Page 40 of Highlander’s Forbidden Fruit

“Evanna!” Aleck called after her, but the wind snatched his words and threw them back in his face.

The weather was getting worse. Soon it would start snowing. He should have known better than to think the wild streak in Evanna’s nature had been subdued. It would always be there underneath the veneer of sophistication.

What Devil persuaded ye to talk of her intended that way, ye damned fool, he berated himself.

Snow began to fall in earnest. Evanna veered to the right and came to a stop underneath a large oak tree. Aleck followed her and disembarked from his horse. Evanna was leaning against the tree trunk holding the horses reins, tendrils of wet hair clinging to her face where the snow had melted against her warm skin. She was laughing, exhilarated.

“I’ve missed riding like that,” she explained.

“Ye had my heart in my throat.”

“Oh, come now Aleck. We both ken there’s only one woman who does that for ye. When’s the wedding?”

She asked it casually, but he could see she was very curious. Aleck didn’t wonder at it. After he’d been a prude about her episode in the woods with John, she had all the right to view him as a hypocrite.

“There’s nae wedding.”

“Isla seems to think there is one. Has a dress in mind and everything.”

“Isla is a child.”

“A child ye were kissing in the stables yesterday.”

“That was a mistake.”

He was getting riled up again. And here he’d thought they’d both matured in the last nine months.

“Isla Graham has been chasing me since she arrived in Glenlivet. She wanted to accompany me to town yesterday to buy ribbons, but I said I’d get her one to avoid taking her with me. When you saw us, I had just given her the ribbons, and she kissed me.”

Evanna’s eyes were narrowed and skeptical. It served him right to be doubted when he had been so reluctant to believe Evanna’s innocence in the woods with John.

Aleck sighed. “When have ye ever seen me chasing women, Evanna? Is it like me to go around chasing skirts?”

Evanna considered him, and he could tell by her softening expression that she believed him.

“What are ye going to do about it? Ignoring her doesnae seem to make a difference.”

“That’s my problem. I’ll manage. Let us discuss yer dilemma.”

Evanna bit her bottom lip. She looked so morose Aleck couldn’t help himself. He tucked the wet strands off her face and behind her ears. She inhaled sharply and looked at him with wide innocent eyes. It took all his strength not to kiss her. If she thought his passion burned for Isla Graham from that lackluster kiss, what would she think if he kissed her; truly kissed her with all his love and devotion for her?

Would she forget about John Winchester? Would she finally love him back?

It was a foolish notion, and he quashed it as soon as it lifted its head. He planted his clenched hands by his side.

Evanna must never know how he felt about her. She didn’t deserve the burden of letting him down gently along with all the other problems she had on her plate.

“I told Da he’d have a say in who I chose to marry.”

“That would make him happy. But it complicates yer suit to convince him of Winchester.”

“Indeed. Would ye have a word with him? He holds ye in high esteem.”

“I’m sure that’s nae true.”

“Oh, it is.” Evanna laughed. “He asked me to consider ye last night.”

Aleck’s heart slammed into his chest then skipped a few beats. She was smiling and shaking her head at the ridiculousness of the notion. Swallowing hard against the dry lump in his throat, he tried to put a smile on his face, but his heart was tearing into pieces. Where it was gratifying to know that Laird MacLeod would have no objection to his union with Evanna, it was painful to have his worst fear confirmed - Evanna thought nothing of him.