He wants his sister kept safe,Megan thought, swallowing hard.I understand that. Ma tasked me with keepin’ me sisters safe, and I ken what a burden that was.
And she had kept them safe, hadn’t she? Her sisters were married now, all of them, happy, secure, and contented. Mostly, they’d taken their destinies into their own hands. Of course, they had; they were Blackwood girls.
I dinnae count on bein’ left behind, though.
This was an uncharitable thought. Megan wasnotleft behind, but now that her sisters were married and having children of their own, they would have less time and less room in their hearts for Megan. That was just the way it would be.
Her chest tightened at this thought. Glancing up, she found Ryder’s eyes still lingering on her. A shiver rolled down her spine, and Megan hoped heartily that this would stop happening soon enough.
“If I were to accept yer proposal,” she said at last, choosing her words carefully, “I’d want some ground rules set down.”
He tilted his head, pursing his lips. “Such as?”
“Well, first of all, I am yer betrothed in nameonly. Ye are nae to touch me, or slaver over me, or do anythin’ a betrothed man might expect. Understand?”
He snorted. “I am nae sure ye are in any position to make demands.”
“Perhaps I am. Perhaps I am nae. Either way, these are me terms. I’m nae goin’ to hold hands with ye in public, for certain.”
Ryder gave an amused grin. “Is that what ye think a betrothed lad and lass do together, then? Walk around holdin’ hands? Ye are in for quite a shock if ye ever marry, then.”
Megan’s cheeks heated. She hated how easily she blushed. As a child, her sisters would tease her about it, but as she got older, it stopped being funny and became annoying. It betrayed her emotions far too easily.
Could he read her emotions on her face? She worried that he might. That would put her at a disadvantage if she decided to stay.
Clenching her jaw, Megan glanced down at Da’s book, clutched tightly in her hands. She didn’t want to let it go. If she refused to take up his offer, Megan didn’t really believe he would hurt her. Sheshouldbelieve it, because he had threatened her after all, but there was something about him that made her think… well, made her think otherwise.
Surely a man who loved his sisters so much couldn’t beallbad. Just because he was irritating did not make him abad man.
However, if she did walk out of that room without agreeing to his terms, Megan was under no illusions—she wouldn’t be taking Da’s book with her.
“What do ye say to me offer, then?” she said aloud to distract herself from his talk of what a betrothed lad and lass might do together. Megan wasn’t a fool. She knew the facts of life, knew how babies were made. She knew what men and women got up to together in bed, although it had never much interested her.
Now, though, the idea of it all made her flush a deeper red, her insides tying themselves into knots. When Ryder spoke again, it sent a shiver through her—something powerful and not quite uncomfortable andentirelyincomprehensible.
“I agree,” he responded, taking a step back. She felt that she could breathe again without him standing so close. “I daenae expect ye actually to act like me betrothed, lass, so fear nae about the touchin’. I’ll nae lay a hand on ye.”
Megan blinked. Good. That was good news, wasn’t it? It was hardly a guarantee, but surely a laird would be careful about breaking their word.
“I’m glad to hear it,” she managed last, missing a beat.
Ryder seemed to notice her hesitation, and he chuckled, stretching out one leg to inspect the toe of his boot.
“Ye daenae sound so thrilled,” he commented. “Ye should know that I’ll need to convince others. Me sister and the council will be watchin’ us carefully, and neither of them is easy to fool.”
Megan eyed him suspiciously. “What do ye mean by that?”
He shrugged. “Oh, only that I’ll need to do this and that, ye ken?”
“Nay, I daenaeken. What are ye…” She broke off abruptly when he stepped forward, grinning down at her. He came forward until he almost bumped into her, his grass-green eyes pinning her to the spot. Heat surged through her body, let alone her face, which she was sure was beet red.
He tilted his head, eyes turning soft. Megan felt almost mesmerized. In her head, she knew she ought to step away, to put her back to him and end this strange conversation right here and now. If itwerea conversation in the first place.
He lifted his hand, almost hesitantly, and turned it so that the back of his knuckle ever so faintly grazed the curve of her cheek. It was a gentle touch, barely there, but it seemed to leave a burning trail down her cheek.
“Every now and then,” Ryder whispered, staring unblinkingly down at her, “I may have to do something likethat.”
He slowly ran the pad of his thumb across her lower lip, tugging on it just a little.
