Page 94 of Highland Renegade
He ran faster, charging through gorse scrubs that tore at his breeches and over rocky terrain until, as he rounded a set of boulders, he saw her, standing thigh deep in muck.
“Doona move! Doona thrash!”
She turned her head. “Ian! You came!”
“Aye. I’ll get ye out. Just doona move.”
“I…I won’t…”
Ian pondered for a moment. Luckily, Emily was close to solid land, but seeing how far she’d already been pulled down, he couldn’t wade out and get her or they’d both be stuck.
He calculated the distance and then began stripping. Pulling off his boots, he unlaced his breeches, then pulled his shirt over his head. Tying one of the sleeves to one leg of the pants, he formed a makeshift rope that was near eight feet in length, but would it reach?
Holding on to the free sleeve he swung the heavier end over the surface. Emily tried reaching for it, but it fell short and she whimpered as the oozy mess sucked at her.
“Doona move! I’ll come to ye.”
“You will get mired, too.”
“Nae if I am careful.” Ian edged his way down from the rocks and stepped onto the soaking ground. It moved but didn’t give way. He ventured another step, feeling how soft it might be before putting his weight down. Another step and he felt the pull at his foot. He stopped and considered the distance between him and Emily. His clothing rope might just reach her.
“Try nae to move yer legs, bend forward from yer waist,” he instructed as he did the same. “And grab hold.” He swung the rope out again. It landed with a muddy splash just in front of her and, as Emily tried reaching for it, she fell forward.
“Damnation!” Ian pulled his foot free, about to take another step, when he felt the cloth tighten. Emily had managed to grab onto it. “Hold on with both hands,mo cridhe.”
“I am.”
Her voice sounded weak and even in the moonlight, he could see her face was white. Carefully, he took one step back, then another, keeping the clothing line tight. When his foot struck solid ground, he dug in his heels and reeled Emily out of the mud with a steady pull. The goop made a loud, sucking pop as it released her from its grip. She stumbled and the sudden give on the rope tumbled him backward, pulling her down on top of him.
For a moment, they both lay there, panting and covered in mud.
“You saved my life,” Emily finally said, one small hand splayed against his bare chest. “I hoped you would come.”
He tightened his arms around her. “I dinna write the note,mo cridhe.”
She stilled, then raised her head. “Then who did?”
“I doona ken, but I will find out when we get back to the castle.” He sat up, raising her with him. For the first time, she seemed to realize he was naked, save for his small clothes. He thought he detected a blush. He untied his shirt. “I suppose I should get dressed.”
Her hand lingered a bit before she sighed and dropped it. “I wish you had written that note.”
He stopped halfway into his breeches, one leg lifted, and nearly fell over. He yanked them up. “Ye do?”
Emily nodded, watching as he fastened them. The awareness sent his cock to full attention. Her eyes grew big at the sudden bulge and he asked a tentative question, hardly daring to hope. “Why?”
“I… I wanted to make love with you.”
The words were nearly whispered and she suddenly bent down to pick up his shirt, but he suspected it was more a gesture to hide her face. He placed his fingers under her chin when she rose and tipped her head up. “I would like that more than anything.”
Emily smiled. “When we get back to the castle, I want to take you to my bed. After I get cleaned up, of course.”
He laughed outright at that. Emily would always be practical. “I doona ken why we have to wait to get back.”
Her eyes widened. “You want to make love…here?”
He shook his head. “I’ll nae take ye lying on rocks out in the cold, lass. I was thinking that Old Gwendolyn’s cottage will be empty.”
“She would not mind if we used it?”
