Page 40 of The Highland Heir

What was worse was knowing as bad as he feltabout hurting Ella, the monster inside him wanted to kiss heragain.

“That can’t happen,” he whispered to himselfas he walked back into the clearing. “Are we ready to get on ourway again?” His question was spoken casually with a voice thatsounded steadier than he felt.

Inside, he was shaken and panicked.

“I was only waiting for you to return fromyour little fit,” she said to rile him. He ignored her and went tostand next to her horse.

Rather than risk touching her, he laced hisfingers and held them out, ready to take her boot and give her aboost up into her saddle.

With a sigh, she gave him a shove.

“I don’t need your help. Go away.”

She was angry at him. This was good. Angrypeople didn’t kiss one another.

Except that was exactly what had happenedearlier. They’d been sparring one moment, and he’d reached for herthe next. Apparently, the passion that came from arguing was not sodifferent from other kinds of passion.

He would need to be careful in thefuture.

They rode on in silence for more than hour.Kieran thought perhaps the event would be forgotten, and eventuallythey could go back to how things had been.

But, of course, he should have known better.Ella was not one to just let something fade away without discussingit.

“Should we talk about what happened?” sheasked.

“Nay. I beg of you, Ella, let us never speakof it.” He feared never would be too soon.

“Then it will be this awkwardness between usforever?”

“’Tis not awkward. ’Tis just too soon. Itwill be better. With time we will forget.” He wouldn’t forget. Notas long as he lived.

“And if I don’t wish to forget it because itwas wonderful?”

Christ, the woman was set on killing him.Despite his distress, he did feel his heart warm to know she’dthought their kiss wonderful. He’d felt the same. Mayhapwonderful was not a large enough word to describe howincredible their kiss had been.

So different from when they’d kissed whenthey were younger. It was not just a touch of lips this time. Itwas a claiming. He’d claimed her, but she’d claimed him rightback.

“You may do what you wish. I just ask you toleave me to deal with it how I wish.” Which was apparently to becross with her while torturing himself with the memories of howsweet her lips had been with the hint of blackberry jam left fromthe tarts they’d had earlier.

Would he ever be able to eat a blackberrytart again without thinking of her mouth on his? Her tongue tangledwith his? Damn, but he was hard again.

“And you wish to forget it?” Her words wereno longer tinged with anger. He could hear the hurt he hadcaused.

He had no choice but to offer her honesty.They had been friends their whole lives, and to lie to her nowabout something so important would be a betrayal of all the timebetween them.

“I don’t want to forget it. I’ll never beable to forget it. I will treasure the memory of it as I live mylife with the bride that was chosen for me. And God help me, but Iwill likely think of it when I’m with her. It’s wrong, I know, butI have never felt something as that kiss, Ella. And doubt I willagain.”

A rumble of thunder interrupted whatever shemight have said.

“Come, we must find shelter before this stormhits,” he ordered as if he hadn’t just professed how he felt.

The words had come unbidden, but they werethe truth he’d hidden all this time from her. Hidden from himselfas well.

Chapter Fifteen

Kieran led them to a place in the hills as ifhe knew the way. Rocks set out from a hill in staggered tiersslanted down. He settled the horses under the lowest outcroppingand removed their tack, tucking it deeper under the lower end tokeep dry. Ella watched him as if he was a different person.

She noticed how strong and capable he was asthe muscles along his back bunched and moved under his shirt.