Dalton trailed her until she made it home safely before he turned away and strode towards the loch. He needed some time to himself, to decide what to do next. When he reached the shores of the loch, he stripped off his shirt and tossed it to the ground. He needed the punishing water against his skin. After the remainder of his clothing lay on the ground, he walked into the frigid water. He didn’t care that it was cold, for it matched his mood. He dived beneath the surface, pulling his arms through the water. His muscles burned from the exertion, but he continued to swim.
He was a fool to think that a few days would make her see him in a new light. Regina had been right. They didn’t know each other at all, and he had no idea how to win her heart or even if she wanted him to.
The cold water washed over him, clearing his thoughts. It was time to stop feeling sorry for himself. He was weary of behaving like a gentleman. What had that ever accomplished for him? Nothing at all. Instead, he decided that it was time to live his life as he chose, not according to the dictates of others.
And if that meant letting Regina go, so be it.
Chapter Eight
Regina waited for several minutes, but Dalton never arrived at the house. When she returned to the front door, she saw him walking in the opposite direction. Where was he going? Though she knew she ought to wait, she decided to follow him instead.
The groom saddled a horse for her and she rode in the direction she had seen Dalton walking. There, a silvery-blue loch stretched across the meadow. She found him swimming with a furious pace, his arms churning through the water. And he was naked.
You need to leave, her conscience warned.
But she could not help being interested by the sight of his strong body cutting through the water. He was angry, and it was her fault.
Again, her inner voice cautioned her to go away. But something made her come closer instead.
Regina dismounted and walked towards the edge of the water, letting her horse graze. Dalton could not see her yet, but she chose a spot upon an outcropping of limestone. She climbed atop the rock and tucked her skirts around her while she watched him swim.
You shouldn’t be here, her brain reminded her. He wants to be alone.
But a part of her didn’t really care. Instead, she watched him, marvelling at his strength. He looked like a medieval Highlander of old, a warrior who would defend her against all enemies. And although he could easily subdue her, she had never been afraid of Dalton.
Despite her claim that they barely knew each other, it wasn’t entirely true. She knew that she was safe with him, more than any other man. And something about that knowledge emboldened her.
At last, her husband caught sight of her, and he slowed his pace. He stopped swimming and stood in the water staring at her. From here, she could see his bare chest. Water gleamed upon his skin, and she followed a rivulet trickling down his ribs to his waist. Dalton pushed his wet hair back, and his expression hardened. ‘Was there something you were wanting, Regina?’
She didn’t know. Right now, she was unable to tear her gaze away from him. Earlier today, she had seen him as a man with great compassion. But now, she could not deny that she was attracted to him. His broad shoulders were wet, his skin warmed by the sun.
And when he took another step forward, more of his body was revealed to her. She saw the ridges of his abdomen and the edge of his hips.
‘Unless you’re wanting to see all of me, you had best turn away, lass.’ The words were a warning, she knew, and yet Regina wanted to give in to her curiosity. She had never seen a naked man before. Much less one she was almost married to.
She locked away all the fears of her past, dwelling only on the man in front of her. Her cheeks burned with shyness, but still, she did not close her eyes or turn away. She wanted to overcome her fears, and this was her opportunity.
Dalton didn’t seem to care, and he walked slowly from the water, revealing his full naked body. The heat in her cheeks grew hotter, but she watched him. Never had she imagined what he would look like, but instead of frightening her, she found him fascinating. It made her wonder if she’d been wrong about her fears. With Dalton, she was starting to feel a physical attraction she had never expected.
Without apology, he reached down and picked up the length of tartan. He wrapped it around his waist and drew closer to her. ‘Did you enjoy the view?’
She hardly knew how to answer that. Her mouth had gone dry, but she nodded. ‘Yes, I did.’
With that, a slow smile slid across his face. ‘Good.’ Then he picked up the remainder of his clothes and started walking away.
It startled her that Dalton had left her alone. She had half-expected him to kiss her or make a demand of some kind. Instead, she felt fully aware of his presence.
Quickly, she scrambled down from the large rock, and retrieved her horse, holding the reins. By now, Dalton had pulled his shirt over his chest, but he still held the length of tartan wrapped around his waist.
‘Are you angry with me for watching you?’ she asked, after she’d caught up to him.
‘No,’ he answered. ‘But you’re making it difficult for me to leave you untouched.’
Regina walked
