Page 25 of Saved By the Highland Beast
The color of her eyes darkened with desire. Flattening her hands against the wood at her back, she braced herself but did nothing to push him away.
Placing one hand above her head on the door, he used the other to reach around and turn the key in the lock.
Her lips parted slightly as she stared at him, letting out a gasp of hot breath that mingled with his own.
The length of her eyelashes brushed against her cheeks as she shut her eyes and waited for him to make the next move.
He could see that she was uncertain of the situation, but he supposed that she also had room enough to move away from him if she chose to. Yet, she stood there against the door, with his body looming over hers.
He let go of the key and rested his hand on her hip, gently squeezing it as he felt the shape through the fabric, eliciting the faintest of moans from her mouth.
He nearly growled and had his way with her against the door when she made that sound. His mouth hovered inches away from hers, he could feel the tingling on his lips when he stopped and thought about what he was doing.
I cannae do this.
Clenching his jaw, he slowly leaned back and used his hand to push himself away from her.
Sophia opened her eyes and searched his face. She had an unfathomable look in her eyes. Her chest rose and fell in quick succession as she straightened up and stood aside, bending down to retrieve the swords in a hurry.
Dean began to panic as the blood rushed back to his head, clearing his thoughts.
I have to get out of here.
He quickly reached for the door, unlocked it, then let himself out before she could say anything at all. He quickly shut the door behind him and made his way down the passage, taking the steps two at a time in case anyone was following him. He stopped to take a breath when he was sure that the coast was clear and leaned against a wall.
What was I thinkin’? I cannae get involved with anyone else.
He chastised himself for letting things get out of control. If his heart had been broken when his wife had died, how would he react if something were to happen to someone he genuinely loved and had chosen for himself? The risks were far too great. Not that he hadn’t loved his wife, as he had cared for her very deeply. And not that he loved Sophia, as he barely even knew the lass.
Yet, there was something different about her. He raked his fingers through his hair and loosened a few strands from his braid as he tried his best to make sense of his thoughts. Sophia was soft and gentle with a beautiful grace. He wanted her with an animalistic kind of passion he couldn’t explain. He’d come so close to kissing her when her back was against the door. The gentle curve of her sensual neck had beckoned him.
There was also the side of him that wanted to protect her at all costs and ensure that no harm ever came to her. He thought of how vulnerable she had looked in the water on the night they had found her, and how jealous he had been when she’d given Hamish and Anthony the slightest bit of attention.
She’s leavin’ in a few months’ time. I cannae catch feelings for this lass or anyone else.
Smoothing his hair back over his head, he straightened his shirt and ensured that everything was in order. He would have to apologize for his behavior, but that was something that could wait until the morning. He needed a stiff drink now. Preferably one that would make him forget about all of his troubles.
CHAPTER10
Sophia pulledand straightened her undergarments as she dressed behind the partition in her room. Dean had given her a spacious, bright chamber overlooking the fields. Her room had a high ceiling, light grey walls, and a simple bed. She had everything she needed. He’d even gone as far as having a desk brought in with a chair, allowing her to work with ease whenever the need would arise.
Her mind drifted to him and the peculiar man that he was to her at present. He could be closed off and hard to read with his gruffness, yet there was a caring and passionate side to him that she liked. She’d spent the first half of the night dreaming of him and their almost kiss, and the second half running away from the unknown man who had sent her letters in London. No matter how much progress she had made at the castle, there was always the issue with the letters floating at the back of her mind.
She stifled a yawn with the back of her hand as she bent down and pulled up her stockings.
What had actually happened with the laird?
It had seemed as if he had wanted to kiss her, and at that moment, she had wanted him to. Yet, he had changed so abruptly and left the room without so much as a single word or even a glance in her direction. The laird’s strange behavior had done little to help her overcome her fear of men, but she had to admit to herself that she wasn’t afraid of him. She didn’t know if she could truly trust him, or any man for that matter, but she wasn’t scared of him.
Reaching for her skirt, she pulled it up over her legs and began to fasten the clips. “Come in,” she called when a knock sounded at the door. She stayed behind in the safety of the screen while her maid brought in the jug of water she had asked for. “You can leave the water there on the table. Thank you, Lilly,” she called out as she reached for the blouse that was hanging over a nearby chair.
“I didnae bring ye a jug of water.”
She froze with the blouse halfway on her body. What was Dean doing in her room?
“I would have brought ye some if I kent, but I came here to apologize,” he explained.
“You can’t be in here.” She panicked and got stuck as she attempted to pull the fabric over her head. The sleeve of the blouse was firmly wedged over her head in her hurried attempts to get dressed.
