Heart of the Highlands Ch. 02

"I wanted to thank you ... again," she offered softly.

Colin's eyes turn toward the sea, watching as the waves rolled in. "It was nothing." He paused and then spoke again, "No man should ever touch a woman like that." He'd seen enough brutality in the Tower he'd spent three years inside. He'd only been delivered back to his people not six months ago. Coping with it all had been difficult and seeing a man treat anyone like that had dug straight beneath his skin.

Juliana walked quietly beside him, blinking back the desire to sob at his words. Robbie would do more than that to her, of that she was sure. She lifted a hand to push back her wind-blown hair and then lifted her head to inhale deeply before turning her head to look at him a moment, seeing that he was troubled about something. She wished there was something she could do but she barely knew the man. "It was a lot more than nothing," she quietly observed.

Shrugging idly, Colin turned to look back at the girl with a smile. "If you say so, Juliana."

He looked toward the horizon and the rising sun. He drank in the sunlight, letting it warm his face as it came up over the horizon. It was a gift to see the sun. For three years he hadn't seen a sunrise or a sunset; day and night and the separation of the two had blurred. It was one continuous state within that tower ... neither of which could be considered day or night. It was just dark and drear. Colin shook his head to get the visions out of his mind. Even to the present day, screams and cries of other prisoners still rang in his ears. It haunted him constantly.

He looked back at the girl with him, seeing her concern and he just smiled a bit. "Won't your family worry if they find your bed empty when they wake?"

Juliana could tell by the expressions that ran across his face that something was troubling him but it was apparent that he didn't wish to speak of them. She smiled gently at his question even though she knew she would get a fair share of her father's temper when she arrived home. Staying a bit longer was not going to make things easier or for that matter, any worse.

"I think the word is angry, not worried. My father is pretty used to me taking off on horseback," she offered with a soft chuckle, even though she hated the confrontations. Her smile faded quickly as she thought about the one they had when he told her that she would wed Robbie Kincaid. It might do him some good to fret!

"Tell me, Juliana ... if our homesteads are so close by, and we both seem to have an aptitude for wandering at odd hours ... how is it we have not crossed paths before?" he asked.

She gazed at him for a moment with a wry smile. "I was just wondering the same thing," she said, green eyes aglow with amusement. "Perhaps the timing just wasn't right, aye?"

Colin looked away from her again. He knew he came across as a very serious soul, or maybe just one with a lot on his mind. "I've never been able to make amends with the fates. I don't know what I did in a past life to make them angry with me, but they haven't treated me well in this one."

He chuckled a bit, looking back at her. "Until now ... and seeing you again. I had hoped to speak with you."

Juliana smiled gently at his words, a soft blush kissing her cheeks as they resumed their slow walk. "And I, you," she added with a soft murmur, glancing a look back at him before a serious look crossed her face and her footfalls slowed until they both came to a stop.

She turned to face him. "Colin, there is something that you must know," she said with a heart that seemed to drop down into the pits of her belly.

He reached to caress her face, tucking her hair back from her eyes in order to be able to look into them. "I know. I heard."

Juliana couldn't help the reflexive reaction that she had to his touch on her face. Long thick lashes fluttered down over her emerald gaze and she seemed to lean a bit into his hand before her eyes opened once more to lock with his. There were unshed tears shimmering in their depths and her own hand reached out to gently touch his gauntleted hand.

"I have no choice ... it was arranged just yesterday ..." she trailed off with a shaky voice.

Colin stilled as she touched him. He hadn't even realized what he was doing until he felt her touch. Suddenly it all came whirling back to him - the self-doubt ... the memories. What would Juliana want with only part of a man? He was still working on training himself to orient everything with the left side. He couldn't very well use the right for much of anything. It took all he had not to simply pull away. The only one he had trusted enough to come anywhere near touching it had been Lydia.

His ocean blue eyes meet Juliana's. He should just let it be. No woman, knowing the truth of him, would want him anyway.

"I want to see you again." It came out before he even knew what he was saying.

Juliana's fingers gently caressed his knarled ones beneath the gauntlet and even though she could the rough texture, it mattered not. All she felt was the wild beating of her heart as their gazes locked and held. She felt connected to him and the only thing she wanted was the one thing that he had spoken. She knew she couldn't ... she shouldn't. If her family found out, there would be hell to pay. If Robbie found out, the heavens above only knew what would happen. But the only thing that mattered was being with Colin again.

"I ... I ..." she stammered, knowing she should refuse but as her fingers slid along his covered knarled ones, she just simply nodded and answered instead with just one word. "Yes."

Colin's heart leapt up into his throat. What was he supposed to do now? She'd accepted. There was a part of him that wanted to pull away and simply run. Damn females! They always managed to baffle him.

But instead he heard his own voice ask, "When can I see you again? Where?" He had to think quickly. Spending time with a promised girl that wasn't promised to him would hold harsh repercussions if they were caught.

Juliana couldn't think. She was shocked by her own admission. This was beyond ridiculous ... she was putting them both in possible peril. But it seemed worth it ... she had to see him again. After today, once just simply was not enough.

"I ... I don't ...," she stammered for only a moment before she gently squeezed his hand, seeming to have made some kind of final, thoughtful decision.

"Tonight ... there's a small keeper's hut on the southern most end of our estate. The keeper moved on just a few weeks ago and the hut stands empty." Her green gaze held his as she seemed to also hold her breath in anticipation of whether he would come.

Colin gritted his teeth when she squeezed his hand. The pain went unnoticed in his features. "I will do what I can to be there." Again, he tucked her hair back, desiring nothing more than to lean in and take a kiss from those luscious lips that seemed to beckon him to dare touch her. But he couldn't ... not yet. It would seem too brazen.

"There is a feast tonight to send off a hunting party. I will slip away after," he promised.

Juliana nodded, still shocked by her brazen act to see him again. What he must think of her! Good lord, the things she was thinking about herself! But all she could do was smile gently, releasing his hand as she pulled back reluctantly. "I must go, Colin ... they will be searching soon."

Colin let her go, knowing she spoke the truth. His own family would be missing him.

"Tonight." He spoke the word as a promise and turned away from her once he saw her safely mounted and headed home. Clucking to Maverick, he effortlessly grasped the gelding's mane with his left hand and pulled himself up, heading in the direction of home.