Chapter 9 #2
“I am not married.” She winced as she finally met his gaze, stepping closer. “That is where I lied to you.”
Hunter’s entire body felt as if someone had dropped him in the half-frozen River Dee. “What?” he croaked.
“I am not married. I never have been married.”
“What?”
This wasn’t real. Was he still dreaming? Wake up, man!
Helena frowned, her hands clasped in front of her stomach, that white gown looking so fooking innocent he wanted to rip it from her and press his mouth to her skin—Focus, ye dobber.
“Hunter, I am not certain there is any other way to say it. What are you not understanding? I do not have a husband.”
When had he stepped away from the dressing table? He was upright now, standing in the center of the room, staring at her incredulously. “Ye’re no’ married?”
“Oh dear.” She frowned at him, her clasped hands raising to her chest. “Did you hit your head somewhere. Is the blood from your—”
“Helena!” When he stepped forward, the towel fell off and he scrambled to grab it and press it against his crotch.
“Goodness, you’re naked!”
“The naked man fears no pickpocket,” Hunter snapped before he shook his head and tried to cover himself with a wad of terrycloth while gaping at her. “Wait, no—ye’re no’ married? Ye dinnae have a husband?”
She sighed, then said slowly and loudly, as if that was going to help him. “I am not married. I never was. There is no Mr. Lickfold—well, there was,” she corrected herself conscientiously, “but he was my father.”
“I beg yer what?”
“My father was—”
“Why in the shite would ye lie to me?” he roared. When he saw her flinch, he realized how livid he’d sounded and tried to modulate his tone, even as his temper burned. He wasn’t so much angry as confused—nay…hurt? “Lie to us,” he corrected. “Everyone.”
“I am sorry,” she whispered, her gaze resting on the bed. “I did not think…”
When Helena blew out a breath, he snorted. “Nay, ye obviously did no’.”
Her eyes snapped back up to his. “When I began the distillery, it was easier to get everyone to listen to me if they believed I was married. These men had lived and worked on Islay for generations, and I was desperate to convince them I was…” She shrugged, dropped her hands to her sides once more.
“Once I told Angus, my Head Stillman, that my husband was the one giving them orders and signing off on their wage packet, they were all far more willing to listen to what I had to say.”
“So I’m no’ the only one ye’ve been lying to?” Hunter dragged a hand through his hair, the realization making him feel not a bit better. “Bull as well, and all yer men.”
“I am sorry,” she repeated softly.
When he scowled, she lurched forward as if to reach for him, but drew up short. He used the momentary reprieve to fumble with the towel, wrapping it around his waist once more.
Why should he bother? It wasn’t as if they hadn’t seen—felt—one another’s bodies already.
Despite his best efforts to remain irritated, his cock twitched at the memory of her taste. Dinnae think about that.
“After six years of happily accepting my orders, Angus came to me,” she explained quietly, concern in her eyes.
Concern that he wouldn’t believe her? “He said that if we were to become serious contenders for the Best of Islay, the men needed to have faith in who was giving them orders. The man giving them orders.”
“That’s ridiculous,” Hunter spat out before he could think better of it. He frowned. “Ye’re perfectly capable of giving them orders—it should be obvious, if ye’re making such wonderful whisky.”
Her smile was a little sad. “Yes, but they do not realize it. I could not confess my lie then, not after six years, not when we were on the cusp of greatness—I could not afford to lose any of them.” She shrugged.
“So I lied and told them my husband was coming for a visit. I would travel to London to collect him, and…”
This time her lips twisted ruefully as she gestured toward Hunter.
“I am sorry. I thought this would be simple. I hired you as nothing more than an actor, someone who could charm my men and convince them you could be trusted. When you left, I would just continue to give them orders, continuing to pretend they come from you.” She wrapped her arms around her middle, dropping her gaze to the floor. “I did not expect…”
He stepped toward her before he’d even recognized the intent as he rasped, “Expect what?”
A hitch of one shoulder, as if she couldn’t quite confess that she didn’t know what to say. “I did not expect my hired husband to be so…intriguing. Tempting.” When she finally looked up, there was anguish in her expression. “I did not expect to like you, Hunter, not as much as I do.”
Well, fook, he couldn’t stay mad at her, could he?
Hunter crossed the distance between them in a heartbeat, gathering her in his arms. “I didnae expect to like ye as much as I do, sweetheart…but ye’ll forgive me if I’m still a little shocked. I kenned only that I was considering a dalliance with a married woman.”
When she tipped her head back, he saw she’d been chewing on her bottom lip again, and fought the urge to pull it into his own mouth.
“Is this not better?” Helena whispered. “We are not harming anyone, are we?”
“I’m harming yer reputation.” The protest was half-hearted, the hour still early and the door locked. “Lass, a lady like ye shouldnae lower—”
In a blink, her expression turned fierce. “You are not lower, Hunter Lindsay.”
His lips twitched and he bent his head a little closer. “Hunter Lickfold, I think we decided.”
With a sigh, Helena squirmed in his hold so she could snake her arms around his waist, then pressed her cheek against his shoulder. “I prefer you as Hunter Lindsay, and I do not like that I have forced you to lie.”
“Och, lass.” He tipped his head to rest his cheek against her hair. “I work for Bull. This is my job. I’m good at lying, if that’s what’s called for, or becoming other people. That is why ye hired me.”
“Yes, but…” Her palms pressed against his back. “But I like the you I have been privileged to know this last week.”
Had it only been a week? Hunter shifted slightly, the feel of her pressing against him in that thin nightrail playing havoc with his control. “I—” He had to swallow. “I like ye too, lass. I understand why ye lied, and I appreciate ye telling me the truth.”
With a hum, she ran one palm up his bare spine and shifted the other one toward his arse. He squeezed his eyes shut trying to maintain control of his cock, which was now pressed against the inside of the suddenly-too-flimsy towel kilt.
“I confess I did a bit more than liking what we shared last night.” Her breath tickled his bare chest. “Hunter, I was not lying when I said that was the most remarkable experience of my life.”
Och, aye, his cock definitely had an opinion about that confession.
“Helena…” he groaned.
“I would like…” She turned her head slightly, so her lips brushed his skin. “I would like to do it again sometime, if you are willing to forgive my despicable deception.”
Deception? What deception? Hunter struggled for reason. “Sweetheart, if ye’re unmarried, ye should save this experience for yer husband—”
“Everyone in Scotland believes me to be married. If I ever did marry—perhaps I could claim to be widowed or something…” He felt her lips curl against him. “My husband would expect me to be experienced, just as you did. I want that experience.”
And he wanted to be the man who gave it to her. Who made her cry in ecstasy again. Who was the only one to have ever touched that perfect dark skin.
With a groan, Hunter dropped his hands to her hips, shifting to bring his cock into contact with her warmth. “Helena, are ye certain?”
She tipped her head back, lips parted eagerly. “Please, Hunter. I rather suspect you want this too.”
His chuckle sounded more like a bark. “I’m going to make ye scream my name, sweetheart, and I dinnae care who hears ye. If ye ever do marry”—although the thought of her with another man made his heart clench in strange ways—”I’m always going to be the one ye’re thinking of.”
Her breathing had quickened. “Oh yes—Hunter Lindsay, I would like you to ruin me for other men, please.”
When he bent his lips to capture hers, his towel finally fell off for good.
Neither of them worried about picking it up.