Tempting the Highlander (15 page)

Craig inhaled and stretched his back, hoping he sounded supportive enough that his brother might latch on to the suggestion. Standing up, he looked back at Crevan, who still was lying prone but his eyes were now closed. He had not moved a muscle, and though his breathing was steady, Craig deep down knew his brother was far from asleep and had heard every word.

Deciding he could do no more, Craig grabbed his plaid. “I’m going to go and sleep with the men in the fields. The humid air is more oppressive here than in the open. Talk to you tomorrow.”

Alone with only his thoughts, Crevan listened as the soft echoes of snapping branches turned into the light sound of Craig’s mount riding off into the distance.

Crevan knew his brother had been trying to dissipate his anger toward Raelynd. Craig had even admitted to being in error, which meant that he was near desperate to end hostilities. Problem was that Crevan was not angry with Raelynd, but himself.

The effect she was having on him was baffling, for Craig was right, Raelynd
wasn’t
the type of woman he typically sought for company. Plus, when he spent time with her, it was not long before all his years of practiced self-control disappeared. It shouldn’t take a lecture from his brother to stay away from Raelynd, he should be
wanting
to keep his distance. But for months now, he had done just the opposite.

Raelynd was ignorant to the effective ways of running a castle, but at least she had undertaken the responsibility and Caireoch’s size made it an onerous task. At first, Crevan had only felt a slight admiration of her courage to keep trying, to rally in defense when criticized. But in the last couple of days his thoughts had been consumed with her. This just wasn’t like him! Blaming the kiss was too easy. He had kissed lots of women, many of whom—unlike Raelynd—actually knew how to kiss. In the past, he had been able to easily compartmentalize such experiences and effectively ignore them. His reactions had been rational not emotional, and Crevan longed for them to be so again.

It was imperative he regain control over his emotions and behavior. To do that, Raelynd needed to be absent from his thoughts, and for that to happen, they needed to meet. Together, they would calmly discuss their relationship and the two kisses they had shared. After agreeing how it meant nothing and how it would never happen again, the tension between them would dissipate, to everyone’s relief.

That was the solution. They just needed to talk.

The sooner the better. For both of them.

“Come in,” Raelynd said just loud enough for Meriel to hear, hoping she would not have to get off the bed.

She had suspected her sister would be venturing up to her room if enough time passed. For as long as Raelynd could remember, she and Meriel spoke before retiring, discussing their day, their frustrations, new revelations, and making plans for the morrow. Tonight, however, Raelynd was not in the mood to talk, and certainly not with Meriel.

“I should have known you weren’t going to come down and see me,” Meriel stated as she closed the door behind her. Like Raelynd, she had finishing dressing and combed the knots out of her hair.

Raelynd flopped down on her back. How could she explain that what she wanted, more than anything, was just to be alone . . . in Crevan’s room . . . with her thoughts. She did not need Meriel to tell her she had overreacted. Even as she marched across the bailey to return to her bedchambers, she had known that Crevan was both wrong and right. He thought her immature, and Raelynd refused to accept that condemnation, but if she were being honest, she had to admit to being somewhat self-centered. What was truly irritating was that it had been
Conan
who had made her realize it. And now that she had, Raelynd did not know what to do about it.

Meriel walked into the room and sank into the only chair. “I’m sorry you and Crevan don’t get along better, but do not blame yourself. You two are just very different. His calm demeanor causes you to erupt and it is clear you can pull out the worst in him.”

Raelynd did not want to talk about Crevan. She did not want to hear how she was bad for him and he for her. “You and Craig seem to get along quite well.”

Meriel shrugged and stared at her intertwined fingers as her thumbs rotated around each other in circles. “I, too, am surprised by our friendship.”

“Friendship?”

Meriel knew why her sister doubted the term. To the general public, Craig was outspoken and full of energy, but he had a far different side to him than she would ever have guessed. Craig was strong and smart, and despite his outgoing personality, he held an inner self-control she always thought a real man should possess. And for a second, she had wondered what it might be like to be more than just his friend. But that second had passed quickly. They both prized their freedom too much to give it away.

“Aye. That is all it is. I don’t think Craig has had very many female friends and though I believed myself to have had a few male ones, Craig is different. Neither of us is wondering if we have another motive when we say or do anything. It’s nice.”

Raelynd listened to the admiration in her sister’s voice when she spoke about Craig and was about to contradict her claim of mere friendship when Meriel said, “I’m glad you are betrothed to him. Together you make a good couple.”

Raelynd’s heart plummeted. Until now, she had not realized just how much she had been hoping her sister liked Craig not just as a friend, but something more. It would somehow excuse the perplexing feelings she had whenever she was around Crevan.

Once again the topic of conversation was too close to the one subject she wanted to avoid. “Do you think Conan will try again to provoke us?”

Meriel took the bait. Her head snapped up and she looked at Raelynd, her eyes narrowing. “Do you doubt it? I mean I had heard how Conan could be rude, but his remarks were unbelievable!” She pointed to the floor above and continued. “Especially after seeing his precious room. It was more cluttered than Craig’s stuff and mine put together! Next time that man says a single nasty word to us, you should go upstairs and clean up his work area. That would teach him a lesson,” Meriel ended, nodding with satisfaction at the thought.

The idea had appeal and Raelynd was glad to have a reason to laugh. “Good idea, but it would have to be you. I never intend on going near that man’s door. Did you see the look on his face this afternoon at the thought of leaving his study? That place is sacred to him. I don’t think I want to even be
around
if someone messed with his things, let alone be the one to have done it.”

Meriel exhaled, letting her lips trill, and rose to her feet. “You are right, but he is still insufferable. Tonight, when Laurel compelled us into the Hall and I saw all those men waiting, I realized I
can
be a little self-absorbed. But
Conan
? He is far worse. He is completely indifferent to the pain he inflicts on others.”

Raelynd sat up, surprised to hear her sister had come to the same revelation she had. “I was thinking the same thing. I mean, sometimes I don’t consider others, but at least I am not unkind to them.”

“Well, good night. I’ll see you tomorrow. Hopefully it will not be nearly as eventful as the past few days have been. I need a day off before I can start thinking about others and their needs,” Meriel said teasingly.

“Good night,” Raelynd said, and watched the door swing close behind her sister.

Forcing herself to stand up, she loosened the ties on her bliaut and pulled it over her head. She then removed the woolen overtunic, leaving on her shift. Moving back to the bed, she just stared at the coverlet. It was one thing to flop down on top of the mattress, but it was far more intimate to nestle her body within the same sheets in which Crevan had once slept.

Raelynd glanced around the room. The dim light from the small fire bounced off the walls. The cozy feeling it gave still remained, but now it also emanated something else—loneliness. And it was not her sister’s company for whom she longed. Despite their arguments, their raised voices, and even the harsh words they had exchanged, it was Crevan she wished to see.

Raelynd pulled back the coverlet. It only took two days to become accustomed to seeing him before she fell asleep; hopefully it would take no more to end the desire.

Crevan curled his knuckles and touched the door, hesitating. Just moments before, he had run into Meriel on the stairwell, who had not refrained from making it clear that he was to cease hurting her sister. Gone was the shy and retiring woman he had barely gotten to know that day in the stables. Meriel had a semifierce side to her personality and she had made it clear that she did not care if Crevan did blame Raelynd for everything. He, too, was the cause of their constant bickering. Crevan doubted he would have been allowed up to his room if he hadn’t assured Meriel multiple times that he agreed with her and was going to apologize. He almost half expected Meriel to follow him and listen outside the door, but he had been standing there for nearly five minutes and he had yet to hear her come up the stairs.

Drawing in a deep breath, he bolstered his resolve and knocked.

“Come in,” Raelynd muttered, clearly unhappy about being bothered. Crevan almost turned back around and left, but he needed whatever it was between Raelynd and him to be over.

Raelynd had yet to get in the bed when she heard Meriel knock on the door. She thought about ordering her sister to just go away, but with Meriel, that would only stiffen her desire to come in and talk. Castle servants might have believed Raelynd was the most stubborn twin, but she was overly accommodating compared to her sister when Meriel was on a mission.

Seeing Crevan enter, Raelynd felt her mouth drop open. “Why are you here?” she finally asked in a choked voice.

Crevan swallowed. Gone was the chaotic, unkempt look from earlier. Raelynd was wearing only a white chemise with a scooped neck that revealed all too well the swell of her breasts. Brushed until her hair shone like strands of lustrous glass, the dark golden locks tumbled carelessly down her back. He looked straight into her eyes, swirls of green and gold held within a face only equaled in dreams.

Mentally, Crevan gave himself a shake. Aye, she was alluring. What woman wouldn’t be standing nearly naked in his room? Swallowing, he avoided answering his own question by asking her, “How is the room? Uh, are you comfortable?”

His nervousness disarmed Raelynd. Forgetting about her state of dress, she rolled her eyes and sighed. “It depends. With the exception of your
family,
I think most people are going to believe our story. But Lady McTiernay? She knows something is not right.”

“What did you say to her?”

“Nothing,” Raelynd answered truthfully, shaking her head. “Meriel and I never strayed from the story, but she asked questions. It would help us a lot if we knew the whole reason we need to not just be away from our home, but to have the world think the four of us are engaged.”

Unconsciously, Crevan walked up to Raelynd and placed his hands on her shoulders. “I agree that you should know, but I swore an oath to your father that I would not say anything to you. Promise me that you will not pursue this further.”

Raelynd tilted her head and studied his earnest expression. “I will do as you ask if you agree when this is over to tell me the truth, even if my father refuses.”

Crevan grimaced, but nodded his head. Raelynd knew he was yielding to her demands, but thought the request a justified one. His leine was untied and in the opening she could see his dark chest hair that the material usually hid. Of its own accord, her hand rose and settled onto the opening, feeling the warmth and strength of his chest. “Thank you,” she whispered.

Crevan looked down and got lost in the large hazel depths staring back at him. Her eyes told him everything he needed to know. There was no pretense there. He may not have wanted it to happen, but he could no longer deny that he desired her. Raelynd, however, was young, inexperienced, and ignorant of what it was like to feel passion. For her, what they were sharing was just something new and exciting.

Knowing that and desiring her anyway made him a fool.

Raelynd’s stubbornness and self-centeredness were qualities he disliked in a woman, but she also possessed passion, independence, and most of all, a belief in him. Raelynd did not see an incomplete man or a person with defects. She also did not see him as a McTiernay, the younger brother of one of the most powerful lairds in the western Highlands. All she saw was him and it was the most powerful, alluring thing he had ever encountered. He did not possess the control to be alone in her presence, for the desire to kiss her, touch her,
know
her was growing, not ebbing, and next time he would not be able to walk away. And walk away he must, for if he ever saw shame in her eyes because of something he did, it would possibly kill him. His only option was space and time. These feelings arose quickly and only with physical distance and absence could they disappear.

Crevan took a step back. “I also wanted to say something about what happened . . . between us . . . outside.” He paused to cough and clear his throat. “I cannot explain why I did that, other than it was a natural thing to do. You and I would probably have embraced any person in the same circumstances. But for the sake of our friendship, I think we should agree that it won’t happen again.”

Raelynd stood shocked. Crevan had done everything possible to avoid even the word kiss. And what they had shared
was
a kiss. But he was trying to say that the incredible experience that left her and him breathless—meant nothing. And until just now, she would have agreed for she had been trying to convince herself of the same thing. Now she was not so sure.

Raelynd closed the distance between them intending to test his conclusion and see just how indifferent he would remain if she pulled him into an embrace similar to the one they had shared after exiting the Lower Hall. But before she could even initiate her plan, there was a knock on the door.