The Highlander's Challenge by Madeline Martin

Author:Madeline Martin [Martin, Madeline]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Madeline Martin

Aidan grasped Bridget's elbow and jerked upward before she could react. Her entire body tensed and pain flashed bright in her eyes.

A subtle grinding pop sounded from her shoulder as it settled back into place.

Her eyes widened and she rolled her arm back. “That's amazing.”

“I dinna realize it was out of place or I'd have done it when we first arrived.” His face warmed. He’d noticed it when he undressed her. When he’d been staring at anything to avoid accepting her invitation to gaze at her breasts. “Ye will need to keep from moving it so it gets better quickly, but it willna pain ye as much now.”

He remembered too well how her skin gleamed in the firelight, beautifully perfect with the exception of the damaged shoulder dipping too low.

She stopped rotating her arm and nodded. “Thank you for fixing it.”

He nodded toward the bed. “Go on now, let me look at yer face and see if I can apply any rough battlefield physic work on ye myself.” He winked.

But she didn't laugh. Instead, she eyed him with worry. “Why did you ask about Richard?”

His heart flinched. Jealousy. A foolish reaction, and yet a fitting one all at once. “Ye said his name in yer sleep.” He paused. He didn't want to ruin the softness he'd lured from her moments ago. His attempt to get to know her the previous night had been ruinous. He did not want that repeated. “I thought ye would be distracted enough when I asked that ye wouldna feel yer shoulder go back in.”

Bridget stared past him for a moment, her eyes blank. “He was my brother.”

Was.

The single word said so much.

He reached a hand toward hers to offer comfort, but she yanked it back and looked up at him with hurt brimming in her eyes. “Bridget…”

“I know you.” Her gaze hardened to the cold familiarity he had come to expect from his wife. “I never told you that before, but I know you. I fought you on the battlefield once before at Castle Quelling.”

Aidan nodded. “I know.”

Her brow puckered with surprise at his admission. A low rumble of thunder sounded so distant, it was almost indiscernible. The storm was moving on outside and coming to a head within.

“When ye said ye wanted to train with the men, ye dinna have to prove yerself to me,” he said. “I already knew ye could fight. It was at Quelling two years ago. Ye attacked me with such vigor, but I got in a good shot. It knocked yer helmet off and left ye unable to move.”

He indicated the scar on her jaw. He wanted to trace it, as if the soft touch might erase the evidence of hurt he'd put there. “I did that, Bridget. I'm sorry, lass. It was battle.” A tight band squeezed at his chest. It was not often a man had to explain what he'd done on the battlefield. Even as he spoke, he wondered if this would once again summon her hate.

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