Page 38 of Highlander’s Lesser Evil

“As he is already married, and his wife would most likely gut ye, be thankful that ye didnae,” Theo said dryly. “To bed with ye. ‘Tis late.”

Ignoring him, she smiled at Hamish again. “I don’t suppose your wife is with you? Since my husband decided to move me here without giving me time to gather all of my things, I won’t be able to weave while I am here. Some company might be nice.”

“Afraid not, lass. She is watching over our clan now.”

Gemma raised her eyebrows. A man who gave his wife responsibility? Imagine that. Ignoring the urge to rub her bottom, she turned and followed the young man carrying her things into the keep. She didn’t bother to look back at Theo.

Up the winding stairs and through the halls lit by torches, she yearned to stop and admire the tapestries on the wall, but her body was aching to lie down and rest. “Could you draw me a bath as well? Or do I need to ask someone else?”

He started and whipped his head around, and she realized that Theo must not have told them that he’d dared to marry an English woman. “Well?” She prodded again as she tried to keep the impatience out of her voice.

“Sorry, miss. I will draw ye a bath,” he muttered and turned back to the hall. His steps were quicker now, and she ached as she tried to keep up with him.

When he finally opened the door to one of the chambers, she stepped in and stopped short. A fire was lit, spreading light through the room, and from the ornately carved armoire and chest at the foot of the large bed to the expensive rug in the room, she had no doubt whose chamber this was. “Do I not get my own room?”

“This is where the laird told me to put yer things,” the man said with a shrug. “I will draw ye and the laird a bath.”

“Two baths,” she told him sharply.

He blinked at that but shrugged and left her alone. She had half a mind to pick up her things and find another room, but the promise of a bath and the fire’s warmth were too tempting to deny. Tonight, she would sleep, and tomorrow she would find someplace new. She’d shared her cottage with Theo on Loch Moran out of necessity. There was no need to do so now.

Although the idea of sharing his bed every night did help awaken her body.

Half an hour later, she was soaking in the tub’s warm waters with her eyes closed when the door opened. Immediately, she moved to cover her breasts. “Go away,” she sighed but the bath felt too nice to ruin with her anger.

“This is my room, lass,” Theo said calmly as he started to strip.

“Tomorrow I will find my own.”

“Nay, ye wilnae.”

Too tired to argue, she sank deeper into the water and closed her eyes again. When she felt his hands on her shoulders, she tried to pull away.

“Easy, lass,” he said soothingly. “I didnae realize the journey would hurt ye so. Let me help ye relax.”

His hands began to work on her neck and shoulders’ tense muscles, and she tried not to moan. “If you think to do this anywhere else on my body, you are sorely mistaken,” she managed.

He chuckled. “Nay, not tonight. Ye need yer sleep.”

Why is he always worried about how much sleep I get?

“I didn’t realize that you had a brother.”

“Aye, my half brother. One of my father’s bastards,” Theo said a little too darkly. “If my father had his way, Hamish would be dead. Instead, the boy he so despised is now the leader of his own clan and allied with the most powerful clans in the Highlands.”

“You are proud of him.”

“Aye. Hamish is a good man. He is a good leader.”

“So are you.”

His hands stilled, and her heart twisted. Despite everything happening between them, she still needed him to know that he was a good man. That she didn’t believe he would turn out to be like his father.

“Ye ignored me this entire journey,” he reminded her.

“Because I am angry at you doesn’t mean that I don’t think you’re a good leader. Theo, I watched you put your life on the line to protect Loch Moran. The mark of a good leader is one who will fight with his men and not behind them. You promised to keep Loch Moran safe, and that is what you’ve done.”

“‘Tis not over, Gemma. ‘Til I discover who is behind the mercenaries, it won’t be over. They will send more.”