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“So what do we do until then?”

“Well, you could ask nicely for it to stop, I s’pose.”

I narrow my eyes, but he actually looks sincere. I frown out at the entrance, where it’s still coming down in buckets, chewing at the inside of my lip.

“Stop raining,” I say to the air, feeling silly.

I hear a snort behind me. “Think you’re going to have to be a wee bit more forceful than that.”

My hands fall to my sides, and I clench them into fists. “Stop raining!”

There’s a stretch of silence before, “Well. Merlin, you are not.”

“Shut up,” I grumble.

I turn to watch as Lachlan trods over to the remnants of what might have been a hay bale, testing the straw with his foot before appearing satisfied. He drops down onto it with a groan, stretching out his long legs and leaning back on his hands. He lifts one to pat the space beside him, arching a brow.

“Your throne, princess.”

I narrow my eyes. “You’re a dick, you know that?”

“Aye, aye, I know. Sit down and dry off. Get away from the wind. You’ll catch your death over there.”

As if on cue, a shiver runs through me, and I wrap my arms around my chest as I eye the spot next to him warily. “No funny business?”

“Who actually says that in real life?” A laugh burbles out of him. “Come sit, Your Highness. Your virtue is safe with me.”

“My virtue is the last thing I’m worried about,” I grumble, trying not to picture whatthatmight entail. I plop down beside him with my arms still wrapped tightly around my chest, trying to urge some warmth back into my limbs. “You really think it will let up soon?”

“Most likely,” he says. “At least you have good company while you wait.”

“Oh, yeah,” I snort. “Absolutely stellar.”

We’re both quiet for a bit while we watch the rain coming down outside, and after a few moments I notice the warmth radiating off Lachlan’s side where he’salmosttouching me.

“Are you a furnace? I can feel you from over here.”

He shrugs. “Always ran hot. Side effect of the curse, I s’pose. The loch can get right chilly.”

I frown as I hug myself tighter, feeling my teeth begin to chatteras I try to keep my limbs under control. The last thing I need is to appear weak in front of him. He’ll have a field day laughing about it.

“You cold?”

Damn it.

“No,” I huff.

“I s’pose the shivering is just your excitement to be in my company, then, aye?”

“I think I liked you better when you were avoiding me.”

He chuckles. “You wanted to be allies, remember? You made your bed.”

I continue to shake for another minute before I finally cave, scooting closer until my entire right side is squished against his left. The heat emanating from him is an immediate relief, and I have to physically restrain myself from snuggling closer.

“There now,” he teases. “Was that so hard?”

“Debatable.” I lean in just a little closer. “You’re being awfully…agreeable.”