Page 49 of In Bed with a Highland Brute

“I am just glad ye are awake.” He raised one hand and caressed her cheek. It was such a soft touch, one so startling from a man as strong as him that she leaned into that touch, wanting more of it. She even curled up her good leg underneath her, in the effort to bundle herself closer to him.

She didn’t think about whether it was a good idea or not. Her mind seemed incapable of thinking straight at all.

“Ye have had me so worried,” he whispered. “God, Eloise. What are ye doing tae me?”

“Nothing,” she murmured, lifting herself off the pillows and moving closer toward him. His hand slid down from her cheek and took hold of her waist. Slowly, he put her back down on the pillows. She groaned, disappointed at him putting distance between them. Her hand curled tighter around his bicep, and she could have sworn he smiled a little, though from how out of focus and blurry her vision was, she could not be certain of it.

“Ye are doing a lot.” He sighed, deeply. “I still cannae believe it was ye who turned up by the loch that day when I arranged for an escort. Ye, an escort, Eloise. Everything argues against it.”

“I had nae choice.” She shook her head, not afraid to say the words now. Was it the effect of the tea that made it seem mad to keep secrets from him? Or how close he was to her now? She was not certain.

“What? Why nae?” He leaned toward her. “Eloise, what would push ye intae being an escort?”

“Me father.” Her words were but a murmur as she hung her head. Needing to focus on something, she set her eyes on the way that her fingers curled around his bicep. “He was in such debt he was afraid fer his life. The money had tae be found somewhere. I had tae pay off the creditors.”

“Ye did this all to repay debts?” Murdoch’s eyebrows shot up as he sidled toward her on the bed, coming so close that her right hip practically brushed his left one. “Eloise?”

“Aye.” She lifted her chin, so she could meet his gaze. “I had tae. He is me father.”

“Avery says yer father is an excuse of a man.”

“Aye, that is true.” She giggled in her lightness, but the laughter faded fast. “Yet he is still me father. I couldnae stand by if there was a possibility he would be killed by his creditors. I had tae pay them off. So… I became an escort,” she whispered, tipping her head back onto the pillows. “Ye ken me secret now, Murdoch. Me shame. I walked intae this occupation quite willingly. Is that nae awful?”

He shook his head, angling his head to the side.

“Ye have done it all for another, Eloise. Ye have put yerself at such risk, pretending tae be attached tae men that were unworthy of ye, and who could have been dangerous, and all fer what? Tae protect a man that on all accounts doesnae deserve yer protection?”

“He is me father,” she said again, somehow hoping that would explain everything. “Ye would have done the same, would ye nae?”

“The difference is that me father is a good man, and I could defend meself if a client turned nasty.”

“Why else dae ye think I carry that dirk?”

“It might as well be a cheese knife for how effective it is.”

“Murdoch!” She laughed though, and could find no irritation at all, lifting herself off the pillows. Her body was so tingly that it tipped forward of its own accord and she fell into him. Rather than putting her back on the pillows this time, he slipped his hand along her waist and across her back, holding her close. “I… I had nae choice,” she whispered against hm.

“The fact that that is how ye see it is testament tae yer goodness. Ye did it all fer another.” A curse escaped his lips, an angry one, though she barely paid attention to it. She was too busy thinking of the scent of him, the pine trees that lingered, and his hand across her waist as she curled herself into his chest. “Eloise, listen tae me.” He used his hand on her back, trying to urge her to sit up properly. She attempted it, her head feeling strangely heavy now. “When this is over, all of this mess, I promise tae help ye and yer father.”

“Ye were tae be the last one,” she said, aware her eyes were closing now. “Ye offered such a sum, it was tae be the last one.” She smiled. “I was tae be free at last.”

“Ye are free already.” He moved toward her, and her eyes closed completely. When his lips found hers, her hand tightened even more around his arm.

He is nae performing now. There is nae one here tae see us but ourselves.

She held that kiss for as long as she could, though it was chaste, merely a press of lips together. The heaviness settled over her mind and Eloise’s grip softened on him.

“Time tae sleep, Eloise,” he whispered, releasing her and helping her down on the pillows again.

Eloise wasn’t sure, when she dreamed of holding Murdoch’s hand in her sleep if it was real or not.

When Eloise’s eyes opened again, it was day. The strong light of the dawn shone through the window, and she felt the chill of the morning. Her body was no longer on fire, but the blankets were tucked tightly around her body, so the chill was more noticeable on her face. Burying herself down into the blankets, she tucked her chin between the covers, trying to fight that chill.

“Ye have tae wake up sometime, ye ken.”

That voice.

Eloise had heard Avery’s voice so often over the years in dark moments. He was the one who had always managed to make her smile as a child when their father caused trouble. She was reminded now of waking from a fever, when she had been no more than ten years old. Her brother had sat beside her for half of the night as their father argued with the healer about whether he was doing a good job or not.