annoyance.
She quickly explained. “I’ve bedded no man. I compare you to family and clan members.”
His annoyance instantly evaporated. “I’m one of a kind.”
She laughed lightly. “I’m beginning to realize that.”
“But so are you, which make us the perfect pair.”
“I agree.”
Lachlan took her hand and raised it to his mouth for a kiss, but her grimace stopped him short. “I’m sorry,” he said, easing her arm down to rest their clasped hands on his lap.
“My wound is truly much better then it was,” she assured him.
They stared at each other and the sun came up around them, a brilliant ball of orange that kissed the land and their faces as they came together in their own kiss. It stole their breaths and sparked their passion. When it finished they rested their foreheads against each other, allowing their breathing to return to normal, though it would take more time for their desire to abate.
He chuckled, his forehead continuing to rest against hers. “I’m relieved you never took vows.”
“They are not meant for me,” she said, turning her head from his to tilt it back so that the morning rays could toast her face.
“What is meant for you?”
“Freedom to live my life as I wish.”
“Few people have freedom to do that,” he said.
She shrugged. “Then I will be one of the few.”
“You are obstinate.”
She smiled. “Will that hurt our friendship?”
“Nothing can hurt our friendship.”
“You never know,” she said, shaking her head.
“Then you never had a true friend.”
She stared at him, her blue eyes matching the color of the morning sky and making him think he had never known the color to be lovelier.
“Good friends,” he continued, “are there for each other through the good and bad of things. They don’t judge or condemn.”
“Promise me that?” she asked. “Promise you won’t judge or condemn me.”
“I promise,” he said without hesitation.
But she looked skeptical and again he wondered who had hurt her. He’d find out in time, for as their friendship grew so would trust.
“Will this information change your departure time?” she asked.
“It changes nothing. You are women in need of protection—” He stopped abruptly and grinned. “Maybe not as much protection as I first thought.”
She took his remark as he had intended it, as a compliment. “Thank you,” she said.
“However, there still remains a problem.”
Terese nodded. “We occupy church land and will not be allowed to remain here.”
“No wonder you lead; you have a sharp mind.”
“All the women do. I just happened to fall into the role.”
“It may seem so, but leadership was truly yours from the start as with all great leaders. They never seek it; instead it finds them,” he said.
She seemed uncomfortable with yet another compliment, and he wasn’t surprised that she chose to ignore it.
Instead she inquired, “Do you think the church will send others to replace us?”
“I would say that’s a good possibility, especially since you and the others have proved so fruitful here.”
“Our good deeds will see us homeless,” she said rather sadly.
He squeezed her hand lightly. “I will not let that happen.” It produced the smile he was hoping for. “Your smile is like the sunshine, warm and pleasant.”
“Pleasant?” she queried with a chuckle.
“Very pleasant,” he confirmed. “It defines your lovely nature.”
She stared at him as if befuddled.
He simply smiled. “I speak the truth, so accept it. You are pleasant and lovely .”
Her expression softened. “You may reclaim those words one day.”
“Never,” he insisted adamantly. “They are words spoken from my heart and will forever remain so.”
She slipped her hand out of his and gently laid it against his cheek. “Then know they are gratefully accepted and forever tucked in my heart for safekeeping.”
He placed his hand over hers that rested against his cheek. “That would mean that
She quickly explained. “I’ve bedded no man. I compare you to family and clan members.”
His annoyance instantly evaporated. “I’m one of a kind.”
She laughed lightly. “I’m beginning to realize that.”
“But so are you, which make us the perfect pair.”
“I agree.”
Lachlan took her hand and raised it to his mouth for a kiss, but her grimace stopped him short. “I’m sorry,” he said, easing her arm down to rest their clasped hands on his lap.
“My wound is truly much better then it was,” she assured him.
They stared at each other and the sun came up around them, a brilliant ball of orange that kissed the land and their faces as they came together in their own kiss. It stole their breaths and sparked their passion. When it finished they rested their foreheads against each other, allowing their breathing to return to normal, though it would take more time for their desire to abate.
He chuckled, his forehead continuing to rest against hers. “I’m relieved you never took vows.”
“They are not meant for me,” she said, turning her head from his to tilt it back so that the morning rays could toast her face.
“What is meant for you?”
“Freedom to live my life as I wish.”
“Few people have freedom to do that,” he said.
She shrugged. “Then I will be one of the few.”
“You are obstinate.”
She smiled. “Will that hurt our friendship?”
“Nothing can hurt our friendship.”
“You never know,” she said, shaking her head.
“Then you never had a true friend.”
She stared at him, her blue eyes matching the color of the morning sky and making him think he had never known the color to be lovelier.
“Good friends,” he continued, “are there for each other through the good and bad of things. They don’t judge or condemn.”
“Promise me that?” she asked. “Promise you won’t judge or condemn me.”
“I promise,” he said without hesitation.
But she looked skeptical and again he wondered who had hurt her. He’d find out in time, for as their friendship grew so would trust.
“Will this information change your departure time?” she asked.
“It changes nothing. You are women in need of protection—” He stopped abruptly and grinned. “Maybe not as much protection as I first thought.”
She took his remark as he had intended it, as a compliment. “Thank you,” she said.
“However, there still remains a problem.”
Terese nodded. “We occupy church land and will not be allowed to remain here.”
“No wonder you lead; you have a sharp mind.”
“All the women do. I just happened to fall into the role.”
“It may seem so, but leadership was truly yours from the start as with all great leaders. They never seek it; instead it finds them,” he said.
She seemed uncomfortable with yet another compliment, and he wasn’t surprised that she chose to ignore it.
Instead she inquired, “Do you think the church will send others to replace us?”
“I would say that’s a good possibility, especially since you and the others have proved so fruitful here.”
“Our good deeds will see us homeless,” she said rather sadly.
He squeezed her hand lightly. “I will not let that happen.” It produced the smile he was hoping for. “Your smile is like the sunshine, warm and pleasant.”
“Pleasant?” she queried with a chuckle.
“Very pleasant,” he confirmed. “It defines your lovely nature.”
She stared at him as if befuddled.
He simply smiled. “I speak the truth, so accept it. You are pleasant and lovely .”
Her expression softened. “You may reclaim those words one day.”
“Never,” he insisted adamantly. “They are words spoken from my heart and will forever remain so.”
She slipped her hand out of his and gently laid it against his cheek. “Then know they are gratefully accepted and forever tucked in my heart for safekeeping.”
He placed his hand over hers that rested against his cheek. “That would mean that
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