Chapter Seven
The moment Colmac pulledher into his arms, Rona knew they were on a slippery slope that only led in one direction. How else could it be when her heart raced and her breathing shallowed? Her eyes met his, and she was right back there.
Back to the night, they had first danced.
Everything she’d felt back then came rushing to the surface. The extraordinary sensation of floating in his arms. The surreal feeling that she was more whole at that moment than she had ever been before.
Almost as if he completed her.
“Ye really do look verra bonny this eve, lass,” he said softly. Just like he did that eve so long ago, his gaze roamed her face with admiration.
Desire.
Need.
Most especially,love.
Which meant it had been there back then. How could she have ever doubted she saw it? Worse yet, this meant Aunt Brighid was right.
Colmac had turned from her so Bróccín could love her.
Her vision blurred with tears, and she tried to speak, but nothing came out. She was too overwhelmed with emotion.
“’Tis all right.” He seemed to understand what she was going through. “Ye dinnae need to say a word.”
She managed a jerky nod, rested her cheek against his chest, and held on to his tunic for dear life as tears slipped free. She closed her eyes and drowned in the feeling of being in his arms. Of knowing that he had once cared for her. Yet with that certain knowledge came sadness and the same anger she had felt earlier.
How could he have so easily turned from what existed between them? She understood he loved his brother and certainly did not fault him for that, but to turn from what had blossomed between them? To set it aside as if it meant so little? That hurt deeply.
Then, on the same token, had he not, she never would have shared such a wonderful connection with Bróccín. She had truly loved him. Was their love different than what she felt for Colmac? Possibly.
But it was love all the same.
“Are ye all right, Rona?” Colmac eventually rumbled.
“I will be.” She wiped away tears, and met his eyes again, determined to finally get to the heart of things once and for all. To actually hear him say it. “Did ye love me, Colmac? Did ye love me and turn from me all those years ago?”
