Page 38 of His Forgotten Highland Bride

Unable to bear her words, he took her hand, waiting until she looked up to meet his eyes before speaking so she would know the truth of his words. “You did nothing wrong, Brenna. Nothing. Ewan is responsible for the events that forced the match. I’m sure your father gave you little choice in the matter. I didn’t leave because I didn’t want you, Brenna. I didn’t want a wife at all. I only wanted to go off on an adventure to France with my brother. It had already been decided long before I met you, but I used the duty to gain my grandsire’s permission to go.”

“So it wasn’t that I was so unskilled in your bed that you preferred death rather than lie with me again?”

It was good he was already seated, for her words might have knocked him over. “No. Why would you think that?”

“I didn’t, not until I heard others saying it.”

He wanted the names of all the people who had said such things so they could be appropriately punished. Unfortunately, his name must be at the top of the list. Hadn’t he caused the most pain? “It’s not true. I’d been a foolish lad who could only think of the glory of war. I only wanted to avoid my responsibilities and put off the duty to my clan as long as possible. I’m the one who deserves to be punished. Never you, Brenna.”

“Perhaps we can both give up this quest for punishment. Mayhap, it’s time now for forgiveness.”

“Ye are as wise as you are beautiful, wife.”

She blushed prettily and turned back to the fire to change out of her clothes once more. He found he rather enjoyed causing her to blush. He didn’t think a woman could feign such a reaction. He decided to watch for the clues her body gave for signs of the truth.

She changed the warm cloth on his leg, and instead of wincing, he let out a soft moan of comfort. It was nice to be home. And to be cared for by a bonny lass. When she leaned over him to add an extra pillow, he had a clear view down the front of her dress. He couldn’t get enough of her breasts. They were bigger than they’d been when he’d bedded her so long ago; he was sure of it.

She left the room without a word and returned with a jar of something. He could only guess it was some foul-smelling concoction. But when she came closer, he didn’t notice a harsh camphor scent. Instead, it smelled like her. A meadow warmed by the sun with a hint of roses. He wasn’t fond of smelling like roses, but it was far better than the alternative.

She scooped some of the salve into her hand and worked it lightly between her palms. She turned to him and rubbed her palms up his thigh. He nearly came up out of the bed. Not that it hurt, but because it felt so good. Too good. He grew hard instantly and pulled a blanket across his lap to hide the evidence of his arousal.

“Did I press too hard?” she asked, glancing up at him.

He nearly groaned. “No. It’s fine. Thank you.”

With a quick nod, she touched him again, lighter this time but working back into the deeper motions that had him throbbing. She wasn’t trying to seduce him. It was clear her intent was only to alleviate his pain. But her scent and her touch drove a dull ache straight to his cock.

“How does it feel?”

Like heaven and hell colliding, making me yearn for more. But he didn’t say that aloud.

“It’s loosening up the stiffness.” He managed to answer. The truth was it was not the stiffness of his leg that bothered him now as much as a different place.

After half an hour, Ronan had grown used to Brenna’s touch enough that he no longer embarrassed himself. She continued her pattern, up the outside of his leg, down the inside.

When she finished, she stood and placed another hot cloth on his leg. “Keep that there until I return.”

“Aye,” he agreed easily, not wanting to move.

She didn’t say when she’d be back, and he started to get up when she didn’t reappear after many minutes. It was then she came walking through the door carrying a tray of food.

“I told ye to stay there.” Her bossy tone amused him.

“I thought you’d abandoned me.” His words echoed in his head, and he wished he could pull them back into his mouth. If he’d felt deserted after a few minutes, what must his years of absence have felt like to her?

She shook her head as she helped him settle back in bed. She changed out the cloth again before setting the tray next to him. There were two meals on the tray, and he was happy she planned to sit with him, but when the silence dragged on, he hated the awkwardness that had settled between them.

He knew not every woman was like his mother. Shane’s Maria had been faithful based on what Ronan had seen. But they’d not had the chance to be married long before she’d been killed. Ronan didn’t know if Brenna was to be trusted, but how she cared for him was breaking through his doubts. He wanted to believe her. He wanted to trust her. But Ewan had never lied to him.

He’d seen the reactions of his men when they’d seen their throats. Every one of them seemed sure Ewan had hurt her. They wouldn’t waste their time trailing after Brenna unless it was warranted.

He and Brenna both seemed overly interested in the room rather than the other. The chamber was slightly different from the one they shared years ago. Back then, it had been an open guest room assigned to him. Now, it looked like a room that belonged to someone. A small table in the corner held a few books and a pot of ink.

He wanted to ask when she’d learned to write and read, but that topic could easily turn to the letters she’d written to him. Letters he’d not read for worry they would make staying in France even more difficult.

“You should have seen your face today,” she said as if hearing his thoughts and knowing he couldn’t take much more of the quiet.

“How do you mean?”