Page 24 of My Scarred Laird

She bit her lip, and he stepped closer to her, “Will ye finally tell me yer name lass?”

“Islay.”

“Islay. As in Islay Brodie?”

She swallowed, “Aye.”

Callum was still breathing hard, and he looked away from her, then back, his eyes full of heat.

“Lass, what are ye doin’ here?”

CHAPTER3

CALLUM

Callum knew that the woman who worked in the keep was no maid.

Not even close. He knew from the first time I saw her that she wasn’t. Most of the maids that worked for me were terrified of me, and he ended up cleaning my own rooms, and or having Roberta do what she could.

Even though she had enough on her plate without doing his chores.

But then comes the girl who haunted his dreams, and his every thought since he had seen her in the darkness of the night, candlelight making her hair have red pieces showing in the brown tresses.

She was so beautiful that it felt as if his heart stopped beating, then went double time.

He was speechless for a few seconds, just taking her in, and then he felt like an imbecile.

He had dropped my book after my leg collapsed on me, and it had slid into her chambers.

When he saw her face, he couldn’t even breathe for a few seconds.

Then he felt as if his heart dropped. He knew she could see all his scars, and while he wanted to hide them, it was no use.

However, she didn’t seem to study his scars as most people do.

When he found out she was the woman who helped me in my time of need, he fell in love with her right then and there.

She didn’t seem to condemn him, fear him, or hate him.

She had seen him at my worst and didn’t look at him with revulsion.

He didn’t understand her. She made his chest feel tight. He wanted to know why she made him feel the way she did.

She was about to tell him her name when Ewan walked up, needing his help and he watched as she shut her door softly.

Turning my attention to Ewan, Callum listened intently, then went to his rooms, needing to sit down.

She was someone Callum had never expected. He knew deep in his core that she was the woman his father told him that was meant for him.

The woman that would complete him. Callum ran his good hand over his hair and wished Culloden was around to help him.

He knew Culloden didn’t give any ladies the time of day, but they at least spoke to him.

Which was more than what they did for him.

Callum sighed, hating that a woman like her would never want a man like him.

It just wasn’t possible. Not at all.