CHAPTER FIFTEEN #3
He was going to wake up and smile at her, and everything was going to be all right.
She realized he was staring at her.
“Good morning,” she whispered, and his embrace tightened.
His gaze was soft as she had never seen it before. It moved slowly over her face. Then, to her amazement, she felt his body stiffen against her hip.
“Aidan?”
He smiled at her. “A simple smile an’ ye make me want to repeat last night—all of it,” he murmured.
“Okay,” she said. But she was thrilled to see such a tender smile, and the look in his eyes mirrored it.
His smile widened, and she saw a deep dimple for the very first time. Her heart went still. It was almost too good to be true, she thought.
His smile faded as he continued to gaze at her. “Yer a woman of great passion, Brianna Rose,” he said. “Yer nay like yer mother. Yer far more beautiful, kind an’ loyal—to the very end.”
Brie touched his face. “Down the road you’ll have to stop lurking.” Then she froze. What did he mean, exactly?
He threw the covers aside, sliding to his feet.
It was cold, and Brie pulled them back up, alarmed.
She watched him cross the room, and it was impossible to take her gaze off his muscular, magnificent body.
He knelt to stoke the fire, back rippling, thighs bulging.
She stared at his hands, which were large and strong, the harbingers of so much incredible pleasure.
He straightened, glanced at her with a slight smile and then began dressing.
He had said she’d be loyal to the very end. “Is there a rush?” Brie asked carefully.
“Aye. I lingered with ye for an entire day. ’Tis afternoon already.” He belted the leine and picked up the black plaid.
Her heart skipped a beat. “You’re not going to Urquhart…are you?”
He pinned the plaid to one shoulder. “Aye. I’ll ride after I break the fast.”
She was disbelieving. MacNeil had been wrong—or had he? She frantically sought Aidan’s feelings. He was very calm—too calm! She couldn’t find despair, grief or rage. Was that positive? She began to calm down, as well. Had she healed him? “What will you do?”
He folded his arms. “Even I must obey a royal summons.”
Brie slid from the bed. His gaze instantly moved down her bare body as she hurried to her pile of clothes.
She jerked on the sweatshirt, shivering.
“Aidan, it’s obvious what will happen. Moray will possess Frasier and you will be accused of treason.
He will hope to somehow destroy you in a hanging. ”
“Yer so clever,” he said quietly. “Aye, I believe Moray will use Frasier to try to destroy me. But I’ll destroy him first.”
“And how will you do that?”
“I took power yesterday, Brianna.” He flushed. “I’m nay afraid to fight with Moray.”
“But I’m afraid for you! Promise me you won’t choose to die!” Her grandmother’s ring suddenly hurt her finger.
“I plan to destroy Moray, Brianna,” he said, his face hard. “But I have no death wish.”
Brie was not relieved or reassured. In fact, she was overcome with dread. “And what if Moray is invincible?” she cried desperately.
“Ye can pray that isna the case.”
He wasn’t going to change his mind. “What about Ian? What about me?”
His face hardened. “This is fer Ian! Did ye think yer love would make me forget my vengeance? I have spent decades waitin’ to kill Moray. I’ll do so now—today.”
“I can see you will go to Urquhart no matter what I say. Please don’t go alone.
” Brie began to tremble uncontrollably. “Please take Malcolm, Royce and Guy with you. Let me come with you. And Allie—she can heal you—and Tabby, so she can throw her spells at Moray until something works. Please. They love you! I love you.”
He reached for her. “Dinna cry fer me. Ye should be pleased. Yer love has healin’ power, because I have a care for all ye’ve mentioned. Malcolm has a son, an’ recently a daughter. Royce will wish fer children soon. The Macleod has many children. There’s nay need to bring them into this.”
“There’s every need,” she insisted, throwing her arms around him and burrowing against him.
She held him hard, her face to his chest, and he wrapped his powerful arms around her and held her back as tightly.
It crossed her treacherous mind that this could be the last moment she ever saw or held him.
“Please, dinna cry,” he said quietly, his mouth against her hair. “Yer tears willna change what I must do today.”
Fear stabbed through her. Grandma Sarah’s image flashed, and she twisted off her grandmother’s ring. “Take this.”
His eyes widened. “Ye give me a betrothal ring?”
She almost laughed. “No. My grandmother gave me this, and she was the wisest person I have ever known. She fought evil her entire life with spells and magic, like Tabby. I have always believed this ring has kept me safe. Maybe it will keep you safe.” She choked.
“And it’s a token of my feelings for you. ”
He unclasped his necklace and slipped her ring onto the chain, so it hanged beside the wolf’s fang. She decided then that the moment he left, she would follow. He would not face Moray alone.
“Brianna, in truth, I wish to wear yer ring near my heart,” he said softly, replacing the necklace around his neck. “Ye have warmed my lost soul.”
Brie felt the tears stream. “This is the beginning—our beginning. It is not the end. Remember that.”
His blue gaze kept searching hers, and she sensed he was memorizing every detail of her face. “Yer a fine, brave woman, Brianna Rose.” He tipped up her face and smiled. Then, although tears covered her face, he kissed her.
When he pulled away, Brie was sobbing.
Finally, she’d read his mind. He believed it was their last kiss.
He gave her a look, then vanished.