Free Highlander Undone (Highland Bound Book 5) by Eliza Knight Page B

memories filled her. Maybe it was because of the vulnerable state she was in, or that he could so easily undo her, how with one look from him, she’d wanted to do whatever he said—and with a smile. Tears welled in her eyes.
    Embarrassment at her tears, at how she’d let him go down on her, flooded through her senses and she moved to tug up her panties, her leggings and then shoved down her sweater dress. Rory sat back on his heels, looking confused.
    “Go wash your face,” she muttered, mostly disappointed in her own easy surrender. “We have to leave, if my sister really is in jail.”
    “Moira.” He stood, and when she tried to turn around, he gently held onto her arms, sliding up to her shoulders so she was forced to face him. “What’s wrong?”
    She gritted her teeth, frustration filling her. “Ye. This. Us. Everything !” Hot anger burned her chest, and she couldn’t hold it in anymore. “Ye’ve been gone for three years. Three years . Do ye realize that? In case ye didn’t notice, that’s a damned long time without any word. And to top it all, ye ran off with my sister. My sister . If ye knew what I’d been thinking, all the things I imagined…” Her voice broke off on a sob, and she quickly covered her face with her hands so he couldn’t see her tears truly shed. “Ye can’t just come back and expect me to fuck ye with a smile and a thank ye.”
    “Moira.” Pain filled his expression and he looked torn. Genuine. As though his leaving hadn’t been his fault. But how could she believe that? It was bullshit!
    Rory gathered her in his arms, and once more, she allowed his touch, sinking into the vast expanse of his broad chest and the comfort of his thick muscles.
    He was her weakness.
    She laid her head against his chest, hearing the hitch in his heartbeat—not the only clue he was as affected as her. He held her tight, as though he didn’t want to let go, and truly, she didn’t want him to.
    “If I could go back, if I could somehow be certain we wouldn’t have left, I would have. Ye’ll see when we talk to Shona, there was no choice. I didna want to leave ye, lass. I would have stayed with ye forever, and I canna tell ye how much I tried to get back to ye. How much I wanted to get word to ye. When I arrived yesterday—ye were the first thing on my mind. The only person I came to see, and even when ye pushed me away, I couldn’t leave ye.”
    “I just don’t understand.” She lightly pounded at his chest as tears soaked his shirt. “Why?”
    His chin moved back and forth on top of her head as he shook it. “I canna explain without Shona. Even Ewan will be able to help.”
    “Were ye kidnapped? Who held ye against your will?”
    “Let us go, lov—lass, and soon ye’ll know everything.”
    She’d be crazy to walk out the door with him. Crazy to let herself fall once more under his spell. Their relationship had been intense. And when he’d disappeared, it had broken her. She’d been dragging herself through life, settling for a relationship with Dickie because even though he was an arsehole, he was safe. He had his own money, he had his own life, and he didn’t care enough to notice how broken she was.
    “Please, Moira, let me have a chance to explain. Let me reunite ye with your sister.” His dark eyes pleaded, and she caved.
    Well, she supposed she was crazy. Obviously. Because, the thought of seeing her sister again, of hearing the truth from them all, was too much of a lure. She had to know. She’d never forgive herself if she didn’t at least try. And, she’d be lying to herself if she didn’t admit that the chance to be with Rory again didn’t rank high on her list of motivations.
    When they’d been together before, she’d been certain they were the real deal, the wedding bells, babies and a dog, kind of deal.
    “Ye broke my heart,” she said. “But I’ve no choice except to trust ye right now.”
    “I swear to ye, Moira, I’m going to make it up to ye.