be appropriate.”
Probably not, but wanting to hear his name on her lips was nearly driving him mad. “I won’t tell a soul.”
Her eyes twinkled devilishly, as though they shared a secret. “Dashiel, why do ye say yer future is in Scotland?”
It was heaven to hear her say his name, and Dash nearly groaned. He leaned forward to touch his lips to hers. Her sweet breath encompassed him, and her soft sigh was almost his undoing. She didn’t pull back. She didn’t balk. She didn’t complain. She didn’t abhor him or what he was.
“Because you’re my future,” he whispered across her lips. “Because I’m going to marry you when we reach Glasgow. After I’ve properly courted you and asked your father’s permission, of course.” He pressed his lips to hers again quickly and sat back, unable to keep from wiggling his foot in excitement at the very thought.
A startled laugh escaped her. “I doona remember a marriage proposal coming from yer lips ta my ears, my lord.”
And she wouldn’t, either. If he asked, she could refuse him. It would be better to discuss the situation with her father. “Not to worry. I’ll make you a very wealthy countess, Caitie.”
“ No one has ever called me Caitie,” she huffed as she leaned back against the squabs, glowering at him.
Dash couldn’t help but grin because she was so adorable. “Then it’s a great term of endearment, isn’t it?” He leaned back against his own seat. “Caitie, my angel,” he sighed dramatically.
“Ye are so infuriatin’.”
“I could say the same about you, angel.”
“Then why on earth would ye want ta marry me, ye fool?”
“There are several reasons, actually.”
“And they are?” she prompted.
“For starters, I like you,” he said, winking at her.
She scowled. “And?”
“And you’re beautiful.”
She rolled her eyes.
He laughed out loud but soft enough not to awake the sleeping maid. “And you challenge me.”
“Ye want my kind of challenge every day for the rest of yer life?”
“I don’t have much of a choice, angel.”
She scrunched up her face. “Ye doona make any sense.”
Dash sighed, took pity on her, and decided to tell her the whole truth, or at least as much of it as he knew. “I already claimed you.”
“Well, un -claim me.” She folded her arms across her chest.
“It’s not that easy. Major Forster says when a Lycan claims his mate, it’s…” He paused, looking for the right word. “Permanent,” he finally said.
Cait narrowed her eyes at him. “Permanent?” she echoed.
“If the situation was perfect, I’d have courted you and you’d have fallen in love with me. I am quite irresistible.” He grinned.
Cait looked out the window as her heart began to pound rapidly, and he caught a glimpse of a smile she tried to bite back. “Ye really are full of yerself.”
“I’ll assume your response means you’re amenable to the plan?” He chuckled when a blush stained her cheeks.
“Canna I have just one secret from ye? Must ye Lycans ken everythin’?”
“We don’t know everything, Caitie,” he murmured. “For instance, I’m not sure if you’re willing to accept me, just as I am. I know you want me. I’ve known that since the very first night. But could you love me? I don’t imagine so. No one else ever has.”
Dash glanced out the window himself. Once again Caitrin had him admitting things he’d rather have left unsaid. He couldn’t even look at her for fear of seeing the rejection he was sure was in her eyes.
***
Cait stared across the coach at the big, strapping Sassenach. Claimed her permanently! How could he have done such a thing? It wasn’t supposed to happen that way. It shouldn’t have happened at all. She would have seen it, if it was. Blast him for going against the fabric of destiny. And blast him for making her consider everything he had to offer.
She shook her head. What was she thinking? How could she consider such a thing? She had a duty to her
Probably not, but wanting to hear his name on her lips was nearly driving him mad. “I won’t tell a soul.”
Her eyes twinkled devilishly, as though they shared a secret. “Dashiel, why do ye say yer future is in Scotland?”
It was heaven to hear her say his name, and Dash nearly groaned. He leaned forward to touch his lips to hers. Her sweet breath encompassed him, and her soft sigh was almost his undoing. She didn’t pull back. She didn’t balk. She didn’t complain. She didn’t abhor him or what he was.
“Because you’re my future,” he whispered across her lips. “Because I’m going to marry you when we reach Glasgow. After I’ve properly courted you and asked your father’s permission, of course.” He pressed his lips to hers again quickly and sat back, unable to keep from wiggling his foot in excitement at the very thought.
A startled laugh escaped her. “I doona remember a marriage proposal coming from yer lips ta my ears, my lord.”
And she wouldn’t, either. If he asked, she could refuse him. It would be better to discuss the situation with her father. “Not to worry. I’ll make you a very wealthy countess, Caitie.”
“ No one has ever called me Caitie,” she huffed as she leaned back against the squabs, glowering at him.
Dash couldn’t help but grin because she was so adorable. “Then it’s a great term of endearment, isn’t it?” He leaned back against his own seat. “Caitie, my angel,” he sighed dramatically.
“Ye are so infuriatin’.”
“I could say the same about you, angel.”
“Then why on earth would ye want ta marry me, ye fool?”
“There are several reasons, actually.”
“And they are?” she prompted.
“For starters, I like you,” he said, winking at her.
She scowled. “And?”
“And you’re beautiful.”
She rolled her eyes.
He laughed out loud but soft enough not to awake the sleeping maid. “And you challenge me.”
“Ye want my kind of challenge every day for the rest of yer life?”
“I don’t have much of a choice, angel.”
She scrunched up her face. “Ye doona make any sense.”
Dash sighed, took pity on her, and decided to tell her the whole truth, or at least as much of it as he knew. “I already claimed you.”
“Well, un -claim me.” She folded her arms across her chest.
“It’s not that easy. Major Forster says when a Lycan claims his mate, it’s…” He paused, looking for the right word. “Permanent,” he finally said.
Cait narrowed her eyes at him. “Permanent?” she echoed.
“If the situation was perfect, I’d have courted you and you’d have fallen in love with me. I am quite irresistible.” He grinned.
Cait looked out the window as her heart began to pound rapidly, and he caught a glimpse of a smile she tried to bite back. “Ye really are full of yerself.”
“I’ll assume your response means you’re amenable to the plan?” He chuckled when a blush stained her cheeks.
“Canna I have just one secret from ye? Must ye Lycans ken everythin’?”
“We don’t know everything, Caitie,” he murmured. “For instance, I’m not sure if you’re willing to accept me, just as I am. I know you want me. I’ve known that since the very first night. But could you love me? I don’t imagine so. No one else ever has.”
Dash glanced out the window himself. Once again Caitrin had him admitting things he’d rather have left unsaid. He couldn’t even look at her for fear of seeing the rejection he was sure was in her eyes.
***
Cait stared across the coach at the big, strapping Sassenach. Claimed her permanently! How could he have done such a thing? It wasn’t supposed to happen that way. It shouldn’t have happened at all. She would have seen it, if it was. Blast him for going against the fabric of destiny. And blast him for making her consider everything he had to offer.
She shook her head. What was she thinking? How could she consider such a thing? She had a duty to her
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