“Dinnae cover yerself. Ye’re beautiful.”
“I’m indecent!”
“Ye’re perfect.” Before she could protest further, his mouth was on hers, hot and demanding and completely overwhelming. The kiss was nothing like their wedding kiss. His hands tangled in her wet hair, holding her still while his mouth claimed hers. She kissed him back just as fiercely, her body pressing against his of its own accord.
This is madness, she thought dimly. Complete and utter madness.
But she couldn’t bring herself to care, not when he was kissing her like she was the air he needed to breathe, like he’d been starving for the taste of her mouth. Then he broke away, leaving her swaying, breathless, with his face now unreadable.
“That was...” she started.
This is a business arrangement. Nothing more.
“A mistake,” he finished.
“A terrible mistake,” she agreed, even as her body screamed in protest.
“Cannae happen again.”
“Elijah?”
“We need to go back.” His voice was clipped, businesslike.
“What? Why?”
“Because this is exactly what I cannae afford to happen.” He was already moving toward shore, leaving her standing alone in the water.
“I daenae understand.”
“Ye’re a distraction, Iris.” He grabbed his shirt from where he’d left it. “And I cannae afford distractions.”
If Elijah had slapped her, it would not have hit harder. One moment, he’d been kissing her like his life depended on it, touching her like he would never let go, and the next, he was dismissing her as inconvenient.
“A distraction,” she repeated, her voice flat.
“Aye.” He gestured between them. “Whatever just happened, it cannae repeat itself.”
“Why? Because it might interfere with yer precious work?”
“Because it’s nae what either of us signed up for.” He pulled his shirt over his head, not meeting her eyes. “This marriage is an arrangement. It serves a purpose. That’s all.”
“And if I daenae agree?”
“Then ye’ll have to learn to live with disappointment.” His tone was cold now, all warmth gone. “Get dressed. We’re goin’ back.”
Iris stared at him, hurt and confused and angry all at once. A few minutes ago, he’d been looking at her like she was the most beautiful thing he’d ever seen. Now, he was treating her like a mistake to be corrected.
Fine. If that’s how ye want to play this.
She waded toward shore with as much dignity as she could muster, which wasn’t much given that she was soaking wet and practically naked. But she kept her chin up and her expression neutral even as her heart hammered from the blow of rejection on her lingering desire.
“Ye’re right,” she said as she reached for her dress. “This was a mistake. It willnae happen again.”
Regret flickered in his expression, quickly followed by disappointment, but it was gone so quickly she might have imagined it.
“Good,” he said. “We understand each other then.”
“Perfectly.”
