Yet if they were to become husband and wife, was that so unseemly a musing? Let her not forget that Cameron had already seen her with no clothes at all—saints above! If holding her close could elicit such thoughts, what might happen if he went so far as to kiss—
“Did you get enough tae eat?”
Aislinn sucked in her breath and nodded, almost relieved that he had interrupted the stirring course of her imaginings.
Would the evening pass with nothing of any more significance discussed between them? If so, she would remain no closer to knowing if he had meant what was announced to King Robert. Just as he’d said, he hadn’t yet broached the matter with her…
“Aislinn.”
Now she froze, the husky timbre of his voice thrilling her as much as that he had drawn her even closer. She glanced with some embarrassment into the pitch dark. Were any of his men near enough to see them sitting so snugly together?
“I told them you were my intended bride… and it’s none of their concern as tae how closely I hold you. Unless you’re uncomfortable and I should move away?”
“No, no, I’m fine, truly!” she blurted, astonished that Cameron had read her mind—and was speaking with little difficulty to her no matter she knew how hard he’d been trying to overcome his affliction.
Yet why wouldn’t it be so? If she were indeed his intended bride, why would there not be an ease between them? A comfortable candor… though she didn’t feel relaxed at all. The warmth of his breath tickled her ear and told her that his mouth was very close, if she only turned her head…
“I meant what I said today, Aislinn—”
“Ah, God!” Blurting out again, she felt chagrined to her toes that her thoughts could be read so easily, but his low laughter soothed her and made her feel all fluttery inside.
Never would she have imagined meeting a strapping Highland warrior like Cameron Campbell, his simple statement making her heartbeat race and her body to tremble. She didn’t feel like herself at all, everything falling away—their reason for hiding in these pitch-black woods, her father, her brother, the danger they would face on the morrow—as his lips brushed against her ear.
“I want you, woman… and I will have you for my wife. Does that please you?”
She bobbed her head, for how could she not?
Cameron was everything a woman would want in a husband—handsome, courageous, kind, and yet fearsome if she was threatened. Her response seemed to please him, too, when he chuckled against her cheek.
“Will I hear you say that you want me as well, lass? You surprised me today when you spoke up so readily… and I hope it wasna because you feared the king would deny you accompanying me if you didna agree—”
“Aye, I admit that thought crossed my mind,” she murmured in all honesty, his voice having grown somber. “You’d not said a word to me of your plan… t-to wed, I mean. I was as surprised as you—Cameron! Where are you going?”
He had released her and gotten up so suddenly that she wondered if he had heard a noise that concerned him from the direction of the road. Bereft of his warmth, she stared up at him, unable to see his face in the dark, and gasped when he pulled her up in front of him.
“Dinna trifle with my heart, Aislinn. I’ve never said those words before taeanywoman, so if it wasna true that you would have me for your husband—”
“Cameron, how can you know so soon that you want me for your bride? You don’t know much of me. I don’t know much of you—”
“Iknow that I’ve never looked into a woman’s eyes before without breaking into a sweat, but I could stare into your eyes forever. I’ve never been able tae speak with a woman before as I’ve done with you… never felt whole before… never had hope before…”
His voice breaking, he pulled her closer, his arms steely around her, while Aislinn wished so desperately that he could stare into her eyes now and see the truth shining there. She reached up and touched his face in the darkness, her fingers trembling.
“Aye, I want you for my husband… but my father is a hard man, cold and uncompromising. If we find him alive, I can only hope that he’ll honormychoice… ah, Cameron!”
He’d embraced her tightly and lifted her from her feet, her arms flying around his neck as he found her mouth, his kiss possessing her.
His kiss consuming her as if something long fettered within him had broken free, Aislinn shaking from head to toe at the fierceness of it.
All she could do was hold on more tightly herself as he groaned her name against her lips. His hands slipped down to grip her bottom through her cloak and hoist her against him… though only for the briefest instant before he set her once more upon the ground.
Cameron shaking, too, his kiss no longer bruising but so achingly tender that she was certain her knees would give way beneath her.
“Aislinn… my Aislinn… “
His breathing as ragged as her own, she kissed him back as tenderly, though her heart had begun to ache.
She should tell him… aye, Cameron must know that she was already betrothed to another man so that she held nothing from him! Yet mayhap if her father and brother were no longer alive, it wouldn’t matter and she would never have to speak of it—ah, God, forgive her for even considering such a thought!
