Page 12 of An Allusive Love
“Shut yer sniveling mouth!” He backhanded her to reinforce his request.
She’d caused enough trouble. Oh, how he’d wanted to plant a facer on that younger grandson tonight. It would be almost as good as smashing Lachlan’s smug face. But Ross had been on the other end of a fist before, and it hurt like hell. He touched the bridge of his nose gingerly, then cringed at the pain in his cheek.
Being chief didn’t give Calum the right to intervene in a man’s business. And that whiny MacDunn. He’d been added to Ross’s list.
“Ye’re lucky I didna kill the feckin’ eejit.” He looked at his pathetic daughter, crying silently into her hands. “Tell me the truth. Did he touch ye? Under yer clothes? By devil’s own hand, if he tried to put his—”
“No!” Nessie cried, the moon glinting off her wet cheeks as her hands fell away. She clutched at the bench for balance as the wheels hit a deep rut.
Her brown eyes, so like his own, blazed with hatred. For a moment, he thought she would strike him. Her own father. The ungrateful whore. “Go ahead.” He nodded at her trembling fist and white knuckles.
Nessie’s anger flickered and died. Her shoulders slumped, and she sucked in the growing sob. “N-nothing untoward happened, Da. It was only a kiss. I swear.”
Ross reached over and threaded his fingers into her dark hair. Then he closed his fist and snapped her head back. “If ye ever go against me again, I’ll squeeze yer scrawny neck until yer face turns blue and yer eyes pop out. Do ye understand?”
Nessie pressed her lids shut and nodded. A tear leaked out of one corner. “I promise to be good, Da. Just dinna hurt Hamish, please. I beg ye, dinna hurt him.”
“Lovely. But ye ken it’s my duty as a conscientious parent to discipline a willful and disobedient child. The high and mighty MacNaughton may stop in for a visit to be certain I didna abuse ye.” He put the reins between his teeth and talked around the leather. “So, I must be careful when I administer my punishment.”
He grinned for the first time in hours at the fear widening her eyes. “Aye, right. Ye understand it’s yer own doing.”
Ross pulled back his free arm and drove his fist into her stomach. She clutched her belly to curl around the pain as she gasped for air. He clucked sympathetically as he held her head back; her blinking eyes stared blindly toward the moon. Then he kissed her on the forehead and released his grip. “There, now we both feel better.”
Chapter Five
Candor and Kisses
The first dayof May dawned bright and clear. As she did every year, Kirstine ran to the nearest meadow at sunrise. Legend decreed if a lass washed her face with the morning dew on Beltane morning, her beauty would last longer. Brodie was waiting for her with his annual posy of wildflowers.
“Ye dinna need to scrub yer face.” He handed her the bouquet. “Ye’re bonny enough as ye are.”
His raven hair clung to his square jaw and curled at his neck, as if he’d quickly washed his face and hadn’t bothered to dry his skin. Her gaze hung on his mouth, turned up in a smile, showing straight white teeth. Her breath quickened, his flirtation with Mairi the previous night forgotten.
“Do ye no’ like the flowers?” he asked. His boot shuffled the soft ground, sending wisps of morning mist spiraling around his ankles. “I picked them in a hurry because I didna want to miss ye. It’s our custom, ye ken.”
Kirstine nodded and chewed her bottom lip. Should she tell him how she felt before the Maypole festivities? The way he said “our custom” in that silky, deep voice made her belly quiver. No, she’d wait until tonight when she was dressed in a lovely gown with her hair twisted and tied with ribbons.
“I thank ye, kind sir.” Kirstine giggled, taking the bouquet. “If the dew truly worked, I imagine even the vain men would try it.”
“Perhaps they do.” He stepped forward and held out a corner of his plaid. “Ye missed a spot.” He dabbed at her jaw, drying her skin.
Her breath caught as his movement slowed. Looking up at him, she was trapped in that intense blue gaze. His thumb slid over her bottom lip and sent a thousand wings beating in her stomach.
“Ye dinna need to scrub yer face,” he repeated.
Kirstine shook her head, eyes closed, and his forehead touched hers. Fire. His skin was like a hot flame licking at hers.Kiss me!Her heart screamed.Merciful heavens, kiss me.His mouth was so close; his breath fanned her chin. The scent of honey drifted between them, and she resisted the urge to lick her lips.
Aarroooo!They both blinked at the deep howl. Charlie came loping across the meadow and jumped against Brodie’s arm.
Brodie grunted, scratched the dog’s head, and pushed it to the ground. “And good morning to ye too, Charlie.” He sighed and looped her hand into the crook of his arm. “I suppose we shall both escort ye home now.”
Had she glimpsed disappointment in his eyes? She smiled as they strolled in a comfortable silence. The sun peeked over the mountains. The promise of a lovely day. Pinks and reds lit up the sky, a spectacular backdrop for the birds’ morning song. Her bare feet were cold against the wet grass, and the smell of pine and earth and Brodie filled her nose.
“Do ye have an opinion of how I handled the Craigg catastrophe?” he asked.
She laughed. “I was proud of ye, Brodie, and so was yer grandda. I saw it in his eyes.”
“Ye gave me good advice. Show him rather than tell him what I’m capable of.” He tapped his forehead. “I’m a quick learner.”
