Highland Brides 03 - On Bended Knee (20 page)

She sat on her favorite log, and contemplated that very question.

Without forewarning, My Love suddenly leapt up onto the log beside her and mewed in greeting.

Seana gasped in startle, and only kept from scolding the imperious little beast for the sheer fact that the cat had never come so near as it was this instant. She held her breath, afraid to move even, lest the cat hiss at her in outrage and flee.

Seana stared at the cat.

My Love stared back, blinking up at her, and then dismissed her to gaze at the empty place where her da’s pot still had been.

“Rotten cat,” she said, not quite able to allow herself to hope it had come to her out of any sense of kinship. For all Seana knew, it was just another way for the scraggy animal to try her nerves—to come so close and then to hie away, leaving her with her hand in mid air, spurned again.

She turned away, determined to ignore it, but the wicked beast mewed and brushed against her leg. Seana peered down at it in surprise.

Hesitantly, she reached out to place her hand atop its sleek black coat. My Love did not move, nor did she flee as was the usual case, and Seana found herself holding her breath as she stroked the cat’s back.

“Well, I’ll be!” she declared, and grinned. My Love nuzzled her leg and Seana dared to lift the animal up into her arms, cuddling her.

“Ohhhhhhh, my!” she exclaimed, overjoyed. “Oh My Love!” she cooed. “I knew ye’d come to me some day!” She truly did not know why she should feel so deliriously happy that the cantankerous beast had finally deigned to approach her, but she truly was.

Despite all the times the silly beast had enraged her with its aloofness, she felt a surge of love for it. “My sweet Love,” she murmured joyfully, lifting the cat to her face, nuzzling it gently.

She couldn’t wait to tell her da!

“Soooo long I have waited to hold you!”

Colin stopped cold at the sound of Seana’s voice.

His heart sank into his stomach.

He was too late.

She had gone to Broc and Broc was no fool. How could he possibly turn his heart from Seana?

“I knew ye’d come to me, someday,” he heard her say with a breathy sigh, and her voice came directly from beyond the brush where he stood.

He listened for Broc’s voice, and didn’t feel the first inkling of relief when he didn’t hear it.

Gadamned bastard was probably nibbling at her throat like some bloody leech! He ought to put a fist against that bloody mouth!

“Oohhhhhh,” he heard Seana exclaim, and he didn’t think, only reacted at the sound of it. He burst into the glade through the bushes, and tripped over the log where she sat.

It landed him flat on his face.

Seana shrieked in startle.

There was a mew of outrage and something landed atop his head, scratching the devil out of him. It dug its claws into his brain, ready to leap away, but Colin yelped and turned, covering his face, rolling over the animal in his surprise. With a yowl, the beast freed itself and bounded away. Colin saw its black arse disappear into the brush and turned to look at Seana, bemused.

She was standing there in shock, staring down at him.

Colin stared back.

It was a cat.

A bloody cat!

Relief surged through him. It wasn’t Broc.

He couldn’t keep from grinning up at her in relief.

“I’ll be damned,” was all he could think to say in that moment. He felt too giddy with relief even to be embarrassed that he was left with a mouth full of peat and bloody claw marks in his back.

Seana turned to stare longingly at the bushes and bracken where the cat had vanished. Her gaze returned to him and her expression didn’t reveal the least bit of pleasure in seeing him.

God’s truth, he didn’t even care about that.

She wasn’t with Broc.

“Och, Colin!” She cast her hands up into the air and spun away, obviously disgusted with him. “Look what ye’ve gone and done!” She sat again upon the log and set her elbows upon her knees, her face in her hands, and pouted beautifully. She cast him a harassed glance, and Colin would have laughed in sheer pleasure at the sight of her save that she might have swung her foot to kick him then, and he truly would have shriveled nuts.

“I’m sorry,” he said, though he wasn’t even precisely certain what had happened, nor why she was so irritated with him—or for that matter what he should be sorry for. He couldn’t be more pleased with her this moment and his grin was insuppressible.

Nor could he possibly wish to kiss her any more than he did this instant.

She pursed her lips, still pouting, and her expression was as sullen as that of a child who had been deprived of her tarts. “That was the first time in two years that cat has deigned to come near me and ye’ve gone and spoiled it, Colin Mac Brodie!”

She was back to calling him by his full name.

He lifted his brow.

“She’s like to never even look at me again, so just wipe that stupid grin off your face!” she demanded of him.

Colin tried. He truly did. To no avail.

“What are ye doin’ here anyhow, Mac Brodie?”

Colin’s grin turned wry, then, and his cheeks warmed just a bit. “I came to bring ye the pot still,” he disclosed, feeling rather sheepish all of a sudden.

She lifted her head from her hands and cocked her head, inspecting him. “Aye, well, where is it, then?”

Colin’s lips twisted. “Hmmm… that’s a verra good question.”

She narrowed her eyes at him. “And the answer is?”

“I forgot it.”

She lifted a brow, suddenly looking far too smug for Colin’s liking. “You forgot it?”

Colin nodded.

“Och, and just when did ye notice that, Mac Brodie?”

“Well, now, I was distracted by worry,” he told her, in an attempt to avert her attention.

“Whyever for?”

“Because ye were supposed to come and get the pot still this morn,” Colin reminded her. “Or did ye forget?”

Seana shook her head, and cradled it once more within her palm, looking suddenly hopeless.

“I was going to get the pot still later this noon,” she disclosed, sounding disheartened. “I wanted to see Broc this morn… but I could not bring myself to go,” she confessed with a dispirited sigh.

Colin sat up to face her. “Why not?”

Not that he particularly wanted her to go see Broc, but he did wish to know why she’d not been able to. And he dared to hope it had the tiniest bit to do with him.

She shrugged.

Colin found himself staring at her lips whilst she spoke.

“Because I’m a coward,” she said low, but didn’t avert her gaze. “That’s why!”

Colin’s heart began to beat a little faster.

He dared to move nearer, drawn by those delicious lips as though he were a poppet with strings.

“Nay, lass,” he murmured. “Ye are not.”

There were not so many women who could overcome so much and end so strong and full with life. She was beautiful from her heart to those luscious lips of hers, and he had been a foolish, foolish blind lad who could not see past her imperfect legs. What a dolt he had been, then… and what a price to pay now.

She would not even consider him, and he didn’t blame her. He was beginning to see himself through the eyes of others and he wasn’t certain he liked what he saw.

“Aye,” she argued. “I am! Ye dinna know how important this is to me,” she revealed, “and still I cannot do it!”

Those green eyes of hers turned liquid, and Colin wanted to kiss them closed, to taste the salt of her tears on his tongue. “You’re no coward, Seana.”

“I will never be wed,” she lamented.

“Och, lass… any man would be a fool not to want you.”

She blinked at his words, and then her brows twitched and she lowered her gaze. Colin knew she didn’t believe him.

He reached out to touch her chin with a finger, intending to lift her face to his, to make her see the truth of his words, but he found himself caressing her soft skin.

She didn’t protest, and he didn’t withdraw.

His heart began to hammer now, and his belly fluttered.

What would she do if he pulled her down into his arms?

Would she fight him?

Would she slap his face and hie away?

Or would she melt into his body and let him make love to her?

Her stark green eyes met his, and for an instant, Colin lost his breath. Nor could he find words to speak.

Her guard was down. Desire was there; he recognized it in her eyes, but there, too, he saw confusion. There was a vulnerability in those vivid green eyes that made him yearn to protect her from everything and everyone—including himself.

She deserved better than him.

She
wanted
better than him.

She wanted Broc Ceannfhionn.

Seana’s heart stopped at the gentleness of his caress. She leaned her face into his hand. Never in her wildest imaginings would she have envisioned this moment between them. And to feel it… the tenderness in his touch… to see the warmth in his eyes… stole her breath and left her without rational thought.

Her belly fluttered when he moved to cup her entire cheek in his palm. The gesture was such an affectionate one that she was momentarily dizzy with it. Not even her da had ever touched her face with affection… no man had ever even looked at her that way.

Seana closed her eyes and placed her hand upon his, slipping her fingers between her face and his hand, only beginning to pry it away for she had not the will to wrench it free. Her heart beat frantically.

“Seana,” he whispered.

Seana opened her eyes, facing him. He had once been her tormenter, now he was her friend…

The look in his eyes implied so much more… and Seana had to still her pounding heart lest it betray her.

This was Colin Mac Brodie, she reminded herself—the very man she should
never
trust.

What was wrong with her that she could forget all that had passed between them over a simple touch?

How could she react to him so foolishly?

And the very worst of it was that… it was apparent that, though she denied it, she longed for him still and it terrified her.

Seana swallowed hard.

She couldn’t, for an instant, breathe.

“You’re beautiful, Seana,” he whispered.

Seana’s hand trembled over his. She wanted more than aught to wrench it away from her face—wanted more than that to feel his caress forever.

She was weak—Oh, God—and far too hungry for what his eyes seemed to promise.

“And you’re the bravest lass I know,” he assured, his eyes piercing the armor of her heart. “Look at you,” he demanded. “Ye have regained the use o’ both your legs…”

She jerked his hand away, her heart twisting over his words.

“I have always had the use o’ my legs,” she reminded him bitterly, “you just didna like the way they worked!”

“Och!” he continued, ignoring her, “and ye have a da who willna leave his cups long enough to even feed his daughter—”

That was exactly what Seana needed to hear to push him away. Anger filled her. She surged to her feet.

“What do ye know of my da, Colin Mac Brodie? Ye know naught about my father! Ye have no right to even speak o’ him!”

He didn’t respond, but merely sat there, daring to look dumbfounded by her outburst and Seana wanted to slap his arrogant face.

“Let me tell ye about my father,” she said. Tears sprang to her eyes. She couldn’t help it. “It was my da who wiped away my tears when
you
called me a lame witch!” He winced and Seana continued. “Aye, and it was my da who found the strength to break my leg!” She motioned to her limbs. “To make me better! And it was my da who nursed me ’til I was strong. Aye!” she shouted down at him, when he blinked in surprise. “So dinna ever speak another bloody word against my father, Colin Mac Brodie, or I… I…”

Seana wanted to kick him, but he sat there looking so bloody regretful and so full of apology that she couldn’t even find the hate she had once used to protect her heart from him.

“I dinna ever wish to speak to you again!’’ she told him, using anger as her shield. “Get away from me and dinna ever come near me again!”

And with that Seana left him—before he could speak to defend himself—before she could be persuaded to believe him. She fled the glade, running back to the cairn as fast as her legs could carry her.

She didn’t need his help.

She didn’t wish to ever see him again!

It wasn’t safe.

Colin Mac Brodie was a rotten scoundrel and she’d do well never to set eyes upon him again.

It was Broc she wanted, Broc who would make the best husband.

So why couldn’t she stop her tears?

Seana could scarce see the path before her for through her tears. She made her way home by instinct, needing more than anything to seek comfort from her father.

Her da would know what to do. He would know what to say to dry her tears. Och, but she truly didn’t know what she would do without him.

Reluctantly, Colin let her go.

He sat and watched her disappear yet again, feeling powerless to stop her. He didn’t know what to say. He had been a rotten bastard to injure her so deeply but he didn’t know how to set things right.