Page 37 of A Virgin for the Icy Highlander
Then again, he had probably done her a favor. She liked to think her virtue was still intact, though the memory of the suction of his mouth blurred the lines somewhat, and the sounds she had made blurred them further. Even the intensity of the kiss had her questioning if her virtue and integrity were still in one piece, considering it had shattered her in the most exquisite way.
He showed care, too,she reminded herself, if only to distract herself from the memory of that soaring passion.
After all, he had been concerned about her leaving his study covered in incriminating paint, draping that blanket around her shoulders. Although now that she thought about it, that could have been for his sense of preservation, too, so that no one beyond the study would talk or make assumptions about what might have happened.
“You kissed!” Lilian finally blurted out while clasping her hands together. “You really kissed him? Oh my goodness… that is… that is… soromantic, Gracie!”
Maddie put a finger to her lips. “A little quieter, perhaps.” She tilted her head toward the hustle and bustle of the village market, where they had decided to spend the morning. “We are in a prime place for eavesdroppers, and Grace has just revealed averyjuicy morsel of information.”
“It isn’tjuicy,” Grace insisted, grimacing. “It was… an accident.”
Maddie shot her a pointed look. “An accident? What, did he trip and stumble and land on your lips? Did you fall and lose your breath, so he had no choice but to give you some of his?”
“You cannot kiss someone by accident,” Lilian agreed, her eyes gleaming with excitement. “This must mean he likes you, Grace! This cannot be just convenient for him. Oh, how absolutely wonderful! Now, you can be married, knowing that something more is bound to blossom between you. You might yet have the sort of love that one can only dream about.”
“Please,” Grace groaned. “Don’t make me regret telling you. I don’t think it means anything at all, considering he practically kicked me out afterward. Maybe ‘accident’ was the wrong word. Maybe ‘mistake’ is more accurate.”
It was proving to be a difficult injury to her pride, accepting that Hunter had given her the most life-altering moment, the most passionate kiss, the most thrilling sensations her body had ever experienced, only to send her away as if what had felt so right had been undeniably wrong. The more defiant she forced her thoughts to be, the less that injury wanted to heal. Just talking about it was a generous pour of salt into the wound.
“I believe it was a mistake as much as I believe it was an accident,” Maddie remarked, her tone a note brusquer than before. “What led up to it?”
Grace flushed with embarrassment. “I said I wanted to know more about him.”
“And a kiss is how he responded?” Maddie frowned, wearing a familiar expression—the one she wore when she was trying to solve a tricky problem.
“Eventually, yes,” Grace replied, shrugging. “But I know it won’t be repeated. He said as much. In truth, I don’t think we will ever be anything more than two people who live in the same place, with one shared purpose: raising Ellie.”
She wandered away from her friends, eager to be done with the conversation. She had a more important task to complete: finding the perfect gift to delight the little girl, and something that the kitten might like. The latter was proving to be more difficult, as she had no idea what interested half-feral kittens.
She paused beside a stall selling pretty jewelry. The necklaces and bracelets reminded her of the pendant Ailis wore. Everything was made of thin, twisted leather, with that intriguing green stone woven into the strands.
“What is this?” Grace asked the seller.
The woman behind the stall eyed her warily. “It’s nae for ye.”
“Pardon?”
“It’s nae for the likes of ye,” the woman replied more vehemently. “We dinnae give our ancient stones to the English.”
Grace blushed furiously. “Apologies. I… just thought they were beautiful.”
“Aye, but ye’re still nae gettin’ one,” the woman retorted.
“What if she said it was a gift for the Laird’s daughter?” Maddie interjected, suddenly appearing at Grace’s side. “She is a guest of his. An honored guest. Indeed, she is the girl’s guardian, and might soon be the L?—”
“Loyal nursemaid!” Grace cut in before her dear friend could give away any secrets.
She wasn’t entirely sure if the clan was aware that Hunter had proposed marriage to an Englishwoman, but she now knew how they might react to such news. Having had her own conflicts to process, she hadn’t properly stopped to consider what his people might make of her.
It didn’t look promising.
The seller furrowed her brow. Her eyes flashed as she looked Grace up and down. “Why would ye be the lassie’s guardian?”
“It’s a long story.” Grace’s throat tightened at that small admission.
“Aye, well, that lassie has caused us enough trouble as it is, so I dinnae care if ye are her guardian,” the woman replied sourly. “Had it been a son and heir, I could’ve understood it, but she’s just a lass. Nay use to any of us.”
Anger flared in Grace’s chest, thinking of the rejection Ellie had already endured. To hear it from one of the clansfolk, to hear such unkindness toward a sweet child, it was a spark to the fuel of Grace’s protective streak.
