Page 51 of Tempting the Highland Devil
Yvaine’s eyes searched his while her passion still stroked her nerves. Arran squeezed his eyes shut, drew in a deep breath, and then shook his head.
“We must get back to the castle,” he said to her before rising to his feet to draw her with him. Yvaine noticed his hand shook, and she wanted to stop him from pushing her away again.
She burned with need for him, but he seemed to have much more control than she could ever possess.
“We have been out here for too long. We must get back before the skies darken.”
She licked her lips and nodded before letting him take her hand in his.Will he ever let himself see this for what it is?Yvaine knew they would need to bear children soon. Every clan needed its heir, and if Arran could not bring himself to make love to her, how would they do that?
She shivered at the thought of being in his arms—in his bed, and that thought made her shiver in anticipation. As they rode back to the castle, she stayed quiet, and enjoyed the feel of his hard body shielding her in its crook.
When they arrived, he helped her dismount from the horse then marched away from her before she could speak. Yvaine stood there watching him and folded her arms over her chest to lessen the shivers rocking her from the chilly air outside.
She began walking towards the keep, and paused in her strides when she heard James call for her. “Me lady?”
“James,” Yvaine spun around and smiled at him as he strode widely and got to her.
“How was yer ride out in the moors?” he questioned, grinning at her while he peered down to meet her eyes. “The laird hasnae done a thin’ like that before, and I cannae ask him about it because he will only shut me out.
“Did ye two learn more about each other? Did ye learn more about him?”
Yvaine’s smile built slowly, and she shook her head. “The laird doesnae speak much about himself, but I do ken some thin’s. He has been friends with me braither the longest, so I have learnt some thin’s about him.”
“Then surely ye must ken about his maither and what happened to her. It is the reason why the laird is so tense towards matters of the heart. I am sure ye understand that he means no harm if he seems distant and cold. I understand what he feels, but I dinnae think the villagers and others will understand.”
Yvaine’s mind spun for a moment, and she stopped walking to look at James. “The laird’s maither passed in siege in the castle perpetrated by one of the enemy clans, did she nay?”
James nodded, but his eyes held a sunken look that told Yvaine an entirely different story. “Did she nay?” she asked again before James sighed.
“She did, me lady, but before that happened, his maither suffered in the hands of his faither many times. The last few years of her life, she was locked away in her chambers, nay permitted to meet with any visitors or outsiders, even her son. While Arran was away in battle, she was locked in there away from the laird’s sight or reach. She was always against all of his wars, but he never paid heed to her words.”
Yvaine’s heart clenched as she listened to James’ news. Arran’s past had formed the man that he is now, and she understood why it was so difficult for him to let go.
I wish I could teach him.Yvaine’s father had died early, but her parents had loved each other deeply, and she had envied the love they shared.
Her brother had found a woman who stole his heart too. Watching Duncan love and protect his wife made her crave the kind of marriage that they had.
Not one where he fears letting himself love me.She wondered if she could teach him about love. Yvaine wondered if she could get Arran to eventually open his heart and let himself care for her.
* * *
She went to his study late that night and found him pacing around with his whisky. Arran did not turn around to look at her, and Yvaine only watched him for a moment before she strode over to him.
When she placed her hand flat on his back, he gasped and turned around to look at her.
“Are ye all right?” Yvaine asked in a soft voice before he slowly turned around to look at her.
His eyes pierced hers for a long time, but he still did not speak, so she summoned courage and said, “Ye can confide in me, Arran. Nay matter what yer thoughts are, ye can tell them to me.”
Arran shook his head. “They are dark thoughts,” he whispered before stroking the side of her face with his hands, then touching her lips gently. “Thoughts of what I would like to do to Laird Macmicking for trying to hurt ye.”
His eyes glazed with an unspoken threat as he spoke. Yvaine sighed when his finger reached her lower lip, caressed it, then stroked for a long time.
“Are ye plannin’ to go to his land with yer men? I dinnae want ye to start a war, Arran. Nay because of me. Yer people have suffered a lot, and they might nay survive another war. Ye should learn when to show mercy.”
She didn’t think before flattening her palm on his chest and hiking her chin higher, so she stared deeper into his eyes.
“A man who tries to hurt ye…me wife…Doesnae deserve me mercy. He will try again, Yvaine, and I cannae let anythin’ happen to ye.”
