Page 25 of In Bed with a Highland Brute

“Well, ye did say ye wouldnae let me fall,” she reminded him of his earlier words with the hint of a smile on her lips.

“And I meant such a promise.” His eyes tarried on her lips. He felt a sudden urge to kiss her, one so strong that he couldn’t pull himself back.

“Murdoch…” she whispered as the applause began. “They are expecting something. Yer father’s guests, I mean.”

“Then we better give them what they want.”

And what I want as well.

He pressed his lips to hers, his arm wrapping tightly around her waist to lift her body that inch closer to hers. He had to pray that when Avery witnessed this kiss he believed it, and thought Murdoch was acting honorably toward Eloise.

Any such thoughts swiftly left his mind as Eloise kissed him back. There was that heat again, the excitement, the touch of her lips on his. It didn’t last long, for he was all too aware of people watching them, but the momentary indulgence was enough to sustain him.

He put Eloise back on her feet and they turned to bow to one another once more. As the applause grew, Murdoch took her arm, his gaze darting to the side of the room where his friends waited. He knew this wasn’t a meeting he could avoid for much longer. As he and Eloise slowly crossed toward the group, he felt her arm tightening through the crook of his elbow, her fingers growing stiff. He slowed their walk even further, rather keen to delay this conversation for as long as he possibly could.

Aila and Callie cheered, joining in the applause, with Callie in her usual exuberance being the most vocal.

“Well, well, what a dark horse ye are, Murdoch,” she said as he reached their side. “Tae think ye had been courting sweet Eloise all this time and yet none of us kenned anything.”

“Aye, nae a thing.” Avery’s voice was instantly dark. He stood tall, with his shoulders broad. He was a little taller than Murdoch, and although Murdoch knew they were pretty level in a fight, he didn’t fancy his chances at this moment in time.

“Oh, Avery, calm yer blood,” Callie urged, waving a hand at her husband. “Is it nae wonderful? Yer sister is tae be wed!”

“Aye, so she is. Strange I kenned nae a thing about it.” His angry eyes now shot to Eloise’s, narrowing to slits. “Eloise, how could ye nae speak of this?”

“I… It is hard tae explain.” She glanced up at Murdoch and stood closer to him still. The proximity of her was distracting and he certainly didn’t need it at a moment like this.

“Ha! Well, I long tae hear this explanation,” Ian declared with raucous laughter. He stepped forward and clapped Murdoch around the arm, good-naturedly. “Always kenned ye had yer secrets, but they just keep on coming, dinnae they?”

“Ian,” Aila pleaded at his side, elbowing him quite harshly in the rib. “Ye arenae helping poor Avery.” She pointedly glanced at Avery, whose expression had darkened as he looked at the hold Eloise had on Murdoch’s arm.

“Why nae? It is mightily entertaining,” Ian said with warmth. Clearly, Callie agreed with him who laughed as Aila hid her own smile behind a clasped hand. “Ye two did very well indeed hiding it from us all. None of us suspected a thing. Ye should have seen the surprise on our faces when we got yer father’s letter yesterday.”

“He wrote tae ye?” Murdoch slowly put the pieces together. When he arrived and told his father that he was betrothed, Fergus must have written to his friends at once, deciding they should be there for the union.

“Aye, he did,” Ian continued to chuckle. “Noah couldnae come unfortunately, but he sends his best, and his surprise! He may have a few wedding gifts fer ye at some point.”

At the mention of wedding gifts, Avery jerked his chin toward Ian.

“Why are ye glaring at me like that?” Ian held his hands to his chest. “He is the one courting yer sister.” He thrust a finger at Murdoch. Once more, Aila elbowed him in the chest. “Ow, what was that one fer?”

“Ye are still nae helping matters,” she urged him to be quiet as he laughed once more.

Avery’s eyes turned on Murdoch.

“Ye wish tae speak tae me, dae ye nae?” Murdoch asked, without needing to hear the answer.

“Aye. Outside, now.” Avery pointed to a door in the hall, urging him to leave. Murdoch released Eloise’s arm, though she gripped his sleeves tight.

“Avery, is this the time for such a conversation? Murdoch is needed here by his father. It is why we didnae tell ye. We… we were waiting fer his father’s blessing.”

“Aye, that’s right.” Murdoch nodded, seeing what a good answer this was.

Avery glanced between the two of them, and silently pointed at the door one more time.

He isnae going tae let this go.

“Hurry back,” Ian called as Murdoch was marched to the door, with Avery close at his heel.