Page 31 of Wedded to the Heartless Highlander
He felt his pulse quicken.
What if they slip…
“Blast it,” he muttered, his muscles tensing.
His hand rested on the window frame, but he was itching to run down. He looked at Clavin, whose eyes mirrored his concern.
Then, as if his fear had taken form, he watched with horror as Lily reached her hand too far and her foot slipped off the branch. Erica moved instinctively, reaching out her arm to steady the girl, her own feet shifting dangerously as she did. Her face was screwed up in concentration as she steadied Lily on the branch, but then, suddenly, she lost her footing. Her hand slid off the bark, and before Hunter could so much as cry out, she fell.
“Aunt Erica!” Lily cried out.
Panic surged through Hunter. Without a second thought, he bolted out of the room. Calvin called after him, but his focus was singular. He took the stairs two at a time, his heart hammering in his chest, his breathing quickening with each step.
By the time he reached the courtyard, his only thought was on Erica—whether she was hurt, and how badly.
He sprinted across the cobblestone path, not caring that he looked frantic nor that he was drawing attention. He reached the oak tree and found her lying on the ground.
Is she…?
Erica’s body hit the ground with a jolt, and for a moment, she simply lay there, blinking up at the sky as Lily’s concerned face grew closer and closer. Instead of wincing, all she could do was burst out laughing. The sound bubbled up her throat, assuaging Lily’s fear. The girl’s face broke into a smile.
“Did ye see that?” Erica chuckled, reaching for her ankle to make sure it was not broken. “I swear, I havenae fallen off a tree since I was barely older than ye, Lily.”
Lily giggled as she slowly climbed down the tree branches, and soon they were both laughing together, the sharpness of the fall almost forgotten. Just as Erica tried to stand up and dust herselfoff, Hunter came rushing over, his face stricken, far more rattled than she’d ever seen him.
“Stay still, both of ye,” he commanded, his voice tight.
He helped Lily to her feet and examined her quickly, before turning his focus on Erica. She arched an eyebrow, trying to suppress a smirk as his hands roamed over her shoulders, then her arms, his fingers leaving hot trails in their wake, checking for any signs of injury.
“For a man who couldnae be bothered to come near me chambers last night, ye certainly have nay issue touchin’ me now,” she muttered under her breath, her tone more teasing than biting, but his expression darkened.
Lily looked at her uncle, her eyes wide. “I’m sorry, Uncle Hunter. It was me idea. We were just playin’.”
Hunter’s face softened, and he placed a hand on her head. “It’s nae yer fault, Lily,” he reassured her, his voice gentler now. “That’d be yer auntie’s doin’.”
Erica shot him a look and made to cross her arms, but pain shot up her elbow. Her sharp intake of breath did not go unnoticed, unfortunately, nor did the following sigh as she twisted her body to avoid the pain. Still, she steeled herself.
“If ye mean to place the blame, husband, ye may have a harder time convincin’ me than Lily.”
Hunter held her gaze, exasperation flickering in his gray eyes. Without a warning, he scooped her up into his arms, ignoring her protests entirely.
“Put me down, Hunter,” she hissed, heat blooming in her face as he carried her through the courtyard.
She could feel the eyes of the curious servants and the few guards keeping watch on them.
Hunter only held her tighter. “If ye cannae be trusted to climb even a tree without injurin’ yerself, I’ll carry ye the whole way.”
“Och, so now ye care for me,” Erica mumbled, her face burning.
The tighter he pressed her against his chest, the more she could feel his strength—the hard line of his jaw, the steady heartbeat beneath her cheek. Erica let herself relax in his arms for a breath, even if it meant she could feel every lean muscle beneath his shirt.
Hunter lowered his gaze to her, and for a moment, she caught a flicker of something in his eyes—a warmth, an intensity—that made her breath hitch.
“Dinnae look at me like that, lass,” he warned, his jaw tight. He then looked away, striding into the healer’s quarters without another word.
The healer’s hut was small but clean, and as soon as Hunter set Erica down on the cot, he hovered by her side, one hand resting on her back as if prepared to steady her should she attempt to escape.
Erica wanted to protest, to tell him that she was perfectly fine, but his nearness muddled her thoughts. The warmth of his hand on her back sent a shiver down her spine, dulling the pain that lingered just below the surface.
