One & Only

by Kara Griffin

  “You taste delicious too.”

  Bree realized the precarious position they were in and her discussion with Father Geoffrey came rolling back. A sting of embarrassment came to her cheeks and she hastily got to her knees.

  “Ah, Bree, what ye do to me.”

  “Grey, please … This is why I needed to speak with you.”

  “I know what ye feel, Bree. I feel the same. Let me pleasure you. Aye, you will enjoy this.”

  “‘Tis sinful, Grey. Father Geoffrey suggested I ask if I could stay in one of the vacant cottages. I cannot stay in the keep with you when we are unmarried, especially if you continue to kiss me like that. The women here hate me, they say I am condemned as it is.”

  His eyes darkened and his frown intensified. “What we do is not sinful, Bree. If it pleases you, I will allow ye to stay in a cottage with Cait until we are wed.”

  Bree sucked in a breath. “But we are not to be married. I will not marry anyone. Shall I be bartered like a common cow? Going from one laird to another in hopes of stopping this war between you? I will not be used so. My life changed because of a man’s wish to use me to come between the clans and now I don’t know who I was or what could have been.” Tears sprang to her eyes, and Bree hastily wiped them away.

  Grey took her hand and Bree tried to pull back, but he held fast. “You have never been barter to me, Bree. You mean more than that to me.”

  “That is not so, Grey. I heard your discussion with Laird Ross and his brother. I was betrothed in order to bring peace and then abducted to end that peace. I was barter, still am barter. I refuse to wed you or anyone here.”

  Before he could say a word, Bree fled the stables. The truth of the words she’d spoken hit her as she ran to the kitchens and hastened inside. Pots of all sizes sat on the flame. Bree needed to soothe herself and so she took a spoon and began stirring, not caring what she was doing.

  She absently went about her tasks and dismissed Gell who gave direction to his helpers. Then he began shouting that she was in the way. So she took a spot at the table and started to slice bread for the evening meal. When Gell had dishes ready for the hall, she offered to take them. Enough time had passed and she’d calmed. Yet she wasn’t sure if she could face Grey.

  With two platters atop one another, she held fast and walked as quickly as she could to the great hall. Many had all ready entered and awaited supper. She set the platter down with the sliced bread and cheese, and then set the ham in the center. Before she could leave the hall, Grey’s guard called to her.

  “Milady, will ye not join us for supper?” Duff asked.

  “Oh nay, I shall return with more food. I hope you enjoy it.” Bree left and went back to the kitchens. She returned with a large pot of soup and a tray of cut vegetables. Before she had left the kitchens, she poured her special sauce on the vegetables and sprinkled salt and peppercorns over the oily mixture.

  After entering the hall again, she set the pot down along with the vegetables and went to sit with Cait. “Grey said we could have a cottage. I will begin packing our belongings.”

  “Oh, Bree, ye didn’t ask him that did you?” Cait’s face held a look of disapproval.

  She hunched her shoulder. “Aye. I will not stay here and have those women think … whatever it is they are thinking.”

  “I shan’t go with you to the cottage. I will stay here with Sunny. I can’t leave her alone.”

  “You mean leave Duff. I see that you have no concern for my welfare, Cait. Would you that I be condemned to spend eternity in hell?”

  Cait laughed so loudly, she caused everyone in the hall to stop and look at them. Bree shushed her laughter.

  “Hell, my lady, the devil would not know what to do with you. Nay, ‘tis the wee one I am thinking of. She should be here and not in a damp cottage where she could catch a chill.”

  “I was hoping she could come with us. I hadn’t thought of that, Cait. Mayhap you are aright. Sunny would fare better here than in a cottage.”

  Cait shook her head. “The girl is safer here, and besides, I don’t want to leave the comforts here, Bree. Mayhap I am being selfish. If you want to move to a cottage, then go. You’ll be back at the keep within a sennight I’ll wager.” She laughed again and Bree scoffed at her.

  “Milady,” Kenneth called. “Will ye eat with us?”

  Bree looked down the table and saw each of Grey’s guard staring at her.

  “If it pleases you.” She took a bowl and filled it with soup and then snatched a few pieces of bread. As she sat there, she noticed the men giving her peculiar looks.

  “Don’t ye like us, milady?” Colm asked.

  “Of course I like you, Colm. Why do you ask such a question?”

  Now Greer spoke, “Will ye wed us, milady? I mean wed our laird?”

  “Aye, you would make a fine wife for our laird, milady,” Kenneth said. “And a mistress unlike any other for us.”

  Sean leaned forward, smiling and said, “We always knew ye would make our laird happy. He never wanted any other.”

  Bree’s head spun with them all questioning her at once. “I … will mayhap consider it.” She couldn’t bear to tell them the truth that she felt as though she was an object to be used by men in their attempt to either rule the land or subject her to further misery. At that moment, Bree couldn’t help feeling the woe that came upon her.

  “We hope ye do wed our laird, Lady Bree. He’s been wanting to wed ye since you were this high,” James said, holding his hand above the floor a few feet.

  “Aye, she were a pest when she was wee, wasn’t she?” Duff said to his comrades. “Och, milady, Grey never let anyone insult ye. I remember a time when he fattened my lip because I called ye a name. ‘Course I was a young lad bent on trouble then. Now ye’ve grown to a bonny woman and won’t be calling ye names now.”

  Why their talk of their childhood saddened her, she didn’t know. None of their reminisces came to her, and she couldn’t recall ever seeing them as lads. In her determination to appease them, she nodded, hoping to dispel the conversation. Once she’d finished her soup, she went above stairs and collected her belongings. Now all she had to do was find Grey and have him show her where she would stay.

  She walked along a path outside and saw him standing near a corral. He was speaking to one of his soldiers, apparently explaining how he liked his war-horse’s reins applied. Without hesitation, she approached and waited for him to finish his conversation before speaking.

  “Bree, I see you mean what you said,” he spoke low, nodding at her baggage.

  “Aye. Can you show me where I’ll be staying?”

  Grey scowled, fisted his hands, and turned. “You’re a stubborn woman. Come.”

  He led the way to a cottage within the walls of the keep. At least she would not be outside the walls and mayhap unprotected. That relieved her unease slightly. Grey opened the door for her and allowed her to step inside. When he made a move to enter, she held her hand out to stop him.

  “It would be improper for you to enter, Laird Gunn.”

  “We’re back to calling me laird? This does not please me, Bree, you staying here alone. Will Cait be joining you?”

  She shook her head, knowing he was becoming agitated with her. “Nay. Which is why I cannot allow you to enter.”

  Grey took her in his arms. His hands moved over her back, she could feel the strength in him. Closing her eyes, she reveled at his concern even if he was somewhat annoyed. His lips brushed hers in a light kiss and when she opened her eyes, he was gone.

  Bree moved inside the cottage and closed the door. The one-room cottage had a small hearth, no table, or chair with which to sit. There sat a pallet with a comfortable looking bedroll atop. She set her belongings beside it and sank to the bedding. How she ended up here was beyond her. All she had wanted was to be accepted by the clan’s women and because of their disdain she had no choice in leaving the main keep.

  Besides, she meant what she’d said to Grey. Bree ref
used to be barter. All the years she’d been away attested to the fact that she didn’t belong here. A severe loneliness came over her. She already missed Grey, Cait, Sunny, and the guardsmen, but she couldn’t return to the keep now. Mayhap she had made the wrong decision.

  CHAPTER FOURTEEN

  Grey made a mistake by allowing Bree to move to a cottage.

  He didn’t like Bree staying by alone but what could he do? It had been nearly a fortnight since she’d moved to the cottage at the top of the hill. Though she spent the evenings in the great hall with Cait and Sunny, she always returned to her cottage for sleep after she’d bathed and tucked Sunny in bed. It was then, when she’d left for the night that he felt most sullen. The woman was driving him to distraction.

  Winter came early and with it light snow carpeting the hills and valleys. Most nights his clan spent indoors, with a nice blazing fire set in their hearths. Even with the warmth of a fire, it was difficult to ward off the chill which settled into the ground. The cold crept through the stone and floorboards like a banshee roaming the edge of the lochs, intent on finding the nearest warm body to plague.

  Grey had all the windows covered with thick hides and kept extra plaids in the hall for the women. Sunny was clothed in heavy fabric which he noted might be a good thing, for she couldn’t move as fast as she had without it. Some of the elders huddled beneath their plaids in the corners and those whose cottages hadn’t been properly repaired or insulated with straw stayed in the main keep.

  As he sat in the hall waiting for the meeting to begin, he watched Bree, Cait, and Sunny sitting by the hearth. Bree used her fingers and was showing Sunny a game or something of the sort. Their faces animated and contently amused, he smiled too. He could get used to having her around and missed having her in the hall often.

  It had been years since there was such joy in the keep, not since his parents had been alive and even before that. Grey decided a long time ago to dedicate himself to clan matters. His happiness was not important, nor needed. But now, he realized how much he wanted joy in his life.

  He wanted the family he’d been promised, the woman who would keep him warm at night, and the children who would strengthen the clan as his father had proclaimed so long ago. He deserved that, didn’t he?

  “Laird, we’re all present,” Duff said, tapping his arm.

  “What?” When he looked up he saw all his guard sitting around the table, their gazes directed elsewhere. He’d been deep in thought and hadn’t heard them come in. Taking the time to look at each of his men, he watched James, Sean, Kenneth, Colm, and Greer and saw where their interest lay. They were each looking at Bree as well. ‘Twas no fault of theirs, she was just too darn bonny.

  He cleared his throat to draw their attention back to the meeting and when they didn’t hear him, he looked at Duff.

  “They cannot help it, Laird. Look at her, she’s a beautiful woman. I heard one of the younger lads say if you didn’t want her, that he’d take her. The men congregate outside her cottage in the morning waiting for her to appear. At night it’s worse. They stand about until she returns. Often I break up the crowd before she returns.”

  “I know,” Grey said dejectedly.

  “When she passes the training fields, all sparring ceases and it takes me several minutes to get the men back to their tasks. It’s been like that for weeks. Can you not keep her inside? It’s very frustrating.” For all of Duff’s impatience, he sounded remarkably calm.

  “I’m sure it is, Duff.” Grey didn’t like hearing this, but what could he do? Until he gained her cooperation and acceptance, he’d have to deal with the lads’ inability to be near her.

  “Yesterday, I sent Gordy to deliver a message to ye, and when he came back he couldn’t tell me if he delivered the message or not. All he blathered about was seeing milady in the hall. I swear I was going to wring his scrawny neck and if it wasn’t for Greer, I would have.”

  “Aye, I know your patience is wearing thin, Duff.”

  “Thin! It’s completely unwound. In fact, it has snapped. Laird, you needs do it. Just tell her you’re betrothed and get it the hell over with. Once the lads know you are to wed, they’ll get back to work and I can make some progress. If we’re to train and be ready for the MacHeths, I need to make sure the lads have some skill.” Duff’s voice rose slightly, but he kept his demeanor sedate considering his annoyance.

  “This is nonsense. But I agree, Duff. I will do some-thing about it right now.” With his men looking on and with some of the younger soldiers present, Grey left his seat. In quick strides, he reached Bree’s chair and picked her up. He held her in his arms, her feet dangling over his forearm.

  She let out a loud gasp, which he quickly covered with his mouth. In front of all, he kissed her passionately, letting every single man inside the hall know—she was off limits.

  When he heard the whoops and hollers, he pulled his mouth away.

  “Laird … Grey, what are you doing?” Her face brightened.

  Lord, her mouth looked sweet with the shimmer of his kiss on it. “I am taking you away,” he said, and then took the stairs two at a time before she could object.

  The noise level from the hall rose and the men were now yelling their cheers. All he could focus on was her soft body in his arms and what he was about to do. The thought excited him, and yet daunted him. One on hand, he wanted to thoroughly ravish her. On the other, he would have his answer whether she would follow her father’s wishes to be betrothed to him.

  Grey stopped in the hall outside his chamber and grinned. There was no going back once he took her inside his room. With that, he kicked the door open and entered. Bree held onto him tightly, fearing he’d drop her. Her panic made him smile, but he tightened his hold to appease her.

  “Aye, you are so sweet, lass. Have I told ye that? I have never wanted anyone as I want you. And this night I mean to show you how much.” He kicked the door closed and walked to the bed. Gently, he set her in the center and joined her.

  The room seemed to heat, and Grey found himself warming. When he touched her face, cupping her cheek with his palm, he felt the coolness of her skin. He looked into her beautiful blue eyes. There was uncertainty there.

  The best course of action was no talking. He wouldn’t give her a chance to make up some nonsense about improprieties. And so he lowered his mouth and kissed the side of her face. His lips brushed over her chin and down her neck to the base of her throat. There he felt a little pulse and he smiled. She was as excited as he was with the prospect of what they were doing.

  Grey splayed his hand over her stomach and gently shifted it upward until he cupped the underside of her breast. The weight of her breast in his hand pleased him. He heard her slight intake of breath. Keeping focused on his task, Grey moved his mouth to hers and waited to see what she’d do.

  His lips hovered a scant above hers and it must have been too much for her. Bree clasped her hands behind his neck and pulled him forward until she got what she wanted.

  His mouth covered hers and the softness of her lips beckoned his tongue. He possessed her, using his tongue to show her how much he desired her. It was too much. Grey wanted much more than intense kisses. He wanted them to come together in blissful abandonment, to join their bodies and finally surrender to their desire.

  Their kisses became all consuming, so much so that he wasn’t able to think straight. Grey felt the rough flesh beneath his fingers moving over her breast and his body pressing urgently against her side.

  A will to take her overwhelmed him, but he couldn’t be so impertinent. She was far too important to him to not have a care. With that he tore his mouth from hers. He rasped for breath and couldn’t take his eyes off her. A flush covered her cheeks and her eyes were hazy with pure passion. In that moment, he realized she desired him as much as he desired her.

  Without thinking, Grey pulled at his plaid until it fell away and he practically ripped his tunic over his head. He kept his tartan on to appease her modesty
. All he wanted was to feel her hand on his skin, on the very heat of him. He burned for her touch and needed it badly.

  Grey took her in his arms again and pressed her hand against his chest. As he’d imagined, her cool hand felt wonderfully arousing and when she caressed him, he groaned at the pleasure. Letting passion rule his mind, he took her mouth again and kissed her for a few minutes before tearing himself away.

  When he looked into her eyes again, he saw no hesitation. That fueled the fire within him, igniting his actions and defusing any concrete thought of stopping. He moved his mouth to her breast and kissed the erect tip through the fabric. More than anything, he wanted to taste her skin and surround the tip with his mouth. Groaning at the thought, he looked back to her face.

  “Grey, we shouldn’t be doing this.” Her declaration came out as a petal-soft whisper.

  “I cannot stop, lass. You turned me into an untried lad, aye you have.”

  “I do apologize, Grey. Please, I do not mean to.”

  He smiled despite the disappointment he felt. “I know that. I should apologize. You make me want you, Bree. I cannot help myself.”

  “I do enjoy kissing you. Can we not do that?”

  Grey chuckled. “Kissing always leads to the other. Don’t do that, lass. I might not be capable of stopping if we get started again. I’m having hard enough time as it is.” She’d touched his chest, letting her hand trail to his lower belly, and looked at him strangely.

  “I was just looking at your scar. You must have suffered a great wound.”

  He realized she’d touched the scar over his heart and frowned. “Aye, a grave wound indeed. I’ve had it since I was a lad.”

  “Who would hurt you so? You could have died from such a wound.”

  “Aye, mayhap I did die then. But now I’m alive, more so than I have been in years.”

  “How did it happen?”

  Grey shook his head and couldn’t tell her the truth. It was time to tell her about the betrothal and nothing was going to deter him. He didn’t know how to begin and so he decided it would be best to blurt it out. “Bree, when we were wee, we were—”