Page 38 of Scot of Seduction

CHAPTER FIFTEEN

Catreena heard something through her disturbed sleep. It had been difficult to fall asleep in the first place, for her mind was a whir with everything that had happened that day. She had even dried her tears on her pillow before sleep had claimed her.

Tae ken what Tad feels fer me at last, and now tae have it torn away.

Then the sound came again. It was a sharp rapping on glass.

Catreena sat bolt upright in bed, looking around the room with her nightgown slipping off one shoulder. All was dark, apart from the slither of moonlight through the curtains that shone onto the bed where she slept and a small chair nearby. Then she saw a shadow in the moonlight.

Her eyes shot toward the window.

Something’s out there.

Scrambling from the bed, she hastened toward it, thrusting back the curtains to find an all so familiar figure there.

“What the hell are ye doing?” she seethed through the glass.

Tad was balanced precariously on the stone ledge outside, his face half in shadow and the other half in silver light. He motioned silently to the catch on the window. She flung it open inwards, allowing him to climb in.

“What on earth? Tad, ye could have fallen tae yer death!” She peered out at the journey he must have made from the nearest corridor window. There was one long ledge between the two, but it was scarcely as wide as the length of his feet. The drop down to the earth far below was hazardous. “Are ye mad?” She spun around and thrust the window shut.

“Completely,” he said with a heavy side. He stepped away from her, thrusting his hands into his dark hair and pulling on the tendrils. “I ken what Bran said, but I had tae see ye. Ah, Cat, I’m so sorry.”

“Sorry? Whatever fer?” She looked around at the door but remembered she had locked it tight before coming to bed. She lit a candle from a tinder box, then went to follow Tad around the room. He was completely restless, incapable of standing still as he pulled at his hair in stress.

“Fer compromising ye.”

“Compromising me? Is that what ye’d call it? I was going tae call it making lo–”

“Dinnae say it like that.” He spun back around toward her. The firmness in his gaze and the strength of his voice made her stomach tremble.

Has he come tae rescind his offer of courtship? Has he changed his mind now he has had me?

She stepped back from him. Every fear she’d ever had about being just another of his women came to the forefront of his mind.

“Oh.” She placed the candle down and moved toward her bed.

“Oh, nay ye dinnae.” He followed her, cutting her off before she could reach the bed. “I ken that look. Dinnae think I am here tae try and forget what we shared.”

“Then why cannae I call it making love – hmm!” As she said it, he kissed her. It was not a fierce kiss, or even passionate, but something so incredibly soft that it stole her breath. Neither of them reached out with their hands but just stood there, indulging in the gentleness of the kiss. It was almost as soft as the night when he had woken from that nightmare, and she had comforted him. When they pulled back, Catreena stared at him in amazement.

“Because ye saying that just makes me want tae dae it again,” he confessed in a whisper. “It’s never been like that fer me. Ever.” He shook his head. “I thought…” He broke off and looked away, then he returned to his pacing. “Damn it, yer braithers are going tae lynch me.”

“Tad, Tad, ye have tae calm down.” Catreena raced after him. She felt it now, felt what he wanted to say, but couldn’t quite say. She hurried around him and stopped his pacing, taking his hands. “Forget me braithers fer a minute.”

“That’s hard tae dae,” he pointed out with a scoff.

“Fer a minute, forget them,” she pleaded. “Tell me again.” She threaded her fingers through his.

“Tell ye what?”

“What it was like fer ye? This afternoon.”

The trace of a smile lifted his lips as he shook his head.

“Ye like it when I tell ye what I want, dinnae ye?” he teased her. She stepped toward him, trailing one of her hands up his chest. He shivered at her touch, a pleasant sort of shiver that made her feel empowered. Taking hold of the collar of his shirt, she pulled him a few inches down toward her, so they could rest their heads together.

“It meant everything tae me,” she confessed softly. “What we shared. It was more than I could have imagined. Because… because I dinnae want tae be like the other women in yer life, Tad.”