"I suppose I should get back to thecéilidh," she said. "I'll make sure this is laundered before I return it to you." She held up the handkerchief.
He nodded, not caring about the handkerchief. All he wanted was a few more minutes alone with her. There were so many questions he wanted to ask her. But, as he'd already seen, she was not yet comfortable answering them.
***
"You disappeared," Lady Elena said, lighting a candle in the room they shared.
Calla raised her head from the pillow. She hadn't been asleep. Thoughts of Rebbie consumed her mind. "I grew tired and decided to turn in early. Your mother said she didn't mind, that she would keep an eye on you."
"Are you mad? That party was the most fun I've had in ages! I didn't even see you dancing."
"Nay. My head was aching." Especially after she'd met with Rebbie. Worry and tension always gave her headaches. In one way, she was much relieved by what he'd said to her—that he wouldn't tell anyone. In another way, though, she found herself even more tense because… well… he stirred up all sorts of disturbing feelings in her. Fragile feelings of yearning that she'd thought long dead. At one point, just before she'd quit the room, she'd both feared and hoped he would kiss her. But, nay. Hoping for such a thing was mad. She must keep her distance from him.
But, when he'd held her, his hard body pressed against hers had felt divine.'Twasthe same intense longing that tormented her after she'd left him at that inn, and that she re-experienced in her dreams.
"You've had a lot of headaches recently," Elena said. "I'm concerned."
"Do not worry over it. I'll be fine."
Elena dropped to her bed and lay down. "Is Rebbie not a dream come true?" She sighed.
Heat rushed over Calla and she was grateful for the dimness of the room. "Aye, he is."
"I danced with him once, but that was not nearly enough. Then, he left to talk to LairdDraughon."
"Did you dance with anyone else?" Calla asked, trying to change the subject.
"Oh, indeed, I danced until I was breathless. Every man there wished to dance with me."
"Naturally."
"They would've asked you to dance, too, if you'd given them half a chance."
"Mayhap next time." But Calla was not quite carefree enough to dance half the night. She had far more important things to think about.
Elena leapt from the bed and paced. "I'm too excited to sleep. I wish Rebbie had kissed me goodnight."
Calla released an impatient breath. "'Tistoo soon. You will have to give him time." Annoyance gored her for she did not want to even imagine Rebbie kissing Elena. She detested the possessive feelings consuming her.
"I have never been kissed by anyone and I wish to know what it's like. Tell me." She plopped onto the bed again and faced Calla.
It could be either the best experience of one's life or the worst. "It depends on the person kissing you."
"An attractive man, like Rebbie."
"I'm certain 'twouldbe most pleasant." Aye, she knew for a fact Rebbie was an expert at kissing. But it had been such a long time since he'd kissed her, she found herself bereft.
"Pleasant in what way?" Elena asked.
"Dreamy, sweet and affectionate."
Elena sighed. "I cannot wait."
Her cousin was too young and naïve to know anything about the other aspect of kissing… the arousal and carnal yearnings a kiss could stir up like a boiling caldron of need. Aye, Rebbie did that without effort.
But she could not think of it, for already her lips itched and tingled, craving the feel of his mouth on hers. At all costs, that could never happen.
***
