Page 55 of Tempting the Highland Devil
Yvaine went to the village with Arran and some of his men that evening. She joined in greeting the villagers and gifted the children with fruit. She loved to see the smiles on their faces.
Most of them played on the fields after accepting her fruit, and Yvaine found herself staring at them with a wistful longing in her heart. She hoped to have children one day, but Arran insisted that he could not let himself continue his father’s bloodline.
Yvaine did not think she had any fight left in her. She had to let him go, but hopefully, he would realize for himself that he needed her just as much as she needed him.
She smiled at every child that came her way and was focused on the little girl handing her a flower when she felt the sudden ache from an impact on her forehead.
Yvaine closed her eyes and groaned. When she touched the spot where the stone hit her head and saw blood, she rose to her feet. Jane’s eyes widened.
“Me lady, ye are bleedin’…Who would do this again?” Jane panicked as she took out a cloth and handed it to Yvaine.
Guards drew closer now, and Yvaine tried to hide her bleeding forehead from Arran when he marched towards her.
“What happened?” he questioned in a stern voice when he reached the part of the field where she stood.
The children close to Yvaine all withdrew and ran a distance away as Arran faced them with a scary scowl.
“Someone hurt ye!” he said through gritted teeth. He was about to march towards the children when she stopped him with a hand to his arm.
“They are just children, Arran. It might have been an accident. Ye dinnae need to punish them for this.”
He met her gaze as she spoke, and it was like her touch calmed him because she saw the heave of his chest slowly falling till his breathing evened.
Yvaine was lost in his eyes as her fingers stayed curled around his taut arm. She quickly averted her eyes when she realized the pull between them made her inch closer to him.
“I will head back to the castle and have the healer tend to my wound,” she said with her head lowered, so he would not see the pain and longing in her eyes.
“I will come with ye.”
“Nay,” she quickly refused. “I am all right. I can go on my own, and I will have Jane with me the entire time.”
She saw he was about to refuse her, but she did not mind him and turned to head back to her horse. Yvaine’s solemn mood remained.
The wound on her forehead was just a tiny scratch, and she lay in bed after the healer cleaned it and gave her an ointment to apply.
Yvaine could not find sleep till late that night as she lay alone in her chamber. When she heard her door creak open and heard Arran’s soft voice calling for her in the dark, she shut her eyes tightly and held her breath.
Her heart pounded as she heard his light footsteps enter her chamber. His weight pressed down on her bed and left her holding her breath.
What does he want?
“I am so sorry,” Arran whispered to her as she lay still and pretended to be asleep. He stroked the side of her cheek, and his touch warmed her entire body.
Yvaine wanted to take his hand and guide it to where she ached the most for him, but she had told herself she should let him come to her on his own terms.
The more she pressed Arran to acknowledge his feelings for her, the more he pulled away. Yvaine could not bear the burn of his rejection anymore.
“I am sorry that I brought ye here when my clan is in so much chaos. I am sorry that ye got hurt out there today.” He paused for a long moment, and his fingers brushed gently over her lips and then moved over her closed eyes.
“I am sorry that I cannae love ye or let meself want ye. Nay yet…Nay like this. I need to make thin’s right first. I must become a man deservin’ of yer love, Yvaine. Ye deserve better, and so I must be better.”
It took too much effort to keep her eyes closed and breathing even when he leaned down and pressed a soft kiss to her lips. The tears burning the back of her eyes slid down her cheek, but thankfully, Arran did not notice. He had turned away from her bed. She finally opened her eyes after she heard the chamber door close behind him.
Yvaine broke into a sob now that she was alone, but her heart no longer ached with the grieving force from his rejection. Now, she had hope that Arran would eventually come to her. Now, she knew there was a chance for them to experience a life of love.
I will wait for him to realize he needs me, no matter how long it takes.
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