Chapter 19
Nancy held her face under the cold water in the basin that a maid must have set out for her. The nipping chill of it let her know she wasn’t dreaming, though she very much wished that she was.
Married? A wedding? What the hell is he thinking?
She should’ve known the second she stepped outside last night that going for a midnight swim was the worst idea in the world.
Even if she hadn’t figured it out in the moment, she should’ve known better than to let that impossibly handsome, annoyingly tempting, breathtakingly sexy man get anywhere near her parted thighs.
It was blatantly obvious now that she was too weak to resist him. The moment he’d touched her, she’d been doomed.
But, oh no, I just had to know what it felt like, didn’t I? I just had to be kissed by him. I just had to see where it would lead.
She almost laughed bitterly into the water, remembering her assertion that there couldn’t be any harm in it since she was leaving soon. A fortnight. Once Adeline came back with the method to time-travel back to where she was supposed to be.
She lifted her head out of the water with a gasp, muttering breathlessly to herself, “You couldn’t just keep it in your dress for two weeks?
What the heck is wrong with you?” She shook her head.
“See, this is why jeans are superior! If I’d been wearing jeans, he wouldn’t have been able to get near me. ”
To make matters worse, the best orgasm of her life, the best night of her life, would now be forever tainted by being caught red-handed and slapped with a marriage proposal that she was fairly certain she wasn’t allowed to refuse.
She jumped at the sound of a soft knock on the door. Expecting it to be a maid, she grabbed a cloth and walked to the door as she dried her face.
“Nancy?” Hunter’s voice filtered through the solid oak, and she stopped dead in her tracks.
“I don’t want to talk to you,” she called hastily, looking around for something to throw over the shirt she still hadn’t changed out of.
The door handle twisted, and she lunged for a silky robe, pulling it on and holding the front of it closed…
as if he hadn’t already seen most of what lay beneath.
As if he hadn’t touched and explored most of what lay beneath—a fact that made her skin flush afresh as she remembered every exquisite, life-altering moment.
How attuned he’d been to her body, how exceptionally gifted he was with that tongue of his, how even his kisses had made her feel like she was melting into a puddle of pure pleasure.
Flustered, she wrenched the door open the rest of the way and glared at him. “I said I don’t want to talk to you.”
“Aye, I heard ye.” He walked into her room and paused at the edge of her bed, filled with enough audacity to sit down on it. “What’s wrong with ye, eh? Why did ye rush off like that?”
He’d put on a shirt. A fortunate and disappointing sight.
Nancy peeked out into the hallway to make sure the coast was clear before closing the door behind her. She didn’t want anyone eavesdropping on this conversation, not if it wasn’t too late to get herself un-engaged.
“We can’t just marry because of one little orgasm, Hunter,” she said in a sharp whisper.
He raised an eyebrow, a knowing look on his face.
“Fine, a really, really, really good one. Explosive. The best I’ve ever had. But that’s no reason to get married!” There was sarcasm in her voice, but none in her mind.
It really had been the best climax of her life, and probably the only one that counted as an orgasm, if Hunter’s expertise was the bar by which she had to judge the meager handful of other experiences she’d had.
He shrugged. “People marry for worse reasons.”
“That’s true, but not the point I was aiming for.
We’re not ending any wars here, Hunter, or striking alliances or…
whatever other reasons there are here for getting married in a hurry,” she blustered on, wishing he wouldn’t look at her like that—like he wanted to devour her. “I’m leaving, in case you’d forgotten?”
Even though you’re trying to make it difficult for me.
She thought of Adeline and Jane, two women who’d stayed here in the past, giving up everything in the future to be with their husbands. In truth, Nancy had thought they were mad, but if their husbands were as talented in the bedroom as Hunter, then maybe she could understand them a little better.
That being said, she wasn’t going to be bewitched into calling the past her home, just because of a man who kissed so very well and made her feel things she hadn’t felt before.
She wasn’t going to make their mistake, even if they claimed to be blissfully happy.
No one could be happy without coffee, if nothing else.
“I ken,” Hunter said blithely, pushing off the bed and making his way over to the casement window. “That’s why I daenae understand why ye ran off like ye were about to be dragged straight to a church.”
“What?” She frowned at his muscular back, but he didn’t turn.
“Ye’re leavin’, as ye said, so we daenae have to marry.”
“But you said—”
“We daenae have to set a date until ye confirm to me when ye’re leavin’,” he spoke over her. “We can just pretend to be betrothed until ye go, and the gossipers in me clan will cease talkin’ about it.”
Nancy took a moment to slow her breathing while her mind raced.
How many people had seen their compromising wake-up call? Had it spread through the castle already?
She tried to remember what position she’d been in when she woke up, and prayed she’d still been tucked into his side. Otherwise, thanks to the flimsy fabric of his shirt, people would’ve seen a lot more of her than she was happy with.
“I don’t care what anyone has to say about me,” she declared, though it was a lie.
It was a universal truth that abandoned children, even grown-ups, always sought the validation of others.
But in this case, his people could whisper about her all they liked.
She wouldn’t be around long enough for it to bother her, not unless some historian found an entry about a peculiar woman who showed up for a couple of weeks, was found outside in the Hawk’s arms, got engaged to him, then vanished again.
Oh God, please don’t let anyone write about me.
For a moment, she wondered if this was how some of the people she’d written articles about felt.
“I’ve never cared what anyone has to say about me,” she added. “If they ask, I’ll tell them I was drowning, and you saved me, and you were just holding me to warm me up so I didn’t die of hypothermia.”
“And if they ask why I didnae just carry ye inside?” he asked, finally turning to look at her.
“Nancy, I daenae want them whisperin’ about ye, and I daenae want them gossipin’ about how I killed me second bride too when ye go back to where ye came from.
There’s nay harm to either of us in showin’ that we like each other, that we get along.
That when ye leave, it’s a friendly partin’. ”
Nancy huffed out a breath, her stomach turning somersaults. “But you didn’t kill your wife.”
“I ken that, and they all should ken it, but nae all of them do. They think me a brute who doesnae deserve me position, even though the council appointed me.” He shrugged. “I had a reputation in the war. Ruthless. Killin’ me cousin didnae help that much.”
A snort escaped her. “No, I suppose it wouldn’t do much for your public image.” She paused. “They don’t know you saved the councilmen’s children by killing him?”
“Some do, some daenae, some daenae believe it,” he said with a sigh.
“What ye have to understand, lass, is that there are people in me clan who want the war. They lost a lot, and they want to finish what me cousin started, purely for vengeance. So, when I say the sky is blue, they’ll say it’s red.
When I say snow is white, they’ll say it’s black. Do ye ken what I mean?”
She gave a small nod. “I do.”
“Nay, lass, ye daenae say that until the wedding that willnae happen,” he replied with a smirk, and she rolled her eyes at him.
It wasn’t fair that someone who looked the way he did could have a sense of humor.
It wasn’t fair that he had the brute strength and the brains, and had listened to her stories of the future without judgment or calling her a witch again.
It wasn’t fair that he was a generous lover while also being incredibly well-endowed, and it definitely wasn’t fair that he could make her feel all flustered while seeming entirely unfazed.
No one is supposed to be so damn perfect.
Frankly, it was as annoying as it was enticing.
“If they think you killed your wife, where do they think Freya came from?” she asked, biding her time so she could think more clearly.
He stole an apple from the fruit bowl that had been set out for her and tossed it from hand to hand for a moment. “A decoy. A random orphan bairn that nay one would miss, so I could clear me name of any wrongdoing.”
Not for a second did Nancy believe that to be true.
She’d seen Freya’s eyes; they were identical to her father’s, and that color wasn’t so common to come by, that mossy golden green.
Even at three months old, there were so many features that had clearly come from him, but Nancy guessed she would have to explain DNA and chromosomes if she was going to convince anyone that way, and she wasn’t at all qualified.
Adeline, on the other hand, could probably forge a better argument that the doubters in his clan might listen to. Or not, if all they wanted was to resume the war.
“So, what do ye say?” Hunter asked, before biting into the crisp fruit.
She couldn’t help but stare at the apple, subconsciously licking her lips.
It might not be the worst idea ever, she mused as she watched him.
If they were betrothed, she wouldn’t have to be so careful about where she went or who she spoke to.
It might give her the freedom and the time to explore more of the castle, to explore this era as a whole, immersing herself in it as any good reporter ought to.
When else would she have a chance like this?
This would be a hell of an article, even if no one ever read it.
Maybe she wouldn’t write it at all, but at least she could make some incredible, extensive notes for Emily.
There was no research in the world that could beat living in the 1700s, in the castle of the Hawk, learning everything there was to know about him.
I already have a few pointers for her.
A flush crept into her cheeks as she watched him swallow the bite. Even that got her hot under the collar, her pulse quickening.
Then again, the longer she stayed, the harder it would be to leave. Rather, the closer she got to him, the harder it would be to leave.
She already knew she had two weeks until Adeline came back, which didn’t seem like such a long time.
But a fortnight with Hunter, being near him, acting like she cared, playing the fond fiancée, risking getting into another compromising situation with him every time he looked at her with that intense gaze of his… It was a dangerous proposition.
By the time I leave, it’ll be two weeks until he dies.
Her stomach lurched at the thought.
What if, in two weeks, all that time spent with Hunter made her want to do something truly stupid? Like trying to change history to make sure Freya still had a father?
Adeline had already warned her that she couldn’t change the past.
“If you write about the rest, the avenues will close. People aren’t supposed to time travel, and if it gets messed around with too much, I truly believe it’ll spit us out or drag you back or the world will fold in on itself…”
Theories, sure, but terrifying possibilities. How much would the world’s past and future buckle if Nancy saved Hunter from his already destined fate? Would she… break the universe?
There was a tremendous article in there somewhere, but it wasn’t one she wanted to know the conclusion to, for either ending.
“Nancy?” Hunter prompted, her name falling like a spell from his lips.
Her gaze snapped up to his, a slight frown of concern creasing her brow.
For goodness’ sake, control your face!
“I guess we could try it,” she said, her throat tight.
Hunter gave a small nod. “Thank ye, lass. I ken this willnae be easy for ye, but I’ll do what I can to make it… smoother for ye.”
She was about to ask what he meant by that, as if that gleam in his eyes wasn’t answer enough, when a knock sounded at the door.
Her breath caught as she whirled around, wondering if the castle residents had been given some kind of cue sheet as to when she and Hunter would be alone in a rather suspicious fashion.
“Who is it?” she called out.
“It’s Beathan,” a somewhat hesitant voice called back. “Me maither told me to knock on me way past to tell ye that the night maid is retirin’, seein’ as the sun is up.”
Hunter’s eyes flashed with faint annoyance, but he held his tongue.
“Thank you, Beathan. I’ll be along in a minute,” Nancy replied, her heart pounding. She’d already been caught out by one of Hunter’s cousins; she didn’t need to make it a pair.
“Very good, Miss Kane,” Beathan said, followed by the echo of his footsteps retreating.
As her heart rate began to slow, Nancy shot a warning look at Hunter. “Wait a couple of minutes, and then you need to leave so that I can get dressed and get on with my day. I’d say there’s already been far too much excitement.”
“Och, but if ye have a couple of minutes to spare, there could be a little more excitement,” he purred.
She jabbed an accusatory finger at him. “I don’t have a couple of minutes, but I need you to sneak out of here without anyone seeing you. So, just… stand there and eat your apple and then get out.”
“I can help ye with yer dress if ye like?” he offered casually, though he did take another bite of the apple he’d stolen.
She ignored him and went to her wardrobe, sifting through the dresses that had been gathered for her, painfully aware of his eyes on her, following her every movement.
A Hawk, indeed.