#1 - Red

The Geis:  The Magic Stone
by Marie Sterbenz
Wild Horse Press

http://www.mariesterbenz.com/

Excerpt

When morning came she donned her work clothes, braided her hair, and headed for her workshop. She opened her shop and inspected her goods to determine which ones she would give to Brendan to sell. She selected five pieces, a round high domed cabochon, an oval cabochon, a Celtic cross, a Triskele, and a clover. These she put aside for Brendan to peruse. She picked up her latest piece and began to work the stone. As she did so her thoughts turned to her fathers men-at-arms. But try as she might she could not bring forth a single face or name all she could recall was a pair of sky blue eyes.

Brendan’s shadow fell across her work bench and she paused to look up at him. The sun was behind him so that she could not see his face well enough to read his expression. She waited for him to speak first, but he said nothing as he walked to where she stood. “Good morn,” she finally spoke first.

“Good morn to you fair lady,” he spoke in a melodious tone. “I have come for your wares. I can not tell you how pleased I am at your change of heart.”

“Mind,” she said.

“What?” he questioned.

“My mind, I changed my mind not my heart.”

“I see, well it matters not which it was.”

“It does,” she muttered.

“Does what?”

 “It does matter which it was,” she sighed. “In my heart I still do not want you to sell my art, but my mind and my sister tell me I should.”

“So I have Maeve to thank?”

“Aye, you do.” She returned to her work. “There are five pieces on the bench for you to choose from, you may take three.”

She watched him from the corner of her eye as he picked up each one and carefully inspected them. In the end he took the clover and the Triskele and put them aside. He took a piece of cloth from under his belt, and carefully wrapped the other three so they did not touch each other.  She was surprised at how discerning he was. He had selected the three finest pieces to sell. She gave him a direct look and raised her left eyebrow.

“What?” he asked.

“Nothing, I, I am curious as to your selection.”

“I do not see why,” he answered. “They are the finest quality craftsmanship. Did you think that I could not tell that?”

“Well frankly yes, since you seemed to think that the ones you stole and sold previously were fine.”

“Oh fair lady they were fine but they were not the finest.” He moved closer to her, “you would not let me have your finest so I had to settle for that which was just fine.”

She wanted him to go back to Cork and not stand so close to her. His nearness seemed to steal the very air from around her, and he was so close to her that she could feel the heat emanating from his body. She placed her hands on her workbench so he could not see them shake. 

“You may go now,” she hoped he would turn and walk out the door.

“But I have not properly thanked you yet,” he said.

“It is,” she did not finish her words.

His mouth came down on the nape of neck and sent a chill down her spine. He took her by the shoulders and spun her around as his mouth pressed against hers. She stood there stunned by what he was doing, and confused by her own reaction. A fluttering sensation started in the pit of her stomach. His lips were warm and firm against hers and she fought for breath. He lifted his mouth from hers still holding her shoulders.

“You have never been kissed before,” he exclaimed!

She caught her breath, “of course I have, many times.”

“Maybe by your family but not by a real man,” he chuckled.  

“You kiss like a girl but you are a woman. I have a few days in which to give you lessons on how a woman should kiss.” With that statement he wheeled around and walked out the door.

Siobhan felt outrage, not at his actions, but at his words. She did not want him to teach her how to kiss like a woman, it was utterly ridiculous. She lifted her fingertips to her quivering lips, and sucked in a deep breath to calm the conflicting feelings warring within her. Truth be told his kiss had affected her in ways that she had never before imagined. How would she feel if Aidan kissed her like Brendan just did? Perhaps she should find Aidan and kiss him to find out.

Siobhan contrived to never be alone with Brendan for the remainder of his stay, so there could be no lessons on kissing. Every time she let her thoughts wander to Brendan’s kiss her stomach did funny things to her. She made sure to spend time with her sister in the hall, and did not go to her shop till Brendan left.