Page 25 of Taken By the Highland Villain
She stumbled back a few steps. Then, her expression changed, filled with regret, and she turned away from him.
Jude jumped forward and caught her before she could reach the door. “Wait, la—Valerie, dinnae run off.”
She stopped, and he tugged her back around to face her. “Valerie, I’m sorry. I didnae mean to take advantage of ye.”
Her blush deepened. “I never said ye were takin’ advantage of me.”
Jude’s brow creased. “So ye wanted me to kiss ye?”
The rosy flush in her cheeks was deep and hot enough to rival a glowing coal as she pulled away from him. “I didnae say that either.”
Jude raised an eyebrow. “Well, what are ye sayin’, then? Ye dinnae want me to apologize, but ye’re nae sure ye wanted me to kiss ye… What are ye thinkin’, then?”
He’d meant it to be a teasing comment, harmless and gentle, but to his surprise, she looked away, and he saw regret and sorrow rather than the amusement he’d hoped to see in her eyes. “Valerie?”
“I dinnae want to… That is, I cannae say Ididnaewant ye to kiss me, exactly, but I…” She shook her head, and her bright green eyes glistened with tears. “It is only… ye ken that as soon as I finish my work here, I’ll leave the castle. And then I’ll get married to Laird MacOlley…”
The words sparked a familiar flame of anger in his gut, along with a twisting feeling he hesitated to recognize, let alone name.
“Dinnae say such a thing. Nae to me. Never again.”
“Why?” Valerie turned away from him. “It is only the truth.”
“That doesnae mean I want ye to speak it or think of it. I’d rather ye think of other things, like sewin’ a pretty dress for yerself with that silk ye liked so much.”
She looked ready to protest, and Jude shook his head.
“Nay. Nay protests from ye. In fact, consider it as part of yer work. I want to see ye in whatever dress ye choose to make for yerself, afore ye leave.”
Jude wanted to say more. He wanted to kiss her again. He wanted to pull her close and wrap her in his embrace. But he could hear the footsteps approaching the study, and he knew it was probably Moira coming to do the daily cleaning.
For Valerie’s sake and his own, he didn’t dare let Moira catch them in a compromising position. So, instead of doing any of the things he wished to do, he lowered his hand and picked up his shirt.
By the time Moira opened the door, Jude was redressed. Without a backward glance, he slipped out of the study, heading for his room and the silence and whiskey he knew he would find there.
One moment, Jude was there, standing far too close to her, the scent of woodsmoke, metal and masculinity filling her senses and making her heart pound; the next, he was gone, vanishing through the door as Moira entered, and the only remaining proof of their interaction was the phantom pressure and warmth of his fingers caressing her jaw.
Valerie raced toward the door, but Jude was already gone. Rather than pursue him, she turned back to the study, her face still hot from the memory of the searing kiss they’d shared.
That… that was nothing like Archie tried to give me on our wedding day. I’ve never had a kiss like that afore.
Her mind drifted back to the feel of Jude’s hands, strong and certain, yet gentle as he caressed her body, the rough warmth of his lips against hers, and the heat of his body against hers.
“Och, dear, ye look fair flushed. Are ye comin’ down with a fever?” Moira’s teasing voice snapped Valerie out of her thoughts.
Her cheeks burned, and she couldn’t bring herself to face the maid.
“Och, it is nothing of the sort. I must have leaned too close to the hearth.”
“Too close to the hearth, or too close to somethin’ else?”
Valerie jerked her head up to find Moira’s eyes twinkling with mirth, as if she knew everything that had happened in the room that morning.
Valerie’s flush deepened. “’Twas nothing. I was only doin’ my duty as a seamstress.”
“Were ye now? I dinnae think I’ve ever seen the Laird so flustered by a seamstress… nor any seamstress so flustered by him that wasnae also cowerin’ from his temper.” The older woman raised a knowing eyebrow.
“His temper’s nae so bad. He’s nae more gruff than my sister’s husband, and he’s nae so skittish about certain things as other men I’ve worked with.”