Page 37 of In Bed with her Highland Foe

“I…” He snatched his hand away. Heat was coursing through him now, with such mad images that he could not control himself.

He was thinking of him, and Kyven tangled on that bed behind her. Her skirts were around her hips as he lowered his trews, entering her with his length. Her hands trailed up and down his back as she tipped back her head, moaning in exquisite pleasure. When his hand cupped her breast, she arched into him all the more.

“Gil…” She began but did not finish, as if she could not bear too.

“I am so sorry.”

She suddenly laughed and the sound cut through him sharply. The perfect image, the sexual tension, all of it evaporated in an instant at that sound.

She is laughing at me. She will never see me as a lover.

“Forgive me, I have tae…” He trailed off and walked to the door.

“Gilchrist? Where are ye doing?” she said between her laughter. “It was nothing. Ye dinnae need tae worry.”

“Forgive me.” He flung the door open, determined to escape but he was too busy looking back at her to notice where he was going. He walked straight into the doorframe, knocking his head on the wood and falling to the ground in a very heavy thud.

“Gilchrist!” she yelped and ran toward him, bending down beside him.

Her hands upon his arm were too much at this moment.

She laughed. She laughed at me, as I was thinking of what it would be like tae make love tae her, she saw me as nothing more than an imbecile tae laugh at.

“Are ye hurt?” she asked in panic. Her tender hand reached up to his temple, but he brushed it off fast.

“There’s something I have tae dae. Can ye look after the cat a little longer please? I’ll be back later tonight. She’ll be well enough on her own for a little while.”

“Gilchrist, please, ye havenae said if ye are hurt.”

He was too busy getting to his feet and brushing her aside. He snapped up his weapons belt out of the coffer, latched it around his hip and then marched out of the room.

“Gilchrist,” she called, though they both knew she could not call too loudly, in case another of the soldiers overheard her.

He ran away as fast and far as he could. He broke out into the training grounds of the soldiers, heat pumping through his veins and such embarrassment that he could hear his heartbeat in his chest.

“Listen up!” he barked at the young recruits who all broke off their skirmishes to look at him. “Here is yer latest test. I want ye tae fight me. All of ye, attack me at once.” He drew his sword from his belt and swung it through the air, just once. “Let’s see how ye measure up.”

As the men launched themselves at him, he did away with them easily. Some, he scarcely had to push his weight into to force the weapons from their hands and knock them to the ground. The more he fought though, the greater the distraction.

He no longer thought of Kyven with her legs tangled over his in the bed. Nor did he think of the way she could moan and whisper his name between those bed sheets.

No matter what scuffle he faced though, even when Aaden stepped forward to take his turn, giving the best fight of the lot of them, no amount of distraction could take the sound of laughter out of his ears. It followed him perpetually.

“Gilchrist. Captain!” Aaden said between panting breaths. “Would ye calm down?”

Gilchrist didn’t listen. He drove the weapon at Aaden again, who barely ducked out of the way. Gilchrist was forced to back up, so he didn’t truly hurt his friend.

“Have it yer way then,” Aaden declared and threw himself into the battle, clearly sensing this was what Gilchrist needed, to battle through his pain.

Gilchrist managed to knock poor Aaden to the ground and the latter flung up his hands in surrender. Gilchrist backed off, breathing heavily, that sound still there.

She laughed at me.

CHAPTER THIRTEEN

“There ye are, me lady. Ye look quite beautiful.”

Kyven turned to face the mirror before her. Stunned, for she did not recognize herself anymore, she took a step back.