Alexander watched her as they continued to walk the pebbled pathway. “Ye are verra special, Clarissa Gordon.”
*
If Alexander hadthought he couldn’t fall more in love with the beautiful soul Clarissa was, he was wrong. The things she did for her family—caring for her younger siblings while Nicholas was away and their mother was ill—along with what she had done for Nicholas.
He had never met a more genuine, caring person. She was selfless—almost to a fault. As they walked along the path, her slender arm hooked through his, he admired her altruism, but also thought she deserved to be selfish. Not all the time, but once in a while.
She had earned it for all her sacrifices. Sacrifices that everyone else benefitted from. Now whether they had acknowledged those things she had done for them, he didn’t ken. He hoped they did. But he also kenned how most people were inherently selfish.
It took a special person to only think of others without a care for one’s own self.
Clarissa was that special person.
He wanted to give her the world.
She stepped on a loose rock and lost her footing, grasping at his arm as she tried to prevent herself from tripping forward.
He wrapped his arms around her so she could catch her balance. Once he was sure she was steady, he let go, though he didn’t want to.
“Apologies,” she mumbled. “I am usually no’ the clumsy sort,” she confessed.
“I shall have that rock punished at once,” he jested.
Blessing him with the brightest smile, her laughter hung in the air as she tucked her windswept hair behind her ear.
His body roared to life in reaction. Gads, he was torturing himself with how close he had been keeping her to him.
“I do no’ think the rock will take heed, Your Grace,” she said with a twinkle in her big, brown eyes.
Och, the way she addressed him by his title. Normally, he could care less. ’Twas way too proper for his liking, but when the words slipped from Clarissa’s lips, they took on a whole new meaning.
“I am afraid I will have to take more stringent actions then. Its behavior must no’ be tolerated.” He loved their banter. The ease at which it came so naturally.
He didn’t ken how he had thought he was happy when he used to go from one lass to another, not caring about theirfeelings, or that they wanted to see him again when he had no interest. He was a jerk. He would agree with Nicholas about that.
Clarissa had changed his outlook. She had him wishing that she was the one he was awakening all his desires with. He supposed she was, really. He had never had feelings for any of those other women. They were a release. A way to lose himself for a short time and then move on to the next. No emotions involved.
But with Clarissa, all he had was emotions.
“What is this that I have heard about a livestock auction?” Clarissa asked, breaking into his thoughts.
They came upon an elaborate water fountain in the middle of a small water source, filled with lily pads. It was one of his favorite spots to sit and think when he wanted to be alone. Now he wanted to share the space with Clarissa.
“Let’s sit and rest our feet.”
She quirked an eyebrow at him, but she nodded.
Settling on the bench, with their thighs touching, all sorts of thoughts ran through his mind. Rakish thoughts. He took a deep breath and let it out slow. His body wasn’t cooperating either. If he had to stand right now, his body would betray him.
“Is it something I am no’ supposed to ken about?” She asked.
“Pardon?”
“The livestock auction. I shall pretend I didna hear a thing if need be.” She made a motion of locking her lips and then tossed the ‘key’ over her shoulder.
He chuckled. “Nay, no’ at all. ’Tis public knowledge. ’Tis my turn to apologize. I must confess my mind wandered for a moment.”
And wandered it had.
