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“Better,” she said with a grin. “He’s awake, alert, and grouchy,” she finished, chuckling.
Cameron smiled. “Back to his old self!”
Alanna snorted. “Aye and nay.”
“What do ye mean nay?” Cameron asked, concerned.
Alanna glanced out at the crowd of people dancing. When her gaze seemed to fasten upon someone, Cameron searched out who she was staring at—Sorcha. “Alex’s lass came to visit Rory Mac today.”
“Sorcha is nae Alex’s lass,” Cameron growled.
Alanna smirked. “Then why is she wearing his plaid?”
“She was cold,” he snapped. “What did she want with Rory Mac?”
Alanna’s face immediately softened, and regret flittered across it. “She wanted to see if he was improving, and she wanted to repent for any hand she may have had in his injuries.”
Cameron snapped his jaw shut when he felt himself gaping. “Did she recall something that made her believe she had a part in the attack?” Just asking the question made his chest ache.
When Alanna shook her head, he barely suppressed a sigh of relief. “Nay. She dunnae recall more than her name, but Rory Mac recalled something about her.”
“What?” he demanded, his need to know hitting him with the force of a tempest.
“She turned back from fleeing to save him,” Alanna announced.
“What? What say ye?”
“Rory Mac says he saw her fleeing on her horse, but she turned around.” Alanna’s eyes had grown wide, as if her husband’s memory still surprised her. “Rory Mac said she may have been looking to see if any of ye were chasing her, or in light of her actions, it’s more likely she turned to see if any of the men who must have taken her were chasing her.” Alanna cocked her head, a thoughtful expression on her face. “He says when she saw him losing the battle with the enemy, she galloped back to him and struck the man he was battling in the arm with a dagger, just as the man hit Rory Mac. He’d meant to take Rory Mac’s head, nae slice his gut!”
“God’s teeth,” Cameron whispered, his gaze drawn back to Sorcha. Broch twirled her in a fast circle, and she had her head thrown back and a grin on her lips. Cameron wanted to go to her, sweep her into his arms, and kiss her as he had done yesterday.
“I’m ashamed I judged her so,” Alanna murmured. “I told her so, and she was verra gracious. Told me if she had been in my place she would have responded the same way. She is nae an enemy of mine.”
“Nor of mine,” Cameron said, though the words were hard to get out as his throat had tightened with emotion from the simple act of looking at her. The longer he watched her, the greater the desire grew, until he feared he was losing his grip on his control. “I bid ye good evening,” he said abruptly. He turned and pushed his way through the crowd, not slowing until he was out the door and striding through the hall.
He was not even certain where he was going until he was halfway down the seagate stairs to the water. When he reached the shore, he discovered Lillianna carrying two buckets of water in each hand. She quickly set them down as she saw him, put her hands on her hips, and pouted at him. “Why have ye nae come to my bed since returning from the king’s mission?”
“I’m sorry, lass,” he replied. He and Lillianna had been enjoying each other’s favors for the last several years. He had made it clear long ago that he didn’t want marriage, however, and she had said she was fine with that. She had been forced to wed very young to a man who had treated her cruelly. He was dead now, and she’d told Cameron she had no interest in marrying ever again, so it had been the perfect agreement.
She slid between the buckets to press her body against his. “Help me deliver these buckets to the kitchen, and then I’ll help ease the stress I see on yer face.”
He should take her offer. If he did, perchance he could get Sorcha out of his mind. Yet he found himself shaking his head. “I’m happy to help ye with the buckets, lass, but I’m in need of an ice-cold swim.” It was the only thing that would extinguish the searing yearning that Sorcha had lit in him. Kissing Lillianna would not help that. Though the lass was pretty, and he had surely desired her not long ago, he felt nothing now as he looked at her, except a festering wish to hold Sorcha, kiss her sweet mouth, caress her beautiful body, and help her unlock the secrets of her memories.
“Cameron!” Lillianna snapped, making him aware that he’d been standing there like a clot-heid. “Did ye hear what I said?”
“Nay, lass. I’m sorry.”
Her pout grew more pronounced, but then her tongue darted out to lick her lips as she gave him a smoldering look. “I said I’ll be more than happy to swim with ye…naked.”
“I dunnae believe I’ll be taking ye up on the offer tonight. Shall we?” he asked quickly and picked up the buckets before she could offer any more.
She gave him a wicked smile before turning and climbing the steps. Lillianna was a very shapely woman, and she purposely swayed her hips in a manner he knew was meant to entice him. And it would have done exactly that if the damned recesses of his mind weren’t filled with thoughts of Sorcha, but her image kept popping into his head. He recalled her plain and purposeful stride that didn’t have even a hint of provocativeness in it, as if enticing a man was the very last thing she would ever think to do. Could he make her wish to entice him?
Devil take it! His lack of control over his own thoughts was appalling.
When they reached the courtyard, Lillianna turned around and launched herself at him so quickly that all he had time to do was drop the buckets in order to ensure they both did not fall backward. Just as his hands encircled her waist to keep her on her feet, she twined her fingers in his hair and crushed her mouth to his. As he broke the kiss to set her away, he was instantly aware that they were not alone.
He turned his head to the right and stormy-gray eyes met his. Sorcha stared at him, her lips parted. Beside her, Broch chuckled and said, “I’d like to tell ye that ye dunnae often see such displays around Dunvegan, but when Cameron is afoot and a beautiful lass is near—” Broch winked at Lillianna “—ye’ll see such things as ye just saw. But dunnae ye fret, lass,” he said, slinging his arm around Sorcha and drawing her firmly to his side. “I’ll make sure to keep ye safe from Cameron’s advances.”
