabbed her and she was less then thrilled that thirty seconds into his visit, he was already physically exerting his authority over her.
He turned to her, sneering, "You may have been able to fool me this time, but it won't happen again. I know there is someone here who should not be and I will find him."
Kirra smiled sweetly, "I have no idea what you are talking about. I know the rules."
James stalked out of the room and soon his steps could be heard going down the stairs. Kirra cast one more look around the room, "Thanks." she whispered to the quiet room before shutting the door.
Later that evening, Kirra came into her room and after closing the door, slid down it to sit on her haunches. Gawain pulled himself up from where he lay stomach down on the floor. He had spent his day looking at the pictures in her books. There were few of them and he was bored almost to tears, but he didn't feel nearly as bad as Kirra looked.
"Rough day?" he asked brightly as he sat on the end of her bed.
Kirra groaned, "And it's not over. Sarah," -- she said the name in disgust -- "is one of those who make you dress up for dinner." Her eyes narrowed, "I hate wearing dresses." She hauled herself to her feet and began to rummage through her closet, "I can't wait for tomorrow and if they come again, I am calling my parents." She emphasized her threat by yanking down a black dress and stalking to her bathroom to change.
Gawain sighed and flipped open a book that he had already seen a couple hundred times. The photos in it were glossy and of hundreds of different animals, all were amazing even if the knight had no idea what they were. But they were nothing compared to Kirra. His eyes nearly came out of his head when she emerged from her bathroom a little while later.
Her dress was black and was held up by a single strap over one shoulder. It clung to her curves and fell to just below her knees, revealing long shapely legs. She had run a wet brush through her hair to tame it and had then pinned it into place so that it trailed in a long gently waving tail down her back. Simple silver earrings gleamed at her ears and she had smudged her eyes with a black pencil, causing them to look as if the stars had graced her with their light.
She trudged unhappily to her closet and slipped into a pair of strappy black sandals that gave her at least two inches of added height. She was exotic and so alluring that for a moment it was all Gawain could do to remember to draw breath.
She met his eyes, "Shocking, I know," she snapped. "But get your tongue back in your mouth." Her frustration at having to act the part of a trained monkey for her aunt and uncle made her waspish.
Not understanding the expression Gawain folded his arms across his chest in a gesture that Kirra was coming to recognize as defiance and said coolly, "You would look better if you smiled."
She snorted and sprayed a bit of scent on her wrists, "As if I care whether I look good for them."
"Well, then imagine you are about to dine with someone who you want to look beautiful for."
Her anger slipped but just a bit, "Beautiful?"
Gawain fought the urge to roll his eyes as he had seen Kirra do so often. How could a man live with one woman and one woman only? A few days with Kirra and he was about to go crazy with her mood swings. "Yes, if you would smile."
She did then, a dazzling one that lit her features, and she giggled, suddenly very young, "Thanks." She said waltzing from the room. A second later she poked her head back in, "I'll bring some dinner later. You doing okay?"
Gawain settled himself on her bed and folded his arms under his head, "Yes, but a bit of supper wouldn't go amiss. Make it more soon then late."
Kirra nibbled her lip, "I'll try," She said doubtfully then added in a hiss, "and get off that bed before someone sees you."
Gawain sighed and made no attempt to move as she shut the door. He could tell who was coming up the stairs by the sound. Only her aunt and uncle made noise when mounting the stairs, Kirra was silent.
It was several hours after dark when Kirra released from her torture and finally allowed to go to bed. She kicked off her shoes and leaned against the door sighing in relief. Gawain was asleep sprawled across her bed, shaking her head in annoyance she put the covered plate she had snuck upstairs on her dresser and slipped into the bathroom to change and wash the make-up from her face.
When she came out she studied the sleeping man as she contemplated where to sleep. It was still chilly at night and he was sprawled on top of the blankets. She glanced to her door, she could just make out her uncle's voice as he and her aunt settled down to sleep. It would arouse his suspicion if he heard her getting blankets out of the linen closet or heard her trooping down to her parent's room to sleep and Kirra was not about to sleep on the floor -- not in her own room.
She did the only thing she could think of and shoved Gawain's leg out of the way to lie down next to him, a healthy five inches or so away and squished perilously near the edge. He rolled to his side giving Kirra a bit more room but not much because he was still in the middle of the bed. She burrowed her head into her pillow and fought the giggle that threatened to burst out of her at her predicament. Soon, though her exhaustion won and Kirra was asleep.
It wasn't much later when she awoke to a sharp rap on her door. Gawain was sitting up and staring at it, he turned to her as she blinked up at him.
"Wha?"
"Answer it," He hissed below his breath as he slipped away to stand in the shadows.
Kirra flopped off the bed and angrily yanked the door open, "What?" she snapped.
Sarah was taken back by the venom in her niece's voice. The girl was sarcastic, as most teenagers were, but she had never been overly aggressive. Sarah angrily drew herself up to her full height, a full four inches taller then the girl, it had no visible affect on Kirra, she stayed where she pinning the older woman with an intimidating glare.
"I am sorry to wake you, but your dog is making so much noise, we can't sleep."
Finn's lonesome howls could be heard echoing down the hall.
Kirra stepped into the hall and Sarah stepped back from her barely controlled annoyance, "I told you he wouldn't like being kept outside." She said in a sleep roughened voice and stomped down the stairs. A few moments later the back door was heard opening and then the thump of heavy paws on the stairs as Finn made a bee-line for Kirra's room. It happened so quickly that Sarah was unable to have a chance to do what James had sent her to do -- another run of Kirra's room.
Kirra stalked up the stairs and shot another glare at her aunt as she opened the door for her dog, "There, no more noise." She stated curtly before shutting the door in Sarah's face.
"Goodnight," Sarah called.
There was no answer from the girl on the other side of the door and Sarah felt her temper rise. She had a good mind to barge in there and give Kirra a piece of her mind but when she turned the doorknob, a low rumbling growl could be heard from inside.
Damn dog, the woman thought as she stalked back to bed.
"Stupid woman," Kirra whispered in the same moment.
She heard her aunt retreat and the door to the guest room close before she turned back to her bed. Finn had jumped up and made himself at home at the foot. Gawain was watching her from the shadows, his expression undecipherable. She threw herself down on the bed and curled into a tight ball facing the wall.
"Go to sleep," She muttered before closing her eyes, but it was several long moments before she felt the bed dip and the man next to her slide down.
When he did, she felt a heavy arm fall across her waist and pull her close. She thought about pushing him away, but decided she liked the warmth and the solid feel of him so she left him alone and snuggled down.
She told herself he was doing it to comfort her -- he was that type of guy, always looking out for someone else. The things he said and did meant nothing. He had made his feelings for her known but it was a long time before sleep finally claimed her.