Page 35 of In Bed with her Highland Foe

They kept staring at one another, until the cat jumped onto his lap out of nowhere. With ease, he now put the kitten on his shoulder, where she turned around for a minute, settling herself. She scrunched the toes of her paws for a few seconds, purred, then settled down with her head in his neck.

“Ye are a natural with her,” Kyven observed, leaning toward him once again. She was now so near that Gilchrist was beginning to think Aaden was a genius for introducing the idea of the cat at all.

“She has fire in her,” he said slowly. “I like that. The first time I met her she bit me ankle.”

“Ha! Only ye would suffer pain and come back for more.”

“What makes ye say that?”

“Is it nae the way ye are with me?” she countered, sipping from her mead and offering a mischievous smile. “Ye have put up with me foul moods –”

“Ye are never foul tempered.”

“Oh, I am. Ye put up with me shouting at ye this week as well, and yet ye still call me yer friend.”

“Because ye are.” His voice had deepened further.

I wish tae call ye something infinitely more intimate than me friend, Kyven.

She smiled softly at him, leaning even more off the bed so she was now teetering on the edge. Another few inches and he could catch her, pull her forward into a stolen kiss. Would she welcome it? Or would she be furious and pull back sharply?

“And because I am yer friend, I am going tae ask ye something now that ye may nae want tae answer, but please believe me, Kyven.” He softened his voice on her name. She wet her lips.

Why did she dae that?

“I ask ye this fer the right reason.”

She nodded, encouraging him on.

“Imogen,” he said her sister’s late name, watching her react at once. She didn’t pull away this time, but stared down at her mead, her eyes downcast. “Her memory. Does it haunt ye? Haunt the expectations ye place on yer own shoulders tae be lady?”

“How can ye ken me mind so well?”

“Because I ken ye,” he whispered. “I ken yer heart. I ken that because she was so poor a lady for this clan, ye feel the need tae dae what’s right by them desperately. But I beg this of ye. Dinnae dae so at the expense of yer own happiness.”

She smiled rather sadly.

“Ye are kinder tae me than anyone I ken, Gilchrist.”

He nearly reached for her then. He thought of taking her hand, snatching it up and kissing the back, to show just how much his heart was hers if she wanted it. He kept his hands locked in front of him instead.

“I tell ye what. I’ll tell ye a secret. Something about Imogen nay one else kens but me, but in return, ye will tell me one of yer secrets.”

“Mine?” he spluttered in surprise, making the kitten on his shoulder shift suddenly.

“Aye, we both ken ye have them.” She gestured to him. “Please, tell me something about ye, Gilchrist, something I dinnae ken.”

He nodded, slowly. It was right to tell her something, something that no other knew. Who else to tell but Kyven of all people?

“Me name…” he began slowly, now nervous about what he had to say.

“Gilchrist. Ye have never said if it was yer surname or Christian name. It is the only name I have ever kenned ye by.”

“Me Christian name is Michael.” The moment the words were out of his mouth, something shifted in the air between them.

“Michael?” she whispered. “Why have ye never told me before?”

“I tell nay one. I dinnae use the name. These days I am Gilchrist. It is who I am.”