"It wasn’t an apology," Connor stubbornly replied.
"Well, it sounded like one to me."
"I merely said I should not have accused ye."
"Which means ye were wrong, and ye admitted it."
"I was not wrong!"he snapped.
"All right.Ye were not wrong.I had no idea ye were such a quarrelsome man.”
"I am not quarrelsome!”Connor scowled.
"Ye most certainly are."
"Woman!Cease talking and gather yer things, we’re leaving."
"Please," Fiona replied.
"Please what?"Connor asked.
"Ye should say please when ye ask someone to do something."
"Are ye this annoying all the time?"Connor asked, with his hands on his hips glaring at her.
"It depends."
"On what?"
"On whether ye’re always this rude."
What followed was a silent stare off as Connor kept fuming on the spot.If truth be told he was trying to remain calm but the feisty hellion before him was driving him insane in a disturbingly arousing way.He had never experienced anything like it before.
Eventually Fiona broke the silence and said, "I suppose I should thank ye for coming to my rescue."
That appeased Connor somewhat and he began to calm down again.He nodded in acknowledgement.
Until she added, "Though yer manners could be better."
That earned her a scowl as Connor clenched his jaw."We need to return.The guests will be wondering what's become of us both."He moved about the bothy putting out the fire as Fiona gathered her things.He walked toward the door, then paused without turning back."Can ye ride?That is, with yer..."
"My leg will not prevent me from sitting a horse," Fiona said dryly."I've been riding since I was barely out of swaddling."
Connor nodded curtly and stepped outside.His black stallion stood patiently despite the swirling mist, its dark coat gleaming with moisture from the fog.Connor moved to the horse's side and held out his hand to Fiona.
"Come.We'll ride together."
Fiona hesitated for just a moment before placing her hand in his.His fingers were warm and callused, completely engulfing hers as Connor helped her up into the saddle before seating himself behind her.She had to adjust the blanket awkwardly around her legs and grasp the saddle to steady herself, acutely aware of the solid warmth of his chest against her back.
Connor's body went rigid when her soft curves pressed to his front.He urged the stallion forward and pulled Fiona tight against him with one arm wrapped around her front.She had no choice but to grip his arm.
The ride back was tense and awkward, neither speaking as they navigated the treacherous path.But as they rode, something strange happened.The oppressive fog that had trapped Fiona began to thin, wisps of it curling away like smoke in a breeze.Within minutes, the mist had cleared entirely, revealing a bright afternoon sun and a clear, direct path back to MacNeil Keep.
Connor whipped his head back to look where the bothy should have been, but saw only ancient oaks, as if the little shelter had never existed at all.He frowned, a chill running down his spine that had nothing to do with the weather.Behind them was fog, but ahead lay clear sunshine and an impossibly short journey back to the keep.
"That's not natural, is it?"Fiona's voice trailed off as she too noticed the phenomenon.
"Nothing about this day has been natural," Connor muttered, spurring his horse faster toward home.
