Page 87 of Highland Sword
He immediately rose from the writing desk. The way his gaze swept over her in greeting made Morrigan smile.
She waved the flyers at him. “I think we now know where Sir Rupert is hiding Madame Laborde.”
She walked to the desk and spread the caricatures out for him to see. In both of them, the artist had included the Old Bridge that crossed the River Ness at the end of High Street. Directly above and behind the center of the bridge, she’d depicted Castle Hill. Just to the left of the bridge, the spire of the Tolbooth rose above the city. Morrigan was certain it was the view from her window.
“She knew we’d be looking closely at these, so she’s telling us where she is. Her room is in a building across the river, north of the bridge.”
“No doubt, you are correct.” He ran a fingertip slowly down the side of her neck. “But you’re not thinking of going there to rescue her.”
Her stomach twisted deliciously. This was the way it had been between them since Hogmanay. When any chance presented itself, one of them pulled the other into a private space to steal a kiss, to caress, to tempt.
“I made a promise,” she murmured. “And I shall go after her, but I’ll not go there alone.”
He leaned down and let his lips hover a whisper from her mouth. “Good. Because I insist on coming with you.”
She glanced toward the door. She’d shut it, unintentionally, when she entered.
“I’m sorry, sir, but you’ll have to convince me to take you along.”
He took hold of her wrist and drew her closer. Morrigan’s gaze slowly moved from his touch to his chest and lingered on his lips before looking into his eyes. He set her body on fire. She wanted him. He teased her but never took full advantage of what she offered. He’d told her straight out. His offer of marriage was part of the deal. There would be no making love until she married him.
“With the weather being what it is, we’ll need to take Searc’s carriage to Inverness. It’ll be a very long ride with the two of us alone in a very confined space.”
“It will be cold too.”
“We’ll need a blanket and each other for warmth.”
Something melted deep in her belly, and the heat sank lower. Her breasts ached for his touch. Aidan wrapped an arm around her and brought her body hard against his.
“What do you say to that, Miss Drummond?”
He already knew her answer. Aidan kissed her, and Morrigan threaded her fingers into his hair. Their kiss became deeper, more carnal. His hands slid downward past the small of her back and over her bottom, pressing her tightly against his groin.
“I want you, Aidan.”
With one sweep of his hand, he cleared the desk. Books and papers crashed and fluttered to the floor. He lifted her onto the edge.
“Let’s go to my bedchamber,” she suggested as his teeth raked against her throat.
“Marry me first.”
“I am thinking about it. Someday, perhaps. But right now, I need you.”
He pushed her knees apart and stepped between her thighs. His arousal pressed against her and she thrilled at the intimacy of it. He took hold of her ankle and raised it until it looped around his waist. He slid his hand upward along her calf and thigh… and higher. She bit onto his shoulder as anticipation rose as to what he would do next.
A faint knock at the door threw them both into a panic. She scrambled off the edge of the desk. Aidan picked up a book and strode toward the window, pretending to be reading. Morrigan straightened her skirts. There was no point to telling the intruder to enter; the door opened, and Catriona poked in her head.
“We’re playing hide-and-seek. Can I use your curtains?”
Shouts ran out behind her. There was not enough time to hide. She was already discovered. She ran out, leaving the door to the library wide open.
Morrigan bit her lip and made quick work of gathering up everything that had been scattered across the floor.
Aidan joined her, helping. “Well, that was close.”
Both of them tried unsuccessfully to hold back their smiles.
She found the etchings. They’d gone under the table during the avalanche. As she picked them up, she remembered the second thing Madame Laborde had hinted at in the drawing.
