“Then stop telling me what to do.”
He grinned, and after a moment she grinned back.
“We’re bickering,” he said.
“We are.”
“I don’t recall the last time I bickered with anyone.”
“Because everyone is afraid to bicker with ye.”
“They are? Why?”
“Because ye’re intimidating and not very approachable.”
He was offended. “I’m approachable.”
She rolled her eyes. “Nay, ye aren’t.”
“People are afraid of me?”
“Nay, but they’re wary of ye.”
He’d carefully cultivated that reputation so people wouldn’t get close, but he still wanted them to come to him if they needed to. “You’re not wary of me.”
She shrugged. “I’ve nothing to lose and have neither the time nor the energy for such things.”
“Is that why you help Sutherland? Because you have nothing to lose?”
She pushed her finger into his chest and smiled. “Nice try.”
He sighed. “Cait…”
“Nay.” She shook her head and stepped back. “We’ll not discuss this any longer.”
He glared at her, not liking thatshewas tellinghimwhat to do but most of all not liking his inability to make her understand how dangerous her actions were. He leaned back and crossed his arms. “I care about you.” He was almost as surprised as she was when he said it, but he wasn’t about to take the words back. He wasn’t above using every weapon in his arsenal to convince her to stop her foolish actions.
“What did ye say?”
“I said I have feelings for you.” His heart was thundering harder than in any battle. His hands were sweating suddenly. He was fairly certain he’d never been this nervous.
She took a step back and held her hands up as if she could push his words back at him. “No, ye don’t. Ye’re just angry that I won’t do what ye want.”
“No.”
“Stop it, Iain Campbell. Just stop it.” She was looking distressed, and he was a bit hurt that his proclamation had been met with so much angst. “Ye don’t know what ye’re saying.”
“I always know what I’m saying.” Now that he’d admitted it out loud, he was convinced it was the right thing to say. That didn’t mean his feelings didn’t frighten him as much as they apparently frightened Cait.
“This…It’s not…” She blew out a breath.
“I like ye flustered.”
“Stop this! Yedon’tlike me. Yedon’thave feelings for me. Yecan’t.”
“And why can’t I?”
“I…” She looked away and bit her lower lip.
