When he didn’t move or speak, I continued.
“Look, I think you’re a cocky, pompous, ridiculously-spoiled, na?ve brat, but in another life, I was all of those things as well. Most likely, you’ll have lost interest in me by tomorrow morning—that’s your usual habit with women, isn’t it? But I also know this—if you’d known the woman I was a year and a half ago, you’d not have believed that I wanted more than what you offered me that first night at the inn.
“Life here has changed me. It has made me want more, made me realize the things that are really important. From my own experience, I know that sometimes, very rarely, people can change. Or maybe not change so much, but as Isobel says, we grow. I don’t know. I’m rambling now. Basically, I just came to tell you this—I’m done.”
“I’m done fighting. I’m done denying. I’m done resisting. You’ve succeeded—Isobel took whatever it is you told her and wore me down. I’m giving you the benefit of the doubt, Adwen, so please…do what you wish with me and then have enough sense to prove Isobel right. Be a better man than I believe you to be. Show me that good guys exist because, believe you me, I’ve not had the experience of knowing very many myself.”
I paused, shaking with nerves and anticipation as I moved my hands to the tie on my robe. With Adwen’s back still in the chair and his face away from me, I undressed, throwing the robe over my shoulder and into the air. I expected to hear the robe swoosh as it hit the ground but when I heard nothing, I twisted to look over my shoulder.
Adwen stood not two feet behind me.
*
It shouldn’t have been frightening, but the shock of seeing Adwen behind me when I’d thought him to be in front of me, felt a lot like a horrible dream—one where you think the psycho-crazy killer is one place but then he’s breathing down your neck.
I jumped and attempted to find my voice as I registered his presence near the doorway. “What? What are you doing there? I thought you were…” my voice was shaky and rather breathless as I pointed over my shoulder. “Who is that?”
Adwen smiled, tossing the robe gently back to me. “That would be Callum.” He raised his voice to address his brother. “Callum, if ye turn yer head around before I tell ye it’s safe to do so, I swear to ye, I will knock every last tooth from yer head.”
He turned his attention back to me, gesturing with his head in a way that told me he wanted me to cover myself. I made haste to do just that.
“And aye, lass, I can see that ye thought I was there instead of here, but here I am.”
There was humor in his eyes, but the embarrassment of the situation raised a sort of fury in me that erupted as I shook beneath my gown.
“Why did neither of you say anything? How long were you standing there, Adwen?”
Assuming it safe to turn around now that I was screeching at the both of them, I saw Callum rise from his chair, looking nearly as embarrassed as I felt.
“I’m sorry, lass, but ye said that I shouldna talk, and I dinna know who ye were talking to until well into yer lovely speech. And it felt a bit personal to interrupt. Ye hardly took a breath.”
Adwen laughed and moved to pull me toward him as he wrapped his arms around me. I still shook from nerves and embarrassment, but I allowed it, laying my head gently against his chest.
“Aye, and I was no about to stop ye, no when ye were calling me such kind names like pompous and spoiled. Warmed me right through, it did.”
“You heard everything? When did you walk in here?”
He bent and kissed the top of my head. “The same time ye did, lass. I only caught the doorway and slipped inside when ye went to close it. I saw ye walking down the hallway in yer robe and found myself verra curious about where ye meant to go.”
“Yes, I bet you were.”
Adwen squeezed me closer, speaking to Callum instead of me. “Time for ye to leave. Have Agnes prepare the meal this evening. I doona know if Jane and I will be there for it.”
Ducking his head, Callum nodded and scooted past us. Right as he walked by, Adwen bent his head, whispering in my ear as he cupped my bottom.
“Ye have the loveliest arse I have ever seen.”
My insides warmed at the touch of his hands, and I drew in a shaky breath as the door closed behind Callum.
“You should have said something.” I gently moved his hands from my rear, stepping away to look at him now that we were alone.
“I should have done no such thing. Ye shouldna have been walking the castle halls in yer robe.”
“I….I was trying to surprise you, I guess.”
“Well ye did and Callum too. Seems only fair that I surprised ye as well. Just what did ye mean to do with me here, after ye dropped that robe?”