Page 114 of Tales of Highland Loyalty

Wordlessly, William followed, and soon, they had trotted all the way back to the gates of Duncan Castle. There, they passed through the guards, with one of them, a young man with sandy hair, casting an amused glance at her.

But it was not until they were back in the Duncan stables that they spoke. By now, the sun was setting, and a stark chill had come into the air. Gazing out at the pink-red evening skies, Nora felt her hands freezing.

"Och!" She almost slipped, her grasp on the horse's reins softening suddenly.

"Here." Immediately, William was at her side, helping her down with his strong arms. Nora fell into his warm touch.

"Thank ye," she said primly, as she got her bearings. Just for a moment, she had been unsteady, but now she was ready.

Except she was not ready at all. Feeling his soft grip, Nora fizzed and burned. She needed to be near him. All she could think was of leaning in deep and kissing his burly head.

And it did not help when he rose his smile to her. A pair of sparkling blue eyes teased her in.

"Are ye alright?" he said, concern in his eyes.

She nodded. Words had a habit of failing her like this.

Then, he paused. "Ye ken, I really am sorry. Sorry for yer frock an' for taking ye on a wild goose chase!"

Nora stopped. She was meant to be mad, to berate him and leave him alone. But she couldn't. Instead, she pouted.

"I'm nae," she said, an incessant grin playing on her cheeks. "In fact, ye could do it all again."

Desire carved into her smile, holding him there. Watching her, William moved, coming closer.

"I could?" he said, his soft breath on her chin.

Crivvens! He was too close—too close for comfort—but it was too late. They were together. Worse still, they were touching.

She did not realize it, but he must have held her tight. There, in his arms, the specter of a kiss hovered over. Like a hawk, it lingered overhead, waiting for a time to swoop. She felt it. He felt it.

They were stuck.

A dart of something sweet and pleasurable took her, inveigling her underparts and giving her heat.

Nay!

Before it could go too deep, Nora immediately pulled away. And from the shocked look on William's face, he stopped himself dead.

This is too far, Nora thought. Edging away, she fixed him with a slight grin.

"Thank ye," she said formally—or as formally as she could, wearing rags, in the dark, where they had so nearly wildly kissed.

She was retreating fast and in no mood to stop. All she could remember was William's face as she pulled away.

"No, thank ye," said William. His voice was clear, but his eyes gave it away. He was confused. She could tell.

Nora bid him farewell, with the faintest glimpse of a smile, then swiftly marched herself back to the safety of her room. There, she triple-locked the door and threw herself against it, heart pounding hard.

If she was playing him, then why did it feel so real? Any further and they would have been kissing. Then how would she ever be able to go through with the plan?

Breathing intensely, Nora took a wee dram. She had had a lucky escape.

From herself.

9

There was a rap on the door, frantic and unguarded, made by knuckles that chafed.