Beyond the Highland Myst(496)

Beside her, she felt Dageus stiffen. For a moment, it seemed the hall grew markedly cooler.

"The lasses have oft said I am more handsome," he said icily. "And a better lover."

Chloe blinked up at him.

"So doona be ogling him. He's married, lass."

"I wasn't ogling," she protested, knowing full well she'd been ogling. "And if I was, it's only because you didn't warn me that you were twins."

He gave her a dark look.

"Besides, he only had a towel on," she justified.

"I doona care if he had naught but his skin on. 'Tisn't polite to ogle another woman's husband."

Chloe caught her breath. His expression was furious and he looked… jealous. About her? For looking at his brother? She peered at him, hardly daring to credit it.

Abruptly, his gaze was gone again, fixed at the top of the stairs, and hers followed. She glanced from Drustan to Dageus and back again.

And she wondered how Dageus might have worried for even a moment that Drustan wouldn't welcome him home. The expression on his brother's face took her breath away. Love blazed in his eyes and, though she couldn't tell from this distance, it looked as if they glistened with tears.

"Drustan," Dageus said with a cool nod. Drustan's eyes dimmed and his mouth tightened. "Drustan?" Drustan snapped. "That's it? A mere Drustan? No 'Good morrow, brother,'tis sorry I am that I've been such an ass and no' come home'?" His voice was rising with each word and he began stalking down the stairs.

God, they even moved the same way, Chloe marveled, like great sinuous cats, all sleek strength and smoothly sculpted muscles. Though Drustan had pulled on "trews," he'd not bothered with a shirt and his hair was wet, dripping down his chest. The muscles in his glistening torso rippled with every movement. He must have been in the shower, she realized.

"…is that how you'll greet me?" Drustan was still talking, but she'd missed part of his verbal barrage, apparently temporarily deafened by visual overload. "Get over here and greet me properly," he thundered.

Chloe tore her gaze away from Drustan and looked at Dageus. And stared. Though he looked as remote and impassive as ever, his eyes positively burned with emotion. He was as still as one of the many standing stones they'd passed, seeming every bit as ancient and obdurate. If one didn't notice the hands fisted at his sides. And those eyes.

Oh, there was more to Dageus MacKeltar than he let on! And her hypothesis was right. When he felt most deeply was when he exhibited the greatest reserve.

So that was how such a man wore love, she realized. Quietly. Not an expressive man. Not a man to laugh or cry or dance. A man who had hair to his waist, but never wore it down. Did he ever let himself go?

I'll bet he does in bed. She was utterly rattled by the thought of all that disciplined muscle coming undone in bed. God, she could just taste it…

She shivered, studying the two men.

They were twins, but they weren't completely identical, she realized. There were minute differences. Drustan's hair wasn't as long, a bit past his shoulders, his eyes silvery. Taller, and he probably weighed more. Drustan was packed with muscle, Dageus's body was leaner, more ripped. Same beautiful, chiseled features though. Even the same dark shadow beard on similar jaws. She peered intently. Dageus's mouth was more… full and sulky. The mouth of a born seducer.

She was so engrossed that she didn't even notice the woman's approach until she spoke softly.

"Gorgeous, aren't they?"

Chloe turned, startled. The woman who'd spoken was as short as she was, and extremely pregnant, with silvery-blond hair and wispy fringed bangs. Her hair was twisted up in a knot and slightly damp, and Chloe blushed a little, realizing they'd obviously both been in the shower, and she found it highly doubtful that they'd been in separate ones. She was beautiful, glowing with the unique radiance of a pregnant woman who was utterly thrilled by impending motherhood, or… the radiance of a woman who'd just been treated to a MacKeltar's special seductive talents in the shower, Chloe thought wistfully. The mere thought of taking a shower with Dageus made Chloe feel rather glowy herself.

"Very. I had no idea they were twins. Dageus didn't tell me."

"Drustan didn't tell me either. He regretted that later, when I kissed Dageus because I thought he was Drustan. Drustan didn't care for it one bit. They're possessive about their women, but I'm sure you know that. I'm Gwen, by the way, Drustan's wife."

"Hi. It's nice to meet you. I'm Chloe Zanders." Chloe nibbled her lip uncertainly, then felt it necessary to clarify, "But I'm not his… er, woman. We met only recently and I'm just here to help him with translations."