Page 102 of Dark Embrace

She was a woman of passion, but it was reserved for one man. She would never be the woman her mother had been. She wondered how she could ever have thought it even remotely possible.

He stirred.

Brie didn’t want to awaken him. She wanted him to get his first solid night’s sleep in nearly seven decades. She recalled the summons to Urquhart and prayed he would awaken smiling and content. She prayed her love had healed him. If it had, he wasn’t going. Or if he did go, he wouldn’t allow himself to be hanged.

He was going to wake up and smile at her, and everything was going to be all right.

She realized he was staring at her.

“Good morning,” she whispered, and his embrace tightened.

His gaze was soft as she had never seen it before. It moved slowly over her face. Then, to her amazement, she felt his body stiffen against her hip.

“Aidan?”

He smiled at her. “A simple smile an’ ye make me want to repeat last night—all of it,” he murmured.

“Okay,” she said. But she was thrilled to see such a tender smile, and the look in his eyes mirrored it.

His smile widened, and she saw a deep dimple for the very first time. Her heart went still. It was almost too good to be true, she thought.

His smile faded as he continued to gaze at her. “Yer a woman of great passion, Brianna Rose,” he said. “Yer nay like yer mother. Yer far more beautiful, kind an’ loyal—to the very end.”

Brie touched his face. “Down the road you’ll have to stop lurking.” Then she froze. What did he mean, exactly?

He threw the covers aside, sliding to his feet.

It was cold, and Brie pulled them back up, alarmed. She watched him cross the room, and it was impossible to take her gaze off his muscular, magnificent body. He knelt to stoke the fire, back rippling, thighs bulging. She stared at his hands, which were large and strong, the harbingers of so much incredible pleasure.

He straightened, glanced at her with a slight smile and then began dressing.

He had said she’d be loyal to the very end. “Is there a rush?” Brie asked carefully.

“Aye. I lingered with ye for an entire day. ’Tis afternoon already.” He belted the leine and picked up the black plaid.

Her heart skipped a beat. “You’re not going to Urquhart…are you?”

He pinned the plaid to one shoulder. “Aye. I’ll ride after I break the fast.”

She was disbelieving. MacNeil had been wrong—or had he? She frantically sought Aidan’s feelings. He was very calm—too calm! She couldn’t find despair, grief or rage. Was that positive? She began to calm down, as well. Had she healed him? “What will you do?”

He folded his arms. “Even I must obey a royal summons.”

Brie slid from the bed. His gaze instantly moved down her bare body as she hurried to her pile of clothes. She jerked on the sweatshirt, shivering. “Aidan, it’s obvious what will happen. Moray will possess Frasier and you will be accused of treason. He will hope to somehow destroy you in a hanging.”

“Yer so clever,” he said quietly. “Aye, I believe Moray will use Frasier to try to destroy me. But I’ll destroy him first.”

“And how will you do that?”

“I took power yesterday, Brianna.” He flushed. “I’m nay afraid to fight with Moray.”

“But I’m afraid for you! Promise me you won’t choose to die!” Her grandmother’s ring suddenly hurt her finger.

“I plan to destroy Moray, Brianna,” he said, his face hard. “But I have no death wish.”

Brie was not relieved or reassured. In fact, she was overcome with dread. “And what if Moray is invincible?” she cried desperately.

“Ye can pray that isna the case.”