Page 50 of The Highland Heir

“He’s always watched over me. He’sprotective. You’ve always said you were grateful for his constantguard.”

“He wasna watching you in a protective way,lass. It was . . .” It was her father’s turn toblush and look away in embarrassment. “It was the way a man looksat a woman he knows in a carnal way.”

She sighed heavily. There was no reason totry to hide it now, when her father had already seen the truth. Shewouldn’t lie to her father if it could be helped.

“Very well. Since you know so much of italready, I will tell you. Kieran and I were together on the wayback to Girnigoe.”

“I’ll know if he forced ye.”

Ella narrowed her eyes on her father.

“You know Kieran nearly as well as I. Youknow he would never do such a thing.”

He let out a breath. “That I do. But I neverthought him to ruin ye when he’s betrothed to another. He cannamarry you and do right by ye. Why would he hurt ye in thisway?”

“It wasn’t something he took from me, da. Itwas something he gave me. Gave us. This one chance tobe together in that way before he must marry. It is something Iwill treasure the rest of my days.”

“And if you find another man who can give yehis heart? What will you tell him?”

“If he’s willing to give me his heart, Iwould hope he would say he loves me regardless of whether I’mchaste or no. Wouldn’t he?”

She knew she had won that argument when hethrew his hands in the air in frustration.

“I don’t want this for you, Ella. To long forsomeone you canna have. To live with that empty pain.”

“Like the empty pain you hold because of mymother?”

“When she died, she took my heart withher.”

“That is not true. I know you still had a bitof it left because you gave it to me.”

His anger faded, and reluctantly he reachedfor her and pulled her into a hug that nearly squeezed the breathfrom her. Teague Ross gave the very best hugs.

“I’m sorry, papa. I didn’t mean to disappointyou.”

“Ye haven’t called me papa since you were abairn. Don’t use the word now to soften me,” he growled, but whenhe squeezed her tighter, she knew the word had hit its mark.

She laughed against his chest.

“Very well.” She stepped back to look him inthe eye so he would know she meant it. “I’m sorry.”

“Do you regret it?”

“Nay. Not at all.”

“Then it makes no sense to apologize forit.”

“I guess not.” She tilted her head, lookingfor chinks in his armor so she might say the thing to make it rightbetween them again. “It was the most wonderful moment of mylife.”

That had not been the right thing. Her fatherwinced and shook his head.

“I don’t want to hear that.”

“Would you rather it had been horrible?”

“I’d rather pretend it didn’t happen at all.”He paced a bit in the room and then came back to stand in front ofher. “Let us never speak of it again.”

She pressed her lips together so as not tolaugh at the desperate look in his eyes. She’d been given a weapon.With just a few words, she could bring him to his knees. But shewouldn’t use it. At least not right now.