Page 52 of Love Me Forever

“I sometimes wonder if my accident

was notthe hands of fate. Otherwise, we would have never met.”

“We were destined to meet and now we live our destiny.”

* * *

Brianna satat the table working on the twig basket, her thoughts her own, when Blair entered the cottage. Royce had gone off to hunt for the evening meal and Blair’s men were camped outside.

“Come in, sit and talk with me,” she encouraged as he hesitated at the door.

He made his way cautiously to the table.

Her husband had taught her to hold her tongue, but once he was no longer around, she soon returned to speaking her mind. She did so now. “You are judging Royce without even knowing him.”

“You barely know him yourself,” Blair said calmly, and sat across from her.

“Nay, I know him better than others, and perhaps I know him better than he does himself.”

Blair knew it was senseless arguing with a woman who thought herself in love. But Brianna had suffered a terrible hurt, and he did not wish to see her suffer again.

“Could it be that you are grateful to him for saving your life?”

Brianna took no offense to his suggestion. “I gave that thought much consideration, and while I am grateful for his rescue and care, I have found in him a gentle heart and soul that I could love.”

Blair held his tongue and Brianna saw his reluctance to speak. She reached out and placed her hand on his fisted one. “I do not understand your response to Royce. I realize that when first you came upon us, your instincts were to protect me. But once you discovered that Royce was kind to me and that we care for each other, I thought you would be happy for me. He is a warrior and will serve the clan Cameron well. What is wrong with that?”

“You do not know him.” Blair could say no more, for it was not his place.

“I know him well enough, and I know that no one has treated me the way Royce has treated me. He is kind and caring and I think he grows weary of warring.” A soft smile touched her lips. “I thought that Ian might consider letting him train the men or even farm, anything but fight.”

Blair dug his fingers into his palms. “And if he wishes to fight?”

Brianna’s fingers returned to fashioning the softened twigs into a basket. “Look at his scars. Do you think any sane man would want to fight after having faced such a horrendous battle?”

“Only a true warrior.”

“Warriors can grow weary of war.”

“Not the ones born to become legends,” Blair said.

“Royce was not meant to be a legend, and besides his heart and soul are too tender.”

Blair frowned. “He intends to ask Ian for permission to wed you?”

Brianna’s fingers slowed. “He will ask me first, for it is my decision, and Ian will agree if he knows that I am happy.”

Blair cleared his throat as though reluctant to speak his mind.

“I will save you your unease,” Brianna said, looking directly at Blair, “since my brother will ask you the question you find difficult to ask me. I chose to be intimate with Royce because I love him.”

“A man can be tempted if alone in a cottage with a woman.”

“Do you try to tell me that Royce but needed a woman to appease his basic needs and that he feels nothing for me?”

Blair heard the annoyance in her voice but knew it was better she faced these possibilities now, for what she was about to face would be much more challenging. “You have not thought this yourself?”

She smiled again. “You know me well, Blair.”