Page 17 of The Highlander's Virgin Widow
Evander released her wrists, and she pushed him away, her hands feeling his chest for a moment. She tried as much aspossible not to think of it as she turned to the door, her heartbeat matching the pace at which she hurried to pull it open.
She hated him at that moment. She hated how he made her flush and how composed and in control he seemed to be almost all the time. She hated that she knew he was trying to annoy her, and yet she continued to fall for it every single time. She hated how predictable he made her. She hated how hard his chest felt beneath her palms.
On the other side of the door stood a woman just as tall as Keira. Her blue eyes gleamed in the flickering light from the candle she was holding, and her blonde hair was pulled back from her face.
“Lesley,” Keira greeted, her voice wavering for the better half of a second. She cleared her throat almost immediately. “’Tis quite late, is it nae?”
“It is,” Lesley responded, her voice devoid of any hint of fatigue. It made Keira realize that her friend had not been sleeping at all. “I heard ye come in, and I ken how tired ye get when ye go out to these meetings with the villagers. I thought ye would want some tea.”
Keira swallowed. “Oh.”
Lesley raised the teapot with her other hand, watching the steam rise in the air.
“What would I ever do in this castle without ye?” Keira breathed, taking the teapot with both hands, appreciating the warmth of it.
“Och well, ye might nae do much for long, from what I’ve heard anyway.”
Keira tightened her grip on the teapot. “What have ye heard?”
“Oh, just news about the new Laird. They say he’s a dangerous man. Do ye fully ken what ye’re stepping into, Keira?”
A moment of silence passed between them as Keira pulled the door closer to her. The last thing she wanted was for her friend to see the very man she was talking about in her room.
And shirtless.
“They say he doesnae look kindly on people who go against him. I heard from some people at the market today that he could fight and kill men with his bare hands. Are ye certain he is the kind of man ye want to surrender the castle to?”
Lesley’s words made her skin crawl.
Did she know the extent of the brutality of this stranger she had let—or had reluctantly watched—break into her castle, despite all her protests? What if she was putting the lives of her clansfolk and staff in danger?
“What do ye think about the whole thing? Ye think he’s speaking the truth? That he’s here to stay?”
Keira forced the widest smile she could muster. Lesley was a fierce and incredibly protective woman, but her fear and worries were completely understandable. For now, it was her job to dissuade them.
“Dinnae worry about the stranger, Lesley. ‘Tis all just a big misunderstanding. He and his people willnae be staying here for long,” she reassured.
“Are ye certain? And have ye mentioned that to his men, who have turned the stables into their own house of horrors?” Lesley scoffed.
“He will be leaving soon. I am certain of that,” Keira reiterated. “I am truly grateful for the tea, Lesley,” she added, managing to keep her voice—and her head—steady.
Lesley nodded. “I suppose I shall leave ye be. Sleep well.”
Keira nodded and watched her friend disappear down the hallway, her blonde hair melting into the darkness.
She shut the door behind her, the back of her neck prickling hot with his gaze. She walked to the dresser and grabbed a cup. Then she poured the tea into the cup, still feeling his eyes on her the entire time. The silence that dominated their air could crush a parchment. She took a few sips of the tea before placing the potand the cup on the table. She did not know what Lesley had put in the tea, but it worked because she could feel her frayed nerves slowly settle.
“Yer maid?” Evander asked a while later, still lingering by the window, his barely visible figure a contrast to the dark and starless night.
“What does it matter to ye?”
“It matters because ye lied to her. Ye told her I willnae stay here for long.”
Keira scoffed. “Look, Mr. Kincaid?—”
“Laird.” The way he cut her off was almost mechanical.
“Ye cannae tell, but I have had quite the long day. Find somewhere else to sleep for the night, and we’ll talk about this tomorrow. If ye decide to crawl into bed with me again, I will scream.”
