LOCH MORAR, SCOTLAND
The Past
Near the back wall, I took another step and was jerked off my feet.
Arms flailing, I fell in quite an unladylike position on top of something that didn’t feel like hay.
Arms encircled my upper body, and a hand clamped down over my mouth.
A voice close to my ear, warned, “Do no scream lass, if ye want ta get out of here in one piece.”
I did what any woman would have done in the same predicament.
I bit into the fingers of the hand covering my mouth.
A sharp pain shot through Clarion’s index finger and he yanked his hand away from her mouth.
Once his hand was gone, I screamed.
Swearing, Clarion covered her mouth again. This time he made sure to keep a tight hold against her mouth so she would not be able to bite him again. “Lass, I am warning ye. If ye try ta bite me again, I will not be so accommodating. Do ye ken what I am saying ta ye?”
I understood just fine what he was saying to me, but that didn’t stop me from trying to wriggle out from his hold.
“Bloody Hell!” Clarion swore as her elbow dug down into his groin.
After three attempts by me to escape, and many uncomfortable, albeit intimate positions, I finally gave up on escaping and decided to try reasoning with this unknown assailant, instead.
Well, I was, that is, after he decided to uncover my mouth for a second time. However, the longer I sat there, not struggling, with his hand over my mouth, and his warm breath blowing in my ear, I became more aware of the person holding me. And that person, as I could readily tell, not only by his hardened muscled body under my own, made me acutely aware that I was no match for him.
Clarion waited a few more minutes, until the worst of the pain in his groin had subsided. During this idle time, it occurred to him that had she not done that to his nether region, he would be quite content to simply sit here and hold her while the storm raged outside the stable.
But as it stood, he was still uncomfortably sore, and her bottom pressing down against him was not making the pain subside any quicker.
Finally, unable to bear the pressure, he shifted her to the side of his lap and readjusted his hold. It wasn’t easy with his hands tied, but he made do.
“Lass,” he said slowly so she would understand. “If I let go of yer mouth, will ye promise not ta scream?”
I nodded.
Clarion slowly lifted his hand.
“What do you want?” I asked.
“I would like for ye ta untie my hands so I may have a bit o' conversation with ye.”
“Okay,” I agreed finally. “But you need to move your arms from around me.”
“Nay, lass, I can no do that.”
“Why not?”
“If I let ye go, what is stopping ye from running away before ye untie my hands?”
“What is stopping you from hurting me, if I let you go?”
“Lass,” he said, “If I was planning on hurting ye, I could have already done so, quite easily, I might add.”
“I see your point, I guess.” Seeing no other alternative, I ran my hands down his sinewy muscled arms to get to the ropes that were looped around his wrists.
“Why are you tied up in the stables?”
“I was making some supper by the loch, but some Highlanders came upon me, and knocked me out. When I came to, they asked what I was doing on their laird’s land. They did no like my answer, so here I am.”
“But why would they not believe you?”
“I’m afraid ye would have ta ask them that yourself, lass.”
His voice was deep, and rich, much like Gavin’s in that sense but also sexy and strangely comforting at the same time.
It took a few tries, before I was able to untie the knots on the rope. “There,” I said, brushing off my hands. “Now, you are free.”
Clarion would have disagreed, because he may have been physically free, but he certainly was not mentally, free, from her, he thought.
“Thank ye,” he said, and rubbed his sore wrists, even though his arms were still encircling her body.
“Are you going to let me go?”
“Aye, I will. Give me a minute.”
“That was not what you said,” I was quick to remind him.
“Lass, I promise, I will let ye go but I would like ta have a bit o’ conversation with ye first.”
I let out a heavy sigh. “Fine.”
“Who are ye?”
“I should be asking you that same thing.”
“I asked ye first.”
“I am Paige, and I live here.”
That didn’t tell Clarion much. He wanted to ask her why she kept showing up in his dreams, but decided that would probably not go over very well. “I am Clarion,” he said.
“Why were you at the Loch?”
“I was on my way to my home and got caught in the rain and I told ye the rest before.”
“Right, I forgot.”
“Why are ye out in the stables? Are ye going somewhere?”
“No. I was looking for a bag of food the men wanted.”
“They sent ye out in a storm to fetch food fer them?” he asked, with a tone of surprise.
“They didn’t ask me, I offered.”
“How long before they come looking fer ye?”
“I doubt they will. They are rather tired and they are drinking. I wouldn’t be surprised if they forgot about me altogether.”
“That does no seem very chivalrous,” he said.
“Why should they be chivalrous? I am their friend, not some damsel in distress.”
“Are ye not, in distress?” he reminded her.
“Well, I’m not, at least not now. You said yourself that you would not hurt me, remember?”
“I remember, lass,” he said and finally let her go.
I stood and brushed hay off my skirts. “I don’t know what the men have in mind for you, but if I were you, I would leave before they come out here to see what is taking me so long.”
“Ye think they will come out in the storm in search for ye?” he asked, standing as well.
“I am not sure, but in case they do, you should leave.”
“And ye will no tell them that I have left?”
“No. I will not tell them.”
“Why not?” he asked, genuinely curious.
“I don’t know,” I said honestly.
Reaching out, he grabbed hold of my hand and before I could react, his lips pressed down on the top.
“Thank ye,” he said again.
Flustered, I pulled my hand away and rubbed my fingers across my tingling hand that he had touched.
“The rain is coming down pretty hard.”
Clarion grabbed the bags down the men had left, as well as his own. “Aye, it is,” he agreed.
“Maybe, I should wait until it slows a bit…”
“Would ye like me ta wait with ye?” he asked, coming to stand at her side. “So ye are no alone?”
“You don’t have to.”
“I know I do no have ta, lass. But if ye would like the company, I can stay.”
“No. No. I should be getting back inside.”
“Suit yerself, lass. Here,” he said, holding out the straps to the bags. “I believe these are the bags they are looking fer.” He pressed the straps into her hands.
I took hold of them, but instead of lifting the straps on my shoulders, I set the bags on the ground at my feet. “Where will you go?”
“I suppose I will go ta where I was headed before they took me.”
“Where is that?”
“Not too far from here,” he evaded.
“I guess your family is probably missing you.”
“I doubt that,” he said.
“Surely your wife must be wondering where you are?” I wasn’t sure why I was giving him the Spanish inquisition but I couldn’t seem to help myself.
“I do no have a wife.”
“Your girlfriend, then?” I prodded and then added when he did not answer, “Surely you have someone you care about…”
“I did no say that, lass.”
“Oh.” I waited for him to elaborate but he didn’t.
“Come,” he said, walking towards the door. “I will see ye safely back ta the castle.”
“No,” I said. “You better not. They may see you.”
“I did no say I was going inside, I will just see ye safely ta the door and then I will be on my way.”
“All right.”
“Watch yer step,” Clarion said, holding open the door.
I stepped outside.
Clarion shut the door.
Taking her arm, he stepped up to her side. “On the count of three, we make a run for it, aye?”
I lifted the straps of the bags up on my shoulder and was surprised at how heavy they were.
Sensing her distress, Clarion took the bags from her. “I will carry them for ye.”
“Thank you, but I can manage.”
“I was no asking yer permission, lass.”
I couldn’t help but smile at that. “On the count of three?”
“Aye, three.” He took off running, pulling her with him.
I ran behind, stepping in the same puddles I had stepped in on the way to the stables. Water splashed upward, drenching me all over again, but instead of being upset, I laughed.
And so, did he.
By the time we made it to the door, we were both completely drenched but both in better spirits than we had been for a long time.
Feeling more than a little disturbed by this, Clarion quickly handed her back her bags.
“Well,” I said, feeling suddenly at odds with myself. “I guess this is… goodbye.”
“Aye. I suppose it is.”
“Safe travels and all that.”
“Thank ye fer releasing me.”
“Thanks for helping me with the bags and keeping me company.”
I made a step to move.
Clarion couldn’t seem to help himself as he leaned forward and pressed his lips to hers. It started out as a sweet, brotherly type of kiss, more brotherly than intimate, but soon it turned into something more. Lifting his hands to either side of her face, Clarion deepened the kiss.
In a futile attempt to stop his advance, I placed my hand against his chest. And even though I knew what I was doing was wrong on so many levels, I felt myself kissing him back with all the pent-up desire I had been feeling lately. Instead of pulling away like I knew I should, I leaned forward, pressing my body against his hardened one. What was even worse was the simple fact I had no idea what he even looked like or who he even really was.
Granted, I knew his name, and knew he was tall, his body muscled and that he had a slight growth of beard for it scratched my face a little, as we kissed—other than that, I was in the dark as to what he looked like. That in itself was a bit freeing and made me bolder than I normally would have been. This way it was almost as if I was not doing something wrong. Yeah, I knew that was a bit far reaching, but it did help to relieve the guilt I was sure to feel later.
Even though he wanted nothing more than to keep kissing her sweet inviting lips Clarion broke from the kiss. “Until we meet again, Mon dieu.”
I was in such shock I didn’t react fast enough. By the time I found my voice, he was already gone.
In a stupor, I stood there, trying to digest what just happened. Lightening flashed and I could see the back of him as he ran away. Even from behind, I knew it was the dark Gavin from my dream, but that couldn’t be possible…could it?