Page 15 of Scot of Desire
He groaned aloud.
“Dinnae ask me that,” he begged.
“I’d rather ken from ye,” she said in a rush. “I dinnae wish tae find these things out when I am married, and Cillian Grant is forcing me tae dae them.”
“That will never happen,” he said with sudden strength. His palms shifted on the wall. She thought he would move them closer to her, but to her dismay, he moved them further apart, yet he bent at his elbows, and it made him stand that bit nearer to her. “Ye willnae marry him.”
“Ye keep saying that, but the truth is that neither ye or me braither ken how tae get out of this contract me grandfaither made. If me braither’s offer of land and money is refused, what more does he have tae give in me place? Nothing!” she declared with passion.
“The Gillian touches ye without yer permission, I’ll run him through,” Bran declared with heat.
“Being me protector again, Bran? Like when we were young?”
He leaned an inch toward her.
“Always.”
Ilyssa’s heart was racing now. All that she knew was that she didn’t want Bran to pull away. She wanted him to come closer still. Her gaze darted from his eyes down to his lips. Would it be such an awful thing to kiss him now? To push the boundariesof what they had always known together, to explore something more?
Then he tilted his head to the side.
He’s going tae kiss me –
A heavy thud sounded in the corridor. Bran lifted his head back as they both turned to look at the door. There was a beat of silence then the floorboards creaked as if under someone’s weight. Someone had crossed the landing.
By the time Ilyssa turned back to Bran, the spell that had been cast over them had gone.
He stepped back from the wall, so far that he retreated all the way across the room.
“It’s time ye went back tae yer room, Ilyssa.”
She didn’t trust her voice to be level so she stayed silent, longing for that spell to be cast over them again, so they could try that kiss.
What has changed things between us?
He picked up his jerkin suddenly and pulled it on over his shoulders.
“Come, I’ll walk ye back tae yer room.”
“I can find me own way. I dinnae need a guard.”
“I’m saying that ye dae. Who kens what men are in this inn and what’s on their mind.” He hastened to the door and flung it open, stepping out. Slowly, Ilyssa followed behind him. Her heartrate was still racing.
They walked in silence toward her room. Ilyssa thought of breaking the silence, but each time she parted her lips to ask why he had nearly kissed her, her courage failed her, and she closed her lips again. Bran showed no sign of talking about it either. He simply turned the door handle and opened it, urging her to go inside.
In the chamber, Catreena was sat up on her bed, her hands fidgeting nervously.
“I willnae tell Tad,” Bran said suddenly.
“Why nae?” Ilyssa asked, turning around sharply to face him in the doorway.
“I dinnae think it will help matters. Just take more care next time. Both of ye,” Bran warned, looking between them. “And lock this door when I leave. Oh, and Ilyssa?”
“Aye?” She looked at him with hope.
“Dinnae be so stupid again.”
“Eejit,” she murmured, using a name she had often used for him.
