Chapter 4

4

Dancing With Dakota

W illiam’s heart pulsed uncontrollably as he held Dakota close . He didn’t dare look her in the eye for fear of being ensnared by her gaze. Instead, he scanned the room, ensuring every eye was on them.

"Will ye let me lead?" William whispered as he circled to the left, pulling Dakota with him. She was stiff in his arms, and he couldn’t help but wonder if she was purposefully missing the steps and refusing to follow him.

"I thought I was," she answered, her voice sweet like the dew of the morning. William stole a glimpse of her. He had to admit that even though it was such short notice, she had turned into a stunning bride. Her hair was draped over her shoulders with little white flowers in it . The scent of her skin reminded him of riding in the mists of the forest.

"Have ye never had dance instructions? Ye’ve got two left feet and are pulling away from me," he said.

"Well, maybe if ye had the rhythm of the song correct, ye would be in time wit’ me," she said as her eyes bore into him. William was hyper-aware of the stern expression cast on him. Lifting his head, he turned his attention to the other dancers on the floor and huffed.

"The last time I checked, it was ye who are now mine," he said. Dakota arched an eyebrow and tightened her grip on his hand as if trying to dig her nails into his skin.

"Yer just as much mine now as I am yers," she countered. "Marriage goes both ways, daes it nae?"

William paused and stepped back from her. Shock flickered across his face for a moment before he composed himself and cleared his throat. All expression vanished from him as he bowed.

"I believe we have put on enough of a charade for the crowd," he said and took his leave. His heart raced wildly in his chest as he left Dakota alone on the dancefloor and made his way to the dais. Plopping down in his chair, he wished he could loosen the collar tightening around his neck. The room's temperature felt as if they were in the midst of a hot August summer.

"Would the Laird care for a drink?" a servant asked. William waved for them to fetch him one and tried not to pay any attention to Dakota but found his gaze falling on her time and again. He wished he could figure out why she had such an effect on him.

The moment the servant came with the drink, he tossed it down and called for another. William watched as the wedding party danced and carried on. But by the time the clock struck midnight , William had had enough. He rose from his seat. The music stopped instantly, and he extended a hand as his gaze fell on Dakota.

"Tis time lass," McGunn said as he walked Dakota to William. Placing Dakota’s hand into William’s, McGunn exchanged a glance with his daughter.

"Tomorrow ye will be leavin’ this place," William said. "If ye wish, ye may stay longer to say yer goodbyes."

"Nonsense," McGunn said. "Tis yer weddin’ night and she’ll retire wit’ her husband. Isnae that right, lassie?"

Dakota didn’t say a word as she nodded her head. William walked with her by his side through the onlookers. The crowd was silent as they passed by. With each step he took, his nerves rattled and trembled. It wasn’t like Dakota would be the first woman he had been with, but she was the first to make his head spin.

"Did ye have a nice evenin’?" Dakota asked as they walked alone down the corridor. William arched an eyebrow.

"I did. Did ye?"

"Aye, it was grand. I daenae think I enjoyed myself so much as I did tonight," she said. "There was one thin’ though that troubles me."

"And what’s that?" William asked, daring to glance at her. Under the soft orange glow of the candles, Dakota looked angelic. The dim lights only added to her beauty, and William wished he could pull his eyes off her.

"Delilah," Dakota answered. "I wish I ken where she was. I am terribly worried about her."

"Yer sister has thrown in her lot," William said. "Best nae to think of such things now. Whatever happens to her will be on her head."

"She was to be yer wife, and that is what ye think of her? As some gypsy?"

"She’s yet to prove otherwise to me," William said.

"How could ye say such things?"

"For starters, she and yer faither made a commitment, a promise, which she broke. To me that is a grave offense. One that I’ll nae forgive. Secondly, the way she departed was cowardly. One daesnae leave a note behind in such a manner. If there was a grievance between she and I, she should have brought it to my attention before hand."

"Are ye sayin’ ye would have called off the whole thin’ if she would have voiced her concerns?" Dakota blinked as her eyes flickered with shock.

"I’m nae an indecent man," William said. "If she wished to have our contract terminated, I would have obliged."

"So, the only reason ye went through wit’ our weddin’ was to uphold the contract?" Dakota stopped and folded her arms across her chest. Raising an eyebrow, William swallowed hard and found himself rattled by the irritation rolling off her.

"Tell me somethin’," William said as he mimicked Dakota’s defiant stance. "What dae ye suppose would have happened if we’d called off the weddin’? How dae ye suppose the clans would have reacted?"

"There’s nay tellin’. I’m certain though a few wouldnae have minded it," she answered.

"I did it so that yer family wouldnae be ruined," William answered. "The whole county kens what kind of man yer faither is. To have one of his daughters run out like that and leave the groom standin’ would have shamed the lot of ye. Dae ye think ye would have found a suitable husband after a stunt like that? So, if ye want to split hairs, I’d say ye owe me a thank ye."

"Thank ye? For what? Stealin’ me away from my family? For payin’ a debt my sister owes? Nay, tis not the reason ye went through wit’ this weddin’. I think ye did it so that ye wouldnae be seen as the cold-hearted beast of Rottrich."

"Ye think me cold, dae ye?" William asked. Dakota didn’t flinch as she stared him down.

"Arenae ye? Tis why ye stopped another from dancin’ wit me tonight."

"I stopped that man because we are married."

"So, it’s acquisition ye wanted. Ye wanted me faither’s lands and had to go through marriage to get it. I’m nae as daff as ye might think. And it explains why ye didnae care who ye married, so long as ye had a wife this night."

Dakota dropped her arms, turned, and walked down the hallway, leaving William stunned. His eyes widened with shock. He’d never been spoken to in such a manner, and he wasn’t sure if a slap in the face would have been worse. Although, he had to admit, at least to himself, that Dakota had grace and fire in her. She could have made a scene in the banquet hall in front of witnesses yet chose to speak in private with him.

His heart fluttered as he glanced around, wondering how many others had heard their spat. Clearing his throat, he rolled his shoulders back and marched down the hallway. The door to their chamber was left open much to his surprise. When he stepped into the room, Dakota was standing in the middle of the room, her body trembling.

As William closed the door behind him, he kept his eyes on Dakota. She jumped a bit as the door clicked shut. A part of him couldn’t help but wonder if the whole scene in the hallway was nothing more than her nerves coursing through her or if she meant what she said.

Stepping into the room, he walked up behind her. The scent of heather and lilacs drifting off her skin excited him. The fire popped and crackled, sending little bits of embers swirling up the chimney. The tension in the room was thick and weighed on him like wet wool draping over his shoulders. William moved around Dakota to the chair next to the fire.

"Despite what ye may think of me," he started as he unfastened the buttons on his vest. "I’d say ye have it all wrong. Ye daenae ken me anymore than ye ken yer own sister."

Dakota’s head whipped around, and he noticed her eyes glistening. The expression on her face was one of terror mingled with worry and it dawned on him what was going on. He let his shoulders drop and pulled his shirt out until it hung over his belt. She watched him with eyes as wide as a deer as he removed his belt and his swords.

The swords clattered against the stone hearth as he sat them down. William had come across many people in his lifetime, from all walks of life, yet, staring at Dakota, he had never seen anyone so bold. Despite her fear and the uncertainty of the night, she didn’t flinch away or recoil from him.

"Get yerself ready for bed," he said to her as he walked over and poured whiskey into the small goblets near the chair. Dakota swallowed hard as she started undoing her bodice. William’s stomach flipped from his nerves, wreaking havoc on him, but he refused to turn his eyes away from her. With each layer of clothing she removed, his body responded in kind. The desire to have her consumed him. He took a sip of the whiskey and waited till every article of clothing had been removed save for her shift.

"Here," he said, walking over to her and handing her the glass of whiskey. "To settle yer nerves."

Dakota grabbed the drink and quickly poured it down her throat. William nodded in approval as he took the empty glass from her hands. Their fingers touched for a moment, and it felt as if a current of water flowed out of her fingertips and crashed against the walls of his heart.

He stepped back from her, shocked to have felt anything at all. It wasn’t the first time they’d touched, yet, it was the first where he understood her vulnerability. Swallowing the lump forming in his throat, he turned and placed the glass back on the small round table. So many emotions warred within him that he couldn’t contain himself. There was more than just desire and lust. He felt nervous and anxious too.

"Ye need nae fear me," he said so low that he wondered if Dakota even heard him. "But just so yer aware, we’ll be leavin’ tomorrow. Get yer rest. I’ll be takin’ the chair tonight."

"What?" Dakota’s voice cracked as she turned to look at the large, four-post bed with heavy drapery flowing down from the canopy. "But I thought…"

"I ken what ye thought," William said in a near growl. He wanted her, and she was his for the taking, but he wouldn’t have her in such a manner. Not when she was scared and insecure. No, he wanted her when her passions ran wild, and he could claim her for a prize. "I’ll nae touch ye tonight. Now I’d suggest ye rest. Tis a long way back to Rottrich."

"Ye should take the bed," Dakota said. "Yer after all, the Laird are ye nae? I’m nothin’ but a bit higher than a servant to ye."

William whipped around and glared at her. She didn’t recoil from his stern expression but crossed her arms and puffed out her chest.

"Will I never win wit’ ye? First ye call me cold hearted and I offer ye the bed to show I’m nae as cruel as ye think me to be. But ye want to insult me by takin’ away my chivalry too? Nay, I’ll nae have it. Ye’ll take the bed and sleep in it, even if it means I must throw ye over my shoulder and put ye there."

"Fine," Dakota said. "But ye sayin’ ye’ll nae touch me tonight when it is in yer rights to dae so and solidify this marriage just proves to me that ye daenae want me. I’m nothin’ more to ye than a play thin’ to get bored wit’ and discard the first chance ye get."

William rushed to Dakota and towered over her. There was no fear in her eyes, no dread to come over her and steal her courage. He flexed his jaw and mulled over the words he wanted to say to her. Biting his tongue, he curled his fingers around her shoulders and squeezed until her skin turned red.

It took every ounce of his strength not to kiss her. The fire and passion that burned within him felt like he had stepped into the pits of hell. It tormented him to release her.

"Ye’ll take the bed," he said in a threatening growl. "And that is final. Whatever whispers may come in the morrow, I’ll deal wit’ them. As for castin’ ye aside, I’ll nae dae that. I’ve paid a heavy price for ye and I’ll see that my investment grows. But it’ll nae be this night."

William released her and stepped back. His hands trembled at his sides as Dakota turned and marched to the bed. The bed moaned behind him, and he knew she had slipped under the heavy blankets. William plopped down into the chair and kept his eyes on the flames licking the logs.

His eyelids grew heavy, but his body yearned for her. As her soft breathing filled the room, he wondered how she’d react if he were to slip under the covers with her unannounced. If she’d turn into him and press her body to his, or if she’d scream.

William shook his head, trying to shake the fantasies playing in his mind away. But it was no use. His body wouldn’t be deterred or distracted, no matter what he tried to think of.

I’ll nae let this woman distract me. Even if I must burn in hell for the thoughts I have. Even if she thinks me a monster. So be it, but I’ll never be the kind she fears.

Snuggling into the chair, William tried to get comfortable, but it was no use. Every little whimper Dakota made pulled him out of his sleep. Frustrated, he stood and tucked his shirt back into his belt and under his taran. His eyes shifted to the bed as he moved to the door.

Leaning into the door, he pressed his ear and strained to listen. Soft music rose from the banquet, and he knew that if he left now, he’d have to answer to McGunn. William thought about lying to the man but stopped as his fingers curled around the handle, ready to open it.

I cannae leave her. It would prove to her family we had yet to consecrate the marriage. And where would that leave her? It’ll only prove her right, that I am what she thinks I am. But how can I stay when every noise she makes draws me to her?

Breathing heavily , William dropped his hand from the doorknob and slipped back into the shadows of the room. He moved to the chair and sat back down, wishing the day would come so he could be free. He’d never thought for a moment it would be so hard to restrain himself, yet with each passing minute, the fantasies grew and expounded in his mind.

The way Dakota looked in her shift thrilled him. The way the golden light of the fire kissed her skin made him want to taste the honey of her neck and shoulders. It would be so easy to slip his hand under the thin fabric of her shift and touch her. That’s all it would be, just a touch, a taste.

William bolted up and glanced around the room. His manhood ached with desire as he looked at Dakota sleeping soundly in the bed. The soft melody of sparrows chirping in the distance was like being handed a key to this prison.

He jumped up and rushed for the door. The moment he slipped out, relief came over him. It was practically torture to have spent an entire night not being able to have what he wanted, and he knew there was no way he’d be able to endure another night like that again.