Page 43 of Highland Sky

“Is that a tear I see, lass?” Nash reached out and wiped her cheek with his thumb.

Kellina felt embarrassed to admit she was tearing up over him. She didn’t want to seem weak around him. So she held back any tears, and lifted her chin, answering him in a different way entirely. “I think it’s just a raindrop,” she told him. “I suppose it would be wise to get out of the rain, like the others.”

“I dinna ken. I rather like it out here,” Nash answered. “Besides, it’s just a mist really, and no’ a downpour or anythin’ like that.” He cupped the side of her face with his large palm. “If I did somethin’ to anger ye, Kellina, I am sorry. I never meant to do anythin’ but to make ye happy, I swear.”

She leaned into his caress, liking the feeling of his warm skin touching hers. It was starting to feel right when he touched her, instead of wrong. Or mayhap it was just that she wanted what she had seen between Shaw and Spring. Kellina’s marriage to Nash wasn’t going smoothly, and she didn’t know if she could ever have what she’d witnessed between their hosts.

“Och, Nash, how did we get into such a horrible situation?”

“It was done for an alliance,” he reminded her, pulling her up against his chest and kissing her atop the head. “And I dinna think bein’ married to ye is really that horrible at all. That is a harsh word to use, lass.”

“Nay, that’s no’ what I meant. I wasna talkin’ about our bein’ married. I am talkin’ about our deception.”

“Oh.” He bit his lip and nodded. “Ye mean the marriage bed.”

“Aye, that is what I mean. I’m sorry, Nash, but I was frightened to couple with ye. Everythin’ was happenin’ so fast, and I dinna ken what to do.”

“I understand, Kellina. But ye need to understand somethin’ as well. That is the whole reason why I taught ye to pleasure yerself. I didna want to scare ye or push ye into somethin’ ye werena ready for.”

“I want to believe that, but I’m no’ so sure. Sometimes, I think it was because of somethin’ else.” She sniffled and pulled out of his arms.

“What do ye mean? I was tryin’ to show ye respect, lass. I am sorry if it didna come across that way.”

“Mayhap, ye’re right,” she answered, flashing a quick smile and wiping away another tear. “But was it really showin’ respect no’ to touch yer own wife in that way, of all times, on our weddin’ night? Or was it a form of disrespect instead? After all, it made me feel undesirable and as if ye didna want me in that way.”

“Blethers, nay! That wasna my intention at all, I promise.”

Kellina sighed deeplyand turned and walked away. Nash stood alone in the rain, feeling more confused than ever now. It almost seemed like he was damned if he did, and damned if he didn’t. Whatever he did concerning Kellina, it was only proving to be wrong. Would this marriage ever take its footing, or would it never even get off the ground?