Page 42 of The Lady of Her Highland Clan

"Listen to that," murmured Fiona, as water rushed all around them. The sounds of a swamp being formed were impossible to ignore.

"We'll nae get tae sleep wi' that racket going on, an' Clyde..."

Fiona turned to Clyde.

He was fast asleep.

Fiona gave a small snort of disbelief. Then, she could not stop herself from watching the rise and fall of his chest as he lay there, snoring.

Crazy thoughts abounded through Fiona's head. The sight of him dreaming captivated her. Suddenly, he looked much younger, his smooth complexion rejuvenated by dreams. And his skin, clear and smooth, just cried out for her touch. Staring at Clyde's soft lips was more than she could take. It was almost as if he was taunting her.

In despair, Fiona laid back, trying hopelessly to take her mind off Clyde's warm flesh. Despite her tiredness, she would never sleep—ever, she was quite convinced.

Closing her eyes, Fiona sunk into her quilt, which she used as a pillow. Holding it tight, she wondered what it felt like to stroke his flesh. Stung, a heat surged all the way through her.

Hot, bold thoughts hit her hard. And carried on hitting her until well after she was asleep.

Fiona's sleep was fitful, and her dreams were filled with heat. Tossing and turning, the throbbing inside of her was not dampened by the never-ending rain.

The tent was sticky, and it leaked. All this combined to produce a cloying sweat that stuck to every inch of her and, she imagined, to him.

Clyde's sweat.

Just the thought of that was enough to set her off. Through her broken dreams, Fiona's heart beat fast and intense and harder than a drum.

At times, she thought it would break through the rain, omnipresent and rattling on the tent.

Beside her, Clyde tossed and turned. Every movement triggered her reaction. She could feel him as he moved and swayed.

This was torture. Every movement seemed designed to keep her awake. At one point, Fiona thought she would never sleep.

So that made it all the more surprising when the next thing she remembered was blinking up into the bright morning light.

Somehow, it was dawn, and she had slept the whole night through.

Squinting, Fiona's eyes blanched into the sun. The rain had stopped to reveal a beautiful morning light. Glancing up at it, Fiona leaped to her feet, her first thought to grab Clyde from his slumber.

"Hey, Clyde, ye’re missing the—" Fiona stopped dead.

Clyde was gone.