“I ken ye mean well, Grandmaither, but ye dinnae understand,” he burst out. “I cannae protect her. What just happened proves it once and for all. I’m a monster. I’m cursed because I cannae protect what I care about the most. I cannae let meself love her. ’Tis dangerous for Olivia just to be near me. All I’ll ever do is hurt her.”
So, the sympathy in her eyes surprised him. She squeezed his arm, peering up at him intently, her dark eyes solemn as she shook her head and told him, “Ye’ve got it all wrong, lad. Ye say ye’re afraid of hurtin’ her. But can ye nae see that by pushin’ her away like this, ye’re hurtin’ her anyway?”
The truth in her words hit Edan like a slap in the face. Realization dawned on him like a lantern flaring in the darkness.
“I never saw it that way before,” he admitted. “I’ve been so worried about the hurt I might cause her in the future by bein’ with her that I never stopped to think how I might be hurtin’ her now.”
“Aye, I think ye’re on the right track now, lad. I’ll leave ye to think on it.”
Edan stooped so she could kiss his cheek and then watched as she disappeared into her room.
He stood there for several minutes, pondering their conversation, allowing his view to shift and seeing things from Olivia’s perspective. It did not take him long to reach a conclusion.
’Tis time for me to stop runnin’ and face up to me feelings for Olivia. I’m goin’ to find her and tell her the truth about how I feel about her. And I’m goin’ to do it right now.
EPILOGUE
“Olivia, ’tis me. Can I come in?”
Surprised to hear Edan’s voice, Olivia sat up on the bed and hurriedly wiped her face with an already-soaked hanky.
Despite the heartbreak he was causing her, she still wanted to see him and talk to him. She composed herself as much as she could, hoping the fact that she had been weeping would not be too noticeable.
“Aye, come in,” she said, her shaky voice betraying her agitation at the prospect of more pain.
The door opened, and he stepped inside.
“Olivia, are ye all right?” he asked, his voice surprisingly soft as he rapidly crossed to the bed and sat beside her on the edge.
She looked into his eyes and was confused by the warmth and concern she found in them. But she would not let herself hope that anything was going to change.
“Aye, I’m all right. Are ye?”
Despite her sorrow, she was grateful to see him unharmed. When he took her hand, she started and gazed at him wonderingly.
“Olivia, I’ve come to say I’m sorry for the way I treated ye earlier. Nay, I’m sorry for the way I’ve treated ye all along. I’ve been cold to ye, I ken it, and ye deserve so much more. I can hardly explain me reasons for behavin’ that way towards ye. I didnae feel I could protect ye. I felt I was puttin’ ye in danger because of it.”
“But why would ye feel like that?” she asked, unable to help being drawn in by his obvious sincerity.
“I told ye how I couldnae save me faither on the battlefield, and I told ye about all the friends I’ve seen die, the ones in me nightmares,” he said, his gaze a plea for understanding she could not help responding to.
“Aye, ye have.” His hand on hers was warm and solid. She squeezed his fingers.
“It seemed to me that I couldnae protect those I cared about, that I’d become some sort of monster and anyone around me was in danger from me inability to keep them safe.” He gazed ather intently, making her heart flutter madly. “I was scared that if I let meself care about ye, ye’d be in danger as well. Can ye understand?”
Olivia felt a great wave of affection for him. “Aye, I understand,” she told him, leaning forward. “So, are ye still scared?”
“I am, but I cannae deny me feelings for ye any longer, Olivia. I cannae go on hurtin’ ye like this. I’m in love with ye. I love ye with all me heart, and I hope ye can find it in yer heart to forgive me for the way I treated ye. If ye can, then I promise I’ll do me best to make ye happy and be a good husband.”
“Och, Edan, ye dinnae ken how much it means to me to hear ye say those words!” Olivia exclaimed.
Elated, she threw herself into his arms and hugged him.
“There’s nothin’ to forgive. I love ye too, Edan. I love ye more than ye’ll ever ken!” she told him and kissed him on the lips.
“Och, thank ye, Olivia. Thank ye for comin’ into me life and showin’ me what love is,” he murmured against her lips as he kissed her back, holding her tightly against him.
The kiss began slowly, but it soon grew more intense as their desire for each other overwhelmed them. The force of Edan’s passion swept Olivia away, and she did not hesitate at all to welcome it with her own, abandoning herself to the sensuality as he caught her lower lip between his teeth, gently teasing it beforeplundering her mouth once more, the length of his powerful body pressing against hers, making every part of her sing with excitement.
