Chapter 12 #2
“Ye have been busy since I last saw ye yesterday.” His surprise was quickly replaced by a confident smirk once again.
Melissa hated the way he could be smug and attractive all at the same time. It made her want to lean in and kiss him with all of her pent-up fury.
“I have, actually. Far more than you have. She took me to her cottage, and we healed a little girl. What have you done since last you harassed me yesterday?”
“Harassed ye?” His voice became thicker, and his eyes darkened as he leaned in a little closer and whispered, “Ye didnae seem as if ye werenae enjoying the harassment.” He held her gaze as he spoke.
“On the contrary, the sounds coming from yer lips seemed to imply that ye were enjoying it a little too much.”
Heat rose in her loins once again as she looked at his lips, breathing a little harder as she recalled the feeling of them pressed against hers.
Her hands tightened on the spine of the book in her lap.
“You didn’t exactly give me a chance to speak,” she whispered back, leaning a little closer as if her body had a mind of its own, a problem that only seemed to occur whenever Daniel was around.
‘‘I dinnae need to hear what yer saying when yer body is agreeing.” His voice became huskier. “Yer reactions do all the talking for ye.”
“Is there a reason you came out here?” she asked, her lips mere inches away from his. “Or did you simply come to vex me again?”
“Aye, I did have a reason. I had a mind to finish the discussion we started yesterday.”
She could feel the warmth of his breath on her skin as his gaze fell down to her chest. “But I also came to tell ye that I’d be away on business for a day or two.”
“Sounds to me like you’re running away.” Her lips remained parted as her voice took on a sensual quality. “It would appear that you can’t handle the fight that you have started.”
“Is that a challenge?” His tone matched hers as his head dipped a little closer, bringing the heat of his body nearer to her.
“If you’d like to take it as one.” She suddenly became quite flustered as her eyes fluttered shut, their heads resting against each other.
“I beg yer pardon, Me Laird,” Isla’s voice interrupted the moment, making them both sit up and look.
“What is it?” they both snapped in unison, unintentionally taking their frustrations out on the poor maid.
Isla seemed hurt as she glared at Melissa, presumably blaming her for Daniel’s abrupt behavior. “There is a lady at the kitchen doors that wished to see you, Me Lady,” she said, her stubby nose thrust in the air and her hands folded at her abdomen.
“Did she happen to say what her name was or what she needed?” Melissa asked with one eyebrow raised, challenging the maid to disrespect her in front of Daniel.
The relationship between the two women hadn’t improved much in the days since Melissa had moved in. Isla still treated her as if she were someone to be regarded as an annoyance.
“Meidra,” Isla reluctantly replied, pursing her lips. “She didnae say what it was about, just that she had something to give as a thank you for helping her.” she added bitterly, seemingly unimpressed by the fact that Melissa had helped anyone at all.
“Oh.” Melissa perked up and stood, feeling relief from the heated tension between her and Daniel.
“Somebody ye ken?” Daniel asked her curiously.
“Yes,” she replied with a teasing smile, slipping back into their flirtatious banter with ease. It didn’t matter how annoyed he made her, not when the heat between them always seemed to come back with ease. “Not somebody that you would know, I’m afraid.”
“Leave us, Isla,” he ordered the maid and stood, looking down at Melissa, focusing all of his attention on her once again.
“I will be waiting for ye at the back door of the kitchens, Me Lady,” Isla said in a hurt tone before leaving them be.
“What wild schemes have ye been up to now, ye little minx?” Daniel asked his wife, ignoring the attitude of his head maid.
The look in his eyes drove Melissa wild as a mischievous smile spread across her lips. “I guess you will never know, since you have other things to attend to,” She lifted her skirts and turned to leave.
Daniel’s hand shot out, gripping her arm and spinning her around before drawing her in for a lingering kiss that made her breath catch in her throat.
Melissa’s body immediately softened against his as her breath filled his lungs, allowing a contended sigh to escape her lips.
The sound filled him with pleasure as he realized with great reluctance that he’d need to let her go. “I’ll expect an explanation when I return,” he growled against her lips and took a step back.
“Is that a threat?” Melissa asked through labored breaths as she drew away, completely aroused by the foreplay that seemed to linger between them no matter what.
“If ye want it to be.” He gave her a charming smile that completely disarmed her before slowly stepping back and turning on his heel. “I’ll leave ye to carry on with yer schemes,” he called over his shoulder, then winked at her.
Melissa watched him as he walked away from her and toward the castle. He’d gotten her hot and bothered again, leaving her to deal with the aftermath of her feelings.
What did she feel? She asked herself as the heat she felt toward him was suddenly replaced by doubt and fear.
She’d realized with shocking clarity after visiting Beitris that children were something she wanted in her future.
But how was that possible when Daniel had said they would not be lying together as husband and wife?
Her mind filled with all kinds of questions as she watched him go. Did he not want to have any children? Did he not like them? Was it simply his rakish ways that kept him back from wanting a family and settling down?
There had to be something in his past that was keeping him from giving his heart to her completely. She couldn’t be mistaken in his attraction toward her, not after the way he had come and said goodbye.
She chewed on her lower lip and asked herself why she even cared that Daniel never wanted to have a child with her. She had married him for the convenience of saving her reputation and nothing more.
It’s not like I’m falling in love with him…
Her thoughts felt like a stab in her gut as she realized that she couldn’t say with absolute certainty that she would never fall for Daniel Forrester.