A rock-solid wall of muscle suddenly pressed against her back and two strong arms encircled either side of her. Alec’s warm breath tickled the side of her neck as he whispered close to her ear, “Ye’ve no need of a stool with me around, lass. Put yer wee foot in the stirrup and I’ll see to it yer seated proper.”
She just bet he would.Sadie swallowed hard, willing herself to breathe normally instead of gasping for air between the revved-up drumroll of her heart. She reached up as high as she could, latching hold of the saddle as she shoved her foot into the stirrup. Alec’s hands slid down to her waist and he stayed in snug behind her.Heaven help me,she silently prayed, then tossed a nervous laugh back over one shoulder. “Don’t hurt yourself. You’re not hefting a tiny econobox. I’m a full-sized luxury model.”
Sucking in a deep breath, she lunged upward, panic spiking as her hold failed and her fingers slipped off the smooth leather lip of the saddle. “Shit!”
“I’ve got ye, lass.” Alec caught her back against his chest and snuggled his cheek tight against hers. He launched a shiver of anticipation through her with a deep, throaty whisper. “And I appreciate luxury, ye ken? Crave it, in fact.”
One hand on her waist and the other branding a deliciously hot handprint just under the right cheek of her ass, Alec easily lifted her up into the saddle. He slowly smoothed a steadying hand down her thigh, running the risk of setting her jeans on fire with the inferno he was sparking with his touch.
“There now. Comfortably settled. Aye?”
Sort of.Sadie cleared her throat and wiggled in the saddle. She would be a damn sight more comfortable if everything she had from the waist down wasn’t on fire.She smiled down at him while settling the reins in her hands. “Just perfect. Thank you.”
Alec effortlessly seated himself atop Max. He motioned toward the open doors at the far end of the stable, then looked back at Sadie. “Are ye ready to ride then?”
Sadie blinked at him, then silently nodded, not trusting herself to speak.
He had no idea how ready she was to ride.
CHAPTER 8
Thank the gods he’d decided to wear a kilt. His stiff cock would not have fared the ride well in a pair of those damnable jeans. Alec shifted in the saddle, stealing a surreptitious glance sideways at Sadie. Lore, he’d wanted her right there in the stable, Tom and the tourists could just be damned. He pulled in a deep breath, reliving the delicious scent of her when he’d held her back against his chest. He would have her before this day ended.
“All of this is MacDara land?” Sadie motioned toward the right of the riding trail, down toward the hilly expanse of woods interrupted by narrow strands of meadows. The fields of tall grasses shifted like a sea of rippling gold, dancing beneath the touch of the gentle autumn breeze. In the distance, through a thinning line of trees, the deep blue-black waters of the Cape Fear River sparkled beneath the sun. “Your family owns all of this? All the way to the river?”
“Aye.” Alec pointed straight ahead to the gently increasing rise in the path. “When we get to the lookout cliff just beyond Castle Danu, ye’ll be able to see the bulk of our land.” He did his best to keep from smiling at the wonderment he saw in her expression. The MacDara lands were vast and impressive—nearly as fine as those they’d had in their beloved Highlands and been forced to leave behind.
Sadie kept turning to and fro in the saddle, eyes sparkling with excitement as she struggled to take in the beauty of the wilderness all at once. She reminded him of the children visiting the park, darting around the playground areas, unable to decide which delight to ride first. Suddenly, the look of eager anticipation left her. Her smile faded, replaced with a worried scowl, and her gaze dropped to her hands clutching the reins.
Alec pulled Max across the path and blocked it, preventing Sadie’s horse from going any farther. He’d not have her upset nor the day ruined. “What is it, lass? What troubles ye?”
She stole a look at him and jerked with a hurried shrug that fueled his concern even more. “The filming . . .” Her voice trailed off and she visibly winced, turning away to stare down the hillside.
A disturbing mixture of suspicion and impending doom lent a chill to the air and seemed to dim the brightness of the fall day. Alec worried with the worn leather reins until the strips grew hot between his fingers. “The filming?” he gently prompted. What the hell was she so afraid to tell him?
Sadie turned back to him, shifting in the saddle, her hands nervously plucking at the worn ridge of braided leather in front of her. “I have . . . concerns.” She looked away again, seeming as though it pained her to face him. “Delia is not always trustworthy—contract or not. And I don’t know how successful I’ll be at keeping her to her word.” She jerked with another apologetic shrug, then finally straightened in the saddle and looked him in the eye. “In case you haven’t noticed, she doesn’t overly value my opinions.” She seemed to deflate with a heavy sigh. “Delia doesn’t always listen to me.”
Aye. He’d noticed her sister’s disdain, but he wouldna pain Sadie by admitting to such. Alec guided his horse away fromblocking the path and split the air with a sharp whistle to get Sadie’s mount to follow. “Dinna fash about it, lass. Between the two of us, we will keep yer sister to the terms of the agreement. ’Tis why we shall spend our days together overseeing the making of this movie.”
He’d not have the disagreeable business of dealing with the production company ruin the promise of this day. They’d recovered nicely from the brief moment of tension back at the stables when he’d handled her innocent question so badly. He’d be damned if he allowed anything else to jeopardize their outing.
Alec pointed down the ever-steepening incline of the land to a weathered spire of metal and stone pushing up through a dense cluster of pines. “Below is the rooftop of Castle Danu.” He turned back and fixed Sadie with a reassuring smile. “Our destination lies just up ahead. We’ll enjoy the fine meal Mistress Lydia’s prepared for us and have no more talk of the troubles we might face in the coming weeks.Máthairalways said,Never let tomorrow’s worries steal today’s joy.”
Sadie responded with a genuine smile and visibly relaxed, lifting the reins and leaning forward to urge her mount up beside his. “Your mother is a very wise woman.” The dimple in her right cheek deepened, and then she laughed. Areallaugh, starting with a joyful snort, then followed by a giddy bubbling sound of happiness that most women in this century would do their damnedest to either hold back or alter. Sadie shook the reins in his direction. “And I love the way she picks on you. Shows how much she cares about you.”
“Aye—she cares about me all right. At times, too damn much.” Alec dismounted and waved Sadie forward. “Come. I’ll help ye down, and then we’ll lead the horses over to the spring before we walk the rest of the way.”
Yanking at the awkward drape of his kilt, Alec attempted to shift his man parts into a less noticeable position while stillsomewhat hidden by his horse. Damnation.He could hang the MacDara colors from his hardened pole of a cock. He’d not had this much trouble managing an erection since he’d been a lad. And the thought of Sadie sliding down into his arms was not helping the situation a damn bit.
Alec sidled up to Sadie’s horse. He lightly slid his hand up her thigh and rested it on the curve of her waist. Taking a deep breath and subtly releasing it, he motioned her forward. “Come to me.” Lore a’mighty, the woman had no idea what he truly meant by those words.
Sadie’s lips barely parted and the tip of her tongue raced back and forth across her full bottom lip, making it appear even more bite-able. Did Alec imagine she hitched in an excited breath? Could that be desire he saw flashing in her eyes?
She slid her hand into his and squeezed. Leaning over a bit, she peeped down at the ground, then glanced back at him and squeezed his hand even tighter. “You’re going catch me when I jump—right? That’s a long way down.”
“Aye, lass.” Alec chuckled and yanked her forward into his arms, stopping her descent as soon as he held her snugly against his chest. “See? I’ve caught ye tight and I’ll never let ye fall. I swear it.” Damn, the feel of her rivaled heaven.
Her hands rested lightly atop his shoulders, her touch hot as smoldering coals through the linen of his shirt. She caught her breath, then slowly shifted her attention from his mouth to his eyes. He saw so much in the rich, dark depths of her gaze, so much emotion, so much need. Aye, her need matched his.
