Love in the Time of a Highland Laird (A Laird for All Time Book 3) by Angeline Fortin (whitelam books .TXT) 📗

He didn’t deny it but nodded. “I shouldnae hae left ye alone wi’ them. I apologize. I was sidetracked by other correspondence.”

“It’s fine. I can take care of myself.”

“So I’ve heard.” He relaxed in his chair with a smile. “Nevertheless, ‘twould be best if ye avoid Maeve as much as possible. She’s descended intae near madness since her son was killed. We will dine alone in the future.”

The future? “It’s all right, but about the future…”

“Please sit. Join me.”

He pointed to the chair adjacent to his desk, but she shook her head. It could wait.

“No, I can see you’re busy and have things to do. Really, I just wanted to thank you for defending me like you did this morning.”

“”Twas naught tae be thanked for.” He whisked the gratitude away with a twitch of his fingers and studied her thoughtfully. “However, we may need to find a wee bit more proof that Hugh perhaps ‘died.’” He gestured to the chair once more time. “Please, sit.”

Because she didn’t really want to leave his company, she sat as directed. “Do you have any ideas about what to say?”

“Nay, but none of them, Maeve in particular, will accept a mere disappearance for long.”

“And the truth is out of the question?”

“Aye, unless ye hae a yen tae feel the flames licking at yer toes,” he joked. “Maeve isnae as enlightened as Hugh or e’en Ceana. She would ne’er rest until she saw it done.”

She shuddered at the thought. “No, thank you.”

“Ye’re safe here, lass. I promise ye. ”

His assurance warmed her and yes, made her feel secure. “Thanks, but that’s the other thing I wanted to talk to you about.”

As it had been this morning, his attention was completely hers. Patient, no indication that he was in any hurry to resume his writing. It was perhaps the most flattering and heady behavior she’d ever experienced in a man’s presence. Suddenly, she didn’t want to talk to him about leaving Dingwall and glanced around the room for inspiration. “You know, there must be thousands of books in here. Do they get read, or are they just for show?”

“Are ye asking if I can read, lass?” he jested. “I thought ye’d already satisfied yerself on the issue of my barbarism. But tae be clear, aye, I can read.”

“I know… I wasn’t…” She flushed. “Oh, you can be a very frustrating person sometimes.”

“I’m only joshing, ye ken,” he said. “Though ye’re a bonny sight when yer feathers are ruffled.”

If it were possible, she felt her cheeks grow even hotter under his warm gaze. Scratching the back of her earlobe nervously, she pressed on, “Listen, I was just wondering… That is, I’m not a prisoner here any more, right?”

“Of course, nae.” His playful grin fell into such a deep frown, his thick black brows nearly hid his eyes. He watched her broodingly. “Dinnae think such a thing.”

“I didn’t… or at least, I wasn’t sure.” She paused with a sigh, her shoulders slumping forward slightly. “I was just thinking if I’m not a prisoner or whatever, that I should be going on my way. I mean, I can’t stay here forever, right?”

Keir stared at her in silence for so long, Al began scratching at her earlobe again. “Why nae?”

Because of him. Because of the danger of living too close to fantasies was that reality never measured up.

“Ye dinnae need tae leave, lass,” he said, when it became clear she wasn’t going to speak. “Ye can stay here as my guest for as long as ye care tae.”

“No, I couldn’t possibly.”

That pensive look dropped again as if she were a puzzle he was trying to work out. “Do ye want tae leave, lass? Ye’ve nae where tae go here.”

She glanced away once more, scanning the bookshelves blindly. “I told you, I’ll figure it out. And there’s no reason for me to stay. You’ve gotten what you needed from me already.”

“Hae I now?”

Her gaze shot back to him at the suggestive comment. His brow lifted a notch, his blue eyes twinkling. Heat flooded her face and she looked away. Biting her lip to keep from smiling, she pressed on. “I’m used to being on my own. It’s a future thing. You wouldn’t understand.”

“Nay, I dinnae. Explain it tae me.”

“Feminism,” Al told him, mocking herself inwardly. She’d never been much of a feminist. Solitude had invariably been the result of circumstance rather than choice. “Women in the future like to be independent. Take care of ourselves.” She shrugged as if it was no big deal.

“Wi’oot a man to hae a care for ye? To provide for ye?”

No, she wasn’t a huge feminist but the idea that a woman in some way needed a man to take care of her did rankle a bit.

“Oh come on, Keir, what could a man possibly do for me that I can’t do for myself?”

This time when he lifted his brow so expressively, it took a second longer for his implication to sink it. When it did, she reddened once more but couldn’t help laughing.

“I know for a fact I do that for myself better than any man could manage.”

The shock on his face was well worth the frank statement. She wasn’t sure but she thought he might have blushed as well before he too smiled. Not with forthright humor but with a devilish grin.

“Ye ken, that sounds like something of a challenge, lass.”

Before she could respond, Keir pushed himself out of his chair, dropping to his knees in front of her. “Shall I prove that a man can do better?”

He lifted her foot, holding her firmly by the ankle in one hand as his other slipped up her calf. Al jumped at the gentle caress, trying to kick him off before he even reached her knee. Slapping both hands down, she pinned his hand against the top of her thigh with a shaky laugh.

“Wow, you really are a rake, aren’t you?”

Stilling, he stared up at her. “Is