Page 33 of Married to the Highland Devil
She did not notice his presence until he cleared his throat, and she turned to face him. “Who is there?” she queried, her brows drawn together in a deep frown.
Duncan took a moment to admire how she looked in the reflection of the moonlight.
Bonnie.
That singular word was all he could think of. Her beauty always stole his breath away. Her skin was a creamy tone that glowed, and her lips were a small pout, slightly parted and a rosy-pink shade that matched her nails and toes.
She wore a green-colored earasaid, the same shade as the plants that surrounded them. He wondered what she was doing in the garden all by herself.
“Do you not speak? I will scream.”
“It is me,” Duncan said and took a step towards her as he watched her frown turn into a slight grimace. “Duncan.”
“I know,” she snapped. “I recognize your voice. What do you want? Have you come here to watch me?”
Amelia sounded angry, and she had every right to be. Last night, she had sent him out of her chamber, and even though Duncan had meant the words he had said to her, he still wished she could understand him.
“What do you want, Duncan? Yesterday, you said you did not want to be around me, so why are you here?” When he said nothing, she added, “Ah, I see you don’t have anything to say. I shall take my leave, then.”
Amelia began walking slowly in the wrong direction, and Duncan reached out to grab her arm.
“Let me go,” she hissed and stiffened before trying to get out of his grasp.
“Do ye even ken where yer goin’?” he asked.
“Do you care?” she tossed back at him, her cheeks flushed and eyes wide.
Duncan sighed when she struggled against him again then slowly, he pulled her with him so he could guide her down the right path towards the exit of the garden.
“Let me go, this instant.”
“I am tryin’ to help ye, Amelia.”
“I do not need your help. I asked Dahlia to bring me here because I needed the fresh air and some peace. Why did you come to ruin it?”
“I didnae ruin anythin’. I came out here for some peace too and found ye singin’.”
She huffed and this time jerked away with enough force to free herself. Duncan released her, so she did not get hurt then he rubbed a hand over his face, muttered a curse under his breath, and looked at Amelia again to see her fussing with the flowing fabric of her earasaid.
She seemed flustered, and he could understand that she was that way because of her anger. “I ken yer angry with me, Amelia. I am sorry,” he told her.
“Are you sorry? Or do you think you need to apologize to me because you might have hurt my feelings when you said our marriage is only one of convenience? I assure you, I was not hurt by that. I did not expect anything more.”
“I…”
“I am capable of existing and caring for myself. Like you said, I have Dahlia, Elspeth, and Yvaine. Yer maither and sister have so much more manners than ye do,” she scoffed.
She was shaking as her explosive words rambled out of her.
Duncan could barely help himself now. Everything about her drove him insane.
Does she ken I am doin’ this to protect her from me? From the things I want to do to her? From all I crave to make her feel?
He was slowly losing his control. In her presence, he felt a quaking need rise inside him that tightened every muscle in his body. Her words had blurred now, and all he could think of was the urge inside him. The need to kiss her, hold her close.
Duncan hated himself for feeling this way about her. He was supposed to remain a gentleman and keep his desires to himself like he had told her he would, but her scent was toying with his senses, and she did not even know what she was doing to him.
“Are you there?” she asked in a shaky voice when he stayed quiet. “Duncan?”
