Page 29 of Highlander’s Captive

Not that she planned to stay here for so long. And it wouldn’t be a real marriage, anyway.

“What about sex?” she said.

“Forgive me, what?”

“Sleeping together. You can forget that.”

“I will never force myself on ye, Amy. I hope ye know by now I treat ye with respect, and that is how I intend to continue. I wilna touch ye unless ye want me to.”

“And I can go anywhere in the castle?”

Then the thought struck her. If she needed access to food supplies, it would even give her an excuse to explore the underground storeroom.

Once they were married, he’d trust her more. Maybe she could even use organizing the household as a pretext to visit the storeroom. Even if it was with him, it didn’t matter. All she needed to figure out was how to make that rock glow, and then she’d put her hand into the imprint. Then, hopefully, she’d be back to 2020.

“So you’ll let me go anywhere freely.”

“Aye…”

“And I don’t have to sleep with you?”

His nostrils flared a little. “Not unless ye want to.”

“And you want me to organize the cooking and cleaning?”

“Aye. Verra much.” His Scottish burr rang harder. Cooking and cleaning must be really important to him.

She crossed her arms over her chest. Infuriating man!

“So basically you want me to be your housekeeper?” she said.

“Nae. Not only.”

Right.

She’d be married to this hunk… Her throat went dry at the thought, her gut clenching as images flashed through her mind—him naked, his hands exploring her body. She hated that he made her feel this way. This man, who kept her prisoner!

He was so handsome she felt like she was looking directly at the sun. He was honorable—she really appreciated being given the only bedroom in the castle and that Craig made sure none of the men harmed her. But it felt like a golden cage. And guards following her constantly.

She should just stop caring about how handsome he looked and how kind he might be and agree to the terms. Because she needed to do whatever it took to get back to her time. Jenny was probably feeling more and more worried and abandoned. Plus, she wouldn’t be able to take care of Dad alone for long.

So, it seemed, giving in to this madness was the fastest way to the storeroom. What was the alternative? If she was constantly followed by a guard, there wasn’t a chance in hell she’d be able to get anywhere close to where she needed to be.

She’d just pretend. Just keep playing this other person and hope she wouldn’t get killed in the meantime.

All right, she’d go through with this ruse of a marriage. And then once she activated the stone, she’d just leave him behind, go back home and live her life, remembering this as a wild adventure. Maybe she’d write a book or something.

It would serve Craig right for keeping her here against her will. After all, she was a MacDougall. So yes, technically, his enemy. Her grandfather had told her their clan motto—To Conquer or Die. There was pride in that, and strength. She could use those now.

“I accept,” she said, clasping her hands so that they wouldn’t shake.

He nodded, solemn and serious, and led her farther along the wall in silence.

But it was only when his arm tensed under her palm that she realized what she had done.

She had willingly gone into the trap of marriage. The trap that had suffocated her and scared her and made her miserable.

It wouldn’t be real, she reminded herself. It wouldn’t be like the last time.