Read To Marry A Scottish Laird for Free Online Page B

shackles of duty.
    “What are your parents like?”
    Cam shook off his thoughts at that question and considered how to respond. “Me mother loves and frets o’er us all. She’s a good woman.”
    “And your father?”
    “He dotes on me mother. We all do,” Cam answered and then urged his horse off the road, onto a barely visible trail through the woods.
    “Are we stopping?” Jo asked and he could feel her shifting behind him, her chest sliding against his back as she looked around.
    “Aye. ’Twill be dark soon, and I ken a good spot to stop just off the road. I ha’e camped there on other trips.”
    “Oh,” she said and relaxed against him, her hands slipping a little lower at his waist.
    Cam knew it was an unconscious move on her part. She probably wasn’t aware her hands had dropped a bit, and certainly it wasn’t as if they were anywhere they shouldn’t be. He wasn’t even sure why he was so aware of their position. He liked the girl, had liked her when he’d thought she was a boy too, but he wasn’t attracted to her. At least he didn’t think he was. True she smelled nice, he liked her laugh and he enjoyed talking to her, but he didn’t even know what she looked like under all those bruises, so he couldn’t be lusting after her. Could he?
    “ ’Tis beautiful,” Jo breathed as they broke out of the woods and into a clearing.
    “Aye,” Cam agreed but with appreciation rather than the wonder she was experiencing. He’d been here before after all. But it was a truly beautiful spot. The trees had been cleared away as if someone had planned to build here. In the absence of trees, a field of knee high grass and wildflowers had grown and it was all beside a lovely waterfall that the river flowed over before meandering away toward the south.
    Once they reached the center of the clearing, Cam brought his mount to a halt and then twisted just a bit, ignoring the pain it caused and held his hand and lower arm out to Jo. He didn’t have to say a word, she took his hand with one, and grabbed his forearm with the other and then held on as she swung herself off the horse and to the ground.
    “Thank you,” she said with a nod and then turned to walk toward the water’s edge as he dismounted.
    Once on his feet, Cam leaned his head against his mount and took a moment to let the pain the action had caused to ease. He then led his mount to a tree on the edge of the clearing and secured the reins to a branch before removing his bag, and Jo’s. Setting them aside, he then started to unsaddle the beast, and brushed him down before turning to find the clearing empty. Cam frowned, but then realized that she had probably gone to find a secluded spot to take care of personal business and relaxed.
    It had been a long ride. They may not have got far because of the speed at which they’d been forced to travel, but they’d ridden from dawn until now, almost dusk. He needed to drain the dragon as well. Scooping up his bag and Jo’s he headed back the way they’d ridden in. He didn’t want to risk running into Jo and spoiling her secret after all. Besides, seeing her that way once had been enough. He didn’t need another vision of her naked to keep him awake.
    J OAN LEANED FO RWARD, TOOK A DEEP B REATH and lowered her face into the water again. She would have liked to take a dip to wash off the day’s dust, but there was no time for that. Besides, it was still light out. She didn’t want to be seen and recognized for the woman she was. The water was nice though, and felt soothing on her swollen face, so when she couldn’t hold her breath any longer, she lifted her head, took another breath and dunked her head in the water again. Joan did that three more times before straightening and sitting back on her heels to let the water roll down her face and neck.
    It had been a good day, the best of this trip for her so far. It seemed her encounter with Toothless and his gang, while painful, had worked out for the best for