“He’s so distrustful,” Bryce said.
“Aye, but he has good reasons to be, although ‘tis no excuse to treat her that way,” Gabriel said, going back into the castle.
“What do ye suppose he means by that, Bryce?” Charlie asked, looking at Andie mount a mare.
“I doona know, Charlie. But our lass is bearing the harshness of his distrust.”
Hours later with the sun long in its restful slumber, Andie entered into the castle. Her richly dark wheat-colored hair was in a tangled mess around her. Her cheeks wore the sun-kissed burn from earlier. Her plaid was slightly in disarray, but she paid no notice, she was that tired. As she walked in, she saw Gavin standing by the hearth, staring into the licking flames. Her pace never faltering, she passed him on her way to the stairs. Before she had placed her foot on the floor, though, Gavin grabbed her arm to stay her.
“Wait,” he said, his voice dark and unbelievably comforting.
She paused for a second, closing her eyes. She was too weary for this tonight. “What would ye like to accuse me of now, laird?” Andie asked, sighing. Shaking her head delicately, she refused to look up at him. “Look Gavin, I’ve nay wish to fight with ye. I’ll stay away from ye and ye will stay away from me. I can leave to the McKendricks, if need be. If ‘tis yer wish that I no longer play with Riley, then I’ll understand. I’ve nay wish to come between ye and him, either. This constant fighting, however, has me exhausted. Now, I want to enjoy what little peaceful slumber I am able to get,” she said, her voice laced with a note of defeat he’d not previously heard. It concerned him.
“Stay and talk with me,” he said, still looking at the top of her head. She slowly raised her head to look at him. Her eyes were haunted and troubled, he saw. The vibrant honey color of her eyes that always seemed to enchant him, was now a lifeless, flat brown.
“Please,” he added as an afterthought. The word sounded foreign to him. He felt the ice within him melt, though, at the sorrow in her eyes. She let out a shaky breath and nodded her head. She sat in a tall chair, next to the fire. Gavin took the seat across from her.
“What were ye doing?” he asked, looking at her. He handed her some water and she took it, looking at him. He was taken aback at the hurtful look in her eyes. Then it dawned on him- she thought he was being distrustful of her again. “I just meant, what had ye been doing since last we spoke. I doona accuse ye of anything, Andie. I owe ye an apology for doubting ye.”
“What?” she asked, jumping out of her seat. She looked at him, with a worried expression on her face. She hurried to his side and reached out a hand to touch his forehead. She hastily handed him the water again, some of it spilling on to his plaid. Standing between his open legs and looking down at him with wide, concerned eyes, she placed her hand to his cheek.
He let out a deep guttural laugh that bounced off the stone walls of the castle.
“Oh, dear, ye must be verra ill, Gavin,” she said frantically. He laughed harder, which caused her to stare at him with her mouth open wide.
“I’ll go fetch Greida,” she said, and made a move to leave. He caught her wrist and stayed her. Her head twisted back to him and their gazes locked.
“I’m feeling fine, Andie. Verra hale indeed,” he said, his beautiful eyes beaming brightly at her.
“But…but ye were laughing, and…and…wanting to apologize,” she said disgustedly, as if the mere mention of such things was pure sin itself.
He laughed harder. His eyes were gleaming.
“Yer eyes,” she said on a sigh.
“What about them?” he asked, looking at the honey begin to melt in her own.
“They glow,” she said in awe, almost as if breathless.
“Really? They’ve always been compared to a wolf’s,” he said, narrowing his gaze on her eyes. The green flecks were beginning to peek out.
She snapped out of her reverie. “I’ll fetch Althor and Greida, Gavin, stay put,” she said and went to get up again. Still, he held her back, holding her wrist.
“I feel well, Andie.” After a long study of her face, her eyes, and her hair, he asked her, “Why do ye wish to help me when I’ve done nothing more than treat ye poorly?”
She shrugged. “I know that ye doona trust easily, Gavin, for whatever reason. I also know that when it comes to Riley, ye’re verra protective. I canna find fault for that, though. Ye’re a good father. With a bairn like Riley, I canna say that wouldna be the same. He’s a special and verra beautiful boy. I know that ye doona know me, Gavin, but I would never harm another, unless threatened myself. But I most assuredly couldna ever harm a bairn. I would protect him with my life. Riley helps me forget my problems and heartaches, and he likes me for me,” she said, the sadness creeping into her gaze again.
He didn’t stop staring at her as she said those beautiful words. He’d never heard a woman say those things. His mother had died during his own birth. Sarah, Riley’s mother, had never had the mothering instinct with Riley, although Riley fairly hung around her skirts, yearning for his mother’s love.
“Ye may find it hard to believe, but I love Riley,” she said, looking into his flashing eyes. They were so light now, they took her breath away.
He studied her for a long minute. She had lowered her gaze to his chest. He took his thumb and index finger, and brought her chin up. Her eyebrows furled, as she looked at him. He brushed her lower lip with his thumb and made her face come closer to his. She lost her balance and found herself sitting on his lap, with Gavin’s strong arms around her. She was breathing harshly, when she saw his head dip towards hers.
When their lips met, lightning struck the room. Andie could have sworn she heard a loud clap of thunder. Her world began to spin around her, accelerating her heartbeat. Gavin began to get lost in his own world, savoring her plump lips and the pleasure they brought him. The kiss grew ravenous and deep. Gavin groaned, winding his arms tighter around her.
He took one palm and brought it to caress the area below her breasts. Then he lightly touched Andie’s breast and she arched herself, moaning. The sensation was so new and pleasurable, she nearly jumped off of his lap.
“Papa! Why are ye hurting Andie?” Riley asked, his face a mask of fear and shock.
Andie hastily pulled away. He saw her face redden even underneath her sunburn. She gave him a panicked look, at being caught by Riley. Her gaze moved to the side as if thinking about what next to do. Suddenly, she pushed Gavin’s head backwards.
“Oh, Riley! Good, ye’re here. I’m helping yer Papa get an eyelash out of his eye. It pains him. Can ye hold his hand?” she asked, smiling at Gavin’s look of surprise and then the humor that entered into his glowing gaze.
“Now he’ll think that I’m damned feeble.”
Andie stifled a laugh.
“But ye were groaning, Andie!” Riley said in a small, sad voice.
She looked over at Riley and gave a radiant smile. “Why Riley, I appreciate yer concern, but ye know yer Papa wouldna hurt me,” she said, and felt Gavin tense. She had said something that struck a chord within him, and apparently within Riley, too. She refused to let this unknown demon get in the way, though.
“Oh, come now, Riley. Yer Papa’s trying to be brave. This eyelash is hurting him. It willna come out,” she said, waving Riley over.
“Nothing ever hurts Papa!” Riley exclaimed gleefully, as if he found the thought of something hurting his father funny.
“Well, I think this is the bug that felled the oak tree, for he’s in pain.”
The bug that felled the oak tree, Gavin mouthed.
Andie shrugged.
“I think ye may be his lucky charm. Hold his hand, and I’ll try to get it out,” she said.
She blew into Gavin’s eyes, pretending that the eyelash was lodged. Gavin held onto his son’s hand, partially embarrassed that his son should think that an eyelash would make him weak. The other part of Gavin was basking in having Andie so close. He was reveling in Andie’s maternal instincts and
concern for his son. Maternal love was something he’d never experienced, nor seen, and neither had his son. He wanted Riley to have it, though.
“Oh, look! I’ve got it! See Riley,” she said, bringing her finger over to him.
“I doona see anything, Andie,” he said looking down, confused.
“Oh, it must have fallen! Stubborn things,” she said, exhaling up again.
Gavin laughed and Riley looked at his father. “Papa, ye never laugh!” he said.
Gavin reached out and ran a hand through Riley’s hair.
“That’ll change, Riley.”
Riley looked at his father for another minute and then turned to Andie. “Andie, are ye going upstairs? I wanted to walk ye to yer room,” Riley said, trying to be gallant.
“An escort! That’s absolutely what I need. I’d be honored for ye to walk me to my room, Riley.” She gave Gavin one last look before going with Riley.
“Andie, I know ye get scared. I didna want ye to know that I knew, but I have to be honest,” Gavin heard his son say.
“Ye know, Riley, honesty is a fine quality. And how could I be afraid now, with such a strong lad walking me?” she said, ascending the stairs.
Gavin smiled, hearing their conversation. His own instincts were telling him that Andie was not the enemy. He wanted to believe that she was honest and trustworthy. He told himself once, that he’d never trust another woman again after Sarah.
The Prophecy had yet to come true.
There was that.
He’d told Althor once, that he didn’t believe in prophecies. He’d been a mere sixteen years old then. Why now, at eight and twenty, would he believe in it?
He shook his head.
Andie had hair the color of wheat and eyes the color of honey.
That aside, his head was warning not to trust her, not to trust another woman. They were there to fulfill his baser needs, but nothing more.
His heart, however, was beating her name, and was hungering for her love.
Chapter Four
How things had changed in only a week’s time. Every evening, after dinner, Gavin and Andie sat by the hearth. Riley usually sat on Andie’s lap because each night, he was treated to an exciting story, full of dragons, wizards, and witches. Much to Gavin’s amazement, Andie’s stories were interesting, and at Riley’s request, bloody and gory. In fact, her stories were so riveting, men gathered around the hearth to hear them. When Riley wanted them embellished with gory details, the men often grunted their satisfaction and added a few of their own. When their details became too gruesome, she would cover Riley’s ears and reprimand the men. Gavin found her actions humorous and endearing.
Finding himself in the usual quandary of wanting to be alone with Andie and Riley, he grew annoyed at his men’s presence every night. Gavin wanted to be alone with her, which was a feeling he hadn’t felt in the passed two years. He more than just wanted her, he burned for her.
Every moment he was with her, he pictured her underneath him. His body would react, instantly becoming hard at the thought. She was so temptingly luscious and he wanted her with a fierceness. What would she taste like? What would she sound like in the throes of passion?
He knew she was innocent, but he couldn’t help his wayward thoughts. When she was with Riley, though, he began wondering what kind of mother she would make. As quickly as the thoughts would head in that direction, he’d halt them.
He would never marry again.
Never.
With all the distractions his thoughts provided, he’d just stare at her, sometimes not even hearing her story. Her face would flush with excitement when she was in the midst of her outlandish tale. Her honeyed gaze was so alluring and velvety, he wondered again how they would look when she was impassioned, beneath him.
One evening, he’d been caught. He was asked a question and he kept staring at Andie, not even noticing the assemblage staring at him expectantly.
“Laird, isn’t that right?” Harold asked him.
“What?” Gavin asked, tearing his gaze away from Andie’s hypnotic effect.
“Ye weren’t listening, were ye?” Gabriel asked, a smile on his lips. Gavin fixed him with a hard stare.
“I asked ye, doona ye find it hard to believe that the warrior wasna eaten by the dragon because the fairy helped him fly? Fairies canna do that,” Harold asked, slightly irritated that this story should be entirely too fictitious on this point.
Gavin’s face mirrored his confusion, not believing the absurdity of the question.
“Harold, everyone knows that fairies can fly! The fairy had the warrior hold on to her, while she flew him to safety,” Riley said, from Andie’s lap. He sighed as if everyone knew that fairies flew.
“Fairies are tiny, barely reaching a mon’s knee when standing. A fairy canna have the gigantic warrior hold on to her. He’s too heavy and would haul her down,” Harold said crossly. He had a ‘know it all’ air about him that was becoming annoying to those around him.
“That’s why he held onto her back! He was riding piggy-back,” Ewan said irritated, wanting to get on with the story. The other men grunted, eager for the story to continue.
“Fine, believe what ye will,” Harold said in a huff. He looked at Andie, like everyone else was doing, waiting for her to continue.
Gavin looked at the men and nearly laughed. Who would have thought that some of his finest warriors would be so riveted by such an outlandish tale?
“So Aesa, the fairy, flew Erik up to the mountain, at Humprey’s Point. There, Selkie, the large bird, awaited instruction. Aesa told Selkie to take Erik to Boundsfear-”
“But Boundsfear is leagues away from Humprey’s Point. Selkie canna take Erik there within one day, so that Erik could reclaim the Sword of Souarno,” Harold pointed out, irritably. Everyone groaned.
Riley rolled his eyes and let out a long breath. “Harold, ye havena been paying attention! Aesa can grant magical powers to Selkie, so that Selkie could fly faster and take Erik to Boundsfear before sundown! If ye’d been listening to the story, ye woulda known that,” Riley said, crossing his arms. The men nodded.
“Yea, but then Selkie could turn bad and overpower Aesa’s magic,” Harold said, crossing his arms in similar fashion.
Everyone let out a long sigh, the strength of it so great, Andie’s hair floated about her shoulders.
“Aesa can grant magical powers and limit them. If Selkie wants to use them for bad, he canna. Besides, Selkie is good, it’s Blasfird who’s bad,” Gavin’s deep timbre corrected. Andie’s eyes flew up to his.
So he had been listening to the story, she thought. I just thought he was here for no other reason than to make sure that I wasn’t causing a mutiny.
“Isna that right, Andie?” Gavin asked, wondering why she was staring at him with a shocked expression. She nodded and continued her story. The next time Harold opened his mouth to interrupt, they men glared it shut.
This was how the nights were spent. Andie spinning her tale of magic, the men engrossed by the story, and Gavin riveted by her beauty and purity, half listening to her tale.
After the story’s segment ended, the men began dispersing, muttering at how short the hour segment was. As they walked away, they began hypothesizing as to what would happen in the next installment of the tale the following evening.
Andie took Riley’s hand so that he could escort her, something that had become routine. She usually tucked him into bed, though. Gavin always waited outside the door, eavesdropping.
“G’night, Riley. Doona let the bedbugs bite,” she said and tweaked his nose.
Riley gleefully laughed. His bubbly giggle made Gavin smile outside.
“Andie, ye have a huge-gantic imagination! There arena any bedbugs, Andie!” he said.
“Well, when yer leg itches at night, ye’ll remember what I said,” she joked, walking towards the door.
Andie shut the door on Riley’s giggles. Startled, she raised a hand to her chest when she saw Gavin standi
ng there. He gave her a sexy, lopsided grin, with his eyes glowing. She stared at his eyes, mesmerized.
“Did I give ye a scare?” he asked, his voice low.
“Quite a scare, I should say,” she said, still staring into the depths of his eyes.
“Are ye going to bed now?” he asked, focusing on her mouth. He wanted her so badly. He wanted to kiss her, to make love to her. They hadn’t kissed since that night Riley had caught them. Now he hungered for a touch of her lips against his.
“Yes. I’m tired,” she said, yawning.
“Do ye sleep any at night?” he asked, looking at the ever present dark circles under her eyes.
She shook her head. “I get a little but nay much.”
“Then I’ll bid ye goodnight, Andie. Doona let the bedbugs bite,” he said, smiling. She looked up surprised and gifted him with a smile of her own.
Gavin went back down to the great room with a smile on his face, as Andie walked to her room. Once he planted himself in a chair, Gabriel walked in. Bryce and Charlie had joined him, along with Shaun. Their somber faces alluded to the news he was about to receive. His smile faltered.
“We received notice from Liam,” Gavin stated, not as a question.
“Aye. It doesna bode well for the McBrides,” Gabriel said.
“Tell me the message. Must be bad, for Liam isna here to tell me himself,” Gavin said.
Gabriel nodded. “The bloody battle hasna ended, Gavin. The McArylls have lost many men.”
“Have we lost any?” Gavin asked, concerned about his own men.
Gabriel shook his head. “Nay, but they will need to stay longer.”
Gavin sighed. “Andie willna like this.”
“Nay, she willna,” Bryce said, his anger apparent.
Gavin shook his head, as if not knowing what to say. After he thought about it a moment, he said, “Bryce, I know that ye’re angry-”
Bryce shook his head. “I understand, Gavin. I’m angry at the circumstances, nay ye. I canna ask that ye make yer own clan weak in order to help the McBrides, and I know that Andie willna want ye to either,” Bryce said.
To Have and to Trust (Heart of a Highlander Collection Book 1) Page 8