At last she left the water and sat down in the grass to put her shoes back on. She looked up to see him watching her.“I suppose you’re going to say we have to go back now before it gets too late.”
“Aye.”
With a little sigh, she stood up, and as she walked past him to retrieve her horse, she brushed her fingers along the side of his thigh. “Alright, but you are no fun.” He nearly jumped out of the saddle at her touch, he was so tightly wound. And now, if possible, he burned even hotter.Damn her.He watched her swing up onto her mount, catching sight of her lean legs as her skirts briefly flew up. In the turmoil of his mind, he again wondered if he should send her away, before she got under his skin any further than she already was. Maybe he could send her to another clan, to be held until they could figure things out; then she would be some other man’s problem for awhile. Not surprisingly, that idea did not sit well with him. No, he couldn’t bear to send her away… and he certainly couldn’t entrust her to someone else, someone without as much honor as he had, who might take advantage of her beauty.
They made it back to the castle in no time, travelling at a fast gallop for the last stretch. Reining in her mount in front of the stable, Ella swung down from the mare and gave her a pat on the nose before the stable boy led the horse away. Turning, she saw Ceann hand off his reins to his groom. Seized by a moment of gleeful abandon after the exhilarating ride, she went to him and laughing, flung her arms around his neck in an embrace. Startled, his arms came up to encircle her.
“Thank you, that was just what I needed”, she said.“I’m not used to being kept within walls so much. It makes me want to escape from them now and then. Escape all the time, actually.”
Ceann looked down at the woman who was so unexpectedly in his arms. She beamed up at him, her deep blue eyes sparkling with innocent joy and exhilaration. He breathed her in, hungry for just a taste of such abandon. Then he tensed, as against his will his traitorous body hardened and his heart sped up. As it always did when she touched him.No, it wasn’t only her touch, but by the mere sight of her.
He saw the moment she recognized the hunger burning in his eyes, for the smile left her face and she drew in a breath, her lips slightly parted. Heat flared between them, and Ceann was suddenly not sure he could stop himself from leaning closer and tasting her lips. He tried to stop himself, he really did, but his mouth moved closer, closer, until he could almost taste her sweet breath on his tongue.
“God, what do you do to me?” he said in a harsh whisper, then lowered his lips to hers with a groan, completely and utterly helpless to stop himself. He took her mouth hungrily, and his arms tightened around her as if he sought to pull her into his very soul and fill the empty space within. Pure bliss flooded through him, along with desire so powerful he thought he would surly die of it. No, hewantedto die of it. Because now that he had tasted her, he wasn’t sure he could ever live without this again.
He barely heard the sound of approaching voices, but Ella pulled back from him and looked up. He only slowly came back to himself, his heart pounding, body burning. Then he saw the group of men coming towards them, Ethan running behind as if trying to keep them from interrupting the laird who was kissing a lass in plain sight in the bailey as if he would devour her on the spot. He groaned inwardly at his blatant loss of control. It wasn’t like him not to have complete restraint in all matters. He was a highly disciplined, hardened warrior, one of the best. How could he have let this happen? He stepped away from Ella, and without even looking at her, turned to meet the men.
“Laird! I’ve a message.”
It was one of his squires, Finn. A good young man and loyal, but apparently completely without good timing or tact. Then again, the lad might have just saved him from taking the lass on the ground in front of the stables for all to see. God, what had come over him? The other two men with him looked slightly sheepish, and Ethan, damn him, looked quite smug.
He sighed. Then he felt a sudden knot in his stomach.He could have word from Ella’s kin. “What is it Finn?”
“We’re invited to a gathering in Briding! There are to be games, can we go Milaird?”
Ceann almost smiled at his own relief, and the youth’s obvious excitement.Finn had been practicing especially hard lately with his bow and arrows.“When?”
“Four days hence.”
Ceann frowned, considering. It would be good to get away for a few days, and good to work off some of the tension and frustration he had been feeling ever since finding Ella in the wood. He could leave the lass here, under guard, of course, and perhaps some distance from her would give him perspective and cure him of this growing obsession.
“Aye, we’ll go. Run off and tell the men. Some of them will want to bring their families along and will need time to prepare.” He watched as Finn ran off at a sprint.
“He’s at an age where he hopes to impress the lasses with his skill in the games”, Ethan said. “I remember those days, when to win a kiss from a fair maiden was the greatest prize in the kingdom.”
At the mention of lasses, Ceann turned to see if Ella was still there. She was standing at the fence some distance away, stroking Fallon’s nose, and the great beast was nuzzling her face like a pup as she laughed. That high-strung stallion wouldn’t let most people anywhere near him. Frowning, he turned back to the others.
Colin was watching Ella with the horse, and Ceann didn’t like what he saw in the other man’s eyes. Lust. He knew it well. He felt his chest tighten, as did the fists at his sides.
Ethan was well aware of Colin’s interest in the lass, as well as Ceann’s reaction to it. More aware than Ceann, the stubborn fool. Sometimes he had the strongest urge to beat some sense into his friend’s thick skull, but Iona had said they must tread carefully and let them come together on their own as much as possible. He didn’t think it would hurt to give a little nudge now and then, though, if only to help preserve his own sanity.
He winked at Colin, nodding ever-so-slightly at Ceann, to let him know his intent. Then he nudged Colin in the ribs, and leaned over. “She’s something to look at, aye? And look how that devil of a horse takes to her! He’s been enchanted.”
Colin smirked, playing along, despite the obvious risk to his well-being.True, he considered himself a man to enjoy the company of the lasses, but this one was not for him, even though he found her beauty exceptional.She was obviously meant for Ceann.Any fool could see what was between them. Like Ethan, Colin suspected the laird’s recent bad temper would improve as soon as he gave in to his needs. “Aye, I can’t say I wouldn’t enjoy the likes of her in my bed. I’ll bet she’s a real wild one.”
“Do you think she’d have the likes of you in her bed?” Ethan asked.
Colin laughed smugly.“Of course she would, the lass isn’t daft. Besides, if she really has no kin to look after her, she’ll need a man. I suppose I could take her to wife, even. Though that might take away from my time with the other wenches, eh Ethan?”
Ethan could have sworn he heard the growl of a wild animal, and turned to look at Ceann, who had turned a curious shade of reddish-purple.“Ceann?Are you alright? We were just saying how lovely the lass is…”
“She’s not available”, he ground out.
Colin pretended to look surprised.“Have you claimed her then, Ceann? I hadn’t heard, or of course I wouldn’t have said…”
“He hasn’t claimed her”, Ethan said helpfully. “She is only hisguest.Will you be going to the games with us Colin?”
“No, not this time. I’m on the Castle Guard this whole month. Never was one for sport anyway, well, at least notthatkind of sport.” He shared a grin with Ethan, elbowing him in the ribs.
