Page 34 of Highlander’s Burning Touch

“I never wanted to pretend,” said Deva, bringing her face up close to him. Niven’s heart started beating. She came closer still, plunging them further into the danger zone.

“I ken,” accepted Niven, reluctantly. Inside he felt goosebumps, but at the same time, a leaden feeling came over him. A heavy weight, like stone, pressed down on him. Looking at her, Niven’s face shifted in pain.

There was nothing. No way out. No way they could ever be together. And yet…

“An’ I still dinnae want to,” blurted out Deva, as she stood there, the outline of her figure cut like a statue against the wind.

Now the light was fading, and all he could see was a black silhouette, tracing the outline of her shape. Emboldened under cover of advancing dark, Niven felt his hand settle on the tip of her shoulder. Immediately his senses were filled with her exquisite touch.

His hand only just connected with her skin, yet an immediate transformation went off inside him. This was madness. He just had to have her. But everything was so wrong. And now, she was almost offering herself up on a plate.

“I dinnae want to pretend, now or ever, Niven,” said Deva, her intense eyes staring ahead. Niven watched them darting everywhere over the horizon and wished passionately to kiss her.

But he didn’t. He moved away.

“Deva, I cannae,” he began, his heart wavering as he said it. Inside, his chest constricted violently, his heart beating dramatically at breakneck speed.

He almost could not spit out the words. “We cannae… it’s nae right….”

She cast her face to his, hurt sparking in her blue eyes.

“It’s nae right that I am promised to a man that I havenae met!” she flashed. And Niven knew that she was right. But all he could think about was how much he wanted to touch and hold her right then.

Struggling, Niven beat himself down and forced himself not to weaken.

“Aye,” he said, unable to put up any resistance. “But ye’ve got to remember the reasons,” he said. His eyes resonated, meeting with hers, and held her tight in the grip of his beam.

“Reasons?” she said, for the first time looking slightly bewildered.

“Aye,” said Niven. They were both like stone against the oncoming night. Suddenly, a shiver in the air was all it took for his hand to finally rest on her shoulder.

He had spent forever thinking about it. Now his touch spread all over her frame, savoring the sleek texture of her skin. Even though her arasaid flowed all around her shoulders, he had somehow penetrated the layers and brushed against her.

An instant thrill ran up his spine, just at the very thought of going further. He wanted her so badly. Inside was turmoil, his guts twisting, trying to think some way through this. There was none.

“The fact is, this marriage is an advantageous one,” he stated. His voice sounded cool and concerned, but it told her nothing of his feelings.

“Advantageous, for whom?” asked Deva, her face twisting petulantly. “Nae ye or me,” she shrugged.

“For us all,” said Niven, and as hard as it was to acknowledge it, he stood firm, “Ye, me, the clan, yer clan, everyone in the Highlands…”

She looked at him uncomprehendingly. Niven was surprised.

“Yer marriage is to stop the fighting that keeps breaking out between the clans,” he said, simply stopping mid-sentence. It hadn’t occurred to him that she simply would not know this.

“An’ this will solve it, me being betrothed to some old bumble beard?” she flashed.

He looked at her keenly. “I think it will,” he said softly, “Ye’re key to the peace in the Highlands, lass…”

But Niven’s calm voice belied the fracas going on in his heart. Inside, everything was booming in triplicate. He brought his hands over to her once more, holding her by the wrists.

She looked at him with hurt in her eyes. Instantly, his heart twinged. He didn’t want to be saying this, telling her that he couldn’t be hers, but the voice in his head told him there was no other way.

He looked at her again. She was so achingly beautiful; he was not sure how much he could bear. Niven hesitated. She was so near, just within reach, leaning out into his kiss.

“Niven,” she started, a subdued look in her blue eyes. Niven felt his heart wrench. Looking deeper, he realized he was already caught, stuck fast in her radiant gaze.

Who was he trying to kid? His chest pumping with heat, blood whooshed through his veins, hot and hard.