Page 47 of Highlander's Runaway Seductress
“I can teach them to ye,” her father replied. “But thank ye, daughter, thank ye for comin’ home and settin’ me troubled heart at ease, after so long. I cannae tell ye how long and hard I have searched for ye.”
“I dinnae come here on me own.” Amelie’s breath was shuddered as she wrapped her arms around him. “A sennight ago, I had nae even heard about ye, or that ye were missin’ a child. I lived me life—a life that I now ken was half of one—and I was goin’ to live it until two brave men found me and convinced me to travel with them here.”
He pulled away. “I owe them more than I could ever give,” Larid Dolberry said while putting the cane between his legs.
Amelie’s eyes landed on his hands, they were broad, scarred, and callused. She reached out and touched the back of hand, “I daenae ken yer name.”
“It’s Colin, Ameile, Colin McDulah,” he said. “I suppose ye willnae be comfortable callin’ me faither, so ye can call me whatever ye choose.”
“Thank ye, but I am contented with callin’ ye me faither…” Amelie sighed. “Would ye tell me about me maither? Is it true that ye saved her from marryin’ a wicked man?”
The lines of his mouth deepened, and Amelie saw that she had brought up a dearly unpleasant subject. “I’m sorry, I shouldnae have said that. I ken how she died and I shouldnae have reminded ye about it.”
His shoulder sagged. “Nay, Amelie, it did hurt, but now that I have ye here I can tell ye about her. Just nae out here, the cold makes me old knees hurt, tis why I walk with a cane in the winter months. Let’s go inside so I can tell ye about yer maither.”
19
Four days had passed with Amelie taken to the Laird’s home, and Damien had gone from worried to apathetic. She had gone to her right home, as he had wanted. Now, if she did not come back, well, at least he had done her some good, by carrying her home.
The evening was drawing to dusk, and he made a decision—by dawn, he was taking Ben and they were going back to Inverness. The old man was not going to be happy that they had not received the silver coins in reward, but then, he had already told Ben that he did not want it.
Sitting on the backstep of the inn, Damien resigned himself to knowing that he might never see Amelie again, and slowly stood, ready to retreat back inside before the cold grew stronger.
As he stepped back in, he heard Murdoch’s booming voice.
“Welcome back, Miss, or should I saw Lady McDulah?”
Quickly rounding the corner, Damien saw Amelie there, standing in a resplendent gray gown with a dove-grey cloak. She looked lovely and, more importantly,claimed. The Laird had taken her in as he had hoped, but worse, now she had a home and a father, certainly there was no hope for him to be with her.
But then, he had already known that.
“Just Amelie,” she said to the proprietor. “Tis goin’ to be a while to get used to Lady.”
“Well, I am glad for ye, lass,” Murdoch said with a bow. “The whole clan is happy ye’re home.”
“Thank ye for bein’ such a gracious host,” Amelie said as her eyes landed on Damien. “Damien, I need to speak with ye. Mister Murdoch, is the room ye had me in still empty?”
“Aye, it is. As it was made to hold only the women who came to see the Laird, it is still empty. Ye can use it as long as ye need.”
“Thank ye,” Amelie nodded. “Damien?”
Without a word, he headed up the stairs and went to the room Amelie had left days ago. She closed the door behind him and tugged off her coat.
Her dress looked like nothing he had seen a Scottish woman wear, but he forced himself to look away, readying himself for her to dismiss him. Then he could go home free from his vow after she thanked him for all he had done.
She tugged her gloves off before speaking.
“I daenae want to live in the castle if ye’re nae there. I ken that ye think ye arenae worthy of love or affection, but I want to show ye that ye are wrong. Ye daenae have to defend yerself from me, Damien. I will never hurt ye.”
“Amelie?”
She reached out and held onto his shoulders, tipped up unto her toes and kissed him. It took a fleeting heartbeat for Damien to respond, and when he did, he gripped her hip with one hand and buried the other into her hair.
He gave her a ravenous kiss, heated with sensual promise. His tongue explored a familiar territory while his hand gripped her slender body.
He pulled away. “Where are ye takin’ this lass?”
In response, Amelie laced her arms around his neck, and kissed him hard, only to break it, and whisper. “To bed.”
