Page 57 of A Sinful Night with a Scot
She lifted her eyes again. “Aye?”
“I think there are some things we need tae discuss.”
Her stomach flipped at his words. They did not sound particularly ominous, but she also knew where this was going. The excitement was now over. He was healing. This conversation was bound to happen sooner or later, and now, having to face it head on, she felt nervous.
His gaze intensified, and then he said, “Why didnae ye run? I need tae understand. Those soldiers were there tae rescue ye. An opportunity tae escape me grasp was there ‘afore ye, and yet, ye didnae tak’ it. Why?”
Could she really tell him how she felt? To his face? While her heart told her to open up to him, her mind had other ideas.
Ye ken the reason ye stayed, but perhaps it is better if he aoesnae. Nae yet. Nae until ye are entirely certain this is what ye want.
But her heart countered with its own argument.
O’ ye are certain.
And she was. Whether she wanted the laird to know that was a different matter altogether. If she laid her feelings bare, would that not leave her vulnerable, open, unable to stay off his advances?
No longer did she feel anger at her circumstances. But at the same time, Elsie just couldn’t be sure she was ready for full disclosure either. Though she had seen glimpses of his affection, she did not yet know how he felt about her. Her heart needed protecting. Besides, it was the one thing she could control.
“Truly, I dinnae ken.” She shrugged. “Everything just happened so fast, and ye were in danger. I just reacted without thinking.”
Again, he looked at her for a long moment. Then he waved her closer. “Come and sit beside me.”
Elsie smiled nervously, before hitching herself onto the bed properly. As she did so, Keane pulled the coverlets back from himself. Thankfully, he was wearing clothes. Once she sat by his side, he took her hand in his, and smiled down at her.
“Ye saved me life, Elsie. I still have tae thank ye fer that.”
“Ye did thank me,” she said. “Twice.”
Keane frowned and shook his head. “Nae, I didnae.”
“Ye did. Right ‘afore ye lost consciousness fer four days.”
“Ah. Right.” Realization then crossed his face. “I dinnae remember much o’ that. I dinnae remember how I got back tae the castle, or what happened afterwards. Alisdair told me, but I have nay recollection.”
“I swear tae ye. Ye have already thanked me.”
He gazed down at her and smiled. “And yet, nay matter how many times I say it, it will never be enough.”
Once more, Elsie was at a loss for words. Before the attack, Keane had given her few clues as to how he felt about her. Yes, there had been moments shared between them, but soon afterward, he had shattered those by acting in complete contradiction, thus frustrating and confusing her with his inconsistency. But something had changed and they both knew it. Her decision to protect him and thus forego her freedom had shifted the dynamics between them, and Elsie now found herself in unknown territory.
Keane brought his hand to her face and turned her toward him. Lowering his lips to hers, he kissed her softly. His tender embrace lighter than a butterfly’s wing against her lips. But that was no longer enough for Elsie. She wanted more. She needed more.
Hitching herself closer, she kissed him back, opening her lips to him and welcoming him in. His tongue slipped inside, exploring, his fervent desire for her evident.
“Ye truly dae have such a beautiful mind,” he murmured, his lips still against hers.
It was a strange thing to say. Even as Elsie felt the arousal growing in the parts of her that Keane had awakened, she couldn’t help but pull away.
Gazing into his eyes, she said, “There are times when I think ye’re living inside me head. There have been many occasions when ye have answered a question I have held in me mind. Yet the words have nae passed me lips.”
Keane halted then. While he looked at her, there was an intensity to his gaze, as though he were searching for something.
“What is it?” she asked.
He did not speak for a long second, and then, he took a deep breath in.
“I have a secret that very few people ken, Elsie. A secret that I rarely share with anyone. Those who dae ken, I trust with me life.” He paused a beat, and then continued. “But after what ye did, after the danger ye put yersel’ in tae save me, surely, I can trust ye.”
