Page 50 of Captured By the Cruel Highlander
“Ye better nae!” she replied, but her voice sounded amused.
Adam dutifully turned to face the door, but the urge to peek was almost irresistible.
After a lot of rustling and a long sigh, silence finally fell behind him.
“Ye can look now.”
Adam turned back, feeling a pulse of desire in his loins as he took in her shapely legs beneath the léine. Her hair, which was beginning to dry, fell down her back in wet waves, a stark contrast to the pale fabric. He stiffened as he saw how much she was shivering.
“I’ll get the fire goin’,” he said, walking to the cabinet and pulling out a woolen blanket. He went over to her and put it around her shoulders. As he did so, she pulled it further around her neck, and their fingers touched.
A spark of connection rose between them again, just as it had in the gardens. It took everything in him to drag himself away again.
“Where are ye goin’ to find dry wood out there?” she asked as he headed to the door.
“There’s a store at the back. Dinnae go anywhere.”
“As if I could with nay shoes on,” she grumbled, but as he left, she was already settling happily beside the bare hearth, wrapping the blanket around herself.
The rain was still falling heavily down on him as he went to the wood store and pulled out some kindling and logs, shielding it as best as he could with his body.
When he got back inside, he found her in the same position, looking a little warmer under the blanket.
He became aware of his own drenched clothing and dumped the wood in the hearth, looking down at Emily’s upturned face.
“Now, ye may look away, too, lass, but I dinnae care about ye seein’ me naked. In fact, ye might like it.”
He pulled off his jacket and stripped off his léine in one motion. He could feel her eyes on him like a brand against his skin as he went to the cabinet, pulled out another clean léine, and put it on. He smirked as he turned to see her eyes dark with need and went to kneel beside her at the hearth.
He stacked the wood up as she tucked her toes beneath the blanket.
“What were ye thinkin’, runnin’ away like that? Anythin’ could have happened to ye. ”
“I wanted to get back to me family.”
“So it was the letter from yer braither that had ye fleein’? Nothin’ more?”
Emily didn’t reply for a long time, and then she sighed.
“I spoke with yer maither,” she began.
“I knew it!” Adam said, throwing the wood into the fire with some force. “What did she say? She doesnae represent the clan when she runs her mouth like that.”
“Nay, nay! She just gave me her weddin’ dress. She didnae say anythin’. In fact, she showed me what me chambers would be like if ye and I really do marry. I dinnae ken ye at all, and ye’ll be me husband.”
“If Stewart shows up, it willnae come to that, and ye can go home with yer family.”
“Do ye really think he’d be so stupid?” she asked. “He must ken he cannae contend with yeandthe forces of Laird MacGordon.”
Adam shrugged his shoulder. “He kens what he wants to ken. Men like him dinnae believe anyone can beat them. That’s how it ends badly for them, in me experience.”
“Well, if he doesnae turn up, we will be married.”
“I’ve already told ye we’d nae be a traditional husband and wife.”
“Aye,” she snapped, “ye’ve made it very clear me opinions and thoughts arenae welcome at yer council meetings.”
“Nay matter yer faither’s proclivities, it isnae common for women to be involved.”
