Page 43 of Highlander’s Claim

Heaven, he thought as he got another bucket. He’d show her heaven. He’d make her forget anything else if only she agreed to come into his arms.

When the last drop was inside the bath, he watched her glistening back. His fingers itched to touch her, to feel her skin. And then his hands moved before he could stop himself. He brushed his arms against her back, on both sides of her spine, up and down. He’d expected her to say stop and he was ready to do so the moment she did.

But no word came from her.

He ran his hands up her smooth skin. A wave of wee lightning strikes stormed under his fingers. He curved his hands around her shoulders and massaged her tight flesh. Her head fell back as he did. He watched her eyes close and her lips part.

She felt it, too. No matter how much she would say no to his words with her own, her body enjoyed his touch. He knew it from their kiss, and he saw it now. Just like his own body loved touching hers. A moan escaped her lips as he kept kneading her tight muscles. They softened and warmed. Oh aye, she enjoyed this all right. He kept working her tired muscles in the back, and as she began to relax, he moved lower and lower. He couldn’t see her lower back deep in the tub in the dim light of the fires in his bedchamber.

But as he went lower, he could feel the dimples just above her pelvis, and when he reached the top of her buttocks, and knew he was touching her ample arse, he started hardening. She didn’t stop him—on the contrary, he could see her breathing slower, her arms going limper around her knees. And when he went lower and brushed against the crack of her gorgeous arse, she moaned again.

He was burning for her, ready to go back into the water with her and give her a massage in all the right places that would make her squirm and beg for more.

“Lass…” he rasped. “Stay with me tonight.”

“Um…”

“Stay. Be mine. I want ye like I never wanted anyone in my life. I wilna do anything ye wouldna want me to.”

She turned her head to him, and her eyes were dark, glinting with meaning. “Okay.”

He frowned. “Okay?”

“I will stay, Aulay.”

He kissed her then, abandoned her back and claimed her mouth like he was a goddamn barbarian starving for food and spoils.

A loud knock sounded at the door. He ignored it, coming back for her mouth again and again, drinking her taste. He cupped her delicious breast and fire seethed through his groin.

Another knock, louder, more insistent this time.

“Laird!” He heard Colum’s voice. “We need ye!”

He withdrew from her for a moment, cursing. She was so delicious with her mouth swollen from the kiss, her cheeks flushed, her breasts beautiful and luscious under the water. “What?” he barked at the door.

“’Tis the English. The sentinels thought they saw the ship.”

He let out a long growl, his blood chilling. The ship they’d left behind had never reached them, but that didn’t mean it wouldn’t have followed them.

“Coming,” he replied as he unwrapped the towel around his hips and pulled on his braies. “Wait for me, lass…”

She nodded. “I will.”

When he was dressed, he left her in his bedchamber and went out. The coldness never left his chest. In the dying light of the day, he watched the English ship sailing about three miles away. Before the sun set, it turned and disappeared behind the horizon. It seemed it only scouted.

But the coldness in his chest was replaced with worry. With the previous attack on the village, and the encounter at sea earlier today, was there a larger force behind it? They needed to be careful.

When he returned to his bedchamber, the beautiful vixen was asleep in his bed, her red hair spilled on his pillow like liquid honey.

CHAPTER 18

Something heavy and hot was wrapped around her. She had the odd sensation of being snuggled by a bear. Her eyes flew open.

Not a bear. Whew.

Aulay.

His scent was in her nostrils. His huge arm wrapped tightly around her, his heavy leg over her hips. She didn’t move for a moment, inhaling his manly musk and marveling at his handsome, peaceful face. His long eyelashes cast shadows from the pink-golden light that came from the slit window. He had a pale bruise on his cheekbone, and she longed to press her lips there, to soothe any hurt.