Highlander's Beautiful Liar A Scottish Medieval Highlander Romance Historical Novel - Adamina Young Page 0,52

look at dinner?” she fussed. Thankfully, there was no blood, so whatever he did today, at least he didn’t harm his sutures. “I will help you bathe tonight so you don’t get them wet. Just let me change for dinner, and we can go down.”

“Actually, we’re having dinner here, and I’ve already given the orders for a bath to be set up in my room. Why havna ye moved yer wardrobe into my chambers?”

“You spend so much time here that I thought they were both your chambers,” she said lightly even as her stomach fluttered. She still wasn’t entirely sure where she and Alec stood, but it was a good sign if he wanted all of her things in his room.

Wasn’t it?

“Tomorrow make that yer priority.”

Cora nodded curtly and tried not to think about the fact that any day now, Innes might send a letter back telling her that there are no negotiations. He wanted her, and he’d be willing to go through Alec to get to her.

“Cora.” Alec was impossibly fast, even injured, and she didn’t even realize that he was out of the chair until his hand was gently grasping her elbow. “Look at me. What is wrong? Are ye worried that I cannae keep ye safe?”

He still believed that she was in danger. “No, it’s nothing like that. I’m just worried about everything.”

“I wilnae let anything happen to ye. I swear it,” he growled before he pulled her close. Gasping, her mouth was already open when he kissed her. Hot and urgent, it took her by surprise. She had no defenses against him when he was like this, and she melted against him. Her hands had just started to roam the ripple of muscles along his hard abdomen when there was a knock at the door.

“I have the dinner that ye requested, Laird Alec,” one of the serving girls said on the other side.

“Damnation, but they have terrible timing,” Alec growled against her lips before he kissed her again and released her. Stumbling back, she touched her lips as he opened the door to take the tray. “Jamie will make our excuses at dinner tonight. Hopefully Gaston will be satisfied that I’m romancing my wife.”

At that, her heart plummeted. Of course. It was all just an act. She needed to remember that. Even if her feelings were growing for him, his were not.

Pulling herself back together, she busied herself with pulling two chairs up to the table while he poured two glasses of wine. The makeshift dinner table made, she sat down and forced a smile. “So tell me about the brush fires.”

“A child saw a few people just before the fires started, but he cannae say who they were or if they started the fires. ‘Tis a small village, so it could have been any of our patrols checking in or it could be arson. We need more guards,” he sighed as he buttered his roll.

“Can you ask your brother for some?”

“He has offered, but the Sinclairs have enemies as well, and I already took some of our best men with me. I must stand on my own. I know quite a few men left when Seth took over. I have tasked Kane with tracking them down.”

Cora brightened. Finally, something that she could do. “Mary’s brother is one of them. I’ll talk to her about getting in touch with him. I am sure they would want to work under you.”

“Ye have so much faith in me.”

Yes, she did. She believed in what he was doing here. She believed in his strength and leadership and his big heart.

Bloody hell, I am falling in love with my husband. It is getting a little embarrassing!

“I am your wife. I want to support you,” she said as she grabbed her wine and drank deeply from the cup.

“And apparently it makes ye thirsty.” He watched her with a chuckle. “I have been thinking about what ye said yesterday.”

When his voice lowered like that, all logic she had fled. She was certain she said quite a bit yesterday but she couldn’t quite fathom what he wanted to discuss.

“About our progression.”

Oh. She swallowed hard. “Yes. We maintain some civility, and...”

“Cora, I beg of ye not to finish that sentence,” he said. “I wilnae share ye, and I doona want anyone else. If ye want to talk about where we go from here, then ye need to understand that.”

A little relief swept through her. That was something at least. “I do not want anyone