“I’ve heard some disturbing things.”
His grave expression put her on edge. “Such as?”
He shook his head. “I’m just afraid that if Scotland doesn’t come to her senses, then our whole way of life will change.”
Cait looked down at the empty plate and suppressed a shiver of foreboding. She thought of her conversation with Halloway about the clan system dissolving. Surely both men were being overly pessimistic. England and Scotland had been at odds for years. Battles broke out, things settled down until the next battle. It had been that way forever.
Iain leaned forward and kissed her. Startled, Cait drew away, and he settled back in his seat. “I’ve been wanting to do that since we sat down.”
“Have ye?” Her lips tingled.
“I’ve missed you, Cait. I don’t think I had the opportunity to tell you how much I enjoyed our afternoon together.”
She looked down at the cracks in the wooden table. She’d made love to three men in her life. It wasn’t like she was a young virgin who had no idea what to do. There was no reason to be embarrassed, yet she was.
“Cait?”
Iain was watching her with an intensity that made her squirm from a need that came upon her so suddenly that she was almost dizzy with it. She could practically read the memories in those dark eyes of his, and it was making her body heat up.
“Did you enjoy yourself the other day?”
“Oh, yes,” she breathed, causing him to laugh.
“You undo me, Cait Campbell.”
For once he wasn’t hiding his emotions. Naked desire was written all over his face.
“I’ve missed you,” he said. “And not just for that.”
“Iain…” Though she didn’t know what she was about to say, she wanted to stop his words. She’d had the same thoughts, but they frightened her. She didn’t want a relationship like that with him.
He leaned forward to put his hand over hers. Her fingers twitched but she didn’t pull away.
“What are you thinking?” he asked.
“That ye frighten me.”
“My intention was never to frighten you.”
“I’m not frightened that ye’ll do me bodily harm. Just that ye’ll do my heart harm.”
He contemplated her for a long moment. “Are you saying that your feelings for me are so strong that they frighten you? Are you afraid I’ll turn your life upside down and change everything that makes you comfortable?”
“Please, Iain. We can’t go there.”
“Why?”
“Because this is my home. This is where I’m comfortable.”
He contemplated her. He was always thinking, always planning, always one step ahead of everyone, and that put her on edge.
“What are ye thinking?” she asked warily.
“That I’m glad I make you uneasy.”
“That’s no’ a very nice thing to want to do to someone.”
“You’re hiding out here in your little cottage on the edge of nowhere.”
