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Cameron exhaled a breath of relief. Sorcha arched her eyebrows at him. “I told ye he was nae anyone I cared for in an intimate way.”
“I ken ye told me that, but it’s nice to have confirmation. I wish to be the only one ye have ever cared for that way,” he said, choosing to be completely honest.
She nestled closer to him, making him think his words had pleased her. “In my memory, I was young, and another girl, who was nae much older than me, was chastising me for nae being cautious enough when we were playing by a creek.”
“Considering yer actions of yesterday, I dunnae find that hard to believe,” he quipped.
She gave him a teasing scowl. “As I was saying, the girl chastised me, and then I fell into the water and my uncle rescued me. I felt safe with him, so I dunnae believe he is the one I care for who frightens me.”
Cameron frowned. “Perchance he did nae frighten ye at the time.”
“Perchance,” she relented, “but I believe I would have felt a tremor of fear in my memory. I felt only happiness toward my uncle. As for the girl in my memory, I referred to our father when I spoke of getting in trouble, so she must be my sister.”
He rubbed her back, feeling the tension mount there as her spine stiffened.
“I kinnae believe I dunnae recall my own sister’s name,” she said incredulously.
“Ye will,” he said quietly, unsure how he felt about that. What if the memories she had not recalled made her the wife of another?
“What are ye thinking?” she asked softly, tracing a finger over the length of his brow that he only just realized he had furrowed.
He smoothed it, captured her wrists, and stared into her eyes. “I was considering what I would do if ye recalled that ye are the wife of another man. I nae ever thought I would be the sort of man to take what belongs to another, but if ye did nae love him…”
She put a finger to his lips as alarm and gratefulness warred for a place on her features. “I would nae ever wish ye to sacrifice the honor that makes ye who ye are for me.” He opened his mouth to object, but she pressed her finger harder, a silent entreaty for him to let her speak. “I am nae the true wife of any man, Cameron.”
His heartbeat quickened at her words. “How do ye ken? Did ye recall something?”
She shook her head. “Nay, but Marion examined me, and she assured me I have nae ever joined with a man.”
Gratification blossomed, along with fierce possessiveness. She was his. No other would ever touch her as he would, and though he had not thought it mattered to him, he was glad that it was so. Still, he did not want to say that and make her think he would have wanted her less otherwise, so he said, “It would nae have mattered to me, but I kinnae deny I’m glad to hear it. But only because I feel possessive of ye.”
Her lips pressed into a thin line, making him think his words had angered her, but then she smirked. “I feel possessive of ye, as well, but since I ken good and well that ye have joined with many lasses, I will say that if ye wish us to have a true chance and our lives to be intertwined as one, ye will nae ever touch another.”
“God’s teeth, nay. I’d nae. The idea repulses me,” he admitted.
“It does? Truly?” she asked. The hopefulness in her voice revealed her vulnerability.
He leaned close and kissed her neck and then her lips. He could not help it. Having finally allowed himself to freely relent to the desire to touch her, he was finding it near impossible to stop. “Aye, truly. I would nae ever be the sort of man to have more than one woman, and I would expect the same from ye.”
“And I will give the same,” she replied, huskiness tingeing her voice, “gladly.”
Contentment warmed him, even as he knew she likely had more to say. The silence between them remained for several breaths, and he allowed it, savoring the moment, as he suspected she might be doing also. There was much left to discuss, including the king, which he guessed neither of them wanted to speak about. Cameron hadn’t mentioned it again purposely, because he was unsure how he was going to handle King David, but he would find a way. He suspected Sorcha left the topic of King David unspoken because she feared discussing it.
“Did Eolande say any more?” he asked.
She gave him an intimate smile. “Aye. She said there is passion between us that will nae be denied.”
He leaned in to brush his lips to hers once more, but her small hand came between them and pressed against his chest. Her smile had turned to a frown. “She also said that we will either sink under the weight of lies or rise with the power of love,” she whispered, her gaze now averted.
He looked down at her hands, which she had brought to her lap and was currently twisting together. He cupped her chin and turned her face gently to him. “There will be only truth from my lips to yers.”
“And from mine to yers,” she agreed immediately, making his chest tighten with her ready pledge.
He ran the pad of his thumb over her sweet lips. “Then lies will nae fell us.”
She nodded her agreement, yet her hands still twisted with her worry. “Why do ye still fret?” he asked gently.
Her lip trembled, and she bit down on it, stopping the motion. Intense unease sprang within him like a weed.
