Page 48 of The Highland Heir

“You were jealous of Arran.”

He let out a breath and went with thetruth.

“Aye. I imagine I was. And still am in thathe is free to do what he wishes, while I must do as my father bids.I envy his freedom.”

“Yesterday and last night . . .”She pulled the plaid up to cover all his favorite parts of her andsat up. “I hope it wasn’t just that you wished to claim somethingso you could have it first.”

He felt his eyes go wide in surprise andreached out to place a hand on her arm.

“You know me better than anyone. Do you thinkthat is why we . . . ?”

She gave it more time than he thought wasnecessary but was pleased when she eventually turned to him with asmile and shook her head.

“Nay. I don’t really think that.”

“Good.” He leaned closer and rested his headagainst hers as the silence between them spun out and grew tense.“We must go.”

She nodded, which caused his head to movewith hers.

“Aye. We must face what comes next.”

He pulled back and looked into her eyes,wanting to tell her he didn’t know how. That he was frightened. Hesaid nothing, but after a moment she reached out and put her handon his cheek.

“Everything will be all right, Kieran.”

He wanted to argue, but instead he grasped onto her words, hoping somehow they would be true.

*

Ella didn’t know what to expect as they rodetoward home, but she was almost surprised to learn nothing hadchanged between them. They still laughed and talked as they rodealong. He still teased her, and she needled him with nosy questionshe attempted to dodge.

It was only when they arrived and stared outover the valley where they got their first sight of Girnigoe Castlethat she shivered and felt uneasy.

This was the end.

“It seems strange that I should feel the needto say goodbye,” he said quietly. His voice barely heard in thebreeze. “But I feel the need the same, whether I should or shouldnot. We will still see each other in the hall and other times, butwe must go back to how things were before.”

“Aye. It does feel like goodbye,” sheagreed.

He moved his horse closer so their legstouched.

“If it is to be goodbye on what we hadyesterday, might I trouble you for one last kiss?”

She leaned toward him as he did the same, andtheir lips touched just briefly. When they pulled apart, he gaveher a stiff smile and a resigned nod.

“Thank ye, Ella.”

“Thank ye, Kieran.”

Without another word, they rode to the castleand through the gates. It wasn’t until he reached up and helped herdown from her horse that she noticed the biggest difference betweenthem. The way his hands lingered on her body and his pale greeneyes seemed to grow darker with desire.

The way her body quivered for wanting toreach out and pull him to her lips.

But, of course, she couldn’t do that, and notjust because they were standing in the bailey and the groom waswaiting for her to hand over the reins to her horse.

They’d just said goodbye to what had beenbetween them. It seemed a simple thing, but it was a formal closureon their passion. It had to be.

“I should get inside and see what may need tobe done in the kitchens,” she said, pointing at the door that ledto the kitchens, as if Kieran didn’t know where they were. Howsilly.