Page 32 of Scot of Seduction

Catreena turned the door in the turret and stepped up onto a spiral staircase. She knew this was an isolated part of the castle, a place where hardly anyone came, but knowing Tad had asked to meet her here, made her even more excited. She raced up the spiral staircase, a trembling in her gut that made a wetness pool between her legs.

We are tae be alone, arenae we?

The thought he might talk again about courtship, maybe take her hip in his grasp as he had done the night before drove her mad.

At the top of the staircase, she took hold of another door handle and turned. Stepping into a tall room, her lips fell open in amazement. The white-stone walls were full of alcoves, and each nook was topped high with freshly growing herbs and flowers. Each one could be dried out or distilled for a medical purpose. Even from the ceiling, trailing from a chain, were air plants and herbs hung upside down to dry out in the air. The light basking through one large window made everything glisten.

“I thought ye would like it here.” Tad’s deep voice sounded from the edge of the circular room.

She turned to face him, stunned she had not seen him amongst all this greenery. He was leaning against a table pressed into the side of the room. There were blankets in one nook behind him, and on the table, chemical apparatus.

He smiled at her in the most tempting way.

“We are alone?” she asked.

“Completely. I had tae see ye.”

She hastened toward him, just as he stepped away from the table and went to meet her. His hands slid across her back as she fell into him, and they embraced.

“How are ye?” she asked, her lips pressed into his chest as he held her tight.

“I’m fine.”

“Aye, because all burns are fine just a day after ye get them!” she said with thick irony, leaning back from him.

“A little sore, then.” A mischievous smile was on his lips. “But ye dinnae need tae worry about me, Cat.”

She couldn’t resist him. She raised herself on her toes and pressed her lips to his. The kiss was gentle at first, but she supposed the knowledge that they were completely alone was the thing that led them both to something more. One of his hands snaked up to bury in her hair then angle her head to him. She parted her lips, allowing him to dominate her tongue with his own. She arched her body into his, making him growl into their kiss, as their hips brushed each other.

“We cannae,” he said suddenly, pulling back sharply.

“What?” Her stomach knotted tight. “Changed yer mind already?”

“What? Nay!” he snapped surprisingly harshly. She couldn’t help smiling at this. “I have nae spoken tae yer braithers yet.”

“Tad.” She moved her hands to her hips, releasing him. “I am in charge of me body and what I dae with it. Nae me braithers.”

“Yer body, eh?” His eyebrows lifted high. “Dinnae talk tae me like that, Cat.”

“I’ll talk tae ye however the hell I like about me body.”

“Dinnae,” he ordered, his voice deeper as he reached for her waist. His fingers splayed across her hips, then he reached down and grabbed her rear too. “Because when ye talk like that, it makes me want tae throw every rule I have given meself out the window.”

“Rules? Pah! I was nae aware ye had rules when it came tae this.” She leaned away from him, pretending to be offended. She could see it did something to him. His expression darkened the more she leaned away. “Well, if ye dinnae wish tae be alone with me. Fine.” She shrugged and stepped back, out of his hold, but she didn’t get far. He grabbed her arm and jerked her back toward him. She fell into his chest. “Release me,” she ordered.

“Ye intend tae leave so fast? Where are ye going?”

“I thought I might go and see yer friend Callum. He seems tae like me company, after all –”

“Dinnae speak of Callum again,” he said in a firm growl.

Her game had worked much better than she had even anticipated. His lips crashed against her own in a sudden heated kiss. His hands took hold of her possessively and he drew her back toward him, brushing their hips together.

“Tad–”

“Nae talking of him ever again,” he said, pulling back sharply from their kiss.

“Why?” she asked with innocence. “Dae ye nae like the idea of me speaking with him?”