“I hate being soul bound to you.” She thumped her pillow.
“I’m hardly a good catch. I agree.” Boots toed off, he unfastened the ties of his brown leather pants while Fiona continued to glare at him. He shucked them and in only his tunic which thankfully reached him to mid-thigh, eased in under the covers and glared right back at her. Only his glaring didn’t last long, not when the golden firelight flickered over the soft curves of her face and lit her tumbled curls into a blazing red hue. Damn it, how he wished to have her beside him each and every night to come, to be able to hold her in his arms and watch her as she fell asleep, to always know she’d be safe and close within his reach. His shoulders sagged, his defeat far too real. “Please, dinnae remain angry at me.”
“Your stupid honor is unbending and completely annoying.”
“A man’s word, once given, cannae be taken back.” His heart beat so sluggishly slow, the distance he’d instilled between them the greatest chasm. He wriggled a little closer.
“So I’ve noticed.” She heaved over and gave him her back. “Finally I’m in bed with you, and all I hope for is to leave. Quite ironic really.”
“I dinnae wish for you to remain angry with me.” Gently, he reached out one hand and trailed his fingers through her hair. The silky mass of curls slid through his fingers and made him itch to touch more of her.
“Leave me be.” She scampered closer to her edge.
“Go any farther and you’ll fall out.” This was the worst kind of torture, having her within touching distance and so angry at him. The kind of tortuous agony that sank bone-deep and twisted knife-hard.
A torture he’d brought upon himself.
Long minutes passed, each one bringing even more turmoil to his very soul.
“Coll?” She rolled back toward him, looked deep into his eyes. “Your pain is swamping me, like naught I’ve ever sensed afore. Why is your fae barrier down?”
“I didnae mean to drop it.” He hauled it back into place. “Please forgive me, Fiona. I cannae part ways with you like this, and I need you to agree that you’ll return to Ardan House with Duncan and Ella, and stay there. No catching passage on a vessel bound for Iona.”
“I’ve no desire to remain anywhere near you and your future wife once you’re wed. Are you truly going to speak vows with her? This is the last time I shall ask, and if your heart is truly set on her, then I’ll say no more.”
“Aye.” He had no other choice. “She’s the one I want to marry.”
“Nay, she is the one you need to marry.” She huffed a breath, her nose all wrinkled up. “Well, I guess that’s it then. You’re an ass, by the way.”
“An ass who must think only of his clan. My people will always come first.”
“I hate you.” Tears glistened in her eyes. “And I hate your damn sense of honor too.”
“It must be this way.”
“Like I said. I willnae beg you to change your mind yet again. You’ve no more to fear from me.” She wriggled back around and faced the fire, and his pain intensified.
He waited, until her breathing slowed and she finally succumbed to sleep and once she did, he drew her gently into his arms and held her tight. Only then could he breathe more easily.
Aye, this would be one of the longest, most tortuous nights of his life, and the coming days likely no better. Nose buried in her hair, he memorized her delicate scent, one that would forever torment him. White roses. Whenever he caught that fragrance again, he’d only ever think of her.
Chapter 6
A deep and sultry voice murmured words filled with wicked promises and nibbling kisses grazed her ear. Warm lips glided down her neck and—oh my. She opened one eye within the near dark of Coll’s chamber, the embers in the fire all that remained aglow to light the room.
“Coll?”
“Mmm.” He stroked the firm pad of his thumb over her shift-covered nipple, lowered his head to her breast and wrapped his lips—cloth and all—around the beaded tip. He sucked, hard, and her toes curled inward and dug into the mattress.
“What are you doing?” She sank her hands into his hair and arched her back. This couldn’t be real. It had to be a dream considering how their last conversation had ended, unless of course he just wished for one more last tryst between the sheets, and knowing her, she’d gladly give into him just to have one more memory to keep.
He moaned against her breast, took the throbbing tip even deeper then released it with a soft pop before moving to her other breast and tracing that nipple just as he’d done the first.
“I believe we discussed our parting would soon occur, no’ a possible bedding.”