Throwing Aodhan a look that could kill, I stalked back to the table to find Murray and London sitting across from each other, not talking, just watching the dancing. There was a strange tension at the table.
Murray frowned. “Who is the big guy?”
“The fucker who won the caber toss.”
I slumped down into the seat next to my friend to watch on sullenly as Dylan McCloud pulled Taran against him for the waltz. Every time they lifted into tiptoe and down again, my teeth gnashed together as their bodies met. “Do you think anyone would find it weird if this guy ended up unconscious under a caber tonight?”
A snort of laughter from across the table drew both mine and Murray’s gaze.
London shook her head as if I was an idiot and then she pushed up from the table, disappearing into the crowds around the bar. As I turned, I nudged Murray. “Please tell me you asked the lass to dance and didn’t leave her sitting there.”
The fisherman grimaced. “Aye, I asked her to dance. She said no. She also said no to three other men who approached and asked her. When the fourth approached, she looked ready to sink under the table, so I told him to fuck off before he even said a word.”
“Bit of a mystery, that one,” I murmured.
“Is she?” Murray flicked a look toward the bar, something serious and grim in his expression.
“What?”
He shook his head. “Nothing. Anyway, shouldn’t you be cutting in?” He gestured toward Taran and caber boy.
“You cannae cut into the St. Bernard’s Waltz.”
“You can if you mean business.”
“In front of everybody?”
“Fuck everybody. You want her, don’t you?” Murray glowered at me.
“Quite bloody right.” I slapped him on the shoulder, bolstering myself as I pushed up out of the chair. I marched through the dancers, approaching the couple I’d laser-focused on. Tapping caber boy on the shoulder, I announced, “I’m cutting in.”
I heard Taran suck in a breath as McCloud turned, took one look at my expression, and nodded quickly. “Aye, of course.” He was off the dance floor in a blink as I pulled a shocked Taran into my arms and found the steps to the dance.
“A big man like that scared of little auld me,” I tutted.
“You were looking at him like you were about to shove a caber through him. I can’t believe you did that,” she seethed between her teeth.
“We need to talk,” I reminded her.
“So, you thought rudely cutting in would facilitate that? Everyone is looking at us, Quinn.”
“I don’t give a fuck.” I stopped dancing and bent my head to hers. Her breath caught. “I can’t go another day like this.”
Another couple bumped into us, and I muttered a curse under my breath, tightening my hold on Taran’s hand as I tugged her off the dance floor. Thankfully, she didn’t stop me as I looked straight ahead, ignored the muttering of local gossips, and guided Taran out of the main hall.
Once we were alone, she pulled her hand out of mine. “Have you lost your mind, Quinn?”
“I feel like I might be. Please, Taran. I’m just asking you to hear my side of things.”
“There you go again … pushing whatyouwant onto us!” she cried.
“I’ve tried to give you what you want and need for over a year, Taran. And you gutted me in that lifeboat station. Fucking gutted me.” Emotion made my throat raspy. “I think what I have to say will help.”
Her shoulders slumped with seeming exhaustion and guilt scored across my chest. “I know you think that, Quinn. I know you really believe it. But I know how broken I was when you chose Kiera. You don’t. I don’t think there’s anything you can say that will help.”
22.Taran
August, Seventeen Years Ago
