Page 57 of The Highlander's Illicit Bride
“I couldnae save Rhona, but I dae everythin’ in me power tae protect everybody else in me life. ‘Tis why I need tae protect me family—why I need tae save Finlay. Why I need tae protect ye.”
“Struan, if he captures ye again?—”
“Then I’ll escape again,” he interrupted. “I’ve done it before and I’ll dae it again.”
She began to tremble, out of an overabundance of emotions coursing through her. Struan leaned forward and pressed his forehead to hers. It was such a soft, sweet gesture, but it made her heart swell. She forced herself to raise her eyes and meet his gaze.
“I wish I could stay,” she said.
“Ye can,” he urged. “Ye dinnae have tae leave.”
Struan leaned forward and pressed his mouth to hers. He cupped her face in both hands and pulled her closer to him. Their kiss was unlike the others that had come before.
She slowly pulled back and stared into his eyes for a long moment and felt her heart lurch in her chest.
I have tae leave tae protect him.
Isolde realized that she feared her growing emotions and attachment to Struan far more than she feared her father’s wrath. Which was yet another reason for her to go. The longer she stayed, the more difficult it would be to leave.
“I should go,” she said.
He stared at her longingly. “Ye dinnae have tae, Isolde.”
“I dae. I…”Ye’re nae safe as long as I’m here.
“Ye make me life better. Ye make me better.”
Ye dinnae need me here tae make yer life harder and more dangerous than it needs tae be.
Her heart thundered in her ears and Isolde felt the cracks in the dam of her resolve growing. She bit the inside of her cheek hard enough to make her wince, the slight pinch of pain driving out her emotion and bringing her thoughts back into focus.
Struan must’ve sensed the shift in her emotions. He rose to his feet, his hand still holding hers, and nodded towards the kitchen door.
“Let me escort ye tae yer chambers, lass. Get some sleep.”
Isolde stood quickly, but the moment she took a step, her breath caught. Struan’s other hand had settled at the small of her back, steady and warm.
‘Twill be but a difficult goodbye…
CHAPTER 24
Struan escorted Isolde back to her chamber knowing he might not see her again when he woke up in the morning. She was determined to leave Achnacarry, that was clear to him. She believed that by leaving, she would be protecting him. But he knew it was her guilt over what her father had done that was driving that belief. What she didn’t seem to understand was that nothing she did was going to change what her father was going to do. And the only way to thwart her father’s plan was to attack him first. To rescue Finlay. And to prevent her father from marrying her off to Dougal.
He had tried to make her see reason, he had promised that she would be free to make her own decisions. But that did not mean he would not try to give her reasons to stay. He glanced at her, the corner of his mouth quirking upward with a sly grin.
“Ye ken, if ye’d stay here in Achnacarry, ye’d get tae see me every day.”
She laughed. “I’m nae sure ‘tis the draw ye think it is.”
Struan put a hand over his heart with faux pain. “Ye wound me so, madame.”
Isolde laughed and Struan felt his heart swell with the sound. Her laughter was the sweetest music he’d ever heard and he knew he would never tire of it. Not in this lifetime or the next.
“Ye could truly be happy here, ye ken. Ye could have a good life, our land is beautiful and our people are naethin’ but caring. Ye could have the kind of life ye’ve always wanted. Here, with us. With me.”
“I’ve nae doubt of that.”
“And, did I mention ye’d get tae see me every day?” he added and gave her a wink. Struan loved when Isolde blushed because of him.
