He had always been highly tuned to Jane’s senses, and with her this close, the torture was all too real. He felt her all the way through his body. He flexed his hand at his side, fighting the desire that had been theirs so long ago. They had only ever shared passionate kisses, but the memory of her touch, her softness, haunted him now. He had brought her into the cottage because he knew they were being followed. He had heard the telltale sounds of one set of hoofbeats behind them and he had wanted to confront the enemy at a point of his own choosing. Had they returned to the castle, it would have been too easy for the villain to blend in with everyone else, as he had before, bringing them no closer to finding who was threatening Jane. He could protect her from harm here with a face-to-face confrontation. There was a shuffle just outside the door; the latch raised. Nicholas tensed and soundlessly moved with Jane further into the shadows, out of harm’s way. The door creaked open, and a sliver of daylight seeped into the cottage.
