Page 38 of Bewitching her Highland Savior

CHAPTERSEVENTEEN

Muriel watched as the coast of Lewis disappeared and was replaced by the darkness of the sky and the sea. Sailing toward North Uist in the dark unnerved her because she couldn't see anything around her, but knowing she was free of Macleod and knowing Liam was beside her were enough to keep her calm; the smile on her face never fading.

“So… what changed yer mind?” Muriel said. “What did ye find out about Macleod?”

“He’s a cruel man,” Liam said. “When I went back, I… I helped a servant lass. I caught her tryin’ to escape and I kent that she would never make it on her own, so I offered to help her. Macleod was hurtin’ her. She said he’d hurt ye too and I couldnae leave ye there, Muriel. I dinnae care what happens to me. Whatever he or yer faither does, I’ll stop it. I just want ye to be happy.”

Muriel wasn’t surprised to hear that Macleod wasn’t a good man but it was precisely what worried her. If he wanted her, he wouldn’t stop until he got her.

“What about yer family?” she asked; her heart beating fast at the thought that they could get hurt and her stomach churning with worry. “What if he attacks yer clan?”

“We’ll deal with him,” Liam said. “I’ll kill him meself before he hurts anyone else.”

Muriel believed him. She had never seen Liam so determined before, so full of fire. But there was only so much that one man could do by himself. What if he couldn’t kill Macleod? What if the laird’s men got to Liam first?

“Dinnae fash,” Liam said; cupping Muriel’s cheeks with his hands. “When have I ever broken a promise to ye?”

“This may be a promise that ye cannae keep.”

Liam sighed and shifted in his seat to get closer to Muriel. “I’ll protect ye and me clan. And Lucas and Ron, they’ll be by me side. I have nothin’ to worry about when I have them.”

The thought that Liam would have the assistance of his clan reassured Muriel; settling the worry inside her. She took a deep breath and let herself relax. She could be happy for a moment – without being concerned about what would come next. She could enjoy that small victory.

It took them a while to get to North Uist but it was still dark when they touched the shore. Muriel assumed that once the boat returned to Lewis, they would head south to catch another boat to Barra but Liam didn't seem to be in a hurry.

“Are we nae goin’?” she asked him.

“I think it’d be better if we bathed first,” Liam said. He was already undoing his buttons and Muriel turned around – her cheeks heating immediately. “As ye said, I stink and I dinnae mean to be rude but ye too did just come out of a privy hole.”

Muriel supposed that Liam had a point. She could still smell it on both of them, even though she had gotten used to the stink for the most part. Even so, the last thing she wanted was to go into the next town smelling like that.

“A-alright,” she said. “I’ll wait for ye to go first.”

She heard a chuckle behind her but Liam didn’t say anything. She only turned around when she heard a splash, and thankfully, he was completely submerged in the water by then.

“It’s a wee bit cold,” Liam called. “But ye’ll get used to it.”

“Can ye turn around?” Muriel asked. “I need to undress.”

Liam did as he was told and Muriel took her dress off in a hurry before she joined him in the sea. Just as he had warned her, it was cold, so cold that she began to shiver; teeth chattering from it.

“Ach… this willnae do,” Liam said when he turned around and saw her tremble. He approached her slowly; wading through the water until he was standing in front of her and Muriel was grateful for the darkness that hid the blush on her cheeks. “May I?”

Muriel didn’t know exactly what Liam was asking permission for but she nodded anyway. Next thing she knew, Liam had pulled her against him; warming her up with his body. The only problem was that Muriel could feel everything, from the toned muscles of his chest to—

Oh . . . that’s his—

But, despite the fact that she could feel Liam's hard length against her thigh, he didn't seem to be interested in anything other than keeping her warm. A soft groan rumbled through him as she shifted against him, and she felt his hands tighten around her waist.

“I’d suggest ye dinnae do that,” Liam said.

Muriel licked her bottom lip – trying to ignore the unsteady beating of her heart. She wanted him and there was no doubt about that. She had never felt that heat in her belly before; that rush of desire that left her trembling more than the cold did.

“What if I want to?” she asked and kissed him.

Her kiss had an immediate impact on Liam. His hands gripped her buttocks, drawing her in closer, and he parted her lips with his tongue, deepening their kiss as if he wanted to devour her. Muriel's hands reached for his hair, tugging at the strands, heat coursing through her from every spot he touched.

Liam raised her out of the water with a pull and Muriel wrapped her legs around him, steadying herself. The night air chilled her skin, making her break out in goosebumps but she didn’t care, not when Liam’s lips found her nipple. Muriel arched into the touch, moaning when one of Liam’s hands grabbed her breast, fingers digging into her flesh.