Page 7 of A Dangerous Highland Affair

“I couldnae put on ye anymore,” she said primly, her fingers reaching anxiously over to her travel bag. Quickly, she poked inside it and brought out the silver coin that her friend had given her. It was still there, cold and hard against her hand. Next to it were the two tiny thimbles that had belonged to her mother: her entire worldly fortune.

“An’ if I’m to eat, then I can pay my own way, it’s quite alright,” she added.

“Nay,” said the lad, flashing his enigmatic smile once more. Teasag noticed his cheeks were unusually sculpted, giving his face an uncommonly handsome appearance. “Ye will nae pay, it’s my treat, but there’s just one thing…?”

He stared into her eyes, his bright blue gaze overwhelming her senses and sending an unexpected bolt of electricity shooting through her thighs. Inside, Teasag felt herself heat up.

“What is it?” she asked breathlessly. If she didn’t know any better, she would have thought he was about to kiss her. The noise and light in the room faded away until there was just her and him, alone in the tavern. The murmur of the crowd and lashing of the rain was barely audible above the omnipresent beating of her heart.

“I cannae share a meal wi’ a lass I dinnae ken the name of,” he said smoothly, with a sly glance toward her.

“Och,” said Teasag, as the rest of the world returned, and the backdrop of the noisy tavern grew louder. “I’m Teasag,” she said, extending her hand to his.

He kissed it formally.

“Teasag, a pretty name,” he added softly. “An’ I’m Neacal.”

Neacal. Teasag’s heart jumped a little. It was still reeling from the kiss he’d placed on her hand. Of course, there was nothing to read into this. It was merely a formal yet overblown act of manners. But to Teasag, it was as if she had been hit by lightning. Bolts reverberated all the way through her, and his touch lingered on her skin for long after he took his hand away.

“Pleased to meet ye,” she said simply, as Neacal stood to return to the bar. From the reappearance of the barkeep from the back of the room, it seemed that his injuries were not as bad as they looked. But Teasag only had eyes for the tall lad in front of her.

“Neacal,” she murmured. “I’ve nae met anyone called that afore,” she added. “Are ye from around here?”

“I’m from everywhere an’ nowhere, lass,” laughed the lad, his wide twisting smile running right across to his ears. “Ye’ll soon hear about me!”

CHAPTER THREE

“I t’s alright, lassie, he’s nae coming back,” Neacal said, as casually as he could. But something had unsettled him, and it wasn’t all down to the trouble from the red-faced farmer.

Beneath his easy manner, Neacal’s heart was erupting. The last few days had been nonstop, and it had all culminated at this moment.

Being alone with this girl made him strangely anxious. Although it had been his aim since walking into the White Hart Inn, now that he was here, it was a different story.

Not that he let it show. Instead, he smoothed down his already straightened hair and smiled slowly.

“You’re a quare one,” said the girl, unexpectedly.

This took Neacal aback, but he laughed.

“Och,” he said assuredly. “Really, an’ why’s that then, Miss?”

“Teasag!” she chided, waving her hand at him playfully. “My name’s Teasag. Och, I told ye that, but ye willnae use it… See, that’s why yer quare!” she said, taking another wee dram and becoming just ever so slightly tipsy.

Neacal watched her with interest as she grinned. “See, we’ve been talking a while, an’ I dinnae really ken anything about ye, an’ yer acting mighty strange… an’ calling me Miss, like, I’m, well, some auld maid!” Teasag drained the wooden quaich in front of her and pouted.

The noise in the room had returned to a normal level, and no-one seemed to be paying them any attention. Neacal watched Teasag’s face with amusement.

“Och, lassie, no-one could accuse ye of being an auld maid!” he said with a chuckle. But he couldn’t stop himself from gazing almost nonstop at her silky-smooth hair and cream complexion.

Neacal’s eyes delved into hers, taking in the golden flecks of copper which surrounded her pupils. But it was the intensity of them that really stood out.

They jigged and sparkled with light. In the short time he’d been with her, Neacal felt refreshed as if she had shared some of her raw energy with him. And it was a boost he sorely needed.

Neacal glanced over his shoulder. It was all calm for now, but he knew better than to get too comfortable.

However, as he eyed the young woman in front of him, he wished he could stay. There was something hypnotizing about her. Maybe it was the second dram, but as Neacal stared into her deep blue eyes, he felt a tug. Something in this girl was reeling him in.

Crazy. He had known her for only two minutes and yet felt compelled to stay with her for the rest of the night.