Chapter 18
Gracie sank back into the chair, letting out a soft sigh.
She felt a warmth spread through her. She had been relieved when Jaxon had returned to the chamber instead of sleeping elsewhere.
After the earlier misunderstanding with Mary, she had feared he might have taken the night to himself, leaving her alone to stew in her jealousy.
Now, with him present, she felt better, chastising herself for letting her mind wander so wildly.
“So…” she began, trying to steady her voice, “what is this second thing that I can do for ye…to make up for me foolishness?”
Jaxon’s lips curved in a slow, mischievous smile. “It has been long since I had some diversion,” he said, leaning forward, his eyes glinting in the firelight. “I want ye to play a game with me.”
Gracie raised a brow, startled. “A game?”
He rose and went to his satchel, fishing something from within. “Aye,” he said, drawing out a deck of well-worn cards. “We always carry these on the road, for passing the time around the fire.”
Gracie’s eyes widened as she looked at the cards. “Cards?” she repeated, uncertainly.
Jaxon laughed softly. “Aye, cards. But nae just any game. We will play Maw.”
Gracie blinked. “Och, I’ve played that game before.”
“Aye,” he said, lifting one brow, “but ye have nae played it this way. For we…bet usin’ our garments.”
Her mouth fell open, and a blush immediately crept across her cheeks. “What do ye mean?” she asked, voice trembling slightly.
He grinned wider, the playful glint in his eyes catching her off guard. “We wager what we wear, lass. A stitch for a stitch, a piece of cloth for a piece of cloth.”
Gracie pressed her hands to her cheeks, heat flooding her. “I… I could nae! I couldnae do such a thing!”
He leaned closer, his voice low and teasing. “But ye wanted to make it up to me, did ye nae? This…is part of it, if ye would have it so.”
Gracie’s mind raced. Part of her heart leapt at the idea of being daring, of breaking free from all the rules that kept her so proper.
Her pulse quickened as she thought of the warmth of his eyes, the way he teased her gently but with purpose.
And yet…there was a knot of embarrassment in her belly, a shyness about her body that she could not shake.
Still, she remembered, he was her husband. The man who had been patient, protective, teasing but never cruel. He had returned to her, even after she had doubted him. If she could not trust him now… when could she?
Her lips trembled as she swallowed. “Aye…” she said finally, a soft sound, almost a whisper. “I… I will play.”
Jaxon’s grin widened, and he leaned back slightly, hands stretching toward her in invitation.
“Och, lass, I kent ye would. Ye have the spirit in ye yet.”
Gracie felt her heart hammer, both from the nervousness of what they were about to do and the thrill that coursed through her at his words.
She took a deep breath and tried to steady herself, letting her eyes roam over the cards laid out between them.
The firelight danced across his strong, angular face, and she felt herself trembling for reasons far beyond mere embarrassment.
“You will nae regret this, will ye?” Jaxon asked, his voice softening, almost tender.
Gracie shook her head, heat rushing to her ears again. “I… I daenae think so,” she murmured.
“Good,” he said, as he shuffled the cards with long, sure fingers. “Then we begin. And remember, lass…what we bet is part of the fun.”
Her pulse thrummed in her ears, and she realized with a start that she was both terrified and exhilarated.
To be wild in this way, to risk embarrassment in front of her husband, and yet to trust him completely…
she had never felt such a strange, heady mix before.
And yet, as he looked at her with that teasing, warm gleam in his eyes, she felt her resolve harden.
“Then deal, Laird,” she said, her voice gaining strength. “I am ready for this…whatever it shall bring.”
Jaxon’s grin turned sly, a glimmer of mischief in the depths of his gaze. “Och, lass…ye shall see soon enough,” he said, flicking the first card toward her. “And mayhap ye will find ye have more courage than ye think.”
Gracie’s fingers brushed against the card, and she felt a shiver run up her spine.
She was trembling still, but not from fear alone.
The warmth of his gaze, the quiet strength in his presence, and the excitement of the unknown all collided within her.
And as the game began, she felt the first flicker of a boldness she had never dared to claim for herself…
all because of the man she was learning to call her husband.
Gracie’s hands shook slightly as she picked up her first card, trying to steady her breath.
Jaxon leaned closer.. “Lose yer…garment, lass. That’s the wager, remember?”
Gracie’s eyes widened, a sudden rush of heat spreading over her body. She bit her lip, both embarrassed and excited. Her hands tightened around the cards, and she forced herself to breathe. “Och, I… I will nae be afraid,” she whispered.
“Good,” he said with a sly grin. “Then place yer bet.”
Gracie tried to focus on her hand, but she felt every inch of her attention pulled toward him.
She noticed the curve of his bicep as he rested his arm on the table, the way his hands moved with confident precision.
She could feel the heat radiating from him, a pulse she wanted desperately to feel closer to.
“Ye are too slow, lass,” Jaxon teased, a low rumble in his voice. “If ye take too long, I may think ye are bluffin’…or afraid.”
Gracie flushed furiously. “I am nae afraid!” she snapped, though the tremor in her voice suggested otherwise. “I am just…careful.”
“Aye, careful,” Jaxon repeated, smirking. “Och, careful is fine. But remember…a laird enjoys a lady with spirit, and ye have spirit enough, I think.”
Gracie’s heart hammered in her chest, a mixture of fear, embarrassment, and excitement twisting inside her. She placed her bet by rolling off one stocking.
“Well played, lass,” he murmured.
“Ye… ye are nae fair,” she said, eyes narrowed, cheeks burning. “Ye watch me too closely.”
“And ye enjoy it, I think,” he said, eyes flashing with mischief. “Ye like the attention of yer Laird, even if ye willnae admit it.”
Gracie pressed her lips together, trying not to melt under his gaze. “I… I am nae sure what ye mean,” she said, though the tremble in her voice betrayed her.
Jaxon leaned back, letting a slow grin spread across his face. “Och, I think ye ken perfectly well,” he said, eyes dancing. He took off his sash and laid it on the table near her stocking.
Gracie drew her next card, determined to focus on the game, but the sight of him leaning across the table sent a shiver through her.
She tried to concentrate on the numbers, but her mind wandered to the warmth of his hands, the strength of his shoulders, and the teasing way he always seemed to know her thoughts before she spoke.
“This is nae just a game of cards,” she muttered under her breath, though he heard it.
“Indeed it is nae, lass,” he said, voice low, almost a growl. “It is a game of skill, wits… and courage. Let’s see if ye can keep up with me.”
Her pulse jumped at the challenge, a thrill she had never felt before. She smiled, a small, mischievous glint in her eyes, and laid her cards down.
“Ye play well,” he murmured. “Ye have won.”
“Och, Laird,” she said, leaning slightly forward herself, “I think ye will find ye have met yer match tonight.” She said as she claimed the garments from the table and set them down at her side.
“Aye, lass…we shall see.”
Gracie’s fingers trembled slightly as she held her cards, her eyes scanning them carefully. A pair of queens and a jack looked promising, and she felt a flicker of courage in her chest. She glanced at Jaxon, who leaned back with that infuriating smirk, eyes glinting.
“Ye are nae afraid, I hope?” he teased, voice low and mocking.
“I am nae afraid,” she replied, trying to sound bold, though her cheeks betrayed her. “I am ready, Laird, so place yer bet.”
Jaxon’s grin widened, and he reached down, unclasping the leather belt around his tunic.
“Aye, I shall wager me belt,” he said, eyes gleaming with amusement. “Think ye can take it from me, lass?”
Gracie’s pulse raced, heat climbing her cheeks. She felt daring and decided to wager something new. She fumbled slightly, loosening a ribbon from her hair.
“Then I… I shall wager me ribbon,” she said, holding it out with shaking hands. Her hair fell to her shoulders. She thought she heard a groan from Jaxon, but it was so low she was unsure.
“Och, lass, ye have spirit. Fine, let it be so.”
The round began, and Gracie’s heart pounded in time with the fire’s flicker. She tried to stay calm, focusing on the cards in her hand, the two queens and jack gleaming in her mind. Her stomach fluttered, knowing what was at stake, and knowing Jaxon’s intense gaze never left her.
She laid down her cards with a flourish, trying to keep her voice steady. “A pair of queens and a jack,” she announced. Her hands shook as she reached for her ribbon.
Jaxon’s eyebrows shot up in mock surprise. “Och, is that so?” he said, leaning closer. “Ye bested me this round, lass.”
“I… I never thought I could beat ye, let alone more than once” she admitted softly.
“I shall have my revenge. Watch closely, for the next round is mine.”
The game continued, each round more daring than the last. Jaxon raised the stakes, now wagering his tunic, and Gracie, cheeks aflame, countered with a belt she had fastened over her waist.
“Ye are bold, lass,” he said, eyes darkening with playful challenge. “But so am I.”
The next hand fell to Jaxon, and Gracie’s stomach fluttered with anticipation and nervousness. He laid down a full house, and Gracie’s jaw fell.
“Och, I cannae compete with that!” she exclaimed, laughing despite herself.
Jaxon raised an eyebrow, his smirk widening. “The winnings are mine this round, lass.”