Killian was about to correct her and mention he would march alone, but knowing her, she would never agree to that.
“We march out,” he replied. “Together.”
Lily nodded, and he could not hold himself back at that moment. He framed her face with both his hands and took her lips for a sweet kiss. He felt his world stop as his tongue slipped into her mouth. She responded with fire, just like she always did.
The kiss was brief, and he pulled away as soon as he tasted her.
Lily’s eyes stayed shut as he walked away, and he felt a smile wedge up his lips. He felt relaxed, but the sensation only lasted a second before he arrived in the courtyard, where his men were all gathered and ready for war.
By the end of the first night, Killian was exhausted. Most of Laird McLennan’s men retreated, and his men set up camp at Wehnthor, which was right on the border between their lands.
Lily sat by the campfire with the rest of his men, and he watched her from a distance as she laughed with them.
Killian could get used to having her around like this. If she lived here in MacColl with him, then he could spend the rest of his days watching her—loving her.
The thought slipped into his mind before he could stop it.
Love?
He sucked in a deep breath as he thought of it again. His heart skipped a beat till the breathlessness whooshed over him again.
Killian combed his fingers through his hair and rubbed the same hand over his face. The weight crushed his chest till he forced his gaze away from her and tried to breathe.
I love her.
Killian had never been in love. He had loved his brother, yes, and he loved his sister. But a woman… a woman like Lily…
Killian was still lost in his thoughts when he felt a soft touch on his shoulder. He spun around and saw Lily smiling at him before she offered him a jar.
“Drink,” she whispered. “It is tonic. I made it for the men. It helps with strength.”
Killian stared at her for a long time, his eyes searching hers as he wondered if she felt the same way about him.
Does she love me? Can she love me?
When she nudged the jar into his hands, he released a deep breath, took the container, and drank deeply from it.
“Thank ye.”
“Are you wounded in any way? Do you need a salve? Or—”
“I am all right.” Killian saw a cut on her forehead, and he reached out to stroke a finger over it tenderly. “Ye’re hurt. Let me apply the salve for ye.”
He led her to a log so they could sit, then he took the salve from her and slathered some of it over the wide cut on her forehead. Thankfully, it wasn’t deep, so he did not need to worry about an infection.
As he stroked the cut on her forehead, their eyes met, and Killian felt the air leave his lungs. He slowed his touch and stared at her lips for a moment, then touched them with his thumb, gently stroking till he heard her sigh.
Isn’t it crazy that all I can think about is kissing her right now?In front of my people? My men?
Torn between giving in to his desires and holding onto his last shred of control, he cleared his throat and looked away from her. “Thank ye for stayin’ and fightin’ with me. Ye didnae have to, but ye did, and I’m grateful for that.”
Lily shot him a smile, then she took his hands and wrapped them around hers. “Killian… I am sorry, but I do not think a war with Laird McLennan is the right thing to do.”
When he arched an eyebrow, she tightened her grip on his hands and continued, “Richard mentioned his ledgers before he died. I heard him say ‘the ledgers’… and he tried to tell me something about the man with him that night. He tried to. Just let us take a moment to breathe and find out what really happened.”
“Laird McLennan has attacked my people… I will fight him back.”
“Yes, yes, you should, but… I think we can find out who was really behind your brother’s death and put an end to this feud before any more men die.”
