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“You cannot knohat her life is like unless you walk in her shoes,” he countered
“Stop trying to be logical,” she de to make you understand that I can’t ever have a life like Annie’s I have to go back to England”
Brodick suddenly stiffened The truth struck hi toto protect him
“You believe you’re going back to England to die, don’t you, Gillian? That’s what you’re not telling me”
She looked ahen she answered hiain
“I don’t like seeing you cry You will stop it at once”
She blinked Only Brodick could give such a ludicrous co on purpose just to upset him?
“You are the most difficult man, and I will not marry you”
Hestrides he had her in his arms
“You’ve already made your co else ive a damn how complicated it all beco to let you go?”
Telling herself she had to reive in to hiainst his chest with all herto put some distance between them When she was close to him, all she wanted to do rap herself in his warmth and let the world pass her by She wanted time to stopand that was impossible
Her struggles proved useless She couldn’t get hith was at least ten ti and bowed her head
“What are we going to do?” she whispered, once again on the brink of tears
She had no idea how telling her question was She hadn’t asked what she was going to do, but what they would do Content for the moment to simply hold her, he bent down, kissed the top of her head, and closed his eyes as he inhaled her light feminine scent Her hair smelled of roses She was unlike the Buchanan women, and he realized he was actually a little in awe of her Her skin was as sined a cloud would be, and her smile enchanted him It was as beautiful as baby’s first, and just as pure There wasn’t a hint of cunning in her No, she wasn’t like other woed her almost painfully prim and proper, and frail, too frail for his way of life Yet alth inside of her She was courageous and honorable, and those were but two of the hundred or so reasons he was never going to let her leave him
“I’ll give you a pro”
“And what is this promise?”
“If you go back to England, I’ll go with you”
“If I go back?”
“It hasn’t been decided yet”
“What are you saying? I don’t understand The decision is mine to make”
He didn’t argue, and his silence worried her She once again tried to get him to explain his remark, but he stubbornly refused
“When I go back, I’ll go alone Youhappened to you”
Her voice shivered with emotion, and the fear he heard surprised and pleased him He’d never had anyone care about him the way she did His only faid relationship They loved each other as brothers did, but never showed any outward affection
“You will have confidence in my ability to protect you,” he ordered
“You don’t knohat you’re up against These aren’t ordinary ’s support and friendship, and surely the Devil’s on their side”
“None of theh their veins, and that makes them vulnerable”
“Will you be serious?” she delishman”
“You will have faith in me I command it”
She gave up arguing with hiet a stone wall to understand
“I do have faith in you, and I will try not to worry, but that’s all I will proive e how I feel”
“Every man has a weakness,” he patiently explained “I’ll find theirs, I promise you”
“Every man?”
“Yes,” he answered emphatically
His handher curls around his fist, he jerked her head back His face loomed over hers, his breath warm and sweet as he stared down into her eyes
“What is your weakness, Brodick?” she asked
“You”
CHAPTER SEVENTEEN
He lowered his head and kissed her, effectively sealing any protest she ainst hers, but a hard, de kiss that let her know in no uncertain terue sank into her sarmhiue touched his fleetingly, but when she felt hiro in his throat, she grew bolder His passion overwhel him to knohen to stop He didn’t seeh, and, Lord, hisdeep in the pit of her stoain and again, all she could think about was getting closer
His hands stroked her back, then splayed wide as he lifted her up against the junction of his thighs so that they were pressed intiainst his chest and his thighs felt like hot steel He made her burn for more of him, and she couldn’t seem to catch her breath as she frantically returned his kisses
“Brodick, I want—”
He kissed her once again, alely, and then he abruptly pulled back and let her slowly slip down to the ground His face was buried in the crook of her neck, and he took several long deep, shuddering breaths as he tried to regain his discipline
She didn’t want to let go of hian to nibble on her earlobe with his teeth and his tongue stroked her sensitive skin, she felt a jolt of pleasure course through her
“Don’t” Her voice cracked and she shivered in his arms
He kissed his way down the side of her neck “Don’t what?” he asked
She tilted her head to the side to give hih said, “Don’t stop”
He gently lifted her away froo of her if she hadn’t swayed Displaying a wicked look of antly pleased he’d been able to arouse and confuse her in so little time Her passion matched his own, and he knew that once he rid her of her shyness, she would be as uninhibited and wild as he planned to be on their wedding night God help him, they’d better be wed soon because he didn’t think he could wait race her by taking her before their voere spoken and blessed But she wasdesire in hied now Her hair was a riot of curls about her shoulders, and her mouth was rosy and swollen from his kisses
Waiting for her to coree to ot around toup her mind, they could have at least two children
The world around the both of them back to the present Rah, Brodick stepped back
“Go and collect your things It’s time for us to leave” He turned and started back toward the fields
 
; She ran after hi”
“Understanding what?”
“That I cannot marry you”
As he continued on his way, his hardy laugh echoed back to her
By the time Gillian returned to the Maitland hos packed, and as Gillian was thanking her for her help, she remembered a promise she’d made Fortunately, Helen was able to help and showed her a shortcut to her destination out the back door
Ten minutes passed and then tenmore irritated by the second as he waited for Gillian in the courtyard
Ramsey and Winsloaited by his side, and every couple of seconds one or the other would glance toward the doors
“What in thunder’s keeping her?” Brodick muttered
“Maybe she’s waiting for Iain and Judith Here they coood-bye to them”
Ra toward the courtyard from the opposite side of the hill
“Here she comes”
“She didn’t forget,” Winslow said, s
His wife, Isabelle, alking with Gillian, and Winsloo boys trailed behind His younger son, Andrew, soon to be five years old, ran forward and took hold of Gillian’s hand Winsloatched her as she smiled at his son and spoke to hihter Isabelle was trying hard not to laugh
“What didn’t she forget?” Brodick asked his brother
“I told her Isabelle was upset with et”