Page 22 of The Highland Heir

With the power of battle still rushingthrough Kieran’s veins, he almost asked the man who exactly wouldnot be safe, but he held his tongue, not wanting to make thesituation more heated.

“Thank ye. I wish ye well.”

He took up the reins and led the horsesonward, which was in the direction of where he’d come from, whereEllie was hiding.

He moved slow enough and listened to makesure the man and his son had ridden off in the other directionbefore he went to find Ellie.

She was shaking as if with a chill, despitethe warm evening.

“Are you well?” he asked.

She startled and then rushed toward him,wrapping her arms around his waist. He wound his own arms aroundher, holding her close.

“I was worried about you,” she said. “But youalways protect me.”

He nodded and pressed his face to her hair,breathing in the scent of her. Home, happiness, and laughter.

“Always,” he promised, though as the wordechoed into the night air, he realized he would not be called on toprotect her much longer.

*

They stood there in the darkness holding oneanother. Ella could feel the pounding of Kieran’s heart, as wascommon for warriors after battle.

Her father had told her how exhausting it wasto fight someone. The energy one carried into a conflict was oftendrained completely in just a few minutes of war.

Ella had heard the short skirmish from herhiding place. She hadn’t been able to make out the words, but she’dheard a few raised voices, the scrape of metal, and the thud of abody falling to the damp earth.

Kieran’s strong arms pulled her closer tohim, and she felt his arousal between them.

It was what she had wanted when she’d socarelessly suggested they take advantage of being left alone, butnow the idea frightened her.

Not Kieran. She’d never be afraid of him.

But she’d heard soldiers complain aboutfinding a lass to calm their battle lust after a fight and assumedit happened to all men.

Kieran was a man, so it would serve he wouldhave the same response.

She didn’t want him to be with her because ofsome physical need or response to the brief threat on his life. Shewanted him to want her because he could not go on without beingwith her.

She found the needed courage to back awayfrom him.

She cleared her dry throat before speaking inas light a tone as she could muster.

“We should probably get some sleep before thesun comes up.”

“Aye.” He shrugged out of his weapons beltand sash, setting them close at hand. Always the ready soldier.

This time when they settled on their furs, heturned his back to her.

She raised her hand and reached across thedarkness, wanting to touch his warm skin, but her earlier couragehad faded. Instead, she dropped her hand and lay there listening tohis breathing until sleep found her.

Hours later, when the sun hinted at thehorizon, she woke to find he was already up and had watered thehorses. The uncomfortable silence was gone, and they set outlaughing and joking as they had the day before.

But Ella couldn’t help but feel like avaluable opportunity had been missed. If she hadn’t been afraid ofrejection, she might have had all her questions answered and amemory to cherish for the rest of her life. Now, she would have tolive knowing her chance was lost because she was not brave enoughto take it.

Wiping away a silly tear, she asked Kieranfor the details of his fight with the Oliphants.

He told her what had happened and what hadbeen said. She marveled at the fact that Kieran did not spin a moreelaborate tale as many of her father’s soldiers did to makethemselves sound like a better fighter than what they were.