Page 24 of The Highlander's Runaway Nun
Laura turned her gaze back toward the waves crashing and breaking in endless rhythm. The wind whipped strands of her hair loose, brushing them against her flushed cheeks. She thought of Bradley’s silence, his restraint, the way he had carried himself with a weight she hadn’t yet understood. Perhaps there was more to her husband than duty and shadows.
As they walked along the shore again, Laura’s mind lingered on both Eidith’s words and Cora’s revelation. The thought of bearing an heir still flustered her, sending a warmth of both dread and longing through her. Yet the kindness Bradley had shown, the hidden gentleness she was only beginning to glimpse, stirred something deeper.
Me heart is caught between fear and hope, like the tide forever back and forth.
Cora brushed her hands over her cloak and gave Laura a gentle smile.
“I’d best return to me work, lass. There’s always somethin’ needin’ done at the castle.” Her eyes softened as she added, “Ye stay as long as ye like. The shore is a fine place for thinkin’.”
Laura nodded, offering her friend a small smile in return. “Thank ye, Cora. I’ll remain a bit longer.”
She watched as the woman turned and walked back toward the path, her figure growing smaller against the rugged cliffs. Alone now, Laura breathed deeply of the crisp air, letting it settle within her chest.
Her thoughts betrayed her almost at once, circling back to Bradley’s kiss. She had replayed that moment too many times, and each time her cheeks warmed with shame. She was meant to have been a bride of Christ, her vows nearly taken, and yet she had let herself revel in the touch of a man. The memory of his lips haunted her, stirring both guilt and longing in equal measure.
Laura pressed her hands together tightly, whispering a prayer that sounded weak even to her own ears. She could not deny that she had enjoyed it, more than enjoyed it; she had craved more. The thought filled her with fear, as though her very soul might be in peril for such feelings. Still, she could not rid herself of the truth that her heart leapt whenever she thought of him.
The crash of the waves drew her eyes back to the shore. The water glimmered under the pale sun, vast and endless, stretching into a horizon that seemed to swallow her worries. For a fleeting moment, she felt a freedom she had not known since childhood, as though the wildness of the water had broken the chains around her heart.
But the feeling of the kiss lingered. Her body grew heated. She felt her skin responding to the thought of being touched by him. Soon, she felt too hot. She let her cloak fall loose, breathing in the air as though it might cleanse her sins.
Laura slipped off her shoes, curling her toes against the rough sand. The thought of feeling the icy water against her skin stirred something reckless in her, a small rebellion against the weight she carried. She rose and stepped toward the waves, her skirtsbrushing the damp shoreline. Just as she prepared to wade in, a familiar voice broke the stillness.
“Daenae think to put yer feet in there, lass,” Bradley called, his tone both stern and amused.
He strode toward her with long, purposeful steps, his dark hair tousled by the wind.
“The water’s too cold this time of year. I’ll nae have ye catch yer death for the sake of foolishness.” His eyes glimmered with a mixture of command and concern.
Laura froze, her face heating at being caught. “I thought only to wet me feet, naught more,” she said quickly, clutching her skirts. “It seemed harmless.” Yet under his gaze, she felt like a wayward child caught in mischief.
Bradley’s lips quirked into the faintest of smiles, though his brow furrowed.
“Harmless?” he echoed. “Lass, the water is cold enough to freeze yer bones. Ye’d be shiverin’ for days.”
He reached her side, towering over her with the same protective presence that both unsettled and comforted her.
Laura lowered her gaze, ashamed of the warmth stirring within her at his nearness.
“I meant nay harm,” she murmured. “The water looked so temptin’, I forgot meself a moment.”
The truth was that the water had promised relief from the fire within, and she had longed to feel that. Yet here he was, reminding her of her place, tethering her once more and making her body betray her by responding to his closeness.
Bradley’s voice softened, though the steel in it remained.
“Ye daenae ken how fragile ye are, lass. One misstep, one chill too deep, and ye’d be laid in bed sick. I cannae stand the thought of harm comin’ to ye.”
His words struck deep, the intensity in his tone both frightening and thrilling.
Laura dared a glance at him, her heart racing. “Why do ye care so much?” she asked before she could stop herself. The words hung in the air, trembling between them like a secret. She half-feared the answer, half-yearned for it.
He studied her, his eyes searching hers with a fire that made her breath catch. For a long moment, he said nothing, and the roar of the waves filled the silence.
Then he spoke low, almost as though confessing. “Because ye’re mine, Laura. And I’ll nae let aught or anything harm ye, even sickness.”
Her chest tightened at the raw certainty in his voice. She wanted to protest, to remind him she was her own woman, but her tongue faltered. Instead, she felt the echo of that kiss again, as though his words had brushed her lips. Shame and longing warred within her, leaving her unsteady on her feet.
Bradley reached out, steadying her with a hand at her elbow. His touch was firm, warm even against the chill of the wind, and she could not bring herself to pull away.
