Page 8 of Highland Spy

“Caleb, really?” Logan walked up from the water, holding the reins of the horses. “Now I ken why ye are in such a hurry to get to the Horn and Hoof. Och, ye really should have waited until ye got a room.”

“Nay! It’s no’ what ye think,” cried Bridget, pushing up so fast that she lost her balance and fell back down on Caleb once again.

“I’m the one who just got married but ye’d never ken it by lookin’ at ye two,” scoffed Logan, heading back to his wife.

Caleb started laughing, and that only made Bridget angry.

“Get away from me, ye clumsy fool!” She jumped up and so did he.

“I’m no’ the one that pushed us to the ground,” he said, still laughing. “Although I canna say I regret it at all.”

“Dinna touch me again!” she warned him. “Or I’ll . . . I’ll . . .”

“Ye liked the kiss, lass, just admit it. I didna see ye fightin’ me off when we were on the ground.”

She did like the kiss, but she’d never tell him. Her tongue shot out to lick her lips, his essence still lingering on her mouth. His eyes followed. “Stay away from me,” she warned him.

“Stay away from ye?” He looked confused. “Did I do somethin’ to insult ye? After all, it was naught but a little kiss. I’m sorry if I made ye angry.”

“I need to focus on my – on our work,” she said, nodding toward her father. “It’s important that we record facts and events properly for the king. I dinna need to be distracted by . . . by kisses!”

Caleb heard Bridget’s words but he didn’t believe what she said. He wasn’t blind. She liked him and she enjoyed the kiss, there was no doubt about it. Once again, she wet her lips with her tongue, subconsciously verifying his suspicion.

“If ye’re so repelled by my kiss, then why do ye keep savorin’ the taste of me by lickin’ yer lips?”

“I’m doin’ nothin’ of the sort.” She crossed her arms over her chest. This time, instead of licking her lips, she bit at her bottom lip, making him squirm. It seemed like such a seductive action.

“If ye’re so eager to collect information for that silly book of yers, then write somethin’ in there about me,” he told her.

“Ye?” She laughed, unnerving him. “What on earth would I possibly write about the likes of ye? This is a book to record the heroic deeds and actions of the MacKeefes and other Highlanders. Ye see, ye need to do somethin’ worthy in order to get yer name mentioned in the Highland Chronicles.”

“And ye dinna think I’m worthy of it?” Caleb perused her, narrowing his eyes.

“What have ye done that is worth mentionin’?”

“Lots of things,” he told her.

“Like what?” she met his challenge. Her blue eyes drilled into him and, all of a sudden, he was tongue-tied and unable to speak let alone think.

“Well I . . . there’s the time that I . . . and I always . . . I mean . . .”

“That’s what I thought,” she sniffed, turning and heading away. This didn’t sit right with Caleb. He ran up behind her, grabbing her arm and spinning her around. Her eyes opened wide in surprise. “What are ye doin’?” She glared at him now. “Release me at once.”

“No’ until ye promise to mention me in the Highland Chronicles.”

“Oh, ye’ll be mentioned, all right.”

“I will?” His grasp loosened.

“Aye, but what I’ll tell my faither to write about ye willna be heroic or admirable at all.”

“Ye wouldna do that. Ye’d better no’.” His grip tightened again and his jaw clenched. A vein throbbed at the side of his neck as he imagined all the lies she’d have her father write about him. That would be worse than not getting mentioned in the Highland Chronicles at all!

“Dinna threaten me, Caleb MacKeefe. Now leave me alone before ye find yer name on those pages after all, in a no’-so-bonnie way. And while ye’re at it, get that weasel of yers to stop stealin’ our food.” She turned on her heel and stormed away, leaving Caleb standing there with his mouth hanging open.

“What’s all the yellin’ about?” asked Logan, making his way over to Caleb and glancing back over his shoulder at Bridget. “Did ye have a lover’s spat already?”

“She’s no’ my lover,” he said through gritted teeth. “I’m startin’ to see how irritatin’ she is, just like ye and the others keep tellin’ me.”