Errol shook his head. “I cannae. But ’tis no’ that easy.”
“Why no’?”
“For one, ye are Laird Hart’s daughter. Do ye ken what he will do to me once he finds out that we have kissed. Or worse, lain together? Or yer brothers? But ’tis no’ only them. My own father will have the same reaction.”
“I dinnae understand why ye men all believe ye must continue with whate’er feud ye have conjured up in yer minds. No’ a single one of ye can say why we have been fighting all these years. Why we should be fighting. Why we should remain enemies.” She pushed away from Errol and grabbed his hands. “Why can we no’ say enough. Why can we no’ order a cease to all the fighting? End the violence betwixt our two clans. Is that too much to ask?”
Errol scraped his hands back and forth across his scalp. Then rubbed the back of his neck. “There is so much history that has happened. Ye cannae expect that to be ignored.”
“It doesnae have to be ignored, but it can be addressed, can it no’?”
She took two steps back and immediately felt the absence of Errol’s heat. She wanted to step right back into the warmth of his embrace, but if he was going to be stubborn as a mule, she couldn’t be so close to him right now.
He would have to take the steps to change the path of their clans. And then mayhap he could convince his father. And she could go home and convince her father. And her brothers. Would that really be so hard?
“Moira.” Errol’s voice held a tone of longing.
She held up her hand and shook her head. “Nay. Ye have said all that I need to hear.”
“Moira,” Errol pled.
She held up her hands, palms out. “I dinnae need to hear aught else, Errol. I’m sorry I took liberties, I shouldnae have. ’Twillnae happen again. Please accept my apology.” Moving over to the otherwall, she glanced up at the paintings and noticed another arrow pointing toward the back of the cave. She looked deeper into the cave, her head tilted to the side as she studied what looked like to be the outline of a door.
Moving towards it, Errol swore behind her.
“Damn it, Moira.” He pushed off the wall. “Where are ye going?”
“Continuing on our quest.” She straightened her shoulders, trying to not show Errol how much his rejection had affected her. She wouldn’t allow him to see the hurt she was feeling deep in her belly.
Reaching the far wall, she pushed against the stone, but it didn’t budge. Her hands smoothed over the stone interior, searching for a lever or a notch or something that would open the door.
“What are ye looking for?”
Errol was standing so close behind her that she could feel his breath on the back of her neck. She could easily take a step back and be flush against his body. It took all of her might to stop herself from doing just that.
“Do ye no’ see it?” She pointed to the wall.
Finally, he dragged his gaze away from hers and studied the stone, his eyes widening when he saw it. “A door.”
“Aye. What do ye suppose is on the other side?”
“I dinnae ken. So far, e’erything we have found has been naught that I would have expected. So, who kens. Could be naught. Could be a treasure chest.”
Moira laughed. If only that were the case. If it was a treasure chest than they could end this quest here and now and make their way back home. Errol to MacLeod Keep, and she back to Hartsmoor. For the first time, she wished for this hunt to be over, because she wasn’t sure if she could sustain being so close to Errol and not being able to touch him. To act on the storm of feelings he’d awakened in her.
“There’s a latch here.” Errol said, his fingers wrapping around a smooth oblong stone. When he pulled, the door inched forward just asmidge. He pulled again and the door creakily swung open.
Kiss forgotten, Moira stepped forward, entering the antechamber they’d just revealed.
Chapter Thirteen
Errol held backas Moira entered the room, rubbing his palms over his face. Jesus. How had they gotten to this position? And why, now that he’d had a taste of Moira, couldn’t he now get the taste of her off his tongue? He wasn’t sure he wanted to even if he could.
Moira ducked her head out. “Are ye coming?”
He grunted at the primal thoughts her simple question evoked in his mind. How he wished he were. He wanted to get lost in her soft skin. Her warm curves. Have her nails score his back. Feel her breathy moans against his neck. Hear her scream his name as she reached her climax.
Shite. He blew out a breath. He needed to change the direction of his thoughts. They would serve him no purpose.
