Page 33 of A Little Highland Magic

And Graeme was a reliable man, with both courage and strength that she had always admired. His bravery she had witnessed first-hand during their battles against the English soldiers who had invaded the highlands a few weeks before. Aria had no taste for charmers, not after all the trickery and deceit she’d experienced in her previous home.

There was no denying Graeme was handsome, made even more sensual by the dimple at the side of his finely sculpted mouth. And his eyes—at one time they had been filled with uncertainty, yet now they stared at her with bold determination.

As though sensing her thoughts had shifted in his favour, his mouth drew closer until only a whisper separated them. “I will never hurt you, Aria. Not intentionally.”

The cool sea air scattered her hair like threads of spun silk as Aria drew a breath of the salty air into herself and eased forward against Graeme’s lips. That small shift closed the gap between their bodies.

The ache at the juncture of her thighs throbbed. “I want you, Graeme. I want this. For this moment, nothing else need matter.” She pressed against him, feeling every contour of his large, muscular body. Where she was soft, he was hard. The perfect complement to one another. Closing her eyes, she slanted her face so that their mouths slid against each other. His lips were firm yet soft compared to the rest of him. The shape of his mouth fit perfectly against her own, and her world began to tilt.

Desire she had not expected crashed over her and a low growl vibrated from Graeme’s chest. The sound of her heartbeat pulsed in her ears as Graeme slid his hands up her form to cup her face, deepening their kiss. Lost to heat and sensation, and a world that suddenly had no up or down, the last of her reason slipped away beneath an assault of scorching kisses. He trailed his mouth along the sensitive skin of her neck and shoulder. The warmth of his breath stirred her unbound hair as his lips began retracing a path to her lips.

Her fingers curled around his massive shoulders, and she opened her mouth to his, giving him the freedom to taste her. The moment she yielded, his tongue caressed her mouth, emboldening her to do the same. Her heart beat faster—no longer with fear, but with need and desire.

“Open your eyes, Aria.” His voice was gentle, with a hint of urgency. “I need to see you. All of you.” Graeme slid his hand across the outside of her left thigh and beneath her chemise, his calloused fingertips sliding over the softness of her skin, bringing her flesh to life. Gently she felt him gather the delicate linen and shift it over her head.

She opened her eyes to see his face filled with the same dark passion that coursed through her veins. Sunlight caressed his chest and highlighted bronze streaks in his hair. He brushed his lips across hers before he slid his mouth down to her neck, across her shoulders, then farther down until he reached her breasts. His lips closed over her taut nipples, first one, then the other. She moaned softly as he increased the pressure of his warm and languid caress, pulling her into a storm of pure desire and need.

His mouth left her breasts, and still she trembled with the vibrant awareness of his body so close to hers. A sudden yearning to touch more of him took hold, firing her boldness, and she slid her hand over the rigid muscles of his chest, watching as they flexed in response to her touch. She breathed in his scent, a heady mixture of sandalwood and musk—the combination heady, earthy, and erotic. His masculine presence completely engulfed her as he surrounded her with his body. Yet she didn’t feel trapped. Instead, she felt strong, in control, and more alive than ever before.

Both their bodies had been honed for war, but they were also perfectly matched for pleasure. For the first time in her life, feeding her senses became more urgent than protecting herself. She hungered to release the wild inhibitions coursing through her. Powered by hunger and need, she thrust her hips against his.

Graeme slid his palm over the soft triangle of hair at the juncture of her thighs then further inside, finding heat and a welcoming moisture. On a rough breath she spread her thighs, allowing him greater access. When he touched her most sensitive bud, she began writhing under the sweet pressure.

Sensations began crowding out all other thoughts as she tugged at his shoulders, wordlessly welcoming him for whatever came next. He smiled down at her and brought his hands to her hips, and with slow exquisiteness he entered her, spreading a smooth voluptuousness through her. There was pain for a moment then it was gone as pleasure once again engulfed her.

His fullness surrounded her as they became one. Flesh to flesh, heat to heat. Slowly and deliberately, he stroked her, as torrents of ecstasy coiled tighter and tighter, until she shattered in unexpected glory. Drawing him deeper, she opened herself up to him, until his life force pulsed at the very soul of her being. She clamped her legs around him as he cried out his release and poured himself into her. Utterly spent, they lay together, their limbs still entwined, neither willing to break the moment that had been forged between them.

Her body still heavy with pleasure, she pressed her cheek to his chest and listened to the sound of his thundering heartbeat. Slowly the sound abated as the real world settled around them once more. At the squawk of seabirds overhead, Aria shifted her gaze to the sky. Instead of the bright sunshine she expected, the sky had darkened, and a black disc moved closer to the sun.

Aria sat up in sudden alarm, and grabbed her chemise, throwing it over her head as she rolled to her feet. “Hurry, get dressed. We must get back to the smithy with all due haste.”

“What is happening?” Graeme stood, staring up at the sky. The world around them was now an eerie bluish grey like a midday twilight. He donned his shirt then quickly pleated his tartan, wrapping it around him with more speed than she could have ever imagined.

Wisps of white light surround the black orb and, in a few minutes, it would fully block out the sun. “This must be Oberon’s doing. Quickly, we need the first batch of bracelets back at Dunvegan, now.”