“Pah,” Ian scoffed, waving his hand. “I have no need tae do so. I spent half mah life in that keep.”
Ornery old arse. That was what Ian McGregor was.
“I’ve brought ye some things,” Ferra interjected once more.
Ian arched a brow. “Wot things?”
Kaiden watched as Ferra smiled, feeling his own chest tighten in response.
Och, she is lovely.
“I’m a healer. These will help ye sleep better at night, much better than a pint of ale or that good Scots whiskey. Since ye dinnae want tae come tae the keep, after all.”
“I dinnae need anything, lass,” Ian growled, not touching what she offered him. “Ye can take it back with ye.”
“Nay, I dinnae think I will,” she stated, placing her satchel back across her shoulder. “If ye need anything more, ye know where tae find me.”
Ian made a sound that was suspiciously like a grunt, but Ferra was already moving to the entrance of the hut. Kaiden wasn’t certain what to say, so he followed her, shutting the door behind her.
“Why did ye do that?” he asked, curious.
There was a hint of a smile on her face. “Because. No one wants tae ask for help when they need it most. I’ve left it up tae him tae get more help, and if he doesnae, then I can say that I tried.”
“He’s likely not tae come,” Kaiden told her softly, not wanting to crush her spirit.
“We will see aboot that,” Ferra replied, surprising him. “Dinnae give up so soon, Kaiden.”
Kaiden just hoped that she didn’t take it too harshly when Ian rejected her help.
“I hope ye dinnae mind that I took the healer’s hut,” she said after a moment.
“Nay,” Kaiden said. After everything she had done for him, he would give her the entire village if she asked for it. “Ye will be a far better healer.”
She laughed. “I do think she was trying tae help ye. Her methods were just not working.”
“The damn lass tried tae cut off mah leg,” he reminded her dryly.
Ferra cut her eyes to him, a grin playing on her face. “Aye, she did, didnae she?”
They shared a laugh, and Kaiden felt another weight lift off his shoulders. He thought that he had lost her the moment he had mauled her in his bed, but she hadn’t shown any indifference to him at all.
Ferra turned off to the healer’s hut, and Kaiden followed her inside, the sweet smell of lavender filling the air. The hut had been cleaned, far tidier than he last remembered, with a small bed pushed up against one window and a worktable taking up much of the other.
“Ye arena sleeping here, are ye?” he asked, seeing the clean furs.
“Nay,” Ferra stated as she placed her satchel on the worktable. “’Tis just, err, there in case I grow tired.”
Was that a faint blush he saw on her cheeks? Kaiden placed his hand on the worktable, blocking her path. “Grow tired of wot, lass?”
“Of w-working,” she stammered as he leaned in, breathing in her scent. Kaiden’s heart was beating loudly in his ears, his hands itching to touch her, just once. He shouldn’t, but bloody hell, he couldn’t stay away.
“Tell me, lass,” he said in a soft voice. “Wot sort of work do ye do here?”
Ferra’s breathing grew shallow and her eyes widened as Kaiden moved his hand to her hip, feeling the bone through her thick gown. “I...I...ye know.”
Kaiden chuckled and let his lips brush her cheek ever so softly. “Wot else would ye like tae do in this hut, lass?” he asked, feeling his cock strain against his breeks. “Or more specifically, in that bed?” He knew what he wanted to do, bum leg or no bum leg.
She consumed him, and his need to have her had grown steadily by the moment. Kaiden was aware of every move she made, every throaty laugh she shared with everyone but him.
