Chapter 19
Ryder allowed his grin to widen, staring down at Megan. He wondered if she knew how adorably disheveled she looked. Probably not. Calling it a punishment was really just part of their game.
Our game? Ryder thought abruptly, leaning forward to undo the belt tying her hand to the bedpost. That makes it sound serious. We’re only passin’ the time. That’s all there is to it.
His own thoughts worried him more than they should. This was just a job for Megan. They’d struck a bargain, and once her part of the deal was fulfilled, she’d go. And he would have to let her.
His own arousal flagged a little at the thought of her leaving, which was also worrying. Of course, she would leave—everybody left—but she was here now, and that was all that mattered.
It’s because ye are tired, Ryder told himself, firmly ignoring the fact that tiredness or distraction had never done much to cool his desire before.
Megan Blackwood was a beautiful fiend who’d come riding roughshod into his life, but she would not worm her way into his heart.
He’d decided a long time ago that he would keep his heart untouched, and it had to stay that way.
If the thought of Megan leaving him bothered him more than it should, then he would have to work harder to put distance between them.
It was just as well things had not gone further than they did.
His knotted belt loosened at last, and Ryder neatly pulled it free. He frowned when he saw a reddish line on Megan’s wrist.
“Did I pull it too tight?” he questioned, nodding at the mark. “I didnae mean to.”
She flushed, drawing her wrist to her chest. “Nay, nothin’ like that. I… I pulled a wee bit. I hardly kent I was doing it.”
Ryder allowed himself a smile at that, recalling how she’d gasped aloud and arched her back. He was sure he’d heard the bedpost creak under her weight.
“I suppose I should be grateful ye didnae bring the whole bed down under us,” he remarked with a grin, looping his belt around his waist.
“Aye, I suppose so,” Megan responded. She propped herself up on her elbows, her hair disheveled, and just looked at him.
Desire came rushing through Ryder once more, forming a hot knot in his chest. He wanted to lunge forward again.
He wanted to kiss her, to let her taste herself on his tongue.
He wanted to wrap his arms around her, take her hand, and guide it down to his legs, so she could feel how hot and desperate he was for her.
Nay, nay, nay, ye fool! Have ye learned nothing? If ye want a thing too much, it can poison yer mind. And yer heart. Put her aside.
He rose from the bed and walked over to the fireplace. He could feel Megan’s eyes on him, but fought not to react in any way.
“Do ye plan to keep disobeyin’ me, then?” he asked at last, once he was sure his voice was even and calm.
“If ye keep doin’ things like that as a punishment, then I’ll probably do it on purpose,” she responded.
Ryder could not help but smile at that either. Of course, she couldn’t see his smile, since he was facing the fireplace. The flames were warm and bright on his face. He closed his eyes, watching the flickering brightness through his closed eyelids.
Behind him, he heard the creak of bed-ropes and the rustle of fabric.
That was Megan, he assumed, getting up and straightening her clothes.
He did not allow himself to turn around.
Perhaps she’d want to make her escape as soon as possible.
The night was growing old, and it would be a good idea for them to get as much sleep as they could until the fresh day arrived.
Although Ryder already knew he wouldn’t sleep much that night. He had too much to think about.
Nay! Nay, I daenae! He thought angrily. There is nothin’ to think about.
There is only her, and she is nothin’ to me.
She cannae be anythin’ to me. It is nae as though she cares much for me, either.
She cares for the lasses, I can see that, but nae for me.
Nay, I have made meself thoroughly unpleasant to her, except in a few respects. She’ll nae miss me when she leaves.
“Have ye any wine, or ale?” Megan asked suddenly, making him flinch. He glanced over his shoulder, and there she was, standing neatly beside the bed, as innocent and cool as if nothing had happened. She was watching him.
“Aye, we’ve got wine,” he responded at last. “It’s from last night. Do ye mind?”
“I daenae mind.”
He poured two goblets without thinking much about it. So, she was not in a rush to get to her own room, then. That was fine. Just a shared drink, and then she would leave.
Megan accepted her goblet with a faint smile and took a long drink.
“I suppose we willnae be sleepin’ much tonight, then,” she remarked after a moment. “I should have asked before, but what about…” She paused, glancing significantly down at his trousers. “What about ye? I mean, should I do anythin’?”
He quirked an eyebrow. “Are ye offerin’?”
She reddened. “I suppose so.”
“Do ye ken what to do?”
“Not exactly. But I’m a quick learner, and if ye can just…”
“I’m fine, lassie,” Ryder said firmly, ignoring the pulse of desire low in his gut. Control was what mattered here. He’d thought he was so clever, finding a loophole in her request, kissing her, not touching her. As if there was a difference. He dared not risk losing control, not again.
“Oh. I see,” Megan murmured, looking a little deflated. “As ye wish, then. I suppose I willnae be here long enough to learn much, in any case. I take it that I willnae have to stay for the cèilidh now?”
He pursed his lips. “Ye assume wrong.”
She frowned. “But the danger is all but gone now. Hamish said…”
“The lad might have been responsible for some of me concerns,” Ryder interrupted, “but there’s more that worries me.”
“Oh?”
He kicked a pile of clothing off the stool and lowered himself down.
“There is danger to Alaina,” Ryder said firmly.
“While I might have let me panic run away with me, there’s nay doubt in me mind that somebody does wish her harm.
Or perhaps wishes me harm and plans to achieve that through her.
It does nae matter. Now, I ken that Hamish was nae behind the attack on the road on our way to the dressmaker’s.
So, the question is, who was behind it?”
Megan thought this over for a moment, frowning. Lost in thought, she tapped her front teeth gently against the rim of her goblet. He found himself transfixed by the movement, watching how her full pink lips, lightly stained with wine, pressed against the goblet.
Stop it, fool!
He cleared his throat loudly, forcing himself to look away—at something else, at anything else.
“It could just be bandits,” she said at last. “Aye, it would be odd for them to strike so close to the Keep, but nae unheard of, surely?”
“Nae bandits,” Ryder answered firmly. “Me faither and I were very hard on bandits and robbers. We worked hard to clear the lands of thieves, and—more importantly—we ensured that no one in our clan is so desperate, poor, and hungry as to resort to stealing.”
This seemed to surprise Megan. “That cannae be true.”
He gave a wry smile. “Nay? We’re famous for it.
When it comes to bandits, they are rarely found on MacCulloch land.
Oh, I willnae swear that there’s nae a single bandit in me clan, but I can promise ye this,” he waved his finger in the air for emphasis, “nay MacCulloch bandit is a fool enough to attack a carriage leaving the Keep in broad daylight. That was an attack, lass, I can tell ye that now.”
He sat back and waited to see the effect his words would have on her. Megan was quiet for a moment, perhaps mulling over what he’d said. Almost absentmindedly, she lifted a stack of books from a chair and sat down, crossing one leg neatly over the other.
The movement revealed a few inches of her ankle, and Ryder found himself wishing he could encircle her ankle with his hand. Her skin would be warm, he was sure. He could slide his hand upward over the curve of her calf, to the hinge of her knee, and then upward…
Enough! Now is nae the time!
“So, it’s nae over, then,” Megan murmured flatly. “Alaina is still in danger?”
He nodded grimly. “I believe so. Me guess is that somebody found out about the attempted kidnappin’—well, what we thought was an attempted kidnappin’—and decided to make their own attempts.”
After a moment of silence, Megan leaned forward, tilting her head.
“Ye killed the men who tried to take Alaina the first time, did ye nae? The men Hamish hired? Do ye feel guilty about it?”
Ryder shook his head. “They were mercenaries, and while Hamish was innocent as to what mercenaries are like, I ken full well what they’re capable of.
They’ve probably committed worse crimes.
In this case, as far as they kent, they were kidnappin’ a lass simply because a lad wanted to marry her.
If they were willin’ to do that for money, I’ll nae lose sleep over their deaths. ”
Megan nodded slowly. “Fair enough.”
“The mercenaries are not me problem anymore,” Ryder continued, draining his goblet. “Whoever tried to take Alaina from the carriage, however, is me problem. They’ll strike again, I’ll wager, so yer purpose in all of this is nae over yet. I’ll need ye for a while longer.”
He could feel Megan’s eyes on his face. What was she trying to see in his expression? What was she looking for? He avoided her eyes.
“They’ll strike again? Ye are sure?” she said at last.
He nodded. “I’ve been seen to drop me guard. They’ll try again, and I ken when they’ll try. At the…”
“At the cèilidh,” she finished, understanding dawning. “So that’s why ye daenae want me leavin’ yet.”