Page 21 of Kidnapped By her Highland Enemy
Is it worth it to earn his admiration, or is it better to find me way and do what I want to do, even if it means losing a chance at happiness?
About midday, she ventured down to find something to eat, just as Lucas and Oliver came into the room, both bearing five dead, gutted, and skinned rabbits each. Maisie went warm at the feel of his eyes skating over her and she braved a smile. “Hunt went well, I see.”
“Very,” Lucas grinned and lifted the rack. “Now, we just need to cook them for dinner and salt the rest.”
“I’ll take care of that,” Eilidh said as she came into the room. “Just set them down and step away from me knife.”
The two men laughed and obeyed, placing the rabbits down before they backed away. Maisie caught Lucas’s eye and smiled, but felt her lips fall. Heading to the nook, she got a cup of water and while Eilidh began to butcher the rabbits, Lucas came near.
“Fancy a stroll?”
“I’d love to, aye,” she replied.
As she headed out with Lucas, she felt a gaze skitter over the side of her neck and looked to see Oliver giving the two an inscrutable gaze. Just as she thought he was disapproving like Heather, he inclined his head, barely enough to show his support.
Heading out into the seaside, she felt the lingering cool that rested in the air from the rains last night. Lucas led her down to the shoreline and again, they took the same flat stone from the day before.
She folded her skirt and sat, then wrapped her arms around her knees while she felt Lucas rest a hand on the small of her back.
“What is bothering ye now?” he murmured in her ear.
“I told ye that I never gained me faither’s approval, nae for anything I did, or said,” Maisie said quietly while the wind fluttered her hair. She then looked at him. “If I do let this connection, the odd bond that we have get stronger, I’m assured that I will never get it.”
He pulled her into his side, “I’m saddened to hear that.”
She propped her chin on her arm. “Ye are his enemy, Lucas, ye cannae deny that. He willnae take it lightly that I have chosen ye as me first when they are so many others that I ken he would prefer for me to be with instead.”
“I’m surprised,” he said while his hand smoothed up her spine. “Yer so beautiful that I am shocked to hear ye say that.”
Turning to him, Maisie felt her skin heat, “Come again?”
“Nay one had ever told ye?” his brows knotted together. “Tis a shame, Maisie. Yer nae just a beauty, but probably the mostenchantingly lovely lass I have ever seen. And I want ye to believe me.”
Bending his head, he pressed his lips to hers He kissed her hungrily, lapping at her with his tongue and cupping the back of her head the way he suddenly realized she liked. He deepened their kiss, his tongue tangling with hers as pleasure rippled through her body with every pass of his thrusting tongue. When he lifted her to his lap, he held her too gently, as if she were some fragile thing that he was afraid to break.
Pulling away, Maisie rested her elbows on his shoulder. “He willnae be pleased, Lucas.”
“I ken,” his smile was slanted and wry. “But I’m sure I can prove meself.”
“He willnae give the chance,” Maisie said. “He will rather have ye be hung at the gallows or be run through with a claymore because ye dared to touch me. He might even challenge ye to duel.”
Oddly, Lucas looked delighted. “I’ll take the last one.”
A wry laugh left her. “Ye live for the fight, daenae ye?”
“It’s most of what I ken,” he shrugged while his hands rested on her thighs. “Me faither had told me that he fears the day I become a faither meself. He swears all I will teach the lad or lass is how to handle a blade. He’s nay wrong, but I can fish, andhunt, I even have an uncanny talent for fettering out an enemy before it’s made apparent.”
“Ye want children?” Maisie asked, then went red as she asked something very plain.
“Aye,” he said, “I am an only son, but I want three or more bairns. It’s a first for me family as before me, me faither was one son an’ his faither before him. I want to break that. I searched for a wife in neighboring, allied clans but they were nay true to what they professed they felt for me.”
“They lied about loving ye?”
“Aye,” Lucas nodded, his gaze going soft and melancholy. “And there were others, that did nae have the standards me faither wanted for me, but did love me, only they were sent away. At one point I realized that t’was either marry for convenience and prestige or marry for love.”
“Which one do ye want now?” Maisie asked.
“I’d love to marry someone who straddles the median,” he said, while his eyes trailed over her face. “I want a lass of good birth, who is true of heart and will love me truly. But if pressed, I would choose one I love regardless. It’s nae a good feeling to wake up to cold convenience at yer side.”
