Page 36 of The Curse of McMillan Castle
“Yes. Look, I want you to know how much I enjoyed last night, how much I enjoyed our dinner together the other night. Duncan, I truly have loved every minute I’ve spent with you since you arrived at McMillan Castle.”
Duncan’s chest began to ache. He knew where this would lead. Madeline wouldn’t be the first lass to make him hope for more only to devastate him with a few wretched words. But this sudden change of Madeline’s heart, hurt worse than all the others before. He’d been so certain she felt as he did.
With every part of him hurting, Duncan inhaled and braced for what he knew was coming. “But ye doona want me, lass?”
“It’s more complicated than that, Duncan. You’re almost finished with your work at McMillan. You’ll leave once you’re done.”
“Aye, but…”
“Stop. If you’re leaving, then there’s really no point to any of this. Let’s just both be glad for the fun time we had together and part as friends.”
“Lass…”
She interrupted him once more. “No, Duncan. Let’s please not argue about it. I don’t want either of us to be angry. I really do want to be friends when you leave here.”
“O’course I am no’…”
Once more, Madeline began to yammer away at him.
He’d stopped listening entirely. As Madeline continued to rattle away, Duncan’s confidence returned. The lass hadn’t said she didn’t want him. Rather, her nervous speech was a sure sign she did.
Instead, Duncan simply cleared his throat, crossed his arms, and waited for Madeline’s chattering to cease. When she finally finished, Duncan spoke forcefully.
“Lass, if ye interrupt me again, I swear to ye, I shall take the wheel and drive us into the nearest tree, if only to keep ye from talking.”
He watched as Madeline’s mouth began to creep open, and he continued before she could derail the conversation once again.
“Nae, lass. Hush yer mouth. I doona ken what has spooked ye, but I’ve allowed too many good things in me life to pass because I allowed me fears to creep in. I am too old for such nonsense now. And ye are as well, whether ye realize it or no’. Now listen to me, and listen well.
“Aye. I am nearly finished with me work for Baodan, and aye, I shall return home once finished, but only to fetch me wee cat and me mother. I’ve every intention of making McMillan territory me home. While I’ve no’ yet spoken to Baodan about any of this yet, as I ken his mind is filled with what we must take care of tonight, I intended to speak with him once Osla’s ghost is put to rest. Me hope is that rather than pay for me work, he will allow me to rent a parcel of land from him and allow me a few months to build up me work here before charging me rent on the land. I believe he will be agreeable.
“So, as ye see, there is only one real question that remains. I do want ye, lass. I wouldna uproot me life if I dinna, but ye dinna answer the question I asked ye before. Do ye want me or doona ye?”
Duncan thought he could see a tear spring up in the corner of Madeline’s eye, but she kept her gaze forward as she answered him. “Dammit, I really wish I wasn’t driving right now, and I’m squashed in the middle of Grace and Jerry, so I can’t even pull off to the side without them thinking something is the matter.”
Madeline paused and inhaled a shaky breath. “Are you sure you really like me enough to move here, Duncan? You barely know me.”
Duncan smiled and leaned across the center console in the car to kiss Madeline’s cheek before brushing away her tear with his thumb.
“I ken all that I need to, lass. Now, answer me question.”
“Yes, Duncan. Of course I want you.”
“I am glad of it. For I want ye more than I’ve e’er wanted anything in me life.”
He kissed her cheek once more before leaning back into his seat, his manhood hard as it strained against the confines of his borrowed jeans.
He groaned as he pushed down on himself, willing his need for her away.
“By God, lass. I take back all the bonny things I said last night about this time. Not a one of them is worth it if one must wear this wretchedly painful garment. My cock will ne’er be the same after the past two days.”
Madeline laughed so hard the car quickly swerved to the left and she corrected its course before glancing down at his crotch.
“To be fair, you’re not really wearing the correct size of jeans. It’s just all that Kamden had for you.”
He shook his head, unconvinced. “I doona care, lass. Any size would still be torture on one’s bollocks.”
Madeline continued to laugh at him as McMillan Castle finally came into view.
