Page 83 of An Enchanted Spring

“Don’t bring me into it,” Bri objected. “You’re the one who issued the challenge to Monaghan.”

Emma straightened. “Right. I refuse to be in the middle of some testosterone-fueled brouhaha.”

“Brouhaha?” Reilly asked, interested.

Emma’s eyes narrowed. “Yes, brouhaha.” She turned her attention back to Aidan. “Let’s take a moment to remember that I am not your wife, or your handfasted…whatever—”

“Betrothed,” Reilly supplied.

“Handfasted betrothed,” Emma continued, “or someone to toy with, or youranyone, so I suggest you cut the BS immediately. I don’t want to addkidnappedto my stupidly long list of bad things that almost happen to me.”

Reilly leaned over his plate so he could see her around Aidan’s silent form. “Your appearance here has caused quite a stir, my lady. You’re not only beautiful, but you’re incredibly clever.”

“I’ve barely spoken two words to anyone. How could they know if I’m clever or not?”

“I’ve been sure to tell all who would listen about your keen mind and quick wit.”

Aidan visibly stiffened.

“And many men have made their interest known to Laird MacWilliam. Perhaps you should speak with him about your recourse. Most of the men here would find you more than worth the risk.”

“Shut it, O’Malley,” Aidan growled.

“It pains you that I speak the truth.” Reilly wagged his eyebrows at Emma. “But that cannot be what keeps me silent. The choice would be yours, Lady Emma, if you were to stay here with MacWilliam and his boorish self, or return to your homeland, with whatever challenges it presents.”

“Wait. You’re not going back?” she asked Aidan.

“I haven’t a choice,” he replied curtly, refusing to look at her.

She blinked. She looked at Reilly. “He doesn’t have a choice?”

Reilly shrugged, then returned his attention to his trencher.

“You’re not staying here,” Aidan said abruptly.

“That’s up to Lady Emma,” Reilly replied without inflection.

A vein in Aidan’s neck began to throb. It seemed as though whatever temporary truce the two men had was null and void.

“We will have private speech later,” Aidan replied angrily to Reilly. To Emma, he growled, “You’re going back.”

“You don’t get to make decisions for me,” she replied hotly. To Reilly, she added, “Note that I don’t agree to anything right now.”

“You agreed to everything else,” Aidan spat, angry now. “Every last decision. You signed the contract, you got in the car, you got on the plane.”

Her eyes narrowed further. “If you want to circle back to the source of all those decisions, perhaps we ought to start at the beginning.”

“When the pictures of your client and your ex went viral?” he asked sardonically, tearing a hunk of bread from the loaf in front of them.

Emma stopped cold.

“Low blow,” Reilly murmured, then held silent.

“I was referring to your insistence that I work for you. Fool that I am, ofcourseit started with the pictures,” she replied coldly, past her very dry throat.

“The job offer was Colin’s doing, wasn’t it?” Reilly interjected. “Weren’t you scouting Emma for his PR position?”

“Perhaps we ought to take this to my solar,” Nioclas cut in.

---