Page 51 of Highlander’s Burning Touch

“I’m nae scared,” she murmured, barely looking up, but inside, her heart was thumping. There was a pause as she felt Niven’s breath come fast and hard as it ruffled the back of her neck. Everything inside her ached, filling her with exquisite bliss.

Deva could not wait a moment longer. Her whole body hungered for his touch. Deva did not think that she could wait a minute longer. The scent of his body was on her skin, enticing her with every second that passed.

Deva longed for nothing but to kiss him, but warily, she looked around. Although it didn’t seem like anyone was coming, she wanted to make sure before they got in too deep.

“So, where’s yer uncle?” she asked, directly. Deva looked at him, unsurely. She wondered what effect this would have on him. Mentioning Rory’s name out loud felt like breaking a spell. Almost immediately, she could feel him stopping, dead in his tracks. And although his fingers hovered over her, as if wishing to stroke her, they did not.

“My uncle?” said Niven, looking confused.

“Aye,” said Deva curiously. If she didn’t know better, she would have said that he flinched at the mention of his name. Fascinated, she stroked the back of his head, caressing his rich, silky locks.

A little rush buzzed through her, burning in deep to her core. “Aye, yer uncle,” she replied, teasing him lightly. “Ye ken, the one ye told me would be here to meet an’ greet?”

Deva cast an acerbic eye all over the room. Now that she could see, it was much bigger than she had thought.

The lodge, although small, was home to some impressive belongings. As she scanned the walls, Deva counted a complete set of silver candlesticks, some brass pots, and even some expensively framed paintings. But although the place was comfortably placed for a hunting party, there didn’t seem to be any signs of life.

Wonderingly, Deva glanced at Niven. “So, where are they, then?” she asked him, point-blank.

The question seemed to wrongfoot Niven, who looked as if he had been blown over. “What?” he asked, completely distracted.

Now they were face to face again, his honey-brown eyes burning into hers. Deva approached, her heart trembling as she did so. Then, she looked over to the window.

“The laird, an’ the rest o’ em, where are they then? I thought they were going to be here to meet us?” she said. Her eyes met his, full of question.

“Och,” said Niven, dismissively. “He’s nae going to make it tonight,” he looked at her as if she knew that, really, and smiled a twisted grin.

A little tingle reverberated around her waist, racing down to the seat of her buttocks. Just the thought of Niven’s grin did things to her.

Deva was spellbound, but still, she tried her hardest to rise above it. “Nae tonight?” she said, trying to sound upset. “But why did ye get me out here, then?”

Almost as soon as the words were out of her mouth, she felt ashamed. She knew perfectly well why he had brought her here. And she had not objected one second of the way.

Niven’s eyes opened wildly a moment, laying plain his carnal desire. But then, in a second, it was gone, painted over with a smooth grin.

“Get ye out here?” he said, his face the picture of innocence. There was just the slightest hint of mischief in his eyes. Deva felt herself heat up. “What on earth makes ye think I got ye out here?”

His eyes twinkled as Deva pulled near; she couldn’t take her gaze off him.

“But,” she said, slowly drawing into him. Now they were touching. His arm was warm on her shoulder. Deva shivered beneath his touch, although she felt hot, not cold. “But why did ye tell me that Rory was coming?”

She didn’t know why she was asking him. It seemed so clear. Deep inside, Deva knew she should be enraged, angry. That she should start on him, tear a strip off – he deserved it. But she knew she could not. And instead of feeling suspicious, the only emotion she had was desire.

Completely mad desire.

“He is coming,” murmured Niven, without once ripping his gaze away. “But just nae tonight…”

He smiled; a rush ran through Deva. This was too much. She almost ached to touch him.

“So that just leaves us with one problem,” he said, looking at her with a tricky expression.

“Problem?” said Deva. She already knew it was too late. They were standing too close; she was too far in already.

“Aye, the problem of what to do tonight,” he was about to say more, but then he stopped. Something had taken the sound from his voice.

It was Deva.

And within the next sixty seconds, they were kissing.