Her temper snapped. Three strides brought her to the door. She then flung it open to find him standing there.His handsome face was strained, his brow furrowed. But the despair in his eyes was what cut her the deepest. Pushing a sudden clutch of sympathy aside, she glared at him. “It’s always aboutye, isn’t it, Craeg Maclean.”
He swallowed. Hard. “Not always.”
Breathing hard, she glared at him. He’d pushed her past her limits this evening. “I think ye’ve said enough.”
A nerve jumped in his cheek. “Please … just a few moments of yer time. After that, we shall never speak of this again.”
Tension pulsed between them. And then, cursing, she stepped back and motioned for him to enter. Best get this over with. At least, they were alone now. At least, this time he wasn’t putting on a show for the common room.
Silently, Craeg entered the chamber, closing the door behind him. He then went to the hearth and turned to face her. A nerve jumped in his cheek.
“My greatest fear came true today,” he said huskily. “I became him.”
Hazel stilled. She didn’t ask Craeg who ‘he’ was. The hunted look in his eyes told her.
“Ye didn’t,” she said softly.
His throat worked. “Didn’t I? Ye looked at me as if I were a beast downstairs, lass.”
Heat rolled over her. Craeg wasn’t the only one with a temper. “I lashed out … and I’m sorry.” She paused then, collecting her thoughts. Something subtle shifted deep in her chest then, almost as if a knot had just come loose. “Ye were out of line, but that doesn’t make ye like Ewan … or Leod Maclean.”
He stared back at her, his throat working. “Thank ye,” he said quietly. “That means more than ye shall ever know.”He broke off there, his peat-brown eyes glinting.“Ewan… so that’s the name of the shitbag who broke yer heart.”
She snorted. “Don’t worry about that … it mended a while ago.”
His gaze fused with hers. “Yer heart maybe … but not yer trust.”
“I have enjoyed yer company, Craeg … truly,” she replied, her voice lowering. “But letting my guard down has been difficult … especially after learning that my entire life was a lie.” She paused then, collecting her thoughts before continuing. “Even so, right from the day ye knocked on my door, ye made me feel protected. If I’m honest, I’ve never felt so comfortable with anyone as I do with ye.”
His throat worked. “Until today.”
She let out a slow, steadying breath and nodded. “Things haven’t been easy for me of late,” she admitted then, warmth rising to her cheeks. “I was angry at my mother for keeping secrets from me … I blamed myself for my birth mother’s death.”
“Why didn’t ye tell me?”
“I didn’t want to trouble ye with it.” And she hadn’t. Hazel was used to dealing with things on her own.
“I’m far from perfect, I know it,” he said roughly. “But for ye, I’d try to be a better man.”
Anguish bloomed under her ribs. “Oh, Craeg. Don’t—”
“I mean it. I’m a stubborn arse who likes getting his own way. My mother coddled me, I’ll admit. But I’m willing to humble myself. To learn. Life doesn’t make sense without ye, Hazel. Please, let me make things right.”
Hazel stared back at him, her pulse drumming in her ears.
She wanted to stay angry at him, to retreat to safety. But with each passing moment, she found it harder to do so.
He watched her steadily. “Ye should know that Loch Maclean has given us his blessing.”
Hazel blinked. With everything that had happened over the past day, she’d completely forgotten the reason for Craeg’s trip to Duart Castle. “He did?” She didn’t bother to hide her incredulity.
Craeg’s lips quirked into a rueful half-smile. “It started badly … but after I took a softer approach … and he calmed down a little … things went better. Loch will not stand in our way.”
Hazel stared back at him. In truth, he’d just taken the wind out of her sails. She’d been sure the clan-chief would deny him.
His chest rose and fell sharply then. “If ye truly wish to go, I will not stop ye. Ye have the right to choose yer own path. I just know that if ye walk out of my life, I will mourn ye forever.” His throat bobbed. “I will never find another woman to rival ye, Hazel. Never.”
They stared at each other.
