his consciousness. The depth of emotion he felt for her was dangerous. He needed to temper his desire for her, control his love, or al would be lost. He would not al ow himself to become consumed by her as his father had been by his mother, at the expense of al else. It would bring nothing but heartache, possibly death. And because of Aileanna, Rory had already put the clan at risk.
But he had told her the truth. There would be no union with the MacLeans. Thrust into his world through no fault of her own, Aileanna was now his responsibility. He owed her his life, and would marry her to make up for al she had lost.
“You might not want to say that too loud, Rory, or you’l have that priest after me again.” Her throaty, contented laugh jerked him out of his unwelcome musings. Absently he kissed the tip of her nose. “Nay, I’l let no one harm you, Aileanna.” Sliding his cock from her heated clasp, he ignored the sense of loss when he pul ed away from her. “’Tis time for you to rest.”
“Where are you going?” she murmured sleepily, reach
ing out to him when he rose from the bed.
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“’Tis best if yer no’ found in my chambers come morn, at least until the betrothal is announced.”
Ali blinked. “What did you just say?” Her gaze focused on his face as she gathered the tangled sheets to her chest. He glanced up as he pul ed on his pants, addressing her as though she were a child. “The betrothal, Aileanna. Until
’tis announced, it would be best if you slept in yer own room.”
Ali’s heart thumped painful y against her rib cage. She clutched the sheets tighter. “Who . . . whose betrothal?”
Rory quirked a brow. He gave her a puzzled look, then tossed her the crumpled shift from the floor. “Ours. Did you no’
think I would marry you, after this?” He tipped his head toward the bed.
“No, since you didn’t ask and I didn’t say yes,” she sput
tered, pul ing the nightgown over her head with jerky movements. Her chest constricted with the painful realiza tion that he only wanted to marry her because she’d slept with him. And he didn’t even have the decency to propose, tel her he loved her, get down on his knee and offer her a ring. Oh no, his lordship simply assumed she would be thril ed to marry him. That she would bow to his com
mands like everyone else. Angry tears clogged her throat.
“’Tis because of me you find yerself here, Aileanna. Yer my responsibility now, and I wil do right by you.”
“Oh, I see. You feel responsible for me because the fairies sent me to save your life, and because you refuse to send me back you’ve decided you have to marry me. Does that about cover it?” The suffocating tightness swirled higher in her chest. Beyond hurt, she was devastated. He would marry her, but not because he loved her. Ali couldn’t bear to be just another responsibility to him, like everyone else in his clan. She wanted to be someone he could turn to in times of trouble, someone for him to lean on. She wanted al of him—heart, body, and soul. 212
“Aye,” he responded warily.
She flung back the covers and swung her legs over the edge of the mattress. With a tight grip on the post, she awk wardly came to her feet.
Rory stepped in front of her, his brow creased with con
cern. “What has gotten into you, Aileanna? You seem angry, lass.”
“Angry? You think I’m angry?” She tried to shove him out of her way, but the man was built like his damn moun tains and didn’t budge.
He crossed his arms over his bare chest, muscles rip
pling beneath his golden skin. “You wil tel me what has you in such a temper.”
“You.” She poked the middle of his chest with her finger, blinking back tears. “I’m not marrying you, Rory MacLeod. Not now, not ever.”
He frowned. “I doona’ understand you, Aileanna. Mayhap yer tired and we should talk aboot this on the morrow.”
“No, there’s no need. I’ve made up my mind. I’m not marrying you.”
“Did you no’ tel me you loved me? Did we no’ just make love?”
“What does that have to do with anything?” she ground out between clenched teeth. The pain in her foot was now as intense as the pain in her heart.
“I doona’ ken how things work in yer time, lass, but in mine, when a woman and a man make love, speak words of love, they wed.”
“Is that right? So the only person you ever made love to besides me was Brianna?” She’d heard al about his prowess with the ladies, whether she had wanted to or not. For some ridiculous reason his clansmen were as proud of their laird’s reputation in the bedroom as on the battlefield.
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The man was a legend.
