Cimmerian Sunrise

Chapter 10 - ***REVISED***

"I didn't realize that..." he had an artistic bone in his boorish body.

Breanne tried again. "It didn't seem as if he..." was capable of such a grand accomplishment.

She cleared her throat. "I did, in fact, take a liking to the design on the posts in Port Jackson and here, and must say that I..." thought it must have been built by a person who held more intelligence and imagination in their big toe than Reese would have in his head.

Breanne sighed. All of the statement's lingering on the edge of her lips were inappropriate to voice. "I don't know why...I just was," she finished, sullenly.

Finlay threw his white-blonde head back and roared with laughter, bringing another dark flush to Breanne's cheeks. He was drawing the attention of everyone around him; especially women.

When finished, his eyes still sparkled with mirth, and he shook his head in mock disappointment. "Thought ye had more sense than tha', lass. Ah, well."

"Finlay! Finlay!" female voices chimed.

Finlay whipped around and at seeing three women, all standing on tip-toes, searching for him amidst the crowd, his eyes widened; he swiftly crouched down behind Breanne.

He looked ridiculous. Standing nearly as tall as Reese, his frame was too large to hide behind Breanne who was head and shoulders below his own height. What was more, his pale golden hair caught the flickering light and all but yelled out to everyone that he was alive on the earth.

"There he is!"

"Bloody hell, move, lass. C'mon," he urged, tugging her arm, still ducking as he weaved them through the large crowd.

Breanne couldn't help but laugh, and dug in her heels a bit. "Sir—"

He turned, grinning at her. "I like yer laugh...but ye must take this serious and move with me," he stated, then turned forward again.

"You are a grown man—"

Finlay turned his head, flashing a wide devilish smile over his shoulder. "Glad ye noticed there, lass. Was startin' tae wonder," he said, pulling her along. It was easy to see that Finlay was attractive, not only in appearance, but personality as well. His quick flash of dimples, devil-may-care attitude, and sense of humor drew women to him like bees to honey.

Breanne smiled a bit. "You are supposed to be one of Mr. MacIntosh's right hand men, fearless—"

Ahead of her, Finlay snorted. "If I touch one strand av hair on any av those women, they'll suddenly claim I'm a sire tae their bairn. The only one fearless against the Brazen Trio is Reese. In fact, they're afraid av him."

Breanne blushed; yet, a new boldness overcame her since he still had his back to her, weaving her through the assembly of people. "Surely, you exaggerate..."

"I dinna," he answered, still guiding her. "But a suitable explanation isn't fit fer yer ears."

Breanne's spine straightened. She was not a child, she was a woman, and could stand anything he had to say. "You underestimate me," she huffed to his back. "I assure you, whatever explanation you have, my ears are fit to hear. Please answer me this...are they all with child?"  

"Ye certainly feel more comfortable wi' me back, than me face, lass. Doubt ye would put th' question tae me, were we facin' each other," he said, chuckling. "Nary a one av th' trio are wi' child...nae tha' I'm aware av," he muttered. "But they are eager tae...entrap me. If I'm seen wi' 'em in public, they'll take advantage and then rut wi' another man, claimin' just what I said earlier. For that reason I dinna touch 'em. There are plenty o' others I can be free wi', without th' shackles."