She froze as she took in the shocking scene. Lillian was caught in Patrick’s embrace. One hand caressed the skin above her heart as the other held on to her upper arm. Pain ripped at Kathryn’s heart. “Forgive me,” she cried on the edge of tears.
How could she have been so foolish as to let her heart soften to him? Hadn’t she learned anything from the first time Daniel had sent her to tend his wound? He was nothing but a rogue, there to steal maidens' virtues away and leave them brokenhearted.
As she spun to leave, the tray filled with supplies caught on the edge of the door and slipped from her hand. It crashed to the ground with the sound of shattering glass. She might as well have thrown her heart on the floor. “I’m sorry.” Leaving the mess, she turned and ran out. She couldn’t stand to be in the castle one more second. Not after catching the man she just realized she loved holding another.
Patrick could hear the tears in Kathryn’s words as she raced away. Her heart breaking was almost as audible as the jar of salve that had crashed on his floor.
Turning his attention back to the wanton woman in his grasp, he finished shoving her away. “I want nothing from you. Leave.” Turning on his heels, he raced after the woman he did want. He would deal with Lillian later.
“Kathryn!” Shouting after her, Patrick ran down the corridor. He saw the hem of her dress disappear around the corner leading to the great hall. Man, she could move when she wanted to.
Bursting into the hall, he paused until his eyes caught her skirting around the end of the tables, heading for the main door. Ignoring the men who were still having dinner, Patrick leaped onto the table and ran across it, closing some of the distance between them. Oh, there would be rhymes about this tomorrow! But he didn’t care.
Kathryn was halfway down the steps by the time he made it to the door. She’d grabbed up her skirts and was taking the steps three at a time. Without anything in her way, she had really poured her heart into her flight.
Kicking up his heels, Patrick bounded down after her. The thrill of the chase had heated his blood. She was fast, but he was faster. She had only gotten a few yards from the steps when his arms closed around her, halting her flight.
“No!” Screaming, she stomped her foot down on his, trying to get away from him.
Patrick turned her in his arms and kissed her hard on the lips, crushing her to him. Even in his excited state, he remembered how he could affect a woman. He kissed her passionately, but he kept it shallow.
Under the caress of his lips, the fight washed out of Kathryn, and she went nearly limp in his arms.
“Shhhh.” Soothing her, he shifted his hand into her dark locks to turn her face into the crook of his neck. He supported her as she clenched her fingers into the front of his shirt and sobbed uncontrollably. “I’m here.” Patrick kissed the hair at the side of her head.
Anger drove her to struggle in his arms, but his hold was unrelenting.
He shushed her again as he held on, waiting for her to calm.
“I saw… I saw…” She stuttered, sobbing too hard to speak.
“You saw me caught in an unwanted advance,” Patrick whispered softly as he nuzzled her hair. “She came to me, but I turned her away.”
Kathryn drew in a sniffling breath.
He kept a light hold on her in case she decided to run again, but he let loose of her head so she could lean back and look up into his face. Her eyes were rimmed with red, and her skin had gone all blotchy. She was definitely not a dainty crier, but he couldn’t help but smile at her. The fact that she wasn’t perfect at this made it that much more endearing.
“I want no other.” He pressed a soft kiss to her lips before leaning back to look into her eyes. Through the tears, he could see her desire, as well as the fear that marked her as a maiden.
She sniffled. “Truly?”
Patrick threw back his head and let out a laugh as he squeezed her tighter to him. “I just ran across the dinner table for you.” He smiled. “A feat I’m not likely to live down anytime soon.”
She looked slightly appalled.
He pressed another light kiss to her lips before cuddling her to him. “And I would venture to guess half the castle is standing behind me on the steps as we speak,” he whispered into her ear.
The color drained from her face as she glanced over his shoulder to the crowd staring at them. He chuckled as she buried her face into his shoulder in embarrassment.
He glanced past her to the rest of the crowd on the castle grounds. “And the rest are here in the bailey.” No matter how much he should, there was no denying his feelings now. Everyone would hear about this before dawn. “Come.” Patrick pushed Kathryn away to stand on her own. At least her face was no longer blotchy from crying. It was bright red with humiliation.
Folding her hand over his good arm, he gave her an encouraging smile. “You still have a wound to dress.” He held his hurt arm up to show her. The bandage hung loose where it had been pulled away in her struggles. Guiding her towards the castle, the crowd parted to let them back into the hall. Eyes followed them as they took a more leisurely route around the tables. He distinctly remembered there being a part in the middle of those tables when they had first arrived. Whoever had decided to push them together was going to get an earful when he found them.
Patrick glanced around the quiet room. They were probably waiting for him to confess his love to her, as if chasing her through the castle weren’t enough. But he couldn’t give her words of undying affection yet. There was much they needed to discuss before he could give his heart to her. Dragons mate for life.
…And there was that one, little issue of him being a mythical, shape-shifting being that might give her reason to rethink her feelings. Yes, they definitely needed to talk.
“I’m sorry.” Kathryn's hand slipped from Patrick’s arm as soon as they reached his room. Lillian was gone, but there was still a mess in his doorway. Dropping to her knees, she started to gather the things she had dropped in her hasty retreat. She could feel Patrick’s eyes on her, so she kept her head down and her hands busy with her task. She didn’t know what to feel.
A jumble of emotions swirled through her. Her heart still hurt at the memory of Lillian in Patrick’s arms, her body burned with desire from his kisses, and she was mortified that she had made them both look like fools in front of the whole castle. To top it all off, he’d said he wanted her, but he hadn’t said he loved her. She sniffed back the tears she felt burning at the corner of her eyes.
Patrick sighed behind her. “It’s all right.” His hands smoothed down her upper arms, caressing her. “I do care about you.” His fingers caught her elbows, and he lifted her to her feet. She sniffled again as he pulled her back against him and circled her with his arms. “I have for a while now.” His breath was warm on the side of her face as he held her.
She closed her eyes, enjoying the feel of him. They fit together so perfectly. Too perfectly. There was going to be something to keep them apart—Kathryn just knew it. He talked of caring, but not of love. Was there another? Was he married? Was he really a dragon? She tensed in his arms, waiting for the other shoe to drop.
“Kathryn.”
Here it comes.
“I care for you, and I want no other, but there is more to me than what you see. I can’t just give my heart to anyone. There are things you need to know.”
Kathryn held her breath, waiting for it. She felt Patrick draw in a ragged breath.