Page 45 of Taken By the Heartless Highlander
Both his hands came up either side of her body. He slammed the door shut, crowding her against it so she had no choice but to turn, staring up at him in shock. She gave a low cry as his mouth lowered again, almost touching hers, their breaths mingling.
“Careful, lass,” he said slowly. “Ye owe me. Nae the other way around, remember?”
His eyes were still dark with lust; his pupils dilated and black against the coppery green of his eyes. She was aroused, flustered, and fighting her very self to stop what might occur between them—but she would not be laughed at. Not by any man.
“I’m healin’ ye. Just as ye asked me to do. I owe ye nothin’.”
At her words, he slowly pulled himself away from her. Yet as he did so, he ran his hands gently down her arms as though unable to stop touching her. She trembled, trying her best to resist the pull she felt toward him.
I willnae succumb to his charms. I willnae.
He ran his fingers lightly down her cheek. His eyes were softer now, and there was a warmth in them that made her heart flutter in her chest.
“Such fire,” he muttered. “Ye may be piecin’ me back together, but I believe ye will be me undoin’, Keira Young.”
Her eyes met his in a thrilling moment of connection, but before he could say more, she wrenched the door open and stormed from the room.
CHAPTER19
“The main disputewas with the bridge,” Callum said, pointing to a point where two rivers met on the map in front of him. “They’ve agreed to share the waterway now. Their two communities will both fish there,” he sighed. “It was a lot of fuss over nothin’ if ye ask me.”
Callum had been running through the recent comings and goings of the MacAllen clan for almost thirty minutes, but Noah was finding it difficult to concentrate.
He was waiting for Daisy and Keira to arrive so that he could take them shopping. He was eager to see the healer after the events of the night before. It was vexing to admit that he was looking forward to her company more than he had ever anticipated.
He heard a clash of steel echo through the open window from the courtyard below, where he had set Scott up for some training practice with one of the guards. The boy had been quite giddy with excitement, and the sight warmed his heart. He liked the lad.
“Me laird!” Callum said curtly, raising his voice and making Noah jump.
“What, man?” he asked irritably.
“What do ye mean, ‘what man’? I have asked ye three times if yer ridin’ out to Cullivan Bay with me today. Ye arenae listenin’.”
Callum narrowed his eyes as he scanned Noah’s face, and his expression turned from anger to concern.
“Did ye nae get any rest again?” he asked, his voice low and worried. “I thought ye’d be doin’ better with a new healer helpin’ ye.”
Noah was horrified when he felt a blush creep over his neck at the mention of Keira, and he hurriedly looked away.
Callum did not return to the maps in front of him, however, looking at Noah with an unimpressed expression. Noah rubbed the back of his neck awkwardly, wishing he could hide under the desk rather than admit the truth.
He looked at his friend ruefully.
“I think the new healer might be part of the problem.”
Callum squinted at him and then rolled his eyes. “Ye blitherin’ fool,” he muttered, shaking his head. “Did ye nae bring her here for her own protection?”
“Aye, I ken I did?—”
“Well then.”
“Well what?”
“Dinnae lose yer head over a bonnie face. Although I dinnae blame ye. She’s very comely?—”
Callum stopped speaking abruptly, his face turning a tad pale as he looked at Noah’s expression.
“I have nay designs on her, man,” he said, raising his hands as though Noah was aiming a crossbow at his heart. “What has gotten into ye?” he hissed as Noah tried to tamp down the fury that had erupted inside him at the thought of Callum admiring Keira.
