by Bree Wolf
His heart banged against his rib cage in panic, and fear flooded his blood, quickly carried into every fibre of his body.
Beside him, Garrett chuckled, “I guess yer heart just spoke loud and clear.”
Finn inhaled a deep breath, fighting the urge to delay Vaughn’s progress across the room by all means necessary.
“Dunno stand here like a fool,” Garrett hissed in a whisper. “Go and tell the lass how ye feel…before ‘tis too late.” Then his friend gave him a determined shove and sent him on his way.
Finn’s feet moved on their own, his gaze incapable of looking anywhere but at Vaughn and Emma. The moment the other man reached her side, Finn groaned under his breath, wishing he had not hesitated. What were they talking about? Was Vaughn asking for her hand in this very moment?
Would that not be cruel irony? The moment Finn had finally worked up the nerve to address the woman he had loved for seven years was the very moment another stole her away?
Squinting his eyes, Finn watched them as Vaughn offered Emma his hand to help her to her feet. Then he smiled at her, slightly bowing his head before he spoke.
Finn could have screamed in frustration, his eyes glued to the young couple by the hearth, wishing and at the same time fearing to know what was being said.
Then Vaughn’s face stilled, and Finn stopped in his tracks, his heart slamming to a halt as hope surged through his being.
More words were exchanged, and Finn reminded himself to put one foot in front of the other. He could not falter now.
“Pardon me,” he said rather formally when he reached their side. His gaze met Vaughn’s, dark and forlorn, and then turned to Emma, her own saddened as well. What had passed between them? “Emma, may I speak to ye for a moment.”
Gritting his teeth, Vaughn inhaled a deep breath, and for a short moment, his gaze returned to Emma, a hint of incredulity in it. Then he mumbled something under his breath and stalked off.
When Finn turned to look at Emma, sadness as well as a hint of guilt clung to her face, and yet, there was something in her eyes that gave him hope. A smile seemed to tickle her lips, and the brown in her eyes shone deeper and warmer than he had ever seen it. “Can I speak to ye?”
This time, she did smile. “Aye,” came her voice, light and breathy as though her own heart was racing as fast as his.
Breathing a sigh of relief, Finn took her by the elbow and guided her to the back of the hall and out into the corridor where they had kissed only a few hours ago. All the while, his heart thudded wildly in his chest, afraid to have been misled and be rejected by her.
Still, he needed to know if she cared for him or he would regret it for the rest of his life.
Chapter Nine
Forever in a Day
Emma’s heart still ached for Vaughn, her inner eye unable to abandon the disappointed look on his face when she had stopped him before he could ask for her hand. He had looked so hopeful and eager, no apprehension in his heart with regard to her answer. Disappointment had come swift and mercilessly, and yet, the blue in his eyes had not spoken of a crushed heart. Had his regard for her truly been as deep as she had feared? Perhaps he would recover swiftly and would soon be able to grant his heart to a woman who could offer him hers in return.
Emma could only hope so.
The look on Finn’s face when he had stepped up to her and Vaughn had been one of tense apprehension. Even now his hand on her elbow felt hardened by trepidation as he led her away.
Without looking at one another, they walked out into the corridor where he had found her earlier that evening, and Emma’s breath caught in her throat at the memory of their encounter. Never in her life had she felt closer to anyone but in that moment. The way he had looked at her, spoken to her, the way he had said her name, his voice heavy with affection, and yet, vibrating with impatience, daring her to evade his question, had felt utterly wonderful as though they had always been close, kindred spirits, kept apart by circumstance. Did she dare believe it to be true?
Afraid of what he might say to her, and yet, wishing to hear him speak, Emma turned to Finn, noting the tension that held him almost rigid. Only a muscle in his jaw twitched, betraying an inner turmoil she would not have suspected. “Are ye all right?” she asked, trying to catch his gaze. “Ye look upset.”
A scoff flew from his lips, and he shook his head. “Aye, I’m upset, lass.” His voice sounded rough and filled with emotions held back. He inhaled a deep breath, and then his eyes met hers, held hers as though he did not dare look away. “Did Vaughn ask for yer hand?”
Emma flinched, and yet, her heart leapt into her throat with joy. “Well, he…,” she began, noting the way his shoulders drew upward and his hands balled into fists. If she allowed herself to believe her own eyes, she would think he was jealous! Could that truly be?
A lot had happened in only one day. A lot had happened that Emma had not seen coming or would ever have expected. Still, she remembered the way he had spoken to her, the way he had looked at her−looked not glared! She remembered his kiss, speaking not merely of passion but affection, perhaps even love. She also remembered him asking her if she intended to marry Vaughn.
And now, here he was wanting to know−desperately from the looks of it!−if Vaughn had asked for her hand.
“What did ye say?” Finn growled out, and Emma could have sighed with happiness. He truly cared for her! All of a sudden, it was as plain as day. How could she not have seen it before?
“Emma!”
Jarred from her happy thoughts, Emma took note of the almost murderous expression in Finn’s eyes as he glared at her. Still, this glare was a far-fetch from the one he had bestowed upon her at every encounter in the past seven years. It spoke less of anger and more of impatience, of a desperate need to have his question answered.
“Aye?” she said innocently, devilishly enjoying the pained look in his eyes.
“Would ye answer me?”
Cocking her head, she looked at him. “Why do ye wish to know?”
Finn’s teeth ground together as he tried his best to keep himself under control. Still, Emma could see the pulse in his neck thudding wildly. His face darkened, and the steps that carried him toward her held something menacing. “Emma!” he warned once more as his steps urged her back against the wall.
Still, Emma could not help but smile. “If ye wish to know,” she replied, lifting her chin as his hands settled to the left and right of her head, trapping her between himself and the wall, “then tell me why ye followed me that morning. Ye never answered me.”
Finn’s gaze narrowed, and a touch of incredulity came to his face. Inhaling a deep breath, he briefly closed his eyes. “I followed ye that morning because,” he swallowed hard, “because yer kiss touched me…and I wanted to speak to ye.”
A gust of air rushed from Emma’s lungs, and her eyes suddenly misted with tears. “But…but ye said it hadna been a true kiss. Why then−?”
“It had been for me,” he interrupted her, his gaze tracing the lone tear that rolled down her cheek, “but when I heard ye speak to yer friends, I knew it hadna been one for ye.” His gaze met hers, and all of a sudden, she saw a different question there.
Once again, Emma felt like a young girl about to steal a kiss one cold wintry morning. She felt daring and adventurous. Her blood boiled in her veins, and her heart thudded loudly in her chest.
And then everything was simple.
As she had seven long years ago, Emma pulled Finn down into a kiss.
For a moment, he froze as he had then. Only this time, his paralysis lasted a mere second before his hands dropped from the wall and pulled her into his arms. He held her tightly and returned her kiss with the same longing she had felt in him when he had kissed her earlier that day.
Had only a few hours passed since then?
It felt like a lifetime.
Finn’s heart danced and skipped and sang as he held the woman he loved in his arms.
Her kiss had caug
ht him off guard as it had all those years ago. Only now, it was far from a soft peck of her lips on his, quick and rushed before she had darted away. Now, she lay in his arms as though she never wanted to leave again, her kiss demanding and an intention behind it that whispered of promises.
When she pulled back, her eyes shone bright and steady. “I kissed ye that day,” she whispered, “because I wanted to.”
“Aye?” was all Finn could articulate in that moment as he stared down at her, a part of him urging him not to believe his own eyes.
“Aye,” she confirmed before her lips brushed against his once more.
Clearing his throat, Finn lifted his head, a frown drawing down his brows. “Then why the dare? Why did ye not simply−?”
“Simply?” Emma exclaimed, her eyes widening with annoyance as she shook her head at him. “There’s nothing simple about…about declaring one’s feelings.” Lifting her chin in defiance, she glared up at him. “I might as well ask why ye didna confront me then and there. Why did ye never say anything in all those years?”
Finn’s shoulders slumped when he saw the same fear in her eyes he had harboured in his own heart all this time. “I…I was afraid ye would reject me,” he finally admitted, his heart clenching even now at the thought of showing himself so vulnerable. “I heard ye laugh and say our kiss was nothing, that it had meant nothing to ye. It broke my heart.”
Emma sighed, and the anger vanished from her eyes. “I felt the same. I…I accepted the dare because it gave me an excuse to kiss ye without having it mean anything…if it didna mean anything to ye.”
Shaking his head, Finn chuckled. “We were both trying to protect ourselves and ended up miserable for seven years. Can ye imagine what would’ve happened if I had reached ye that morning before ye could have met up with yer friends?”
A soft smile came to Emma’s lips. “What would ye have done? Would ye have told me the truth?”
Finn shrugged. “I dunno know. I can only hope I would have said…or done something to show ye that yer kiss had meant something to me, that ye could trust me to confide in me as well.”
“And then?” she asked, her eyes shining with hope.
Finn shrugged as his heart calmed and the fear of rejection slowly receded. Still, he remembered the way she had teased him, tortured him, in fact, she still had not answered his question about Vaughn’s proposal. “I dunno know,” he replied, willing the joy in his heart not to show on his face. “All I’m asking of ye now is to be honest with me. If ye dunno care for me, then tell me so honestly so that I might move on and find love elsewhere.”
At his words, Emma blinked, shock coming to her brown eyes before her hands shot forward and she grabbed him by the front of his shirt. “Don’t ye dare! Ye’re mine, Finnegan MacDrummond. D’ye hear? Ye’re mine, and ye’ve always been.” She inhaled a deep breath, the look in her eyes fierce as she held on to him. “I only wish I’d claimed ye earlier.”
Finn’s heart danced in his chest as it had never before. “Claim me?” he asked with a chuckle as his arms came around her, holding her to him with the same determination he saw in her eyes as well. “Are ye claiming me now?”
A wicked smile came to her face. “Aye, I am.”
“And I have no say in the matter?”
Shaking her head, she pulled him down to her until their noses almost touched. “I’m afraid not.” Then she kissed him the way she had kissed him only moments ago, and Finn finally realised that her heart truly belonged to him.
“Does that mean ye’re not going to marry Vaughn?” he asked teasingly. Still, his heart tensed at the mere thought of her tied to another. After all, marriages were agreed upon for all kinds of reasons. Simply because she did not love Vaughn did not mean she had not agreed to marry him.
Frowning, she stared at him. “Of course not. It wouldna be fair to him. He deserves better.”
Finn chuckled, enjoying the feel of her in his arms. “And I don’t?”
“No, ye and I were made for each other,” she said as though stating a fact. Finn had to admit it rather pleased him. “We’re both equally fearful and stubborn to have not said a word about this for seven years.” For a moment, she shook her head in disbelief, a hint of disappointment on her face. Then, however, her gaze met his, and her eyes lit up with happiness. “We deserve each other, wouldn’t ye agree?”
“Aye,” Finn laughed, realising that he could not wait to get to know the woman he had loved for so long. Never had they truly spoken to one another, and yet, he had never felt closer to anyone before.
Pulling her tighter against him, Finn looked down at her, feeling at peace for the first time in years. “We should’ve been together all those years,” he whispered, “but there’s no use in crying over something we canna change. All we can do is make certain that we willna waste any more time.”
Smiling up at him, Emma nodded.
Finn swallowed, then inhaled a deep breath before he said, “Emma Stewart, will ye marry me…tomorrow?”
Her brown eyes went wide. “Tomorrow? But ‘tis Christmas!”
“I dunno care,” Finn said laughing. “I dunno want to waste another minute. I want ye to be my wife, and I want to start our lives together…tomorrow, and not a moment later.”
Laughing, Emma flung herself into his arms. “Aye, I’ll marry ye…tomorrow.”
With his heart overflowing with joy, Finn spun his bride-to-be in a circle, holding her tight as they hugged and laughed, both overwhelmed by all that could happen in a day.
Finn vowed that he would never again allow fear to hold him back.
It was not worth it.
Not for a single moment.
Epilogue
Never would Emma have imagined that she had in fact decorated the great hall the day before for her own wedding day. And yet, here she was, dressed in her finest gown, a smile on her face she could not seem to shake and a man by her side whom she had loved for as long as she could remember.
After Finn had asked for her hand the night before, they had immediately gone to seek out Cormag to ask for his blessing as well as his approval to have their wedding ceremony on Christmas morning. Oddly enough, Cormag had acted as though he had all but expected them.
And he had not been the only one.
The whole of Clan MacDrummond gathered in the great hall that morning, their eyes shining with joy and their cheeks flushed from the cold. Cheerful whispers echoed through the hall until the moment the wedding ceremony began. Then silence fell over them as everyone strained to hear Emma and Finn exchange their vows.
While everyone had been surprised that Emma and Finn were to be married on Christmas morning, no one had been surprised to hear that they were to be married. In fact, many had congratulated them, mumbling something about them finally getting their happy ending. It would seem the whole of Clan MacDrummond had been aware of Emma’s and Finn’s true feelings for one another and had considered it only a matter of time until they would tie the knot.
The only ones who had been blind had been Emma and Finn themselves.
Smiling at Finn as he held her hand in his, Emma pushed all thoughts of the past away. Certainly, they had wasted time, being so fearful of rejection, of having their hearts broken. However, dwelling on that loss would only cost them more.
Today was a day for celebration in every way, and tomorrow, their new life would begin.
Emma could not wait. She only wished that others would find the same happiness that had so unexpectedly found her. Was there still a chance for Maggie and Ian to find joy in their marriage? Would Cormag and Moira ever admit that they were in love? Would Garrett find his wife and bring her back to Seann Dachaigh Tower?
Emma could only hope so.
After all, a lot could happen in a day.
THE END
Thank you for reading Dared & Kissed!
Moira’s and Cormag’s story is waiting for you in Banished & Welcomed – The Laird’s Reckless Wife. We will learn more about M
oira as she tries to find her place among the MacDrummonds and finds herself inexplicably drawn to their taciturn laird, Cormag MacDrummond.
Click here to get your own copy of this mesmerizing Highland tale or read on to find a sneak-peek on the following pages!
PROLOGUE
Greystone Castle, Scottish Highlands, Autumn 1806 (or a variation thereof)
Two Years Earlier
The key turning in the lock sent a deafening sound through the small chamber, a chamber that had been hers for as long as she could remember. Never had it been a prison cell though.
Never.
But that had changed the day Moira Brunwood, once a proud daughter of Clan Brunwood, had betrayed her own kin.
Swallowing, Moira rose from the chair she had occupied for the past hour, her gaze directed out at the land she loved, but would be forced to leave that very day. Her hands brushed over her gown, suddenly obsessed with smoothing out even the smallest wrinkle as she turned toward the door.
Slowly, it swung open, revealing the tall stature of Alastair Brunwood, Moira’s brother. His features were hard as his blue eyes settled on her, anger burning in their depth as she had never seen before. His lips were pressed into a thin line, and the muscles in his neck were rigid as he jerked his head toward her. “Come,” he all but growled, his voice harsh, revealing how deep her betrayal had cut him.
Still, Moira rejoiced at that single word for it was the first one she had heard him utter in many weeks. Or had it only been days? Moira could not say. Time had lost all meaning as she had been locked away, her heart and mind retreating from the world, from what she had done. How often had she sat in this chair, staring out at the land that was no longer hers?
She would never know.