Page 39 of Captured By the Highland Devil
CHAPTER FOURTEEN
As she swam to consciousness, Paige felt more than she saw, or smelled. She was lying on something hard—harder than the mattress Ruben had for a bed. A bed she was sure was stuffed with rocks instead of straw.
But that hard surface—it began to shift. Something smelled like clean river water, lingering hints of smoke and something…male. Come to think of it, whatever she was lying on felt like him too, all warm muscle and slowly beating heart...
She peeled her eyes open and shifted her head away from the pale morning light, streaming in under the shuttered windows. The fire had burned low in the grate, but her vision was obscured by a hairy chest.
When she realized she was sprawled atop his muscular body, she went immobile. Sometime during the night, he must have moved and shifted to the other side, wrapped his free arm around her middle.
How she had found herself wrapped around him like a blanket, she did not know—but she wanted to move away instantly. The only thing stopping her was the iron-band of his arm around her middle.
It almost feels… possessive. So…proprietary. As if I mean somethin’ to him, somethin’ good, precious even. Nay the precious jewel me father calls me, but somethin’ different. Somethin’... alive.
From her limited vantage point his hair was tousled with sleep like a boy’s. The lines on his face were smoothed out and without the constant knot in his brows he’d never looked more handsome.
Paige dropped her head.
She could no longer hide from the truth. She was drawn to Ruben—a man who had done unspeakable wickedness. However, even in that evil, he still had the heart to sacrifice himself for one of his men.
What kind of man was he truly?
“The way ye’re starin’ at me lass, makes me think there is somethin’ else than questions on yer mind,” Ruben grumbled sleepily.
Her heart leaped into her throat. “I—I’m nae?—”
“Stop lyin’ to me, Paige,” his eyes opened and a lazy look, one she had never seen, or one she knew he did not show anyone, lingered in his gaze. “Matter of fact, stop lyin’ overall. Ye’re nae good at it.”
Indignant, she asked, “How do ye ken I am lyin’?”
Instead of replying to her, he swiftly flipped their positions and the moment her back hit the pillows, he loomed over her.
“Many ways, lass.” His dark blue eyes grew darker by the moment. “Yer voice hitches when ye lie. It raises in pitch too but most tellin’ of all, yer heart begins poundin’ like a drum. I felt that while ye were layin’ atop me.”
Her cheeks burned. “Nevertheless. That is nay me intent.”
He eyed her, “Nay logically, anyhow. Ye need to ken that most of the time, yer emotions and yer logic daenae see eye to eye.”
Paige frowned, “What do you mean?”
Ruben kissed her. He had no desire for a polite kiss nor was he seeking permission or approval. He dove right in, stroking his tongue inside her mouth at the first touch of their lips, and deepened it when she responded. His arms tightened around her, clamping, pulling her close to mold her body against his.
Paige met his kiss tentatively then eagerly and she felt that Ruben was pleased to see his desire was not one-sided. His lipswere firm and hot upon her, and he nibbled on her bottom lip before sliding his tongue into her mouth again.
As early as it was, she tasted the lingering herbal draught on his breath, the almost tart taste of a berry. Paige groaned against his mouth as her hands shifted slowly upward, from his side to his back. The kiss became feverish.
His length stirred against her midsection. Paige clung to his tunic, tilting her face up to him.
Ruben took her face in his hands; he was breathless yet from their kiss. “I need to make ye mine in truth.”
She bit her lip. “Now?”
His gaze was steady, “Nae now. As much as ye respond to me, I believe I have about a dozen question to answer before I gain yer trust.” he pushed away from her and swung his legs over the bed’s edge.
“Wash up and meet back here,” he said. “There is a small room me faither and I use to speak in private at times. We’ll need to get yer maither there as well so we can talk.”
Paige sat and ruffled her tousled hair. “Why do I feel scared about what ye are about to tell me?”
He twisted and dropped a hand on her arm. “Ye shouldnae, but it’s about time ye learned the truth.”
