My Laird's Seduction_Scottish Historical Romance Page 7

  “How much did you hear?”

  “A lot of it.” Clarissa bit her lip. “I had no idea the man that was underneath all of his bravado. He’s hurting and—”

  “Clarissa,” Ainsley cut her off. “He’s still dangerous. I think more so because when he’s like that, he breaches my defenses.”

  She nodded. “He’ll leave soon. Ewan says that he’s almost done fixing the ship.”

  Ainsley swallowed. That news shouldn’t hurt. It would be better when he was gone and not clouding her judgment so. Not that he was all bad. In many ways, he had brought out a better side of her and the heat between them…but she was certain she was about to be burned. “I think I’ll go to bed too.”

  “Why don’t you return to the party?” Clarissa reached for her hand. “It’s the one chance you’ve had to really have fun.”

  She nodded her agreement though the party seemed anything but fun. Heading down the stairs, she tried to slip back into the ballroom unnoticed. But several sets of eyes found her, James had come back and he looked near predatory, but it was her mother who got to her first.

  “Where have you been?” she hissed.

  Ainsley clucked her tongue. “Helping Clarissa with Ava.” It was mostly true.

  Relief made her mother’s features relax. “Don’t sneak off like that again.”

  Ainsley nodded, but before she could sit, James was by her side. “Dance with me,” it was more of a command then a request as he swept her onto the floor.

  “James,” she huffed under her breath. “I don’t think this is a good idea.”

  He stopped abruptly on the edge of the dancers and gathered her into his arms. Far closer than was respectable. She blinked several times because he was somehow the same and yet different. He had all the confidence of the usual James but the intimacy she’d only seen flashes of when they were alone was still there. Honestly, this man stole her breath away. “I warned you what would happen if you said my name again. I may just kiss you in front of the entire assembly.”

  She let out a small gasp. “You wouldn’t.”

  “Try me,” there was a dangerous glint in his eye as he began to spin her about.

  She was tempted to do it. Say his name and see what happened. Blood rushed in her ears at the thrill of it but her own preservation won in the end. While she’d seen a few glimpses of a hurting man underneath his veneer, it wasn’t enough to tie herself to him for the rest of her life and so she remained silent as he held her close. Part of her wished that she could forget that he might change his mind and just commit herself to him. Because in those moments, like they’d just had in the hall, he made her body come alive and her heart beat only for him.

  The eyes of most of the assembly were upon them, as the dance moved faster. Several fans snapped open as whispers began to swirl. “You’re causing a stir,” she whispered, seeing Ewan standing to the side, with his arms crossed and his stance wide. Keiran stood in the same manner next to him.

  “Tell me to stop.” He gave her a wicked grin. “Say, stop, James.”

  Her eyes narrowed. “What are you playing at? It’s as though you want to marry me.”

  He didn’t reply as he moved into the final turn of the dance.

  When the steps ended, he stood looking down at her, his eyes dark and intense.

  “Are you going to escort me off the floor?” More fans were opening, more whispers.

  His hand tightened at her waist. “No, I thought we’d dance again.”

  She huffed a little breath. “I thought you didn’t want to be tied to me. Keep this up and we’ll be announcing our engagement in the morning.” He was being ridiculous, though part of her wanted to lose herself in the fantasy that was tonight. In the morning, however, he would go back to being a cold and distant man. She held onto that thought, desperate to keep him from hurting her, dying to press close to him.

  He grimaced and offered her his arm, leading her to the chair next to her mother. She sat gratefully, feeling worn by the evening’s events.

  He stood just behind her, his hand discreetly fiddling with her hair. Turning back to him, she looked up past his broad chest to his strong face towering over her. “What are you doing now?”

  He leaned down so his face was just inches from hers. For a brief second, she thought he might kiss her, here in front of everyone. But he leaned in to whisper in her ear instead. “I’ll not watch anymore men dance with you tonight.”

  She blinked several times. What a confoundingly irritating man! He was teasing her, it was the only explanation. And tomorrow, she’d be crushed when ignored her again. Standing, she turned to her mother. “Mother, would you mind if I retired for the evening?”

  Her mother’s eyebrows rose up but a slight smile played at her lips. “Of course, dear.” Her mother stood too and together they left the room, stopping to give their regards to Agnes and Keiran.

  Once alone in her room, Ainsley unpinned her own hair as a maid undid her dress. She dismissed the girl quickly, wanting solitude. Shaking her head, she thought James may have accomplished the impossible. She no longer cared about a dance. In fact, it had been trying, nearly tortuous.

  She was about to braid her hair and crawl into bed when a soft knocking came from the other side of her door.

  “Ainsley,” James called.

  That infernal man. What had gotten into him tonight? She had kissed him. But she didn’t think that could be it. They’d kissed one other time and he hadn’t been so insistent. He was already dangerously close to ensnaring her heart forever. “Go away.”

  He didn’t answer for a moment and she thought he might have just left but then he called through the door. “If you don’t start acting nicer, I might get the impression you don’t like me.”

  “I’m not sure that I do,” she huffed.

  “You said you were my friend and that I could talk to you,” he answered so quietly but she heard him and it did make her creep over to the door.

  “I am your friend and you can talk to me. But this is dangerous and I don’t think—”

  “Open the door, love. I can’t talk like this. I’ll get caught out in the hall.”

  She stood for the count of at least five, knowing that it was a terrible idea but wanting to hear what he had to say. Finally, reaching her hand for the knob, she turned the lock, and opened the door.

  He stood leaning against the jam but as soon as he saw her, his eyes devoured her.

  She grabbed his hand and pulled him into the room. “The point is not to get caught,” she hissed as she shut the door behind him.

  It required her to lean around him and as she did so, he brought his hand up to cup her neck and splay his fingers into the strands of her hair. “It is,” he whispered.

  “And to talk,” she attempted to keep her voice steady but he began lightly rubbing her scalp in a delightful massage. “Not to touch.” She choked on the last word, betraying her lack of control.

  “We can talk while we touch,” he returned as he slid his arm about her waist to pull her close.

  Her knees wanted to give way. As more of her body pressed against his, he felt lean and strong against her. So right. “It’s a bad idea.”

  His lips came close to her ear. “Not when you hear what I have to say.”

  “What?” she lifted her face to look into his, which was the absolute wrong thing to do. He immediately captured her lips with his.

  When he finally pulled back, he spoke softly. “I want you to marry me.”

  “What?” she asked again, her shock likely written all over her face.

  His mouth pinched. “You heard me.”

  “I did,” she took a steadying breath. “But not an hour ago, you swore that I wouldn’t want to marry you. This morning and every other morning, you’ve acted as though I don’t exist. When you’re not insulting me. If I said yes, which man would I wake up to in the morning?”

  “This one,” he insisted, but Ainsley wasn’t so certain.

  “
I need time to consider it.” He was wreaking havoc on her, she knew that. It was best to give it thought before she committed herself.

  “Fair enough. But the next time I ask, I won’t ask again. It will be the last.” He straightened, and then, without another word opened the door and left her room.

  Chapter Nine

  He stormed down the hall, wanting to break something, anything. The annoying part about what she’d said was how bloody right she was.

  She had every reason not to trust him and she was smart to hold herself back.

  Something he seemed unable to do.

  But there’d been a shift this evening as though the dam he’d carefully built to hold back his emotions had cracked and then began to crumble and now it was breaking wide open.

  “James,” she called from behind him and the sound of his name on her lips stopped him dead. His father had loved his mother like this. He’d been a pawn to her every whim. She’d been beautiful, even he could remember that. And suddenly he realized why he’d disliked Ainsley so. She had the same power. The power to undo him just as his mother had done to his father.

  “What?” he asked as he turned, striding back toward her.

  She looked slightly afraid and she lifted her hand to stop him. “Can we…that is to say…I’d like to discuss this in the morning.”

  He stopped just in front of her then so that her palm was against his chest. “In the morning?” he wanted to pick her up, carry her back into the room, and make love to her right now.

  “I need some time to think and I need to know that you won’t change your mind in the light of day.”

  He knew she was right. It was better to wait to make sure, after everything in his past, he could hold onto this feeling. But he doubted he would change his mind now. Something had shifted. His feeling strengthened in a way he couldn’t change. “Fine.” Then grabbing her hand, he slowly removed it from his chest so that he could slip his arm around her and kiss her one last time. “We’ll talk in the morning.”

  She clung to him as their lips met again and again and it took every ounce of control he possessed to lift his head and remove his arms from around her.

  Slowly she backed back into her room, her eyes never leaving his as she closed the door. He heard the lock click and leaned against the jam.

  He was as bad as his father after all. But Ainsley, he had to believe, was a woman of more substance than his mother had been.

  If she wasn’t, then he was doomed to repeat the sins of his childhood. And that was the real reason he hadn’t wished to marry. But it was too late to change the course. He simply couldn’t let anyone else have her.

  He didn’t bother returning to the party. Instead he made his way to his chamber. She’d been right to say they needed time to think. As he reached his room, he shrugged off his coat and threw himself across his bed.

  Closing his eyes, memories of his mother’s indifference flitted through his mind. She’d borne a child because her father had insisted, but she’d never wanted him. She didn’t love him. In fact, she’d hardly paid attention to him. It still made him angry to think about, but he knew in that regard, Ainsley was different. She’d love her children with all her heart.

  He wanted to meet the rest of her family. See them together. He was suddenly glad that he’d agreed to escort her home already.

  A knock at the door interrupted his thoughts, loud and insistent. For a second, he thought it was Ainsley. Rising from the bed, he crossed the room and yanked open the door to find Ewan standing before him. “Yes?”

  Ewan’s eyes were narrowed. “Is Ainsley here?” he rasped.

  White fear made him numb for a moment. “She isn’t in her room?”

  Ewan blinked several times. “I don’t know. I came here first.”

  James let out a growl. “Don’t bloody scare me like that. I thought she was missing.”

  Ewan’s head tilted to the side as he assessed the man before him. “I didn’t realize ye’d care so much.”

  James took a deep breath and then stepped back. “You might as well come in, I need to discuss something with you.”

  Ewan stepped through the door and crossed to the sitting area, making himself comfortable in one of the wingback chairs. “Did ye ruin her?”

  James flung himself in the chair across from Ewan. “You are making a great many assumptions, none of them flattering.”

  Ewan cracked a smile. “Ye’re right and I’m sorry. I saw the way ye were lookin’ at her tonight though. And when ye both disappeared, I assumed the worst...”

  James sighed. “If you must know, I have not ruined her. On the contrary, I’ve asked her to marry me.”

  “Another wedding?” Dread laced Ewan’s voice.

  “No, not exactly.” James rubbed his temple with his fingers. “She said no.”

  “I’m sorry?” Ewan asked, looking completely perplexed.

  “Well, she said she would think about it.” James could feel his face creasing into a grimace. “Apparently she has some reservations.”

  Ewan stared at him. “Gads, these women will be the death of me.”

  James couldn’t help it, he laughed. “Aye, I feel about the same. I’ve avoided serious relationships for fearing that it would be the death of me too. But now, for the first time, I’m considering the other pieces of a relationship. Like having a family with relatives that care and look out for one another. What is the family like? I didn’t have one, not really.”

  “They’re wonderful. And meddlesome. And their love seems to extend to me, which is rather amazing. If ye’re looking for a family, then ye asked the right woman. Do you see the crowd that has assembled for the birth of my daughter?”

  James paused. He supposed he was looking for one. It had been difficult to be here precisely because this family made him aware of all that he lacked. Ainsley, the worst of the offenders. She made him long for pieces of his past he’d thought gone forever. “And what if I am?”

  Ewan leaned forward in his chair. “Good for you. You’ll be a happier man for it. Clarissa told me that you were in the hall outside my room last night.”

  James grimaced wondering how much Ewan knew. “I was.”

  Ewan leaned forward in his chair. “I’m glad to ken that ye’re serious about Ainsley and that ye’ll do the right thing.”

  James swallowed. “I am.”

  “Then prove it, by courting her in a way that respects her and that family.”

  Bloody bullocks that made sense.

  The next morning he made his way downstairs to find Ainsley having breakfast with a hoard of admirers. They sat on either side of her, across from her, stood behind her while each young man vied for her attention. James swallowed hard as he attempted to push down the swell of anger and possessiveness that rose in his chest. This morning he was to prove that he wouldn’t change his mind, that he respected her and her family. He was fairly certain knocking about other gentlemen wouldn’t be considered a success.

  It did give him some measure of satisfaction to see that she didn’t seem to be enjoying herself. In fact, she looked quite miserable.

  He realized he’d been standing in the doorway watching her when she swung her gaze to him. Her breath hitched and she sat up straighter. Satisfaction made his chest swell.

  “Let’s go for an outing,” one of the men called. She didn’t look at the bloke, instead her gaze remained fixed on him.

  “A picnic on the beach,” another chimed in.

  “In December?” another scoffed. “Have ye gone mad?”

  “I think it’s a fine idea,” James chimed in from the doorway and then walked toward the group.

  Ainsley narrowed her eyes, her look suspicious. “Why is that?”

  He winked at her and watched as she huffed a little breath, her lips turning down. While she looked a touch angry she’d also come alive when her eyes had met his. That was more gratifying than he’d thought possible. “But might I suggest we picnic on my boat? We’ll have
the convenience of the cabin should we need it.”

  He knew by the silence that the men didn’t want to be on his boat. It was to his advantage. But he also knew that it would be difficult for them to express without giving themselves away.

  Ainsley stood, and the men around her followed suit. “Will we get to see the repairs being made?”

  “Of course,” he gave her a smile and stepped around one of the suitors, using a discreet elbow to push the man out of the way. He heard his soft grunt and his smile widened. “I’ll give you a tour of the entire ship.”

  Several men groaned around him as Ainsley beamed. He was winning. “That does sound lovely.”

  “We’ll meet back here in an hour.” He glared around the group attempting to discourage several of the other men from attending as well. Several looked away and he knew he’d been at least partially successful.

  She looked as though she wanted to say more. They had a great deal to discuss after last night, but now was not the time. The outing likely wouldn’t be either but at least he could keep an eye on any man brave enough to join them. He wondered if he might be able to toss a few off the side when no one was looking. But his attention focused back on her when she softly spoke. “You came to breakfast.”

  The words sounded benign enough. To anyone else listening, it was just about the meal but he knew it was a statement about so much more. “I did. And I’ll be here again tomorrow.”

  She arched her eyebrows, but a smile spread across her face. “I will see you in an hour.” She nodded to the other gentlemen as she swept from the room.

  He had a moment of triumph as he turned to select a pastry from the buffet when another woman’s voice halted him. He’d been so focused on the men around Ainsley he hadn’t noticed her mother’s attendance. But of course she would be there, chaperoning her daughter. “Lord Rotheport.” Her voice held a tone of disapproval that would have made a lesser man quake.

  “Lady McDougal,” he replied, careful to keep his voice neutral. The older woman disconcerted him, really. Ainsley was a younger version of her mother and as he looked at Lady McDougal, he could see the same sparkling green eyes assessing him with just as much shrewdness as her daughter.