Page 35 of Katie's Highlander (Highland Protector 3)
“I meant what I said earlier, ye ken?” Ramsay lightly traced the tip of his finger in teasing circles along her exposed shoulder and across her bare back.
On fire and aching in all the right spots, Katie rolled her shoulders away from his deadly hypnotizing touch. “Stop trying to distract me.”
Ramsay chuckled—and didn’t stop.
She turned, lifted the torch out of its brace, and held it closer to the wall hiding the secret door to the private garden. She wasn’t sure how to deal with what Ramsay had said earlier and she damn well wasn’t sure how to deal with this brave, no-inhibitions Ramsay. Actually, she knew how shewantedto deal with him, but she was just a little bit…afraid. He was acting like this now. Would he be the same when they got back to North Carolina?
“There!” She pushed hard on one of the smaller stone blocks at nearly waist level. The secret door complied, slowly swinging open to reveal a small secluded garden, a very private inner courtyard at the back half of the keep, and judging by the rows of windows above them, the garden was surrounded by a wing of multilevel rooms that curved around it. She returned the torch to its holder and gave Ramsay a smug look and pointed forward. “After you, my chieftain.”
“Nay,” Ramsay responded soft and low as he brushed a kiss to her shoulder. “After yerself, m’dear one.”
Turning away to hide the flash of heat she felt stinging her cheeks, Katie grabbed her skirts and hurried forward.I’m so in unknown territory right now.She paused at the opening of a secluded maze of hedges, nervously plucking at leaves and waiting for Ramsay on the narrow path of moss-bordered flagstones.
Once Ramsay had entered the garden, he turned and studied the doorway for a brief moment, then pulled on an iron ring imbedded in the wall beside the door. The door shifted closed, sealing the wall of blocks as though the opening had never been there.
And now we’re locked in.Her heartrate doubled.
He offered his arm and gave her a determined, smoldering look—one that said,“I mean to have ye.”
Katie took his arm, finding it hard to breathe and Ramsay would have to be deaf to miss the loud pounding of her heart. “This is really nice. A secret inner courtyard. I’ve run across inner courtyards before but when you’re digging them up after they’ve been decimated by war and time, it’s hard to tell if they were ever secret or not.”Damn, shut me up. I am so babbling.
“Katie.” Ramsay pulled her to a stop, turning her to face him and snugging her against him in an oh-so-dangerous level of closeness.
“Yes?” She kept her eyes focused on the polished strip of hammered-bronze piping attached to the throat of his chestplate that spread to his shoulders.
“Look at me,” he said softly. “Meet me in the eye, lass.”
Katie allowed her gaze to dart up for a moment, then quickly lowered it again. No way could she look in those eyes long…not with the storm of emotions she’d just seen brewing.
“Katie,” Ramsay gently scolded in anI want youwhisper. He hooked a finger under her chin and lifted. “I canna believe that the woman who fears nothin’, willna look her husband in the eye.”
He would have to say that. Katie raised her gaze to his and immediately found herself trapped.
Victory flashed in Ramsay’s eyes—that and a whole lot more. It was the whole lot more part that concerned Katie the most because she was quite convinced that she wanted the whole lot more just as badly as he did.
“Um…you said you were going to warn me about the next few days.” She swallowed hard. If he kissed her like he’d done earlier, she couldn’t be held responsible for anything else that might take place right in the middle of these thorny bushes.
“Later,” Ramsay assured as he held her tighter and fanned her inhibitions even further away with a slow tender kiss, an appetizer for things to come. His hands slid from her waist up to her bare shoulders then cupped her face as he paused the kiss, parting their mouths just enough to brush against her lips as he spoke.
“I’ve wanted ye since I met ye, woman.” He kissed her again, longer and harder, his rasping whisper, deep and throaty with need, echoing through her mind. He raised his head again, his expression solemn as he looked her in the eye. “I willna lie t’ye, Katie. I’m glad that Dwyn bound our souls in marriage.” He trailed his thumb along her jaw then ever so slowly allowed his fingers to brush down her throat and tease along her collarbone. “And now ’tis time we’re bound completely.”
Bound? As in…but…Her conscience was all squeaky and weak but the voice in her heart roared.He said, “Bound completely!” Hell, yes! It’s about time!Katie ran the tip of her tongue along her lips, savoring Ramsay’s lingering taste and hungering for more. The last shred of her conscience made one final valiant stab.Ask him if he happened to bring any condoms?
Ramsay lifted his head a bit more and frowned. “What is it, lass? What troubles ye? I see wariness in yer eyes.”
Her body screamedhell no, don’t stopbut her mind scolded,we have to.Katie shifted, looked away, and took a step back. She clasped her hands in front of her, squeezing her fingers tight to help wring out the words. “Two things.” She swallowed hard. “Did you happen to bring any…um…protection? And…uh…what happens when we get back? To North Carolina?”
Ramsay didn’t move closer but his whole being called out to her, bid her return to his embrace. He studied her for the span of a heartbeat then said, “When we get back to North Carolina, I will feel the same way about ye that I do now.” One corner of his tempting mouth curved upward in a wry knowing smile. “I can almost guarantee that I’ll need ye even more than I do at this verra moment—and I’ll want ye by my side then as I do now.”Damn. He knows exactly what I want to hear.But there was no guile in Ramsay’s eyes. The man meant every word he’d said. Katie eased back a step, wrestling with the powerful mix of emotions and the need to toss all logic and caution to the wind and justbein Ramsay’s arms.
He’d totally skirted the condom question.But I’m caught up on my pills. Should be okay. Shouldn’t be any surprises.
“What say ye, Katie?” Ramsay asked, steadily moving closer. “Will ye trust me?”
Trust him?Katie shifted back another step. A stone bench bumped against the back of her knees, rudely pointing out that she was being ridiculous—running away from what she really wanted if she’d just let go and take it. Katie reached out and slid both hands up Ramsay’s chest as he closed the distance between them.
“Yes,” she firmly stated as she jerked loose the leather ties and hefted Ramsay’s heavy armor to the ground beside them. She slid her fingers into the neckline of hisléine,the feel of hot hard muscle doing wonders for her affirmation. Pressing against him, she dove into his stormy gaze and embraced the emotions threatening to drown her. “I’m willing to trust you,” she whispered. “Yes, I trust you.”
“Aye, then, love. Time t’strengthen that trust.” Ramsay kissed her—hot and deep. Leaving no doubt that he was sealing a pact to bind her to him. He caught her up hard against him. Layers of kilt, dress, and chemise be damned. As Katie lost herself in his kiss, giving, taking, tasting, reeling, she ground into him and clutched at his kilt-covered ass, hungering for the hard lines trapped in the layers of clothing between them.
