Page 22 of The Cruel Highlander's Bride
Magnus didn’t dare move or speak as Ciara lightly stroked his chest. She didn’t seem entirely aware she was doing it, but he did not want her to stop.
God, she is stunnin’.
He looked down at her in his arms. She still wore the same green dress as this morning, and it was the perfect complement to the blush staining her cheeks.
Finally, when she looked up at him and realized the position they were in, she jumped back and out of his arms. Reluctantly, he let her go, but he was already thinking of a way for her to stumble again—carefully, of course.
“So, a picnic?” he repeated and then held his breath, waiting for her answer.
From the moment she’d walked into his rooms, he sensed something was off. Gone was the fiery woman barging into his study this morning, and in her place was the nervous lady in front of him. His plan to extract more information from her was failing spectacularly. He hadn’t even been able to get news about her day today.
He wanted Ciara back. More than that, he wanted her to be comfortable, and if that wasn’t in his rooms, then they would go somewhere else.
Magnus longed for a day when she was always at ease around him, but until that happened—if it ever did—he would accommodate her.
“A picnic sounds perfect,” she agreed, moving quickly towards the door. Already, some of her light was returning.
“Wonderful,” Magnus replied.
Without thinking, he reached out and took her hand in his. It was a perfect fit, just as he remembered from their handshake. But he was wary about scaring her off, especially after this disaster in his rooms.
He was about to pull away when she squeezed his hand lightly. A small smile spread across his face as he looked down at their joined hands. He was becoming quite the sap around this woman.
“We’ll just stop by the kitchens for some food and drinks,” he said softly, leading her there.
His chef prepared a basket for them while another servant grabbed a blanket, pillows, and some lanterns. The whole while, Magnus never let go of Ciara’s hand. Each time he snuck a peak at her, she wore an adorable, pleased smile.
He couldn’t help himself from stroking the back of her hand with his thumb just to see if he could get her cheeks to flush again. He did.
When everything was ready, he looked from the basket and the two lanterns, down at their hands, and then back again.
Ciara chuckled as she watched this back and forth. “I promise ye can take me hand again when we get out there.”
Magnus grumbled but reluctantly let go of her hand so he could carry the basket and one of the lanterns. Ciara took the other and shook her head at him. He could still see that little smile, though.
Good. He would do just about anything to keep the smile on her face.
“Thank ye,” Magnus called to the chef and servants as he led Ciara to the door.
“Elspeth told me some of yer clan’s history today,” Ciara commented, as soon as they stepped outside.
It was a pleasant night, but the real beauty was Ciara’s face bathed in the light of the lanterns and the moon. Her pale skin was a stark contrast to the darkness around them—shewas the true light.
“Aye?” Magnus murmured vaguely. He was distracted by her beauty. He couldn’t wait for her to see the lake glowing in the moonlight.
“Aye, it is an impressive history,” she said sincerely.
“It is,” he agreed, but he didn’t comment further.
He imagined she was told nothing about their recent history—nothing about his father, and surely nor the war between their clans. Magnus had heard the stories, of course, but he didn’t grow up with them the way Elspeth and Olivia had. He was proud to be part of this clan, sure, but not in the same way. For him, Clan MacLeon would always be slightly haunted by the darkness of his father.
“I heard that yer sister traveled with ye?” Magnus asked, changing the topic, hopefully to safer ground.
He had yet to see the younger woman, which was probably for the best. There was no need for him to scare her any more than he already had.
Ciara nodded. “Aye, she wanted to keep me company, at least until the weddin’.”
“That was very kind. Ye seem very close with her and yer family,” he noted.
