Chapter 20

Scarlett stormed ahead of him, and he watched as her skirts billowed over the gravel. She stormed past the roses and lavender. The hedges waved as she whipped around them. She was navigating the garden as if she had already been through it before, and Arran followed silently, appreciating the view.

Eventually, having cooled off, Scarlett shortened her gait and started looking around at the flora on display. The ancient trees moved slowly in the light breeze and provided a cool shade as she led them along the edge of the bushes. They ended up tucked away in one of Arran's favorite spots in the garden. He could see the cairn and the watchtower from that spot, and the Patch Hills rolled off in the distance.

As a young boy, he used to sit on the stone wall with his sister, and they would imagine different animals in the clouds. The awe in Scarlett's eyes was enough for him to feel a strange connection to her. She appreciated the view as well.

"Gorgeous…" he said softly.

Scarlett hummed in response, taking in the scenery while he kept his eyes on her.

"That one looks like ye!" She pointed to the sky, and Arran's eyes followed her hand to a large, shapeless cloud. He let out a laugh.

Perhaps I was wrong…

He placed a hand on her shoulder to turn her around, so he could properly speak to her about what had just happened with the Shepherd siblings.

"Look, lass, I'm sorry ye had to hear that," he said softly, and he led them back into the main garden and toward the large stone fountain.

"I mean, I'm sure he isnae the only Laird who is unhappy about our announcement."

"He is a friend and feels like he has a right to lecture me. I'll speak with him later about that."

"Nay, ye dinnae need to. I'm fine," Scarlett said and kept her head down.

Arrab glanced at her in time to see the blush rising up her neck. Stopping in his tracks, he faced her. "That's the third lie I've heard this morning."

Scarlett stopped, too, but she was clearly offended. "What are ye accusing me of?"

"Ye arenae telling the truth, Scarlett. If this is going to work, then we have to be honest with each other."

"I'm fine."

"Tut-tut…" Arran shook his head, looking her in the eye.

"Fine. I will be fine. Just let it go. It's nae like he was wrong to think it. Lily would be a much better match for ye."

He let out a loud, humorless laugh, completely taken back by her statement. "What! Have ye lost touch?"

"I dinnae see what is so funny about that," she snapped, and it was not lost on him that her gaze flicked to his lips.

Ahh… there she is

"Ye dinnae have to be so upset about it, lass," Arran teased, but Scarlett was too preoccupied with winning that she missed it.

He took a step forward to see how she would react.

Hmm, she didnae move.

"I'm nae upset. Stop saying that!" Scarlett placed her hands on her waist, and she watched as he sucked in his bottom lip to wet it.

"Scarlett, ye are yellin' again. This time, ye dinnae have the safety of the forest to shield yer hollerin'."

"Ye are absolutely infuriating me this morning! Why are we even doing this?"

"Take a breath with me, lass. Ye are too wound up denying yerself the truth that it's spillin' over into a normal conversation."

"There hasnae been anything normal about any conversation we've had, Arran. Why are ye against marrying Lily? Why nae marry after our agreement ends?"

"I never wanted to be married. Ye ken that well enough. The point of this morning was to get Niamh on our side and show ye Felix as a potential match. Though, the lad probably has nary a chance now, correct?"

He looked around to confirm that they were alone and licked his lips when his gaze returned to hers. There was an intensity in her gaze, a fiercy and unyielding light that danced in her eyes. She was determined and passionate, captivating and powerful, and the urge to kiss her again gnawed at him.

Arran growled lowly, trying to suppress the urge, but she took a step closer to him.

Playing with fire, lass…

"Am I correct, Scarlett?"

She was breathless and watched each word leave his mouth in a trance.

* * *

"Scarlett?" Arran prompted.

Scarlett was so focused on his lips that she felt the words leave her mouth before she could think.

"Scarlett," she sighed, and then her eyes went wide.

Oh my?—

Arran closed the distance between them and pulled her into his arms. Their mouths collided with a frenzied passion. He backed her up against the large ivy hedge behind her and pressed his bod agasint hers. His lips plundered hers, and she wrapped her arms around his shoulders, holding on to them as if they were her lifeline.

Her heart pounded in her chest as his lips found a sensitive place on her neck. His chest hummed with need, sending a delicious shiver down her spine.

Scarlett was slick with need. This man is going to kill me…

She grabbed a fistful of his hair, and his groan was enough for her to think that she could also be the end of him, which turned her on more.

"Say me name," she whispered.

One of his hands gripped the back of her neck, keeping her in place as he pulled away. Their heat lingered in the cool garden air around them, and he bent down to bite her bottom lip.

"I'll have ye screamin' mine if ye arenae careful, lass."

His free hand gathered her skirts, and he pulled her hips against his rock-hard arousal. She was throbbing, ready for his touch.

The sudden sound of footsteps nearby jolted them both back to reality, and Scarlett quickly pushed him away from her. She was breathless with need, but then shame washed over her. A strange feeling of being rejected slowly crept its way into her heart, even though it was she who pushed him away.

She watched his chest rise and fall dramatically as he stood before her. He kept a small distance between them, but he was still holding her skirts. Scarlett wrenched them from his hand, but he held on, which vexed her.

This was a mistake.

"Come again, lass?" Arran said.

Her eyes went wide as she realized that she said it out loud.

Dammit, I have to stop doing that!

"Aye, ye do, lass."

She sighed and wiped her mouth with her sleeve. "This was a mistake," she said again, and fought the sharp pang of rejection as it threatened to shake her resolve.

Blinking away the tears pricking her eyes, she again tried to tug her skirts out of Arran's balled fist.

Arran wiped his mouth too, and she watched as his eyes fell to her heaving chest before they met hers again.

He cleared his throat. "A mistake?"

"Aye, this was a mistake," Scarlett repeated for the third time.

The look he gave her reminded her of the same one he leveled her with when she was lying about being fine after overhearing Felix Shepherd.

Arran's smugness annoyed her, and it annoyed her even more when he stayed silent, waiting for her to explain herself.

"It's all a ruse, right?" she continued, her eyes stinging with unshed tears. She cleared her throat and steeled herself. "We shouldnae cross—We shouldnae…"

How should I say this?

Her frustration continued to grow when Arran's eyebrows rose and a hint of a smug smirk tugged at his lips.

"It would complicate things between us."

"It would certainly do something, lass. I cannae say if it would complicate it or nae, but maybe," Arran mused.

Scarlett ground her teeth, as his cold rejection felt like a slap across the face.

Ye said it first. Ye said it thrice.

He took a step closer and finally let go of her skirts. She bent down and smoothed the wrinkles on the wool, and then straightened up.

"It's alright, lass. Ye're right. We shouldnae deliberately do anything that would unnecessarily complicate things between us," he said as he lifted her hand to his lips. "It's a ruse, dinnae forget."

Heat coursed through her veins, and she was like putty in his hands. She was furious at the reminder and ashamed of how out of control she had gotten. As she tried to yank her hand out of his grip, he pulled her closer. Her mouth fell open, and she watched a slow, knowing grin spread across his face.

She glared daggers at him. She had asked him not to kiss her, and while he was complying, he wasn't making it easy on her.

"Now what?" she muttered.

"Let's head back to the castle to get… freshened up," he said, before placing a warm kiss on her knuckles.

Freshen up? I could die of embarrassment.

He tucked her hand into the crook of his elbow and led them through the winding hedges.

Scarlett leaned her head on his shoulder. "This is safe, right?"

"Of course," Arran said roughly, and she felt his voice vibrate through his arm. "The look of love."

Look of love. Sweet, cursed love.