Chapter 15
She was done and for one very simple reason.
She honestly didn’t think that her sanity could take any more of this.
She didn’t want to do anything that would make this deeply disturbing effect that he seemed to have on her worse, but after that one kiss, there was no doubt in her mind that whatever this hold that he seemed to have on her was stronger now.
She wasn’t sure what this thing was between them, but she didn’t like it, and judging by the way that he glared at her after he kissed her, he didn’t like it either.
Whether or not he found out whatever he was looking for by coming here, she was done.
She was going to get her answers, and if he refused to give them to her, then she would cut her losses and figure something else out, Ashlyn decided as she found herself glancing back in time to watch as Shayne chuckled at something the blacksmith said as the asshole that was screwing with her head admired a black sword.
And there was no doubt in her mind that he was screwing with her head.
Within seconds of kissing her, that glare was gone and the large bastard had the balls to release a bored sigh as he gestured for her to go ahead of him.
Since then, he’d acted like that kiss never happened as they made their way around the faire, leaving her to wonder if she’d imagined the whole thing.
Then again, maybe she should take his lead and pretend like it never happened, Ashlyn thought, shifting her focus from the man that managed to make her lose control to the knights fighting to the death in the ring.
As she watched the black knight swing his sword, forcing the white knight to drop to the ground and roll away, Ashlyn found herself thinking about the one and only time that she’d tried for something more.
She’d never been interested in dating, never been interested in sex before and that never bothered her, until a few years ago, when she realized just how lonely her life really was. The only thing in her life was her job, which should have been enough, but...
It wasn’t.
So, she created a dating profile, went on more dates than she could count until she found someone who she thought could give her what she needed.
He was handsome, kind, and charming and should have been everything that she was looking for, but no matter how hard she tried, she could never get over the feeling that being with him was. ..wrong.
There was no other way to describe it, but it wasn’t enough to make her stop seeing him. While he’d been falling in love with her, she’d been struggling not to break apart. Every touch, kiss, and caress left her feeling empty and after they’d made love for the first time...
She’d felt like her heart was breaking.
He’d barely started when she shoved him away, told him that she was sorry as she raced to the bathroom and locked herself inside before the first sob broke free, she-
It didn’t matter.
Slowly exhaling, Ashlyn watched as the knights moved, each swing a coordinated attack, their movements were fast and smooth like a dance.
For several minutes, she lost herself in watching them, the way they moved, jumped out of the way only to come back seconds later, until finally, the white knight managed to bring the black knight to his knees.
“Ready, lass?” Shayne asked, drawing her attention to find him standing next to her, watching as the black knight held his sword out in surrender.
“What’s next?” she asked, pushing away from the fence and made her way back to the path.
“Games,” Shayne said, watching him curiously until she realized what she was doing and focused her attention on the first game.
“How about archery?” Ashlyn asked, gesturing towards the archery pit.
Shaking his head, Shayne said, “He was in California getting ta know his wife’s sister better when Megan disappeared.”
At her questioning look, he said, “The blacksmith loves gossip,” making her lips twitch.
“I see,” Ashlyn said, shifting her attention to the axe-throwing booth. “How about that?”
“He was here,” Shayne said as they made their way to the booth.
“Ho, there, brave travelers and fair maidens! Welcome, welcome to the mighty Axe and Fury throwing grounds! Step right up and see if you have the skills needed to survive in the realm!” a man with the name tag “Mighty Jack” said as he slapped his hands against the wooden counter.
“Ten pieces of silver or ten American dollars shall grant thee one full bucket of five mighty axes!” Mighty Jack said with flourish as he gestured to the line of targets behind him.
“Now heed these sacred rules of the realm! Thou must standeth behind yon painted line, lest the axe gods smite thee. Aim true for the target, hurl thy axe with all thy might and let it fly! But if the axe should bounce back toward thee like a scorned lover...duck!” Mighty Jack said as he threw himself to the ground, eliciting chuckles from people passing by.
“One bucket, please,” Ashlyn said, making her way to the counter as she reached for her bag only to have Shayne beat her to it and place ten dollars on the counter.
“Wield them well, milady! May thy throws be strong and thy aim deadly! Remember, behind the line, aim for the target and duck if the bastard bounces back!” Mighty Jack said, grabbing the money off the counter and slid it into his pocket as he moved down the line to place more buckets on the counter as people lined up.
Ashlyn picked up one of the axes, tested the weight as she wrapped her hand around the handle, raised it up and sent it flying only to wince when it bounced harmlessly against the target and hit the haybale below.
Grumbling to herself, she picked up another axe, adjusted her hold around the handle, and after slowly exhaling, she sent it flying only to have it bounce off the plywood barrier behind the targets and fell to the ground.
“Ye’ve got ta adjust yer hold, lass,” Shayne said as he reached for an axe, raised it up and sent it flying only to have it bounce off the plywood and land harmlessly on the ground next to hers, making Mighty Jack chuckle from his spot off to the side.
“I think you need to adjust your hold,” Ashlyn said teasingly, making him chuckle as he picked up another axe.
“Ye might be right, lass,” Shayne said, making a point to adjust his hold as he raised the axe, slowly exhaled and threw it, this one barely making it ten feet before it hit the ground.
Sighing heavily, he picked up the last axe and raised his arm to throw it only to pause and let his hand drop away as he looked at her. “How about a deal, lass?”
“What kind of a deal?” Ashlyn asked, watching him as he adjusted his grip around the handle.
“If I hit the target, ye’ll have dinner with me tonight,” Shayne said as she glanced from the axe in his hand to the one currently lying on the ground.
“And if you miss?” she asked, watching as he shifted his grip uncomfortably around the handle.
“I’ll pay for the next bucket,” Shayne said, raising the axe to take his next throw.
“Deal,” Ashlyn said, gesturing for him to get on with it.
Slowly exhaling, Ashlyn watched as he tightened his grip around the handle and-
“Shit!”
-went to throw it only to have the axe fumble out of his hand and hit the ground a few feet from the last one.
“Looks like you’ll be eating alone tonight,” Ashlyn said with a pitying look that had him grumbling something as he pulled out his wallet and put ten more dollars on the counter.
“Here’s thy fresh bucket, brave sir! May thy arm find some courage and thy axe actually reach the target instead of hitting the ground!” Mighty Jack said with a huge grin as he placed another bucket in front of them before quickly making his way back to the side.
Nodding, Shayne reached for another axe as he said, “How about this? If I hit the target this time, ye’ll have dinner with me and kiss me goodnight.”
“And if you miss, you’ll tell me everything that you know, whether you found out what you were looking for here or not,” Ashlyn said as she took in the axes on the ground and decided to end this game once and for all.
“Two kisses, one at the end of the night and one ta be collected later at the time of my choosing,” Shayne said as he thought it over.
“And you’ll tell me everything that I want to know when you lose?” Ashlyn asked, watching as he awkwardly adjusted the axe in his hand.
With a heartfelt sigh and a nod, Shayne said, “Aye, lass, when I lose, I’ll tell ye what ye what ta know.”
“Then, we have a deal,” Ashlyn said, gesturing for him to get on with it.
Nodding, Shayne adjusted the axe in his hand and-
Did...did he just wink at her?
Frowning, she watched Shayne turn the axe over in his hand only to leave her struggling to remember how to breathe when he tossed it in the air only to catch it easily, toss it again and caught it so that the axe blade was balanced on the tips of two of his fingers.
She watched in disbelief as he continued flipping it with ease, back and forth as a sense of dread settled in her stomach.
She glanced at the attendant to find him looking shocked before she glanced back at Shayne as he tossed the axe in the air one last time, shifted his arm so that the handle hit his bicep when it landed and bounced it back to his hand, easily catching it before he tossed it again, caught it and-
Sent it flying only to land dead-center in the middle of the X with a deafening thud.
“Let’s make it three kisses, lass,” Shayne said, grabbing another axe, tossed it, caught it mid-air and sent it flying, landing right next to the previous axe while she was left standing there, trying to figure out what the hell just happened.
“The knives, lad,” Shayne said, holding up another ten-dollar bill.
Ashlyn watched as the attendant, who looked shocked, grabbed a bucket of knives and placed it on the counter before taking the money and quickly moved out of the way, his stunned gaze moving from Shayne to the two axes deeply embedded in the wooden target.