She shook her head. “If we could, we would ken it by now.”
“I do.”
“I’m sorry, Dougal, but I no longer feel for ye what I once did. We’ve both grown and changed.”
“And yer taste in men has changed as well.”
“Perhaps it has. Still, I’ve spent more time with Cameron than I ever did with ye, and we’ve talked a great deal. I ken more about him than ye. And I see what kind of man he is more clearly the longer he is here.”
“Because he helped yer with yer da? Aye, I heard about that, too. I couldha done the same, had ye called for me.”
“But ye didna. It never occurred to ye to offer, did it? Ye have simply bided yer time, waiting for me to be available to ye. Cameron saw a need and did what he could to help. Without being asked. Perhaps that’s the difference between the two of ye. Perhaps no’. But ’tis the difference ye have shown me.”
Dougal reached for her arm. “Tell me what I can do to change yer mind, Mary.”
NotMary-my-love. Mary shook her head as she stepped back. “Ye canna. ’Tis time for ye to go. I wish ye a safe journey home, and hope ye will find another lass to love, one who loves ye more than I can.”
This time, he did grab her arm. “I canna just walk away, Mary.”
He moved closer, and she stepped back. But he kept coming and before she knew it, he’d backed her into the keep’s wall. “Ye’ve never let me kiss ye. I’ll wager he has. I think ye’ll like mine better.” He swooped in before Mary realized what he was about to do and pressed his mouth to hers. Mary tried to turn her head away, but he held it in place and forced his tongue between her lips while he ground his hips against her belly, his erection becoming more evident the longer he plundered her mouth. Mary struggled, but could not force him off. In the one moment he shifted enough for her to get a sip of air, she shouted, “Nay! Stop this!”
He ignored her protest, tunneled his fingers into her hair and grabbed her neck. He forced her head closer and sealed his mouth more tightly to hers.
This couldn’t be happening! Never would she have imagined Dougal capable of this assault. Furious, she pummeled his shoulders, but he ignored her fists. With his other hand, he reached down and grasped her arse, squeezing and rubbing it, and pulling her tightly against his erection while he continued to bruise her mouth with his and to nip at her lips with his teeth. She couldn’t get enough distance from him to hit his groin with her knee, but she kept trying, squeezing her eyes shut toconcentrate. But that only made her feel Dougal’s body more acutely.
Then suddenly, he was gone, ripped from her, the fingers he’d tangled in her hair pulling painfully. Mary opened her eyes in time to see Cameron’s fist strike Dougal’s face. The blow knocked Dougal onto his arse, but he rolled to his feet and came at Cameron with fists swinging. Cameron neatly sidestepped and knocked Dougal down again. “Is that how MacBeans woo a lass?” Cameron taunted. “Mauling her while she tries to fight ye off. Does that make ye feel like the better man?”
Dougal growled and got up again, his dirk in his hand.
Mary gasped.
“I wouldna, if I were ye,” Cameron warned him. “Ye are nay match for me.”
“I have this,” he said, gesturing with his blade, “and ye dinna. I will have no difficulty killing ye,” Dougal snarled. “Mary was mine. She will be again.”
“Ye mean I was yers until ye abandoned me,” Mary scolded. “I told ye I dinna want ye. If ye think this is the way to win me, ye are wrong. Accept yer loss and go home, Dougal. I’ve asked ye nicely twice now. If ye dinna leave, and I have to ask ye again, I will have Rose warriors escort ye off of Rose land. Is that what ye want?” No matter what, she’d never allow herself to be alone with him again.
Cameron’s gaze remained on Dougal, but Mary knew he could see her from the corner of his eye. He might be spoiling for a fight, but he would never hurt her. She approached him and put a hand on his arm. “Let him leave, Cameron. Please.”
Dougal snarled, sheathed his dirk, and stomped off.
“He’ll collect his things and go,” Mary said, watching Dougal march away and hoping what she said was true.
Cameron took her gently by the shoulders and turned her to face him. “Are ye well, lass? Did he hurt ye?”
She shook her head. “He didna. He just surprised me. I never expected him to become so aggressive. ’Tis no’ at all like the lad I once kenned. He’s been so patient since he arrived. I thought he’d changed…”
“It seems his patience came to an abrupt end, then, aye?”
Mary pressed her lips together, then winced at the unexpected soreness. Cameron must have seen. He touched her cheek and gently ran his thumb over her mouth.
“Ye may be bruised.”
“It will pass. And if anyone asks, I’ll tell them who did it. The clan likes ye. I’ll no’ let Dougal spoil their opinion. I dinna want anyone to think ye capable of such brutality.”
“Ach, lass, but I am.”
She straightened and raised her eyebrows. “What?”
