Page 70 of The Highlander's Auctioned Virgin
CHAPTER 19
Elinor scrambled to her feet,grabbing her dress as she did so. Ciaran rose as well, pulling his trousers back up.
“Elinor?” Anna called again, followed by more knocks.
“Uh—I shall be there in a second, Anna,” Elinor called back, hoping her voice was enough to dissuade her sister from walking in.
She turned her back to Ciaran, the urgency in her voice seeping into her body.
“Tighten the laces at the back, please.” The words escaped her mouth in a shaky whisper.
Ciaran nodded and stepped closer to her. She could feel his fingers move over the fabric, and a part of her feared he was doing it all wrong. But her dress was tightening around her like it should.
“I am only going to move the other portraits somewhere else so the Laird’s can be properly hung when ready.”
“Ha! Hung,” Ciaran whispered behind her, his lips gently grazing the nape of her neck.
A shudder racked her entire body, the kind she had felt when his fingers were inside her.
“Now isnae the time for jokes, Ciaran,” she muttered as he tightened the laces further.
“Ye have to admit, it was funny,” he insisted.
Elinor rolled her eyes, but her face twitched, ready to break into a smile almost any second. She didn’t want to give him that satisfaction, so as soon as he was done with the dress, she made for the door. Her feet quickened across the stone floor, barely making a sound.
She pulled the door open after making sure that Ciaran was hidden in the back, out of view.
“Why did ye nae just enter?” she asked, staring at her sister while gripping the doorknob tightly.
“What are ye still doing in here? We have a wedding to plan, do we nae?”
“Aye,” Elinor responded, brushing a stray strand of hair from her face.
Anna narrowed her eyes at her, almost like she could see through her.
Elinor just stood there and tried to breathe slowly, wondering if her sister could tell.
Anna’s eyes then flickered to her dress and seemed to narrow further the lower they went. Elinor felt her heart sink into her stomach.
“What is that?” Anna asked, pointing to the bottom of her skirt.
Elinor swallowed.
Nay.Nay. Nay.This is bad. This is really bad.
“What is what?” she asked anyway.
“That!” Anna said, jabbing her finger pointedly. “Is that paint?”
Elinor’s eyes darted to the spot at the bottom of her skirt. A yellow stain stood out distinctly. She exhaled.
“Was that what ye were doing in here? Trying to paint?” Anna asked, mirth lacing her voice.
Elinor let out a laugh, although it was cautious. “I suppose ye could say that,” she responded.
Anna nodded. “Well, stop that. Ye can pick it up after ye get married. We have nay time for now, do ye understand me?”
“Aye. I shall join ye soon,” Elinor assured.
