Page 20 of Married to the Highland Devil
“Amelia?” he called at first and entered the chamber fully as panic tore through him. “Amelia, are ye in there?”
There was still no response from her, and he checked everywhere first to make sure she was not there. Duncan rushed out of the chamber then and went to the inn foyer.
“I need to find the lady I was with… Amelia… Did ye see her?”
The older woman shook her head, and he ran out of the inn again then walked around the back to check on her. Duncan recalled she had mentioned she enjoyed taking walks at night, so she might have decided to do that.
He ran around the back of the inn then he spotted her sitting there. Her head was raised to the sky, and the covers from their bed were wrapped around her body.
Duncan first let out a sigh of relief then he walked over and sat next to her on the ground.
“Ye scared me, Amelia. I looked for ye,” he said after releasing a deep sigh. He noticed she was toying with the hem of her nightdress, and she did not look his way until he asked, “Could ye nae sleep?”
“I could not,” she told him. “I am nervous… We arrive at your castle tomorrow.”
“Ye have nothing to be nervous about. Everyone there will love ye.”
Amelia’s laugh was a wistful sound, and as she shook her head, some stands of her hair swayed to one side. “I do not think so.”
She kept twitching her fingers, and he placed a hand over hers to soothe her. Duncan searched his mind for the best way to help. She had never traveled anywhere before, and she just left all she had ever known to come here with him.
He had promised himself to care for and provide for her. That was all he could do. But at that moment, he did not know what to do or say.
“How about we take a day to explore the Highlands?” he asked after some time. “We dinnae need to arrive at my castle tomorrow if that scares ye. We can explore the villages on our way, and I will let ye enjoy Scottish traditions, too.”
“Does it involve dancing?”
“I wouldnae want to embarrass a terrible dancer like ye,” he told her with a laugh.
“I am not,” she defended, and her lips twitched. “I dance very well, actually; it is just that I do not like to dance.”
“Show me,” he challenged without thinking.
If he had thought of those words, he would have realized that dancing with her would bring them closer together, and he would be forced to stare into her eyes, hold her around the waist and rock her body against his.
Duncan did not know if he was ready for all of that, but it was too late to take his words back because Amelia already rose to her feet and stuck out a hand to him.
“I will show you,” she said then bobbed the first curtsy before taking his hand again to start a slow waltz.
There was no music playing in their background, but he swayed in rhythm to her slow movements and kept their bodies pressed together.
Amelia ought to feel this rattling rush of desire too, right? Her lips hovered close to his now, and he had to move his head back a bit, so he didn’t lose control and press his lips to hers.
Even in the moonlit darkness, Duncan could see the depth of her pale eyes, and the golden rings inside there. It was a strange look, especially because she had such a vibrant shade of hair.
The pins were out of her strands, and they had been since her first night outside her father’s manor. He did not care for pins and updos. Duncan preferred her hair like this. He could run his fingers through it if he wanted to and bury his face in the strands, so he could inhale the scent of lilies that clung to her.
He acted on the most impulsive desire just then. He lowered his face to the side of her neck and sucked in a deep, shaky breath.
“Lilies,” he murmured, his throat tight and voice huskier than ever.
Amelia’s breast was squashed against his chest now, and he could see the smooth swell of her cleavage. Her face was turned up towards his, her eyes focused on his, and her lips slightly parted.
Every nerve ending in Duncan’s body begged to feel the pleasure of kissing her. She would definitely melt into his arms. He could tell that she felt the same heat scorching him too from the flush that crept up her neck to her cheeks.
Amelia slowed their waltz first, and she stepped away from him, panting. Her chest rose and fell rapidly, and she lifted both hands to her cheeks, kept them there, and stared right into his eyes.
If he did not know better, he would have thought she saw right into his soul.
