“Why not? I love you. You love me. You have done so much for me and my people. You have begun a castle that will last for generations. Why not stay and see the work done?”
“Because I have to go home.” She saw how hurt he looked. “I don’t want to go but I have to find my mom. She needs taking care of. She’s…she’s ill.”
“You didnae say.”
“She’s dying, all right? She hasn’t got a lot of time left and I can’t leave her on her own. I’m all she’s got in the world. Oh, why am I even trying to explain? You wouldn’t understand.”
“I nursed my own mother through her illness. I watched her die slowly and painfully. Dinnae tell me I wouldn’t understand.”
“Then you understand why I must go.”
His eyes flamed. “Aye, of course I do. That disnae make it any easier to take. I love you, Beth. I want you to stay.”
“And I can’t. I’m sorry, I truly am.”
“I know that.” He looked aggrieved but the look softened as he stood up. “I know that,” he said again, his voice quieter.
“I’m sorry,” she said, crossing the floor to him. “I wish I could stay. Truly I do. I want for nothing more than to marry you and make this castle my home but I must go back to my mom.”
He nodded slowly, his hands slipping into hers. “Then you should go to her.”
“I will miss you. More than anything in the world, I will miss you.”
“I will miss you too.” He leaned forward, brushing a lock of hair away from her face. “More than you could possibly know.”
His hand slid around the back of her neck, drawing her toward him. He dipped his head and then they were kissing.
Beth felt a surge of heat coursing through her body as they embraced.
He pushed her back until she was crushed against the tapestry behind her. He continued to kiss her, his arms holding her in place, as if he never wanted to let go.
She felt the heat inside her grow as his hands moved down her back and then up once more, sliding over the shoulders of her dress, easing them down.
She went to move away but any resistance inside her melted when he began to kiss her neck, his rough lips bringing a gasp out of her.
The dress fell from her. How had that even happened? The kirtle was gone a moment later and then she was naked, the tapestry digging into her back as he ran his hands over her body.
There was a gust of wind and the candles blew out leaving only the slight glow of the fire in the hearth.
Beth looked at him in the half-light as he stood back from her. She watched him pull down his hose to reveal…
She couldn’t look down there. If she did that, she would melt into a puddle on the floor. The air was so filled with tension it seemed to hum.
Once he was naked he crossed back to her, lifting her straight into his arms and carrying her over to the bed.
He lay her down gently on her back. He remained standing in the glow of the fire, hunger in his eyes. “I love you,” he said quietly. “And tonight you will not sleep alone.”
“I love you too,” she replied as he climbed onto her.
She said nothing else. His lips were on hers and for a long time she said nothing at all.
With her eyes closed her other senses were heightened. She could feel everything, every scar and taut muscle on his body, even the thud of his heart through his chest.
She remembered that night for the rest of her life, the fire dying down to smoldering embers as the two of them lay together under the blankets, the highlander holding her close, as if he never wanted to let her go.
Outside the wind died down, the clouds clearing as the stars came out one by one. They twinkled high above the castle while down in the tower, she was held by the highlander, praying the night would last forever, wishing that morning would never come.
Her wishes were not answered. The sun rose on their sleeping forms all too soon and then it was time for them to part once more.
