James took a step forward, figuring she could run her sword through him if she wished to do so.
“Why? I never thought ye tae be a coward, Iris.”
Her eyes flashed. “I’m not a coward!”
He shrugged. “It appears ye are running away from me, lass.”
His heart was pounding in his ears, and he felt slightly sick to his stomach, but if she rejected him this time, he would walk away forever. He couldn’t continue to do this, to hope.
Her hands clenched at her sides.
“Nay, I asked ye tae fight me and ye refused.Thatis a coward.”
“That is a man who was in love with ye!” he fought back, closing the distance between them. “Why cannae ye see that?”
Iris’s lips parted, and she struggled to find her words.
“I…”
“Ye cannae find one reason for us tae not be taegether,” James pressed on, his voice dropping a notch. “Mah laird and yer brother are in talks of a truce as we speak. Soon our clans will no longer be enemies, Iris. We wilnae be enemies.” Reaching out, he cupped her cheek, feeling her shiver under his touch. “Give me a good reason tae walk away and I will, but I would rather stay.”
Her eyes closed, and for a moment they stood there, James drinking in the sight of her. He wouldn’t force her into that panic again. He wanted her to choose, and whatever she chose he would accept no matter how much pain it caused him.
Ian was right. Iris had to be in charge, and he was more than happy for her to do so.
When she opened her eyes once more, he saw a sheen of tears there.
“I missed ye,” she said softly, covering his hand with hers. “I thought aboot ye every day.”
“Iris,” he breathed, closing the final distance between them so that he could frame her face with his hands. “I love ye. I will love ye until mah last dying breath. It matters not who ye are. I know who ye are.”
“I love ye,” Iris answered, one of the tears tracing down her cheek. “I cannae get ye out of mah blood, James…and I dinnae want tae.”
That was all the proof he needed that she was choosing him. He swooped down and captured her lips with his, kissing her like he had dreamed for six months. She made a sound and her arms wound around his neck, pulling him closer until he was holding her against his body, ravaging her lips with his. When they broke apart, he rested his forehead against hers, breathing her scent in.
“I’m vera sorry I broke yer nose,” she said after a moment, her fingers in his hair. “I told ye tae let me go.”
He chuckled. “I never should have loosened mah hold on ye that day.”
“Nay,” Iris replied. “I was confused as tae wot I wanted in mah life, but when I returned to it, I realized I was missing the vera thing that had made it special.”
James pulled back to look into her eyes, feeling his heart clench in his chest.
“I want tae marry ye, lass.”
A brilliant smile crossed her lips. “Well, I wouldnae expect anything else now, James Lennox.”
He laughed and pulled her close against him. He had missed her far more than he had thought.
“I think yer brother gave his blessing on our union by sending me out here tae ye.”
Iris disentangled herself from his arms, her eyes sparkling with happiness.
“Nay, he sent ye out here so I could have mah rematch.”
James smirked and withdrew his sword, watching as Iris did the same.
“Is that so? Ye think ye can beat me, lass?”
