Page 34 of Bound to a Scot
Maddox’s gaze remained fixed on the water in front of him as he continued hearing Adair’s voice in his head. Everything inside of him was screaming for him to get up and leave. To not engage with Emmeline. Adair’s voice kept reminding him that Emmeline would never be his and that he had to stay away from her lest he jeopardize everything they’d been working toward.Gritting his teeth, Maddox pushed Adair’s voice, as well as his common sense, out of his mind and turned to her.
“May I ask ye a question?”
“Of course.”
“Why dae ye bathe so close tae the shore? Why nae sink intae that water?” he asked. “Seems tae me like it’d feel nice.”
A shadow crossed her face, and she frowned. He could see the answer to the question wasn’t as simple as he might have thought. It obviously stirred something up inside of her.
“I’m sorry,” he said. “Ye dinnae need tae answer that if ye dinnae want tae.”
“Nay. It’s fine,” she replied softly. “I just have a fear of water. And bein’ underwater… it terrifies me like naethin’ else in the world.”
Maddox leaned back against the stone outcropping and thought about her words. He’d never considered the idea that somebody could be afraid of water—even bathwater—before. Especially since he loved swimming and loved the water. There was little better a feeling than being in a birlinn out on the open water. Seeing that horizon stretching out to infinity in front of one felt like freedom to Maddox.
“Ye probably think that’s silly,” she said.
He shook his head. “Nay. I dinnae,” he replied. “We all have fears. We all have those things that shake us tae our very souls. Yer fears are nae sillier than anybody else’s.”
She offered him a small, grateful smile. “And what is it ye’re afraid of, Maddox.”
His deep, booming laughter echoed through the trees. “Ye’ll think me fear is silly.”
“Ye didnae laugh at mine. I shall nae laugh at yers.”
“Ye say that now.”
“Just tell me,” she laughed.
“Bees,” he said. “I hate bees. They hurt.”
He could see her struggling to hold her laughter back, but it was a fight she lost as a loud guffaw burst from her mouth. Her laughter was high and musical. It was a sound as beautiful as the woman it came from, and Maddox knew he could never tire of hearing it.
“I’m sorry. I promised ye I wouldnae laugh,” she said.
“’Tis fine. I ken it’s a silly fear. But I’ve had it since I was a bairn.”
They fell silent for a moment and Maddox couldn’t help but notice the tension in the air had evaporated completely. When she turned to him and their gazes met though, he felt like he’d been hit by lightning as his stomach turned over on itself. Images of her naked body flashed through his mind once more and he felt his arousal growing ever harder.
“I’m tryin’ tae overcome me fear of the water,” she said. “I go a little deeper intae the pool every time I’m here.”
He nodded, thankful for the distraction. “’Tis a good way tae start overcomin’ yer fear, Emmeline. It may nae seem like it now, but it willnae be long before ye conquer it completely.”
“I hope so. Sometimes it just feels overwhelmin’.”
“Aye. Conquerin’ our fears can feel that way. But ye’ve got a core of iron in ye,” he said. “If anybody can dae it, I’m sure it will be ye.”
She offered him a smile filled with gratitude. “Ye think so?”
“I ken so.”
Her gaze lingered on his for a long moment as she bit her bottom lip. The space between them filled with the same kind of tension he’d felt when he’d been in her bedchamber. He recognized the longing in her eyes because it matched his own. Emmeline finally turned away, breaking the growing tension and cleared her throat.
“I should be gettin’ back tae the keep,” she said. “Kenna will be sendin’ out the guard tae look fer me if I dinnae return soon.”
“Aye. We dinnae want that.”
“Nay. We dinnae,” she said.
