LOCH MORAR, SCOTLAND
The Past - Greystone Castle
No matter how hard Paige tried, she couldn’t seem to get her naughty, yet freakishly real dream, out of her mind.
She knew why, too.
She was sexually frustrated.
Hard up.
She needed to get some.
Ha! She thought, laughing.
It had been so long, it seemed, since she and Gavin made love, she was now, not only dreaming about it, she was also thinking about it constantly while she was awake.
Granted, Paige went most of her life without hot sex, but apparently once you had it, your body and mind, didn’t want to give it up. At least that was her reasoning as to why she kept thinking about her dream and the dark Gavin taking her, which was hot—really hot.
And even though it had been with Gavin, for some reason, she felt like it wasn’t Gavin.
Guiltily, she looked over at the bed.
Gavin was still asleep, and he wasn’t thrashing about, so his nightmare must have passed.
Still, feeling a bit warm…Hell, who was she kidding? She was hot…and bothered. She walked behind the screen and splashed some water on her face. Using a small piece of linen, she dipped it into the water and placed it on the back of her neck, trying to cool down, and banish her heated dream from her mind.
It didn’t work very well. Setting the rag aside, Paige stepped out from behind the screen and let out a little yelp of surprise.
Gavin was staring right at her.
Paige took a tentative step forward.
With his head tilted slightly, Gavin watched her movements from the bed. It seemed he was trying to figure out what she was doing, or maybe, who she was.
She hoped it was the former and not the latter.
“Hello,” she said finally, twisting her hands nervously. “How are you feeling?”
“Like the bloody devil has cleaved my head in half.”
Well, at least he was talking. “Are you okay?” she asked and then promptly added, “other than your head hurting?”
He gave the restraints on his arms a slight tug, as if to say, he would be fine if his arms were not tethered.
“I did that so you wouldn’t hurt yourself.”
A doubtful look crossed his face. “Hurt myself?”
“Yes. Hurt yourself. You have been acting rather strange.” That wasn’t even the half of it but Paige saw no point in getting into the particulars right now.
“I see.” However, Gavin, didn’t really see at all.
“Would you like something to drink?” she asked, rushing forward and lifting the pitcher of water, only to realize it was empty. “I can get you some more,” she said quickly and turned to leave.
“Wait.”
Paige stopped and slowly turned around. “Yes?”
“Can ye untie my arms?”
He asked her nicely enough, she supposed, but something was in his eyes that gave her pause.
“Ah…I will when I return.” Scared of how he would react, she rushed from the room and quickly made her way downstairs to the kitchen. She was in such a hurry that the dimness of the room didn’t even bother her like it normally would.
Making her way to the table, she lifted the pitcher and sniffed the contents. It had a strangely sweet odor. For some reason the scent reminded her of some of the flowers her Grandmother had tended to in her garden.
After, washing out the pitcher really well, Paige refilled it with clean water and sniffed again. This time it smelled just as it should, like water.
Turning, she looked at Elvis. “Wish me luck.”
Of course, Elvis didn’t respond. He was sound asleep.
Paige left the kitchen and made her way back to his room.
♦
Plastering on a smile, she walked back into Gavin’s room. “I got some water for you.”
She lifted her eyes to his and her smile faltered.
He didn’t look very happy, that was for sure.
In fact, he reminded her of the Gavin from the first time she came here. Full of spit and vinegar.
Suddenly, Paige wanted to cry. Setting the pitcher on the table, I poured a big cup of water and walked over to the bed with it. “Here you go.”
She held out the glass.
He looked at her like she had three heads.
“How am I ta drink the water with my hands bound?”
“Oh, right. I hadn’t thought about that.” Not sure what to do, she wavered in place.
“Are ye planning on giving me some water or are ye going ta tease me with it?”
“Oh, of course.” She placed one hand behind his head and lifted the glass to his lips.
Slowly he drank it down, but water still slipped from his lips and dribbled down into his beard leaving little droplets of water behind.
Once he drank his fill, she pulled the cup away and set it on the side table. Lifting her skirt, she dabbed his face, like a mother would a child.
“There,” she said, dropping the edge of her gown down. “All cleaned up.”
His brows creased. “Am I an invalid?”
“A what?”
“Can I no drink my own water?”
“Well, um….” Paige cleared her throat. “I had to tie you up, um, because, ah, you were really sick.”
The creased between his brows became more severe. “Am I still sick?”
“Ah….” Dang it. “Well…uh, yes. Yes, you are.”
He gave her a doubtful look.
“I do no feel sick.”
“It comes and goes.”
“This sickness that I have, comes and goes?”
“Yep.” She nodded emphatically. “It sure does.”
“Am I dying then?”
“What?” she choked, feeling sick. “No. You’re not dying.”
Nodding his head, he seemed to absorb her answer.
“Are ye dying?”
“No, I am not, dying. What a terrible thing to ask.”
He shrugged his shoulders. “Seemed like it was a good enough question ta me.”
“Well, I guess it is a decent question, but why even go there? Gesh.”
“It may have something ta do with the fact that ye have no given me a good reason as ta why ye have me tied up.”
“Fine,” she huffed. “You want to know why I have you tied up?”
“Aye, that would be helpful.”
“You said you were going to kill me!” she yelled, not meaning to. “Happy?”
“What did ye do ta me to warrant such a threat?”
“Me?” She thumped her chest. “Nothing. I was only trying to take care of you.”
“Why were ye trying ta take care of me?”
“You were beaten badly. And then you wouldn’t wake up. And the men went to get help. And no one was here but me. And I am no doctor.”
She took a breath and continued, “I tried, I really did, to help you. And you don’t even remember who I am, do you?” It was like she had diarrhea of the mouth, but she couldn’t stop herself. It had been so long since she had a conversation with anyone, so everything poured out at once. “And I was scared. Really, scared that you wouldn’t wake up again. But then you did, and you were acting crazy and you tried to kill me, so I tied you up so you wouldn’t, kill me. Happy?”
“Och, lass, why do ye keep asking me if I am happy?”
“Oh, take it. It’s just an expression.”
“What did ye do ta make me want ta kill ye?”
At this, she almost lost it. “I didn’t do anything, you, you…”
Gavin, leaned back and gave me an assessing look.
“I do no remember doing any of this.” His frown deepened.
Paige felt bad for being short, but she was mad at him. For being sick, and for not remembering who she was, and most importantly, that even now, he didn’t seem to know what she was even talking about. “Well, that doesn’t mean you didn’t do it.”
“Aye, I gathered that.” He was silent for a moment and then asked, “Why are ye here?”
“I am your, uh, fiancée. We are, or were, to be married.”
“Married?” His brows lifted to his hairline.
“Yep. That’s what I said.”
Gavin gave her the strangest look she had ever seen and then his eyes settled on her belly.
“Are ye with child, then?”
“No. It’s the dress. It’s the dress,” she said again, like repeating it would make him believe her.
“Aye, I heard ye the first time.”
“Then stop looking at my belly.”
He lifted his eyes. “Did I love ye?” he asked quietly, almost a whisper.
“Yes. You love me madly. You couldn’t even be away from me for more than a moment at a time because you would miss me so much.” As soon as she told that doozie, she started feeling sick to her stomach. Lying did that to her.
“When was this auspicious occasion ta take place?”
“The wedding?”
He nodded.
“Um, a, uh, few weeks ago. But then you got hurt and well, it was postponed.”
“I do no remember ye,” his said.
“Well, too bad. We are still getting married.” She even stomped her foot to accentuate her point.
His eyes widened at that and she suddenly wished there was a hole to crawl into …forever. She didn’t even know why she was still continuing with this farce, but she was angry and for some reason telling him that he had to marry her seemed like a just retribution for not remembering who the hell she even was.
He took a breath and then another. “I have no reason ta doubt yer words,” he said and then added, “but, I would like ta speak ta Morgan. Can ye send him ta me?”
All the anger and irritation she had been feeling and the justification of her actions, as poor as they may be, flew right out the window and a deep sadness closed in on her. How was she to tell Gavin that the man he spoke of, the man he loved like a father was dead?
Paige swallowed back the tears suddenly clogging her throat. “He’s gone,” she said quietly and cast her eyes to his to see what his reaction would be.
“When will he be back?”
“Ah…” she croaked. “Um, not for a long time.” She was going to tell him the truth, but in the end, she just couldn’t. Not now, at any rate. “He had an errand to, um, yeah, for the king,” she rushed out, continuing with yet another boldface lie to add to her already growing list of lies.
Gavin nodded as though that was something he expected her to say.
Thank God.
“I bet your hungry. I should get you some food.” Before he could respond, Paige ran from the room.
♦
Gavin wasn’t sure what to make of the lass that was just in his room. Not to mention, that he was supposed to marry her. She was toothsome enough, he supposed, but he felt no great attraction to her that would justify something as sacred as marriage. He couldn’t be sure, of course, but he had a feeling she was lying. But why would she do that? he couldn’t help but wonder.
Closing his eyes, he tried to recall where he may have seen her before, but everything, including his life up until he woke a short while ago was nothing but a big blur of disjointed puzzle pieces that did not quite fit together.
However, he did remember his men, but that brought about another slew of unanswerable questions. Where were they? Why did they let the lass tether him to the bed?
Granted, he was sure they had good reason, but the reasoning behind their actions, eluded him.
The oddest thing of all was his memories of another girl, one that made his heart beat a little faster and his loins tighten. She was very beautiful. Cherry red lips, shimmering auburn hair and ice blue eyes that haunted him. The image of her face swam behind his closed lids and if he concentrated really hard, he could almost hear her lilting laughter…feel her lips caressing, teasing, and the rightness of her body joining with his own.
Nay, he thought, pushing the memories aside. He did no want the lass he was supposed ta marry but another, the one his heart belonged to. And by God, he would have her in the end. He just needed to find out who she was and of course, get rid of the one that was here now.