Page 35 of Intrigued By A Highlander

Dru smiled and stretched her arm out to take the tankard from him. She took a sip and rested her head back, closing her eyes. She feared she would never know such pleasure again and the memories it brought back hurt her heart. She’d been loved, so loved, and she missed that.

“Lady Agatha had little to share about Cerise, Autumn’s mum,” Knox said, sitting on one of the two chairs at the small table to slip off his boots.

“I disagree,” Dru said. “She may have only known her briefly and before she became Lord Torrance’s father’s mistress, but it gives us some insight into the woman.”

“Aye, it does, and I can understand why Lord Torrance’s father was drawn to her and why she was his favorite mistress. From the sounds of it, Cerise was beautiful, kind, caring, with a smile that never faltered. I could see such a woman wanting to protect her daughter from being forced into an unwanted relationship just as she had been.”

“Aye. Most would feel the woman’s daughter was good for nothing else.”

Dru’s remark was edged with sorrow and he cast a quick glance at her and saw what he could swear were tears pooled in her eyes.

“Are you all right, Dru?” he asked with concern.

She turned her head and sniffled. “I’m good. Why wouldn’t I be?” She sniffled again and went right on talking. “So, if Cerise was that kind and caring, she probably sent her daughter far away so she could have a chance of living a decent life. This whole search could be nothing more than a waste of time.”

“Not to me. I will find her whether she is alive or dead. I want that land and the freedom that comes with it.”

“It will bring you no freedom. Lord Torrance may grant you some land, though it will never truly be yours, and it will come at a much higher cost. Lord Torrance is like his father. He gives with one hand and takes with the other.” She held out her tankard. “One more and then I will wash.”

Knox refilled her tankard, giving her words thought. She was right about Lord Torrance. He took more than he gave, and he wasn’t a tolerant man. He expected complete obedience. He had heard that Torrance had recently wed and that he treated his new bride badly.

He cast a glance at Dru, fighting to keep her eyes open as she washed, her tankard already empty and discarded to the floor. A husband’s duty was to protect his wife, not treat her badly. Though Dru could frustrate him at times, he never thought of raising his hand to her. Besides, she had good instincts, and she spoke openly to him, often not weighing her words. She was right about Lord Torrance. He didn’t trust him, but he had to take the chance at the offered land, or he would forever regret it.

An ache in his back had him stretching his chest out, then leaning back in the chair, closing his eyes for a moment. Dru would be done soon then he would hurry and bathe and seek the comfort of the bed.

He woke with a start and hurried a glance at the tub. He didn’t see Dru and a quick glance at the bed showed she wasn’t there. He rushed to the tub to find her sound asleep. She had slipped down, the water resting just below her lips. He silently chided himself for not keeping an eye on her and hurried to move the garments off the bed and pulled the blankets down.

With that done, he repositioned the chair in front of the hearth, then grabbed a cloth from the stack on a stool and threw it over his shoulder. He prepared himself for a tongue-lashing from her when he reached to lift her out of the tub, but her limp body told him she was in a sound sleep and wouldn’t fully wake anytime soon.

He lifted her into his arms with ease to cradle her against him and went to sit in the chair before the hearth. He settled her in his lap and used the cloth to dry her. He didn’t expect his body, and mind, to react as they did.

Coupling with a larger woman always brought him pleasure, but there was something about Dru’s slimness, the tender curve of her hip, her small breasts, the firmness of her body, and the thatch of red and blonde hair between her legs that tempted him beyond belief and aroused him far too much.

He quickly covered her for his own sanity and for hearing her boldly, in his head, order him to look away. He finished drying her the best he could and squeezed what water he could from her hair. Then he grabbed another cloth from the pile as he carried her to the bed. He placed her gently on it and quickly pulled the blanket over her. He wrapped the fresh cloth around her hair to soak up whatever water was left. He told himself to hurry and wash, but he felt rooted to the floor, not taking his eyes off her.

Never had he expected to feel such an attraction to a wee bit of a woman, and yet his swollen manhood told him otherwise.

He shook his head and began ridding himself of his plaid as he walked to the tub. A dunk, by now, of the cold water would do him good. The tub wasn’t large enough for him, but it served the purpose. By the time he got done washing and dried himself off, his desire was gone and his own exhaustion caught up with him.

Sleep called and he slipped into bed, keeping to his side, though not for long. His wife rolled toward him and curled herself around him.

“Cold,” Dru whispered in her sleep.

Knox instinctively wrapped his arm around her and tucked her close as he did the few nights they had spent together on the cold ground. She must have gotten used to him keeping her warm and memory had her seeking him out.

He had to admit that while the bed felt good when he first got in it, something was missing… until Dru settled against him. Like her, he had grown accustomed to her being in his arms.

Of course, his manhood responded far too quickly, and he realized the night ahead might prove difficult.

Dru felt herself drifting awake,but she wasn’t ready to wake fully, to let go of the warmth and strength that wrapped around her. She wanted to linger in it, never let it go. She felt safe, shielded from harm. But her eyes began to flutter, urging her to wake and as they fluttered open, she spied a face, his eyes opening slowly as well.

Knox.

A smile surfaced without any effort from her and the next thing she felt was his lips brushing over hers. A warm, faint brush that tingled her lips like a gentle kiss.

Kiss?

She pushed at his hard chest, shoving herself away from him and jumping out of bed.

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