Page 51 of The Highlander's Captured Bride
“Mornin’,” he said, covering his yawning mouth.
Looking over her shoulder, she nodded, “How was your rest?”
“Fitful,” he shucked the sheet off and stood, stretching the kinks out of his back, bare shoulders and rolling his neck. “I dinnae fall off until sometime before dawn.”
Rubbing his face, he asked. “What are ye cooking?”
Not earning a reply from her, he looked and spotted her eyes tracing over his bare chest and soft pink blooming on her cheeks. His eyebrow ticked up and she jerked her head away. “Er…I found a way to stew down the beef we carried. I ken it would be better than eating it dry.”
“And did ye manage that?” He asked, going to the pot and looking in.
His proximity was so close that he felt her body heat and her eyes were latched onto his chest, deep chocolate orbs skimming over the tense slabs of corded muscles. Pretending to not see it or let the after-effects of her warm gaze show, he smiled at the meat now simmering in dark sauce.
Violet swallowed, but kept her tone light, “Trade secret.”
Chuckling, he pulled away and went to get two more buckets, “Of course it is. I’ll go wash and be back soon.”
“Where?” she asked.
“The river,” he said, “If ye are interested, we can go there after we eat.”
“Be careful,” she begged while turning back to the food.
Kissing her cheek quickly, he nodded, “Will dae. Lock the door behind me and just for ye to ken it's me when I dae come back, I’ll knock thrice.”
* * *
After bathing and dressing, Ethan sat on a dry rock at the bank of the river and stared at the sunlight glinting over the water. His worries had not been washed away in the river as he had wanted and now the fears were swirling in his head much as the river was twirling around the rocks.
He felt as if something or someone had just come in and cut his legs out from under him, rendering him hamstrung. He still felt that his place was back in the castle but…his gaze drifted up to the direction where the cabin was. Inside it, was a brave woman who needed him to be strong.
If nay for me, I must dae it for her.
Standing, he grasped the filled buckets and took the path back up to the house. There he went to the porch, rested the buckets there and rapped on the door three times. When Violet tugged the door open, his eyes dipped to the droplet of sauce she was licking from her plump, red, bitten lips and his worry was gone.
Instead, another urge took its place, and it was one—that if fulfilled-—he might hate himself after, but it was too persistent to ignore. The time was not right, the situation was even worse, but the longing could not be denied much longer.
He reached out, nudging her head up with his knuckled and at his touch, her breath hitched. Her rich brown eyes were vulnerable… but still heavy-laden with hope.
“God above, Violet,” he said hoarsely. “I want ye.”
19
His admission nearly turned her knees into water. Edging closer, she felt his smoldering gaze run over her skin.
“I’m right here,” she whispered. “I’m nay going anywhere.”
Temptation warred with her common sense and when he lifted his hands to cup her face in his hands, they were trembling. Perhaps he was just as unsure as she was. Under his thumbs, he felt her petal-soft skin, and dipped to kiss her plush mouth. But before he laid his lips on hers, he rested his forehead on hers.
She did not know where this came from; if it was something he had been thinking about at the riverside or if it was just a culmination of all the emotions he had tried so valiantly to hide. It did not matter, what did was that despite the many times they had kissed, if he kissed her, she knew she’d be lost forever.
It was this feeling, the look in his eyes, the tremble in her body, the zing in the air…it felt binding. There was little more than a spare inch between them it felt like a mile and with no bravery to meet his lips and seal the bond in place, she stood still.
Her lips parted and unintentionally wet them with the tip of her tongue. Ethan looked haunted but then his expression cleared, her name was hoarsely whispered before his mouth was on hers, and she thought no more.
He ran his tongue over her lower lip, teasing her lightly before his teeth gently pulled at it with his teeth before slating his mouth over hers. Gladly lips parted, and he opened them further, he thrust his tongue in and then slowly withdrew, three spine-tingling times. Soon, his kisses changed to hot, sensual and utterly claiming.
Sliding her hand in his hair, her body sunk on his chest and his left hand held her hips close. A deep, guttural sound came from his throat and she replied with a soft whimper. His right thumb caressed her jawline and the fingers slid around the back of her neck made her shiver.
