Page 5 of Married to the Icy Highlander
“Love is in the air, me friend. That is simply all I am tryin’ to say.”
“Then why are ye in here with me instead of out there, doin’ what ye think ye do best?” Neil countered. “That is if there is any lass left in the Highlands who’s willin’ to fall for yer tricks?”
Arthur pursed his lips, and Neil knew that he had a point there.
Arthur had more than a little bit of a reputation among the women who lived in the castle. He was known for loving and leaving them. While there were certainly some who were happy to have him warm their beds for a night or two in secret, most of the women were looking for husbands. And… well, Arthur was utterly repelled by commitment of any sort.
“Ye’re the one who still has to find a bride, nae me,” Arthur argued.
Neil opened his mouth to say something, only for a servant to knock on the open door of his study.
“M’Laird, excuse the intrusion, but… there is a bride here.”
Neil’s eyes flickered to Arthur, who was smirking to himself in his chair. “Well, that’s convenient.”
If Neil could have silenced his friend with a stern look, he would have. Though, after all the years they had known one another, hehad yet to find the key to silencing Arthur when he had a mind to work his jaw.
Heaving a long-suffering sigh, Neil rose from his desk to go and see what this nonsense was about… when the bride in question burst through his study door, shouldering the servant out of the way.
A bonny thing she was, too. All blonde hair and blue eyes, high cheekbones and hips made for childbearing. She barely reached his chest, even puffed up on whatever fury was in her heart. But the passion and fire in her eyes were so hot, so intense that Neil found it next to impossible to look away from her.
“Where is he?” she demanded, putting her hands on her hips as she glared at the two of them.
Neil almost laughed. The whole thing was just so insanely timed. “Where is who, lass?”
“Blaine. I demand to ken where he is. Has he been holed up here?” the lass pressed.
“Well, now, I dinnae make it a habit of answerin’ questions that could get me braither in trouble.”
“So he is here, then? Fine, I shall find him.”
With that, she hiked up her skirts and bunched them in her fists, turned on her heel, and started to leave.
“Stop!” Neil commanded, his good humor starting to fade.
“Ye clearly have matters to resolve, the two of ye. I’ll just…” Arthur rose from his chair as if he were the one who had jilted the lass at the altar. Even the thought of an upset woman tended to make him itchy. It was truly no surprise that he sidled past the woman and nearly ran out of the study.
The lass’s eyes followed his retreating figure, but she did not move from her spot.
The moment she and Neil were alone, she huffed loudly. “Where could Blaine have gone? Why would he leave me? He made me buy this dress…”
“Nay, he bought that dress for ye withmemoney.”
“That is nae the point.”
“But ye have made it the point. So, it’s mine. Nae to be used as a bargainin’ chip in yer quest to find me braither,” Neil said plainly as he moved closer to her, eyeing her carefully.
She was somewhat familiar to him, but he could not place her voice. If he had seen a face like hers before, he would have remembered. Even more so if she spoke with such passion all the time.
When he was close enough that he could inhale the sweet almond scent of her hair, he smirked. “Perhaps ye should take it off and return it to me?”
“Guard yer tongue, M’Laird,” she hissed through clenched teeth.
He snorted. “Me braither wouldnae have gotten cold feet for nothing.”
“What are ye implyin’?”
It was such a pretty pink color that colored her fair skin. Right over the bridge of her nose and her high cheekbones. It might be a bit improper to push her at such a trying time, but he could not help himself. He did not have the faintest idea where his brother might be. And, even if he did, he would not have told her until he had spoken with Blaine himself.
