Sunlight by Jill Myles Read Free Book Online Page B

going to tell you about it. It was quite a lively group.”
    She was lying through her teeth, of course, but perhaps that would distract him.
    It distracted him more than she’d anticipated. His face mottled and turned an ugly red. “Someone was riding close to here? Did you see their colors?”
    Hope was startled by his low, possessive tone. An uneasy feeling prickled over her skin. “I’m sure it was nothing–”
    “Did they stop? Did they see the tower?”
    Well, this was a bad idea. “I’m sure they didn’t–”
    “Callum!” Walter said sharply, getting to his feet.
    “Yes, your grace,” Callum said, getting to his feet as well. He braced his hand on his sword belt, his expression grim. “How may I serve?”
    Though the words were obedient, there was a flat note in his tone that told Hope that he wasn’t overly fond of the prince.
    Walter pointed at the tower floor. “I need you to stay here tonight. I want a report if anyone comes back during the evening and tries to harm my beloved.”
    She made a small noise of protest in her throat, trying not to seem too excited at the prospect.
    Walter’s paranoia was just playing into exactly what she wanted–an evening alone with Callum.
    Genius. Now she just needed to play it up.
    “Do you think they will come back?” Hope asked, wringing her hands in an effort to look pitiful and weak.
    Walter leaned in and gave her another quick kiss. “I cannot say for sure, my pet, but rest assured, Callum will guard your tower and ensure that no one stops by.”
    “We wouldn’t want that,” she said gravely, her eyes wide.
    He nodded. “Precisely. Callum, I’ll return in the morning to check in on my love. Until then, I want you to stay at the base of the tower.”
    Callum nodded. “As you wish.”
    “I must return to the castle myself,” Walter said, glancing at the darkening skies. “There’s a feast tonight and I don’t wish to miss it.”
    “Of course,” she murmured, barely concealing her joy. “Until tomorrow.”
    “Until then,” he said, and leaned in to give her another kiss, this one more sloppy than the last.
    She waited as both men descended the rope ladder, and then she unhooked it from the ledge and gave Walter a small, cheerful wave as he set off on his horse. Callum remained at the base of the tower, carefully winding the ladder and replacing it in his pack.
    When the last light of day was just about to disappear, she peeked out the window. “Do you want to come up?”
    Callum winked, something she almost missed as her hair began to tumble forward. “Only if ye want me there, lass.”
    Oh boy, she wanted him something awful. She’d thought about his mouth and his kisses all day long.
    She’d ached between her legs and couldn’t wait to feel his weight settle there again. Hope frowned as her tumbling hair seemed to slow with every moment, though. The light was fading fast, and it made her hair spill downward at a much slower rate. Antsy, she bit her lip. What if it was too late in the day and her hair wouldn’t grow long enough?
    But eventually the long, dark strands brushed his fingertips. A few moments later, he nodded.
    “Brace yerself, lovely.”
    She ran back to the pole and wrapped her hair around it twice, waiting for the familiar tug. It came a moment later, and she grew wet, her nipples hard, as she pictured Callum’s broad shoulders straining to climb her hair. Strange how that was such an erotic picture to her.
    He appeared over the ledge a minute later, and dropped onto the floor. His beautiful mouth curved into a slow, wicked grin.
    Hope felt suddenly awkward and shy. She’d barely known this man for a day or two, and here she was, lusting after him instead of the prince.
    Thinking dirty thoughts about him all day. Setting up a freaking rendezvous with him. This wasn’t her…was it?
    She wrung her hands.
    When he reached for her, she gave a small, nervous laugh and stepped to the side. “H-how are you today?”
    He