Page 39 of The Highlander's Twisted Deal
He clenched his jaw. “We had fun, did we nae? I could have swornyedid.”
She blushed at that. “That’s hardly the point.”
“Did we exchange vows? Make promises? Talk about the future? No, no, and no. I’m sorry if ye thought otherwise, Ava, but I’m nae good husband material.”
“I didnae say ye were! I just wanted…” She stopped, shaking her head. “I dinnae ken what I wanted. I just thought ye were something special, that was all.”
He shrugged lightly, keeping his face smooth. No sense in betraying what he felt inside. It would only make things harder.
“I am sorry, Ava. We shouldnae have done it. Ye are a fine woman, and once this arrangement of ours is concluded, ye will be free, rich, and happy. I hope ye find a fine man soon. It’s for the best.”
It hurt to say that, especially after he’d been all but ready to murder Drunk Jim for insulting Ava.
Ava stared at him, folding her arms tightly across her chest. “I dinnae believe ye,” she said quietly. “Just when I think I ken ye, ye say things like that.”
“It’s for the best,” Callum repeated, leading forward the horse to harness it up in the traces. “Ye can always back out of our arrangement if ye like. Although, by me estimation, yer maither and friend will have been brought back to the Keep by now, so I’ve already started fulfilling me part of the bargain.”
She sucked in a breath.
Aye, think of that.Think of yer maither, think of yer friend, not of how disappointing I am and how hurt ye feel.
He knew that she was hurt. Knew that she’d started thinking more of him than she would a friend. That knowledge delighted him and made him feel miserable all at once.
We cannae be together.Ye ken that. Do ye fancy explaining it to her and seeing the understanding dawn in her eyes? No. Ye dinnae. So, push through the pain now, and get it over with.
“Me maither? Elsie?” Ava asked, wavering.
He risked a glance over his shoulder and saw disappointment and hope warring on her face.
She drew in a breath, squaring her shoulders and drawing herself upright. “I see. Well, I willnae back out of me part of the bargain, Callum. I’m sorry if I made ye uncomfortable or wanted something ye werenae prepared to give. It was an honest mistake on me part. It willnae happen again.”
Callum’s heart clenched. “Aye, very well,” he said, keeping his tone light.
He didn’t turn around. She waited for a moment or two as if hoping for a change of heart. Then, he heard her footsteps retreating, heading back towards the center of the village.
Squeezing his eyes shut, Callum leaned forward, resting his forehead against the smooth, warm flank of the horse. “I’m a fool,” he muttered.
The horse whinnied, probably agreeing.
“I’m a stupid, heart-sick fool. I ken I wouldnae make her happy, I ken I cannae marry any woman, so why did I start caring for one?”
He swallowed hard, raking a hand through his hair and tightening his fist until he felt pinpricks of pain all over his scalp.
I can never marry because I am me faither’s son, and I willnae do that to anyone. Never.
12
Ava and Callum didn’t exchange a single word on the trip back to the Keep, which seemed to stretch out interminably.
Stupid, stupid, stupid.
What had she been thinking? She’d known from the start that Callum was attracted to her—and attraction did not equal love, she of all people should know that—and she’d known that he did not want to be married, did not want to be tied down.
So, then, what had she expected from their night together?
I could have sworn that he felt something for me.I was sure of it.
But enough of that. Callum had been clear. Their night of pleasure together was just that—pleasure, nothing more, nothing less. No doubt any number of women inside or outside the Keep would be happy to take Ava’s place. She wasn’t special.
