Nay? Her eyes narrowed, but she caught the unsteady pulse at the base of his neck. He wasn’t unaffected by her, so why was he pushing her away? Frustrated, sheleaned closer.
He stepped back.
Heat washed her cheeks, and she struggled to pull away from him. “Let me go.”
“You dinna understand.”
The roughness of his voice had her narrowing her gaze. “Then tell me why you dinnawant my touch?”
He swallowed hard and looked away, his face taut, as if he was fightingan inner demon.
Hurt, she pulled her hand free, stormed past him. “I see.” But she did not. “Come; ’tis unwise to linger.”
Chapter 9
Aiden shoved aside a low bough and headed east, too aware of the annoyed woman behind him.
Tell me why you dinnawant my touch.
Gwendolyn’s anguish-filled question flowed through his mind. Want her touch? God’s sword, will alone kept him from hauling her body against his and burying himself deep inside her slick warmth.
’Twas best if she was angry with him, believed he did not want her. He needed as much distance as he could get away from her combination of sorcery, beauty, and grace. Never had a lass scaled his carefully built walls with such ease, a woman, who if he allowed, could become important in his life.
“Hurry your pace,” he ordered over his shoulder.
Her unladylike grunt, despite their dangerous circumstances, madehis lips quirk.
Throughout the day, he’d used the sun’s position to keep them headed southeastward toward the Bruce’s camp. Several times, the nearby whinny of horses or knights’ calls forced them to hide. Aiden cursed the sinking sun, mocking the fact that they’d far from covered the groundhe’d intended.
He pushed through the thick tangle of brush and then continued. The harsh curve of ground angled up, the dense canopy of leaves overhead shielding the sky. They crested the next brae, and he stilled, his breath catching in his chest.
Sunlight cut through the clear skies, shimmering over the rough cut of the Highlands. The colorful blooms framed by the forest and rock swayed in the thick grass, the fragrant rush on the soft afternoon breeze igniting memories of his youth. The sort of summer day he’d enjoyed as a lad.
Gwendolyn halted at his side. “’Tis beautiful.”
A lump swelled in his throat as he stared at the stunning landscape, one torn from his childhood. “We should findshelter soon.”
“The falls are just beyond the ridge,” Gwendolyn said, her voice cool as shepointed ahead.
He nodded. “I—”
A horsesnorted nearby.
Blast it! He hauled her to the ground and shoved her forward. “Move under that brush!” She crawled under the dense tangle of branches and leaves; he scrambledin behind her.
Leaves scraped into place, shielding them as several Englishmen cantered into view. Paces away from where they’d stood on the rocks moments before, theriders paused.
“Bedamned, I saw fresh tracks a short distance back,” the lead rider growled, whirling his horse in a tight circle. “They must be close.” He nodded to the man on his right. “Sir William, ride back. Tell the others to rejoin us as we have picked up their trail.”
“Aye.” Hooves scraped against rock and turf as the mangalloped away.
With a grunt of disgust, the leader again scoured the rough landscape. “Before daylight fades, we will return to where I last saw their trail and then spread out.”
“Their moving southeast does not make sense,” another man said. “Loyal to Lord Comyn, why would they head toward where we were informed the Bruce is camped?”
Gwendolyn stiffened, and Aiden pressed his finger over his mouth toremain silent.
She nodded, but gray eyes darkened with concern.
