"I need ye to promise that ye'll be faithful to me and only me," Hugh said. "I cannae stand the thought of ye dancin' with another man, nor lookin' at anyone the way ye look at me. Ye're mine, and I want ye to act like it. Otherwise, I cannae guarantee the safety of yer dance and conversation partners."
The request knocked Anna off balance. There was still quiet indignation bubbling beneath her skin, but something hotter was coursing through her, too. So, even though part of her wanted to argue and dig her heels in, she said, "I will always remain faithful to you, Hugh. You have my word. I am yours."
With a growl, Hugh closed the gap between them. His mouth found hers with ease, a hard and perfect press of warm lips. She inhaled sharply through her nose in shock before she relaxed into it.
As his lips moved against hers, claiming and hot in their motion, Hugh's hands shifted, finding her waist and pulling her closer. Her entire body felt as though it were on fire, and her brain seemed to go completely fuzzy. She pressed herself against him, her arms snaking around his neck.
When his tongue swiped across her bottom lip, she gasped in surprise. He took advantage of the opening she provided, probing into her open mouth. For a moment, she respondedwith equal fervor, her knees going weak with the flaming desire that felt both foreign and like coming home.
It took all of her willpower, but Anna forced herself away from him, breaking the kiss. His hungry blue eyes bore into her, his blown pupils swallowing his irises. Both of them were breathing hard; neither spoke for several seconds.
"We shouldn't have done that," Anna said finally when her logical thinking returned. Carefully, she extracted herself from Hugh's hold. "A kiss like that… it could ruin my reputation. It doesn't matter that we're engaged. Something so… so…" She couldn't find the appropriate words. "It's just improper. We can't let things go so far yet."
Then, before Hugh could answer, Anna left. As she stepped back inside the manor, a sense of wrongness settled over her. It was so overpowering that she returned to her chambers rather than the ballroom.
If I did the right thing, why do I feel like I'm running away? Why do I want to run back?
CHAPTER ELEVEN
The kiss was at the forefront of Anna's mind, no matter what she did. It stayed there as they finalized the last of the wedding details. Even now, as she was being carefully dressed in her wedding gown, a gorgeous, light blue garment with silver embroidery, her lips tingled with the memory of Hugh's.
His affection had been unexpected. Her entire life, she'd been led to believe that no one could want her, yet this Highlander consistently proved her beliefs to be wrong. He was unafraid to say it, unafraid to let his eyes linger, and apparently, unafraid to kiss her wildly even if they were at risk of being seen.
I'm just as bad, though.
Anna didn't want him to stop. In fact, she found herself wondering how far things might have progressed if they were in private chambers. She'd spent much of the previous night pointedly ignoring how pervasive the idea was.
She shook her head, trying to clear the thought from her mind. That didn't matter now; they would be married by the end of the day. If it happened again, it would be within the confines of matrimony. Though it would still be highly improper if they did that where anyone could see.
"You look absolutely gorgeous," the maid said as she patted powder over Anna's face. "This dress is perfect for you. Your future husband is going to think you're the loveliest woman in all of England."
"He already thinks that," Anna said without filtering her words. It was the truth, though. He'd made it clear that she was the only one he was interested in. "I mean…" She blushed and looked down. "He's said it."
The maid smiled, adding the final jewels to Anna's ears. Softly, she murmured, "I always knew you'd find someone perfect for you. It's because you never gave up hope."
Anna wasn't sure that this was because she'd had hope. Instead, she'd acted on her own, sent a letter that she'd never intended to get a response from. Everything about this was unanticipated, though she was finding that the longer this went on, the less unwelcome it became.
"I do wish that we had time for a proper ceremony," Anna said as she took a final look at herself in the mirror. "I've always dreamed about my wedding day. I didn't expect it to be like this."
Her brown hair was perfectly styled, pulled away from her face save for two curls framing her soft features. The jewels and the dress seemed to make her green eyes pop. She barely recognized the woman looking back at her.
"I look like…"
"A bride," her father's voice finished.
He was standing on the threshold of her chambers. She'd been so absorbed in the way she looked that she hadn't registered his approach. Now, with him looking her over, she was able to appreciate the full gravity of the planned events.
"I suppose I do," she agreed, stepping away from her reflection and toward him. "You look quite nice, too."
"I'm watching my little dove be married," he said with a bittersweet smile. It was the most emotion that she'd ever seen him display. "Of course I do."
She sighed, blinking away the threat of tears. "I wish that my friends could have been here. It's just all happening so fast."
"That's the way of things," he said, his years of wisdom bleeding through the statement. He cleared his throat after the words had time to settle. It seemed that they both realized the fine emotional line they were toeing. "Now, are you nearly ready? The ceremony will be starting soon, and I don't think your new husband would appreciate your lateness."
Anna laughed softly, grabbing onto her father's elbow as they walked away from her room. "No, he doesn't seem the type."
"You mustn't let him pressure you," her father murmured as he walked toward the front door of the manor. "He may be impatient, but you are still in control of yourself. He seems like the kind to respect a firmly given directive."
