Page 20 of Transporting a Ruthless Highlander
He looked into the brilliance of her green eyes, and his heart melted. He had never wanted to kiss a woman so much in his whole life.
If he had but known it, Gavina was feeling exactly the same. As they gazed at each other across the few inches that separated them, they moved toward each other slowly and unconsciously, each mesmerized by the gaze of the other. Suddenly they were snapped out of their mutual reverie by the arrival of the food, and each turned away, embarrassed.
“This smells divine,” Struan said, somewhat too enthusiastically as he dug into a bowl of mutton stew that was thick with meat, barley, and vegetables. He was glad to have something to concentrate on after their awkward moment.
“Aye,” Gavina agreed, tearing a hunk of bread from a thick brown loaf and stuffing it into her mouth in a most unladylike manner. “I feel as if I havenae eaten for a week…no, a month!”
Struan watched her surreptitiously as he ate. She was not refined, not even remotely, but she fascinated him with her honest appreciation of what she was eating. He had never seen a woman eat with such gusto, devouring the food as if it were the last food she would ever eat.
Gavina felt his eyes on her, but she was too hungry to care what he thought of her table manners. He had seen the best and worst of her now, and although she valued his opinion, she had been standing on her own two feet for a long time. She could do without it, even though he was the most handsome man she had ever seen and one of the kindest.
Moreover, she could not deny the pleasure that rushed through her at the thought of sharing a room with him. She squirmed uncomfortably as her body began to react to the sight of his big hands, his square jaw, and powerful muscles. Everything that was womanly in her responded to everything that was masculine in him. It was the first time she had ever thought of a future with a husband and children.
Children?She had never even contemplated them before.
Struan sat back in his chair and patted his tummy. He was as full as it was possible to be and as tired, but the thought of sharing a room with Gavina terrified him. Was she as attracted to him as he was to her? All the signs she was giving him were showing him that she was. Thank God there were two beds! He was not sure he could trust himself otherwise.
“There is only one bed!” Gavina protested as she opened the door and looked into the room. It was tidy and clean, but there was no way both of them could sleep in the one bed, even though neither of them said so. It was simply too small, for one thing, and Gavina doubted that she could get through another night without giving in to her animal instincts.
She rushed downstairs before Struan could stop her and confronted the landlord. “You said there were two beds in that room!” she protested indignantly.
“That bed is big enough for two,” he answered. “Ye are married, are ye no’?”
“Yes,” said Struan’s deep voice from behind her, “but I am rather a big man, as you can see. We will not fit in it. Do you not have a spare mattress?”
“That is the only bed there is,” the landlord replied indifferently. “An’ I have used up a’ my mattresses.” He shrugged. “Take it or leave it. I can fill yer room in a matter o’ minutes. People have been comin’ in here a’ night lookin’ for a roof over their heids, an’ there is no other inn in the village. Sleep on the floor if ye must. I can gie ye another blanket.”
They exchanged glances, then Gavina gave the landlord one last venomous look, which he ignored before they trudged upstairs again.
Gavina’s heart was beating nineteen to the dozen as they reached the bedroom. There was a bucket of clean water and a washstand inside the room, and she washed quickly while she tried to collect her thoughts and make up her mind about what to do.
“I will sleep on the floor,” Struan said resignedly, sighing. Another night on a hard surface did not appeal to him at all, but at least the room had a fire burning in the grate and was clean and warm.
“Indeed, you will not!” Gavina whirled around on him indignantly. “You have slept badly for the last two nights an’ suffered a terrible ordeal. You wilnae sleep on the floor.”
“Gavina, you may have been captain of a ship,” he said quietly, “but you have no authority over me. I would not dream of making you sleep on the floor, and—”
“We can share.” Her voice was decisive. “The bed is just about big enough for both of us, an’ after our first night taegether, it is no’ as though we have many secrets from each other.”
“No, Gavina,” he said firmly. “We cannot.” He did not voice the reason why. It crackled in the air around them and in the current of attraction that passed between them.
She gave him no answer but walked up to him and began to unbutton his shirt, drawing in a sharp breath as her fingertips encountered the silky red-gold hair on his chest. When it was fully open, she stepped back, turning away from him. “Get into bed,” she ordered, her voice suddenly husky.
Struan stood uncertainly for a moment, watching her. Gavina looked scared to death, as scared as he felt. “Are you sure?” he asked. “Gavina, we are not married. Are you sure you want to do this?”
“We were no’ married last night or the night before,” she pointed out. “All I want is a bed tae sleep in, Struan. I have no intention o’ molestin’ ye durin’ the night.”Even though I would love tae.
He nodded slowly. “If you change your mind, Gavina…”
“Ye will be the first tae know,” she assured him firmly.
“Undress first and get into bed,” he ordered. “I will turn my back. You can look at me if you like. I am not very modest. Most men are not.”
Gavina did as he had told her without further objection. She scrambled into bed and faced the wall, then felt the mattress shift as Struan lay down.
“Goodnight, Gavina,” he said softly.
“Goodnight,” she whispered.
