Page 37 of The Lady of Her Highland Clan

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Fiona raced as fast as she could. Over hillsides and glens, the sodden countryside whirred by in a flash of green. Taking the reins of Lizzie May, she resolved to give Clyde the ride of his life.

His tumble in the mud behind him, Clyde had recovered and somehow gotten ahead. As Fiona looked, it seemed that both he and his stallion shared the same expression—noses pressed to the sky as if eating the wind.

They were certainly propelled by it. Onward and upward, the pair of them raced by gusts that spurred them onto the hillside. By now, Fiona's hair billowed madly about. Any last vestiges of propriety had been dispensed with. The caul, the hood, any remaining modesty was lost, and Fiona's hair raged around her like a crazed snake.

"I'll get there first!" Clyde grinned, his words disappearing into the fierce winds. But this only made Fiona more determined.

"Nae if I've got anything tae do wi' it!" Her smile flashed to him, forcing him to slow a second. For the shortest time, they were neck and neck, with Clyde coming close enough to touch.

And right then, she did want to. Touch, that was.

Clyde's warm flesh pressed ever nearer toward her. She could feel his breath, hot and fresh on her neck, inviting her in. Fiona's skin tingled as it had never done before, under the anticipation of his touch. She wanted this so much, but it would never do to show him.

But just when she got closer, Clyde suddenly pulled away. His buxom stallion picked up the wind and just dived into the horizon. He was so fast, it was like an arrow, gliding overhead into the distance.

Poor Lizzie May had to struggle to keep up. Her quicksilver mare was unable to match the speed of the tempestuous male. And as fast as she could, Lizzie May failed to keep up.

But it took some time for Fiona to admit that.

"Need me tae stop yet?" called Clyde from somewhere across the glen. He was so far gone he was almost just a speck, vanishing into the hillside. Despite her exhaustion, Fiona had no intention of stopping.

"Wheesht!" she said, urging a fatigued Lizzie May to go faster. But it was no good. The tired mare was flagging. The sight of Clyde disappearing over a hillock was enough to spur Fiona on further, giving Lizzie May a gentle tug. And for a few minutes, it worked. Lizzie May went racing, almost catching the tail of the speeding gray stallion. But just as he came into sight, she suddenly flopped.

Lizzie May wobbled, which turned into a stumble. Then she lurched violently to the side.

"Aargh!" Fiona squealed and eventually fell. Clinging to the reins of the horse, she tried her hardest not to catapult sideways from the collapsing Lizzie May but failed miserably.

"Fiona?"

Like a shot, Clyde was beside her, turning his chunky gray stallion around and rushing over to her.

Fiona was lying dazed on the hillock. When she opened her eyes, all she could see were stars. The battling gray Highlands skies had faded out in a haze of white.

"Fiona? Fiona!" Now he was down off his horse and touching her face. Blankly, Fiona looked around. Clyde's face filled her line of vision.

"Are ye alright? Och, dinnae try tae move." He ran his cool hands all over her, from the base of her neck to the bottom of her spine, then loosely he patted her arms.

"I dinnae ken anything is broken," he said carefully.

Fiona could only mumble. Lifting her head, she tried to look at him closely.

"Let me help ye, come on." Without waiting for an answer, Fiona felt herself being lifted gently onto Clyde's shoulders and then helped along to her feet.

"I can stand," said Fiona once she got her bearings. He had brought her to sit just below a small tree at the top of the hillock. Clyde was far from convinced but gave a little nod.

"Aye," he said, uncertainty blazing in his green eyes. "But for how long? Ye've got tae be careful. Wi' a bump on the head...it can come back later when ye least expect it, an—"

"I'm braw," said Fiona, getting to her feet. Instantly, a white fuzz passed through her. She felt her legs disappearing. "Och..."

She collapsed in his arms. Instantly sinking into Clyde's firm flesh, Fiona gasped for breath. Things went white, then went dark again. Sounds swirled around in Fiona's head, going from very loud to almost silent.

Eventually, the sound of the wind whistling through the glen brought her around. A fresh blast of cold rain and a shower of hail later, and Fiona was blinking hard in the pale light.

"Clyde?" she asked unsurely. For a moment, she didn't remember anything. In fact, when she came around, she could only recall one thing: Clyde. His arms, his touch, his scent—it all whizzed about inside of her.

Surprised, she reached him with her eyes. Then her fingertips. Gingerly, Fiona felt Clyde's outline; his neck, his shoulders, his hips...