Chapter Fourteen
Nora had refused to speak a word the entire time Liam tailed her through the village. He allowed her to fume in silence, or at least until they reached the privacy of her cottage. Though, he managed to wrangle the basket from her, but not without earning an affronted scowl from the woman. Oh, she was as riled as a spitting kitten, and he knew precisely what upset her.
He’d heard every vile word Beatrice spat at the women. The damning moment he anticipated with Nora had arrived to his utter chagrin. He’d have to speak the truth of his past—a task he reviled as much as shearing sheep.
When they arrived at her cottage, she threw open the gate with enough force so that the blasted wooden planks swung back toward him. Lifting the basket higher, he raised his knee to prevent a direct hit to the groin. If he did not dread what was to come, he might’ve laughed at her fit of temper. ’Twas a rather endearing sight. Of course, mentioning so would simply enrage her more.
Unlatching the door, she pushed inside and spun to face him. She snatched the basket from his arms, dropping the carrier on the dirt floor without a care. Her face flushed bright red and anger sparked in her dark eyes.
“Thank you for the aid, my lord.” Her tone was as chilled as the loch he bathed in.
She attempted to shut the door in his face, but he slapped his palm on the wood, pushing the door wider.
“Wait just a damned minute.”
Her slippered foot kicked the wicker basket, knocking it over and scattering flowers over the ground. She puffed out a frustrated sigh. “Leave me alone, Liam.”
“Nay, I shall not.” Determined to speak to her, he stepped inside and pushed the door shut, leaning his back against the timber. “At least until you hear me out.”
“Why should I bother?” She spun away and stalked to the hearth. “I have no wish to hear of your trysts with Beatrice.”
Growling in frustration, he banged the back of his head against the door. “For Christ’s sake, I did not bed that horrid woman. You’d believe the rubbish she spouted rather than me?”
With her back to him, she refused to meet his gaze. Instead, she poked at the crackling flames, shoving embers around in the stone hearth. Her stubborn silence pricked his anger.
He’d been naught but honest with her from the start. Granted, he was not proud of his past and some of the things he’d done, or rather, had not done. But what reason did he have to lie to her?
Pushing away from the door, he strode to her and gripped her taut shoulders, tugging her to face him. “Talk to me, woman.”
“Nay,” she shouted and jerked away from him. She retreated to the small cot in the corner along the wall and sank down on the edge. Leaning her elbows on her knees, she buried her face in her hands. “Why did you make me care for you?”
His heart stuttered over the anguished admission. For a moment, he closed his eyes and collected his thoughts before he strode the few longs steps to reach her.
“Listen to me, will you?” Kneeling in front of her, he grasped her small hands and pulled them to her lap. “Nora, please.”
Saints, he was not above begging. In fact, he questioned what he would not do to simply bring a smile to her lips. When she lifted her gaze, tears swam in her dark, expressive eyes, slaying him where he knelt. He’d dealt with his fair share of feminine tears, namely from his mother and Mairi, but seeing his lass upset ignited a thunderstorm of fury in him. He silently cursed the vile maid and himself all over again. He should’ve ignored Nora’s plea to let the matter with Beatrice drop and removed the accursed woman the night she’d destroyed his lass’ garden.
Liam heaved a deep sigh, unwilling to conceal any scrap of the truth from her. “I confess I considered Beatrice for a mere flicker of a moment the night of the Fraser’s wedding, but I quickly came to my senses.”
The deepening scowl on her features spoke of her displeasure.
He promptly added, “Nora, I swear on my life and that of my kin, I did not bed Beatrice.”
Her red-rimmed eyes searched his, as if gauging his sincerity. “Then, why would she say so?”
“To cause trouble between us.” He lifted a telling brow. “I believe she succeeded in her aim.”
Nora’s eyes slid closed and she released a shuddered breath. “I cannot do this.”
His ears strained to hear the mumbled words. “Do what, lass?”
“This.” Nora motioned between them with a limp flap of her hand. “Whatever this is between us.”
One simple word described the undeniable connection between them—at least on Liam’s part.
He shifted to sit beside her on the small bed. Staring straight ahead, he studied the rays of sunlight beaming on the daub wall of the cottage as he struggled to find the right words. Alas, to no avail. His glib tongue failed him at a time when he needed the blasted thing most.
He cut her a sideways glance. “How do you think I’ve felt? Trust me, I’ve waded in the same sea of uncertainty as you, lass. It’s taken me a few days to grasp things.”
She peered at him with a wary edge. “And do you?”
“Aye, everything’s fallen into place for me.” He reached for her hand. “I hope they will for you as well.”
Accepting his offer, she twined her fingers through his. He glanced down at their joined hands, reveling in the might in her delicate fingers. Much like the rest of the lass. Despite her lean stature, the woman exuded such quiet strength.
“Truth be told, I’ve dreaded this moment,” he confessed. “I knew my past would create an obstacle between us. I’m not proud of the things I’ve done, nor is there an excuse for my behavior. ’Tis a part of me I cannot change. Believe me, I wish I could. For you.”
Untangling her hand, she shifted to face him, bending her knee and tucking her leg beneath her. Understanding softened her sad features.
“I know you cannot change your past any more than I can rid myself of the constant doubts and fears that torment me. Even if you could, I’d never expect you to change. Your past has shaped you into the man you are, Liam.” She glanced down at the scrap of apron she rolled between her fingers. “I’m sorry for my temper. ’Twas foolish of me to listen to Beatrice’s lies.”
With her downcast face studying her lap, she continued to fiddle with the bit of fabric.
“Nora, tell me. What’s bothering you?”
Biting her bottom lip, she glanced at the window. “I’m not a striking woman. Not like some of the clan’s women I’ve seen vying for your affections. How could I ever hold your attention? What I cannot fathom, for the life of me, is why me?”
What women? ’Twas truth, he’d failed to notice other women since he’d met Nora. His entire focus centered on the lass, a fact he’d accepted without any difficulty. True, he might struggle to understand his new feelings, but he embraced them for what they were—a privilege. ’Twas an honor to have found Nora, and he refused to forfeit his prize.
“You wish to know what makes you stand out?” He hoisted himself up and ambled over to the window. He peered over his shoulder. “Because everyone else is not you.”
A wealth of truth hung in the simple words. Everything about Nora, down to the smallest detail, set her apart from any other woman he’d ever met. No one compared to the lass, and he doubted anyone ever could.
He yearned to banish the uncertainty lingering in her eyes altogether. Compelled to move as he spilled his innermost thoughts, he began to wear a path in the cottage floor, pacing from one end of the small dwelling to the other.
“’Twas not so long ago I teased my cousin mercilessly over his tender feelings for his wife when they’d first met. The man was as irritable as they come while he tried to sort through his tangled emotions.” He snorted. “At last, I understand what Calum went through. Of course, I’m not nearly as frustrating. You should be pleased I’m not. Arabella was ready to throttle my cousin within an inch of his life.”
Pausing by the table, he chanced a glance at Nora and found the lass watching his every move. He held her dark gaze.
“I vowed I’d never allow myself to tumble head first for anyone. But I have, Nora—for you. You wish to know what makes you different? ’Tis your dark, expressive eyes. I could gaze into those alluring gems for days and never tire of the sight.”
Noting the bloom of color in her cheeks, he moved a step toward her.
“’Tis your kind heart. I’ve witnessed the kindness and care you’ve shown with Will and Geordie, with my mother, and even your garden.”
Liam shifted a pace closer. Her chest rose and fell with her accelerated breaths.
“’Tis your sense of honor, your integrity, the sharp wit you possess.”
With another step forward, he grinned.
“Even that frown of yours. You know, the one you frequently grace me with.”
Never one to disappoint, a scowl creased her features. “My frown?”
He chuckled at the outrage in her voice. “Aye, ’tis a most endearing sight. Each time you frown at me, I’m beset with the urge to kiss the look away. I’ll tell you what I adore more. ’Tis the smile you hold in reserve. When you smile at me, lass, ’tis as though you’re allowing me to view a part of yourself no one else has seen before.”
Obliterating the remaining distance between them, he stood before her. “’Tis how you make me feel. When I’m with you, I’m utterly at ease. There’s no need for me to spout some drivel to fill the silence, nor do I have to work my charms on you. You’ve seen straight through that nonsense from the start. I’ve never felt more at peace with another woman in my life. I do not have the answers for what’s between us, Nora, but I’ll be damned if I will walk away from you.”
With her wide eyes fixed on him, she released a shuddering breath. He extended his hand to her and she accepted without the slightest hesitation. Tugging her upright from the cot, he enveloped her in his embrace. The soft swells of her breasts pressed against his chest. Scents of wildflowers in spring drifted up his nose. Liam dipped his head closer to graze his cheek over hers and gave in to the urge to sink his hands in her silken tresses. Her contented sigh warmed his skin.
Pulling back to peer at her, he spoke from the heart. “These feelings I have for you, Nora, are not fleeting. They shall never be fleeting. If I can promise you two things in this life, ’tis that I’ll never lie to you and my loyalty is unwavering.”
As she nibbled on her bottom lip, her fingers traced over his tunic in a nervous gesture. “What do we do now?”
With an arm around her waist, he placed a hand over hers along his chest to still her fidgeting fingers. Unable to remove his gaze from her beautiful eyes, he savored the feel of her in his arms.
“What do you want, Nora? I’d do anything you ask of me.”
She lifted her free hand, brushing her fingers over the whiskers along his jaw. “What if I asked you to leave me alone?”
“Is that what you truly want?” He searched her warm gaze, seeking any hint she wished him to leave.
She whispered, “Nay.”
“Then what, my sweet lass?”
“Kiss me.”
Never one to withdraw a promise, he leaned forward to capture her mouth, pouring every bit of the passion he felt for her into a fervent kiss. His lass met him with equal measure, enflaming his response. Slipping his tongue past her parted lips, he swallowed her sweet moans, committing each sensual inch of her tempting mouth to memory.
A tremble moved through her lean frame and he hauled her closer, relishing in their perfect fit. As she moved against him, her hands drifted around his neck and her fingers tugged at his hair. The slight bite of pain heated his blood, stirring the length of his manhood below the belt. A flood of desire heated his blood, threatening to incinerate him inside out.
Saints, the irrefutable connection between the two of them, coupled with the depth of his feelings left him breathless and gasping for more. He’d never experienced such an overwhelming passion for another woman. ’Twas not lust guiding his response, but love. He knew it as sure as he’d never let his lass go.
Pulling away from their kiss, he leaned his forehead against hers. Their panting breaths mingled as they stared into each other’s eyes. Steadying the drumming beat in his chest, he brushed his thumb over the soft skin of her flushed cheeks.
“Do not ever ask me to leave you, Nora, because I fear I cannot.”
“Then do not.”
The huskiness in her tone sent a shiver cascading down his spine. She licked her lips, drawing his gaze to her enticing mouth. Rising on her tiptoes, she pressed her lips to his. He closed his eyes and savored her sweetness. He deepened the kiss, teasing her with long, languid strokes of his tongue. He’d never get enough—
A loud bang resounded through the cottage, startling them apart. His heart battering his ribcage, he yanked Nora behind his back and shifted toward the entrance.
Will leaned against the door, his dark, unwavering gaze fastened on Liam. An unreadable expression cloaked the lad’s features. Nora spat out a faint curse and dropped her forehead against his shoulder blade.
Apprehension coiled in his gut. He’d not yet spoken of his intentions with Nora. Given his past, the young man must think the worst of him.
“Will.” Saints, what the devil was he to say? “Allow me to explain.”
Will shoved away from the door, crossing his arms over his chest, and shuffled a few paces closer. For a moment, Liam expected the youth might rail at him for mistreating Nora, but the lad’s grin stretched from ear to ear.
“Took the pair of you blasted long enough.”