Page 54 of In Bed with her Highland Foe

“We can increase the guard around ye,” Aaden said quietly. “Give ye extra protection.”

“Aye, we could.”

“We could tell someone.”

“Nay.” Gilchrist shook his head. “I tell and Shay has nothing left tae lose. He’ll come after me and he could come after anyone around me then. Better he targets me alone.”

It was a thought that had been torturing Gilchrist all day. If he told, then Shay could lash out. What if he hurt Kyven because she would no longer marry him?

I will keep her safe, come what may.

“There is another option,” Aaden said after a minute or so of silence. He looked almost shy, an unusual thing for Aaden, scratching the back of his head nervously.

“What?” Gilchrist asked, wariness in his tone.

“Ye could reach out tae yer brothers,” Aaden said in a sudden rush, clearly getting the suggestion over and done with as quickly as he could. “Ye could write tae them fer help, explain yer situation. Ye’d have the whole might of the Gregor clan behind ye then. They would believe ye in a second without hesitation. Ye wouldnae be going up against the power of the council here, but getting help from elsewhere –”

“Nay.” Gilchrist’s answer was firm.

Aaden relented, sitting back and folding his arms in his chair.

“I cannae bring them intae this, besides, they may nae have forgiven me for how I left in the first place.”

“Ye owe them the explanation fer why ye really left, at least.”

“Advising me on how tae run me life now, Aaden?” Gilchrist asked tartly. “I’m indebted tae ye as me friend, but I dinnae tell ye how tae run yers.”

“I ken.” Aaden looked sad at this. “Me life… it’s rather different.”

It was not the first time Aaden had hinted at secrets in his life. Gilchrist knew that deep in Aaden’s past there had been heartbreak. It was one of the reasons he was a rake now, moving from one woman to another with ease. So that his heart never became attached to anyone for too long. But he also suspected there was something more to Aaden’s past, something he was as reluctant to talk about as Gilchrist was about his own life.

“Very well, if I cannae talk tae ye about Shay and yer brothers, can we go back tae talking about Lady Kyven?” Aaden asked, drinking from his mead and smiling.

The sad air that had been in the room a few seconds before shifted.

“What did ye have in mind?” Gilchrist asked, lowering his mead to the table.

“Well, Kyven takes much more notice of ye these days, does she nae?” Aaden bore a knowing smile on his lips. “And judging from the expression on yer face, her reaction tae ye today cannae have been bad.”

Gilchrist couldn’t stop his smile.

“So, ye must push things further.” Aaden rubbed his hands together, as if a great plan was forming in his mind.

“How?” Gilchrist was nervous of what Aaden was going to suggest next, though he could hardly dismiss it when Aaden’s last idea had seemed to work remarkably well.

“Talk about sex.”

“Are ye out of yer mind?” Gilchrist veered forward in his chair. Startled, Lottie looked up at him and meowed.

“Nay.” Aaden laughed and shook his head. “Ye have flirted with her now, aye? Seen her blush enough, I’m sure.”

Gilchrist took another hasty gulp from his mead. To see Kyven’s freckled cheeks blushing so red that morning as he had when she found him completely naked, was a thrilling memory indeed. She had bitten her lip nervously, her gaze shooting down his chest. Her eyes had practically bulged out of her head when she had seen his length.

“She didnae run from ye, did she?”

“Nay, she didnae.”

“Then take it further,” Aaden said eagerly. “Start talking of things, cross that boundary. Ye need tae take down any hurdles between ye and feel free tae talk about anything. She will only share her bed with someone she trusts completely.”