Page 70 of Wedded to the Twisted Highlander
“Where are ye?” she muttered, just as a hot breath fanned the back of her neck.
Her body tingled the instant she realized she was no longer alone. With her heart thumping wildly, she turned to find Thomas towering over her, the same longing burning in his eyes.
“Right here,” he answered as he inched closer.
She didn’t recoil as his hand slipped around her waist. Air rushed through her parted lips as he pulled her closer to him.
“And the others?” Astrid asked breathlessly as her breasts pressed against his chest.
She looked at his lips, desperate for another chance to taste and touch him.
“They’re around here somewhere,” he answered as raised his hand and brushed her braid over her shoulder.
“I take it ye’re no longer the seeker then?” she asked, her voice dropping as she felt a pang of disappointment.
She had hoped that he would run a hand over her side, or maybe kiss her the way he had earlier.
“Do ye even ken how to play the game?” Eileen’s voice cut through the tension, causing her to step back.
Astrid glanced over at Eileen as she burst into the foyer, hunting for more players. “Ye’re supposed to hide. Nae unless there is something else ye wanted to do.”
“I believe I’m the next seeker, again,” Thomas said as he stared at Astrid with a mischievous gleam in his eyes.
“Now, wait a minute. Eileen still needs to find Melody and Olivia.”
“And Reid. I still havenae found him since the first round,” Eileen grumbled, pulling back the curtain to expose Melody.
“Were ye really hidin’ there the whole time?” Astrid asked as she realized why Thomas had hesitated to touch her.
“Didnae see me, did ye?” Melody giggled as she rocked back on her heels, beaming with pride.
“I believe it’s me turn to seek, again,” Thomas said as his playful smirk faded into a sultry look.
“Come wit’ us, Astrid,” Eileen said, grabbing Astrid by the arm. “We’ve got the spot for ye.”
“Wherever ye go, I will find ye,” Thomas called, the warning in his voice like kindling to a fire.
23
“Twenty-five. Twenty-six,” Thomas called over his shoulder.
Tilting his head, he waited for the echo before continuing his count to thirty. He cupped his hand over his mouth, trying to throw his voice deeper into the hallway than where he actually was. A smile played at the corner of his lips as he watched Astrid scurry down the corridor separating from the others as she hunted for a place to hide.
“Ready or nae, here I come!” he boomed, his voice ringing with confidence.
He counted, but his mind was hardly on the numbers, nor was it on the game. No, his thoughts were zeroed in on a tantalizing figure who happened to be turning into the atrium. His smile widened. The way she had been teasing him all morning ignited a longing within him that was now impossible to ignore.
Thomas started the hunt, craning his neck and straining his ears for the sound of her footsteps as he reached the atrium.
Was he cheating? Perhaps. But he didn’t care. He was driven by the need to be with her and to claim her.
He moved with the stealth and precision that only years on the battlefield could give him. The anticipation of having her drummed in his veins as he moved through the atrium. He tried not to get caught up in the splendor of the room as sunlight poured across the floor like molten gold.
Peering around the corner, his breath caught as he spotted her standing amidst the lush greenery and vibrant blooms his mother had been cultivating.
Thomas tiptoed through the lush flora, the bright colors and scents swirling around him, making his head foggy. He felt as if he was stepping into a dream. The closer he drew to her, the faster the thrill of the hunt surged within him.
Every fiber of his being tingled as he found her hiding behind a tree, her back pressed against the rough bark as she peered around it.
