Theodore glancedat her and lifted his chin up. “Suppose for some it might be. But I cannae afford such luxuries in life. There are far too many people who’d use that against me if they could.”
“Ye have many enemies?”Madison asked as Theo stopped rubbing her palm and moved to the tips of her fingers. She couldn’t help but feel her muscles relaxing with each passing moment. The laird had strong fingers that managed to kneed out knots from her muscles she didn’t know she had.
“Nay,”he answered. “Other than the fools runnin’ that horrid game. I swear, whomever thought of the hunt should be strung from the tallest tree and left there as an example for others never to do such vile things again.”
“Ye speakas if ye had been in them,” Madison whispered as she found Theo’s conviction to be so strong it nearly brought her to tears. She wanted to wipe the moisture from her cheeks, but dared not pull away. Theo’s massaging was warming her in ways she refused to stop.
“I’ve seen the aftermath,”he answered as his eyes bore into her. There was a yearning brewing and boiling under the surface of her skin. She could feel the heat rising to a crescendo. Whatever the sensation was, she didn’t want it to end. It was as if for the very first time in her life, someone finally saw her. “But I’m sure it’s nothin’ compared to livin’ through it.”
Madison let outa heavy sigh as Theo’s fingers moved up her forearm. His touch was like hot coals blazing a trail through the frigid wilderness. Little bumps rose over her arm as she found her body longing to be closer to the source of the heat.
“Ye’re safe here,ye ken that right?” Theodore asked as he slowly lifted a hand. His eyes locked on her, hunting for any signfrom her that would have him stop. Madison held her breath as she felt the back of his fingers graze over her cheek.
Madison didn’t knowwhat to believe. Her world had been flipped around so many times she was starting to get whiplash. She watched Theo’s dark eyes shift to her lips for a moment. She bit her lower lip, testing his response. Her heart raced as Theo leaned closer, slipping his hand around the nap of her neck. His lips crushed against hers, moving with a need that matched her own.
The world spunaround her as she tried to keep her wits about her. But it was no use. Theo’s mouth moved as his tongue taunted hers to come out and play. Her lips parted, allowing him the access he so craved. The moment she curled her arms around his neck, he pulled back.
“I’ll seethe arrangements are made right away,” he muttered just as Edith stepped back into the infirmary.
“Me Laird,did ye want me to leave and come back again?” Edith asked as she adverted her eyes to the ground.
“Nay,”Theodore answered as he rose from Madison’s bed side. His kiss still burned as she watched him move to the door. “Ye’re needed here. See that me betrothed is well taken care of. I cannae have the future Lady MacLeon suffer a limp.”
“What’s this now?”Edith asked in shock.
“Aye,perhaps now is the best time to mention to ye,” Theodore's jaw tightened as he glanced at Madison. "The council's given me a month to marry. So I asked Madison if she would do me the honor of becomin’ me wife and she agreed." He gestured toward her. "Meet the new Lady MacLeon."
Madison's mind went blank.None of this could be real. There was no way the laird would marry someone like her. This had to be a dream—any moment she'd wake, still hollow-eyed and starving in that cage, waiting for the hunt to begin.
“Well,I’m sure there will be those pleased with the news,” Edith answered as she glared at Madison as if questioning her sanity. “I for one am happy this day has finally come.”
Madison’s chest tightened.She hated lying. But if it meant she’d be reunited with her family, she’d do it.
“And what doye have to say about this?” Edith asked Madison. Madison swallowed hard as she stole a glance at Theo. A pretend engagement. A month to heal. She gave a shrug and flashed Edith the biggest smile she could muster. If this was a dream, she was going to make the most of it.
“It’s like a dream come true.”
10
Theodore had glared at the same line of ink for nearly an hour but not a single figure on his parchment made any sense anymore. The numbers tangled and blurred into a twisted mess that somehow resembled her mouth.
Theodore pinchedthe bridge of his nose trying to keep Madison's face from invading his mind, but it was too late, she had infiltrated every aspect of his being. The memory of her lips on his head burned itself into him like a hot poker. Dragging his fingers through his hair he leaned back into his leather seat. The chair protested as he stretched.
He draggedhis hand down his face and forced himself to look at the ledger once more. After all, duty came first, always. At least, that was what his father had ingrained into him.
Yet even dutycouldn't hold his focus. Madison's face kept slipping into his thoughts—the way her eyes had widened whenhe'd kissed her, the softness of her lips, the small gasp she'd made. The memory haunted him like a ghost he couldn't banish.
A soft knockcame out the door. Theodore stiffened, and his heart went into a furious flutter. Theodore held his breath as he felt hope spring like a weed within him. His eyes narrowed as the click of the doorknob sounded like a clap thunder shattering the silence of the study.
"Me laird,if I may have but a moment of yer time."
Aaron slipped into the study,his nervous twitch more pronounced than usual. Theodore bit back a sigh. The councilman always reminded him of a rodent—small, skittish, forever looking for an escape route.
"Yer intrusion better be important,"Theodore said, setting the ledger aside. No matter what he did, there were always distractions. Even now, when he should be focused on his finances, all he could think about was Madison's lips.
Aaron shuffled closer,wringing his hands. "Me laird, I ken ye're a very busy man?—"
"If ye kenI'm busy, then why are ye botherin' me?"
