“Easy for you to say.”
Looking around the hall, Abby’s heart sped up at the many eyes watching her. She gave a slight shake of her head.
Thankfully, Iain gave some sort of silent message to the pipers, and the music slowed enough that with Iain keeping his steps simple, Abby was able to keep up. She only stepped on his feet a few times, and she saw that as a success.
He brought her back to the table, flushed and exhilarated.
“Nicely done,” Maeve said, eyeing Abby warily.
Iain withdrew his arm from under Abby’s hand and sat down, calling for more wine.
As they took up their cups, Alistair and another young man pushed through the great doors and hurried to Iain.
“M’lord?” Alistair said.
Iain stood up. “What is it?”
“Granny sent me. There is to be a great storm hitting us by morning. The strait will be unsailable. She thought you would like to hear the news.”
“Granny was right.” Iain’s shoulders seemed to relax at the lad’s words. “Thank her for me when next you see her.”
“Aye.”
“Now go and have some fun.” Iain waved his arm toward the great hall.
“Thank ye, m’lord.”
Frustration or impatience flashed across Donal’s face. “Would you do me the honor of dancing, Abigail?”
Iain flicked his hand in the air. “Nay, she is exhausted from her travels, and it’s time she retired.”
Abby glowered at Iain. How dare he speak for her? He gave her an almost imperceptible look that saiddon’t.
He stood up and guided her out of the great hall. Once alone at the bottom of the steps, Abby rounded on him.
“How dare you speak for me? I’ll be the one to make the decision if I want to go to bed or not, not you. And don’t ever silence me with a look again.”
“I apologize, my sweet angel, but I could not guarantee the red firestorm’s safety if he put his hands on you.” His expression turned to a boyish tease. “Donal is my most skilled swordsman, and I would have hated to go into battle with him.”
“Honestly?” Abby let the sarcasm drip from the word.
He closed his arms around her and chuckled. Abby put her hands against his chest to push him away, but her heart fluttered at the rumbling of his heart under her palms.
“With the storm nearly upon us, we will be safe tonight and tomorrow. God willing, we can send word to your family.” Placing his fingers under her chin, he tilted her head back. “You are exhausted, my love.”
Abby sighed. Iain still believed she was from his time. There was no family to send a message to. At least, not in eighteenth-century Scotland. None she knew of, that is.
Tipping her head back, she gazed at Iain. He was looking at her as if he were trying to sort out some kind of puzzle. His eyes darkened, and he bent his head, placing feathery kisses on her mouth. She didn’t pull back, couldn’t pull back.She was mesmerized by the feeling stirring throughout her body. Without thought, she leaned forward, and apparently taking her movement as permission, he wrapped his arms around her and kissed her.
Pure joy flowed through her, and she kissed him back, pushing thoughts of leaving him out of her mind and reveling in the sensations his closeness caused.
When the kiss came to an end, Iain didn’t let her go. Instead, he hugged her to him, her head resting on his chest. Abby listened to his heart, fast but strong and even. Her heart thumped in time to his tempo. It was as if both had merged into a beautiful waltz.
“I dinnae want to lose ye, Abigail Davis, but we must get word to yer family. They will be worried aboot ye.”
He had broken the spell. She could no longer hear the music in their chests. He loosened his grip, and she automatically did the same. Once they’d separated, Abby had the strongest desire to clasp him back again. The feeling of desolation was real; it sent an ache throughout her chest.
Abby stared at him and fought the nearly uncontrollable urge to leap into his arms. In another time and place, she would jump at the chance to marry her handsome Highlander, but even if they were of the same time, she couldn’t spend the rest of her life with someone who didn’t believe her. Even if what she’d told him sounded ludicrous, she would want the love and support of her partner. She would want his trust, his belief in her.
