Page 20 of Ruined By the Ruthless Highlander
Her hands shot out, striking the edge of the next table, and she stumbled forward. Several maps slid off its surface, slipping onto the stone floor in a loud, scattered mess.
There’s no hiding anymore.
Marian stood slowly, her cheeks heating up in embarrassment as she bent to gather the scattered papers. She couldn’t bring herself to look at him. Not yet.
“Planning yer conquest?” the Laird’s voice came from behind her.
She froze, as if he had not already discovered her.
She swallowed, her fingers tightening slightly around the maps in her hand as she forced herself to speak. “I…” Her voice faltered for a moment before she steadied it. “I apologize, my Laird.”
She resumed gathering the maps, hoping in her heart that he would just leave after she offered an explanation.
“There was someone… something… in my room.”
The words sounded more ridiculous out loud than they had in her mind. Her cheeks heated further as she stood there, still unable to face him.
There was movement behind her.
“A sound, it was?” he asked, and she could almost hear the amusement in his voice.
“I know what I heard.”
He stepped closer, and she felt it before she heard his footsteps. The room suddenly felt smaller, as though there was no room left to breathe.
“Aye,” he said softly, sounding genuinely convinced. “Yer ghost.”
There was his scent again… clean, sharp. It was stronger at this distance.
Marian inhaled sharply.
She held her breath longer than she had intended, her senses pulling her toward him before she could stop them. Her eyes closed briefly of their own accord, then she caught herself, forcing her attention back to the maps.
“I did not expect to find you awake.”
The Laird stepped in front of her. He reached forward, his fingers lightly grazing hers as he took the last maps from her hand and set them aside.
For a moment, neither of them spoke.
She turned slightly toward him. Her pulse quickened at the awareness of how close they were. Too close, she could almost hear him breathe.
His scent wrapped around her as his gaze darkened, moving slowly from her face until it settled somewhere else.
Marian noticed it at the exact moment he did.
Her breath caught. The realization struck her all at once.
Not only was she indecent, but her robe had also loosened in her haste, the fabric slipping enough to betray her carelessness.
She moved to fix it, but the Laird was faster. He reached forward, his fingers brushing her skin ever so lightly as he held the edge of the fabric.
She felt a shiver run down her spine. She couldn’t step away, not even if she willed herself to.
He will not…
She stood perfectly still. Frozen, even, as he held her robe. Her breathing slowed. She raised her chin, finally meeting his gaze.
His eyes were darker than ever. He looked dangerous, like a beast on a very flimsy leash.
