Page 52 of The Highlander's Accidental Wife
“Isn’t that just another way of preventing us from marrying?”
“Nay, nay, ‘tis the opposite. She wants too much of our marriage, our weddin’.” He took another swig of whisky and let out a rough chuckle. “Da warned me of this.” The memory made his heart ache, but there was a gentleness there, too. “How she’d probably be more excited than me or me bride. How he’d… have to rein her in.”
Silence fell, and Damien avoided Helena’s gaze. The wind whipped at the window, and the fire crackled. Damien wondered if he was a brute not to give his mother a bit more.
At the same time, though, delaying the wedding was a fool’s errand. He would not do it, and he knew if his father were alive, he’d agree.
Da should be here. So bloody unfair.
“He’d have liked ye, too,” Damien said, more to himself than Helena. “Anyhow, that’s why ye are movin’ as soon?—”
“No, Damien,” Helena said, quietly and firmly. “I am not.” Now, he looked at her, and she held his gaze, though she flushed. “And you know why.”
He rose to his feet in a slow but fluid movement. “Do I now? I ken that ye are soon to be me wife, and ye must start actin’ soon, regardless of our bargain for yer year.” He snorted. “What, did ye think ye could avoid me in that time too? Or until our weddin’? We will spend time together every day, Hel. There’s so much for a laird and lady to do to run Morighe and keep Galeclere safe.”
“I know that, and I do not intend to avoid you,” she said in a tight voice. “If you will recall, Sir, you are the one who just ran off.”
“I had business away from Morighe, woman,” he said. “It will happen.”
“So, will I come with you, if we are to spend every day together?”
A growl tore from his throat. “Ye ken what I mean.”
“And you know that I am right. It is one year where I will be right down the hall.” She straightened. “Please, do not force this. Give me my space to achieve my dream—support me instead of trying to seduce me into changing my mind with your kisses.” Her eyes flashed. “Or defending me against my father, only to take that back the moment you feel threatened.”
“Threatened?” Damien echoed, even as his heart gave an uneven beat, and Lachlan’s blade aiming for Helena’s heart flashed into his mind. “By what?”
She shook her head. “I cannot say. But it was a mistake to come here—” She bared her teeth when Damien grabbed her wrist. “Not to Morighe. I meant here, tonight.”
“Ye didnae even see the rooms yet,” Damien said, trying to divert her off this train of thought—and his temper.
“Damien.” Helena pulled free. “We will eventually have children to fulfill our duty. And I have sworn to you that I am not going anywhere.” She hugged herself. “Now, I need you to stop with this. Because that will drive me away.”
With that, she turned and hurried out of the room.
Damien stared after her, the door swinging shut, propelling him to action. He was halfway across the room before he caught himself and clenched his fists. Dammit, that had all gone so wrong.
But she did need to move into the Lady’s suite, at the very least. Why hadn’t he moved her sooner? A growl tore from his throat, and he began to pace.
Worse, he was starting to suspect that Helena might be right, and it infuriated him. For she was also wrong, thinking that he was eager to get her to give in and forego her year. And while a part of him wanted that, it was only because he wanted her so bad.
Every inch of him ached to go to her.
Worse, though, he only stayed because he did not want to upset her more. It sent a sharp spike of rage and agony through him to think that she merely tolerated his presence out of necessity—out of duty.
I dinnae want her simply because we musthave children. I want her…
He swallowed hard and stormed to the window.
I want her to want me as badly as I want her.
Feck me.
CHAPTER 21
Flurries of snowfilled the cold air, and Damien’s breath puffed out in a cloud as he swung up onto his horse. The sun had barely risen, but he’d been called to town. Not only had that soured his mood and he wanted to wring the neck of the yeoman who insisted that the matter could not wait, but he could’ve slept for another day. Especially after being plagued with dreams of Helena.
Still, he hoped that he’d return in time for breakfast.
