Page 40 of In Bed with a Highland Brute

Slowly, she crept up the two sets of steps in the room, coming to the highest part of the chamber were the bed rested. The figure had to be tall, for their body was practically bent in half as they scrambled under the bed. They swept away one of the furs that hung down off the mattress, no longer bothering to stay quiet.

Eloise stopped behind the figure, wishing she had opened one of the shutters so she could see more of the man trying to sneak his way under her bed. As she stopped behind him, a floorboard creaked under her own foot.

The figure’s head snapped up.

Wait… black hair.

His head appeared in a single shaft of light that peeked through between the shutters. The figure acted fast. He spun around and grabbed her waist. She yelped in shock as the poker was forced from her hand. Flung back onto the bed, the figure pulled himself over her, tossing the poker to the side of the room where it clattered against the floor.

“Murdoch!” Eloise called out just as she felt something pressed to her neck.

“What in the name of the wee man!?” Murdoch cried. He had a blade at her neck, but immediately tossed that away too. It followed the poker, ending up somewhere far away. “What the hell are ye doing sneaking up on a soldier like that with a poker in yer hands? Ye trying tae kill me?”

“It looked like that was what ye were trying tae dae tae me just now.”

“I didnae ken it was ye. I acted on instinct when I heard someone creeping up.” Murdoch was braced above her, both hands either side of her head. In what little light there was, she could see his face contorted in frustration. “I could have hurt ye, Eloise.”

“Ye still have me pinned tae the bed,” she reminded him. “I thought ye were an intruder. What were ye doing sneaking around the chamber anyway?”

“Sneaking? What? I just walked into the room and dropped my clan brooch. It rolled under the bed. I didnae even realize ye were in here, and ye…” He stalled, his eyes shooting downward.

Eloise immediately covered her chest, folding her arms across her breast as it struck her like lightning that she was completely bare in front of Murdoch. He could not see her hips nor her center from how he had her pinned, with his knees either side of her, straddling her, but her breasts were completely on show as was much of her skin. She pressed her breasts down, hoping to flatten them from view, but judging by the rising pinkness on Murdoch’s cheeks, it didn’t help matters.

“Stop staring,” she urged as he looked down at her. “Murdoch!”

“Why are ye naked, Eloise?”

“I was having a bath. Dae ye think I go everywhere this bare and wet?”

“Oh God, dinnae use words like that if ye wish me tae behave.” His eyes snapped to hers.

“Behave? What in God’s name dae ye mean?”

“I mean that ye have said ye will marry me,” he leaned down toward her, his face coming increasingly nearer to hers, “and ye are now completely bare beneath me, speaking of being wet. What dae ye think that does tae a man?”

His words sent a thrill through her body. It coiled somewhere in her lower stomach and then shot somewhere even further south. When a rush of wetness pooled between her legs, she started to understand what he meant by her talking of being ‘wet’.

“Then control yerself,” she said in challenge, lifting her head up a little with her arms still pressed across her chest. “This isnae an invitation.”

“It sure looks like one.”

“I thought yer were an intruder. I was ready to strike ye across the head with the poker.”

“Aye, I saw that. If I was a maid, ye could have killed me.” He shifted his weight to one hand above her and used the other to wave at the room. “Who else would be in here other than a maid or I?”

“I dinnae ken.” She shook her head.

“What’s all this racket?” a voice called from the doorway.

Eloise shifted her head, trying to peer past Murdoch’s strong arm to the doorway. Two shadows were moving toward the open door.

CHAPTER THIRTEEN

Murdoch stared, his jaw agape as the two figures of Ian and Aila appeared in the doorway.

“Is Eloise being attacked?” Aila said with concern, one hand moving to the doorframe.

“Nae attacked. Something tells me she is quite fine.” Ian saw them first through the darkness.