Page 13 of A Highlander Bound by Oath
Owen reached for the handle and yanked her inside before shutting the door and leaning against the wood with one hand. He quickly slid the bolt into place and breathed a sigh of relief. Sweat had beaded on both heads as they struggled to catch their breath.
Exchanging glances, they suddenly burst into fits of laughter as the stress of the situation left their bodies.
"I dinnae ever want tae dae that again," Owen said breathlessly.
"I think I may be inclined to agree with you,’' Charlotte answered when she finally stopped laughing. Her heart beat slightly faster as she looked at him and the sparkle in his eyes when he laughed. Her heart suddenly skipped a beat when she remembered the warmth of his body against hers as he held her tight in the alcove.
Who are you really, Owen, the monk…Charlotte wondered as she watched him laugh.
CHAPTER SIX
Charlotte examined his handsome face as he laughed. Owen was indeed a conundrum to her. He seemed rough and rugged around the edges, with a penchant for mischief and a heart of gold to boot. What with her limited experience, there wasn't another man like him.
"This is where ye will be staying," he gestured to the room.
Owen's bedroom was spacious but it was big enough for both with very little furniture to adorn the room, as much as she had imagined a monk's room would look like. The stone walls were bare, with a single window that overlooked a small patch of earth, presumably used for gardening. His single bed was simple and plain, with a grey blanket and one pillow. The only other belongings were a wooden wardrobe next to a small desk with a chair.
The desk itself boasted a small mirror with a crack in it and a basin for washing. Much like her room at her uncle's castle, thebelongings were humble and sparse. Though here, the air was warm and fresh instead of stagnant and cold.
"It's nae much, but it is home," Owen explained. "A comfortable and safe space tae lay me head at night."
Charlotte's stomach growled uncomfortably as she looked around the room, reminding herself that she hadn't eaten in over a day since she'd left the castle.
"Are ye hungry?" he asked her with a serious look.
"I haven't eaten in a while," she confessed, not wanting to tell him about her escape or any of the events that led to her being in his room. She breathed a sigh of relief when he nodded a response without asking any questions. He was a man true to his word, if nothing else. She conceded that it may also have been because he didn't want her asking any questions of her own, which made her even more curious in turn.
"I'll go and get ye something tae eat. Make yerself at home an' I'll be back soon," he placed his hand on the doorknob to leave.
"Wait," she suddenly said, stopping him in his tracks.
"Aye?" he asked with one eyebrow raised. "Och," he glanced at the bed before looking back at her. "Dinnae fuss, I will bring an extra blanket an' pillow. Ye dinnae have tae share the bed with me."
"It's not that," she said sheepishly, scratching her arm where the rash was still prominent.
He seemed to suddenly realize what she was asking. "I'll have a bath brought in and ye can wash. Dinnae answer the door for anyone while I'm gone; an' if anyone decides tae come in," he jerked his head toward the closet and bed. "Hide either under or in one of those," he closed the door behind him as he left her alone in the room.
Scratching her arms and legs, she looked around and sat on the bed with her legs folded beneath her. This place would be her home for the next few days until she left for Scotland with Owen.Home sweet home,Charlotte thought. Not that she'd been able to call anywhere her home since her father had died. Owen was the first person to offer her a place of safety in a very long time.
Images from the forest flashed through her mind. Her body leaning on his… and then his body pressed into hers.What did I feel at that moment?Charlotte felt the confusion bubbling inside of her. She hadn't been scared or concerned for her life. She had been…What was I? Attracted?She couldn't quite describe the warmth she had felt when Owen's body had been so close to hers. As precarious as the situation she now found herself in, she knew she was far better off than being locked up in the castle where William Dodd was her betrothed.
She didn't have much time to think things over as the handle of the door suddenly turned. Frantically searching for a hiding space, she threw herself on the floor and tried to roll beneath the bed.
"I brought ye…" Owen's voice trailed off as the door swung open. Sighing, he walked over to the table and placed some things down before going over to the bed and peeking underneath.
She could see his shoes as he walked.
"Ye can come out, lass," Owen said with a chuckle.
Rolling herself out, Charlotte looked up at him from her back.
He shook his head with a slight smile and offered his hand to help her up. "I hope ye dae a better job of hiding in the future," he teased.
"I panicked."
"Aye, but I think ye should rather jump in the closet next time. I could see yer feet from the door."
She felt the heat spreading on her cheeks as she glanced at the closet.
