someone content. And it showed by his confidence and ease.
Arran had been one of the Warriors Deirdre had wanted in her bed. Isla could understand why, with Arran’s dark good looks and sinewy body.
“Hello,” he said as he placed the tray on the bed.
Isla licked her lips. “Hello.”
“Are you in pain?”
She was surprised by the question. How could she answer? She’d been in constant pain for centuries.
“Your wound,” he said. “Does it pain you?”
“Only a little. It is nothing.”
He nodded and backed away. “Your bath will be brought up shortly.”
Isla reached for the bread, her stomach rumbling with hunger. “Thank you.”
She didn’t hear Arran leave as she closed her eyes and savored the taste of fresh-baked bread as it filled her mouth. The venison was next, and then the wine.
Isla didn’t think she had ever been so hungry. It had been days since she’d eaten, but she could survive even starvation as she had learned before.
It was while she was finishing her meal that a wooden tub was brought into her chamber and filled with steaming water. She couldn’t wait to get into the bath and scrub off the sweat and grime that coated her skin.
It was more Warriors who brought the water. So far she had seen no servants. Did the MacLeods not have any, or were they keeping them away from Isla?
She didn’t know the Warriors’ names, but she did think she recognized one of them. It was his steely gray eyes that watched her carefully, as if he searched for something.
Isla ignored him, and as soon as they were gone, she jumped from the bed. In one movement she had the chemise off and one leg already in the bath.
She lowered herself into the tub with a sigh. Though she longed to relax in the water, she didn’t know how long she had before someone came to fetch her. So she reached for the soap and began to scrub.
With her hair clean and dripping over the side, Isla washed her body twice. She was just rinsing off when the door opened and the blond giant with black eyes filled the doorway.
She paused, one arm lifted and water cascading down her chest. The look in his eyes as he stared at her caused her stomach to flip and her heart to race. His hot gaze raked her, leaving her struggling for breath and trying to understand how one look could do that to her.
He opened his mouth, and then shut it only to open it again. “I dinna know you were in the middle of bathing.”
“I’m nearly finished.”
His gaze never wavered. She lowered her arm and waited for him to continue.
After a moment he turned his head away. “I’m to escort you to the great hall. I have a gown for you. Cara said it might be a wee big.”
Isla watched a small bundle sail through the air from his fist and land on the bed.
“I’ll wait in the hall.” He left and shut the door before she could say anything.
Isla’s heart pounded in her chest. No man had seen her naked before. The water had covered her, but still. She was without clothes. Why then did the prospect of him seeing her give her a little thrill? Had she lost part of her wits on Cairn Toul as well as her soul?
As she finished rinsing and rose to dry off, she thought she had seen something flash in his eyes, some emotion she had never seen before.
She wished she knew the Warrior’s name. After all, she had begged him to kill her. He could have at least given her his name.
Isla reached for the gown and found undergarments, a new chemise, stockings, and shoes. She hurried to dress, afraid the big Warrior would return before she was finished.
The shoes were too big and kept falling off her feet, so Isla decided not to wear them. The gown was of simple design, but in a pretty lavender color that conformed to her curves in a becoming way. It was so long she had to lift it to be able to walk, and the sleeves had to be rolled up. All in all, it was of decent fit.
She found a comb on the table beside the bed and hurried to brush out the tangles. It took longer than she expected, and her hair was still wet when she went to the door.
As soon as she opened it she found the Warrior standing across the hall, his arms crossed over his muscular chest. His dark gaze looked her up and down before he pushed off the wall.
“How is your wound?”
His voice was rough and deep and made her pulse jump. “It’s healing.”
“They are going to have questions for you. Many questions.”
“I have no doubt. I have survived much worse than an inquisition.”
“I know.”
It was the way he said it, as if he had witnessed her tortures himself. It gave her pause and made her wonder just who he was. And why he had such an effect on her. “Who are you?”
His gaze lowered to the ground for a moment before he looked into her eyes. “Hayden Campbell.”
“Well, Hayden Campbell, I have the answers everyone wants. Shall you take me to the great hall?”
He gave a quick nod of his head and turned. His strides were long, making Isla have to hurry to catch up with him. She had always hated being so short. She had to crane her neck to look at everyone, especially this giant called Hayden.
Isla’s foot caught on the hem of her gown, causing her to trip. In less than a heartbeat Hayden was beside her, his arms like bands of steel, wrapped around her to steady her. Instantly, her blood turned to fire and her heart leapt to her throat.
She lifted her eyes to see his face breaths from hers. A scent of spice and woods filled her. Isla could make out the shadow of a beard, and no matter how hard she looked, she couldn’t find his pupils in his onyx eyes.
“I tripped,” she explained when she got her breath back. “The gown is a bit long.”
He released her so quickly Isla had to reach for the wall to balance herself. She lifted her hem and gave him a nod. “I won’t stumble again.”
Without another word Hayden resumed walking, though Isla soon took note that he had shortened his stride. For her?
Surely not.
FIVE
Hayden fisted his hands, then flexed them in an effort to rid his skin of the feel of Isla. Of her warm, soft, all- too-alluring skin.
He had heard her sharp intake of breath and turned to see her falling. With the powers his god gave him, it took but a blink to reach her to prevent the fall.
Ever since he had walked in on her bath he had been rattled, his senses attuned to her in a way that left him hot and aroused.
He had seen nothing of her body other than her slim shoulder, graceful neck, and lean arms. But it was more than enough to make his balls tighten. Her black hair, wet and slicked back from her freshly scrubbed face, would haunt him for eternity as would her eyes that had grown large and round when she spotted him.
When he had found her on Cairn Toul he had known she was pretty, but he hadn’t known she was breathtakingly so. Without the grime and blood covering her, he could hardly take his eyes from her.
His body had reacted quickly to the sight of her bare flesh covered with droplets of water. He had grown instantly — and shockingly — hard. He had made sure to keep his distance until she had nearly fallen. And that had put him face to face with her.
He inhaled and smelled her scent of snow and wild pansies which beckoned him closer. Tempted him, charmed him.
