Highland Mist (13 page)

Conall straightened and flexed his hands. “Why?”

“I knew you would come for Glenna, but you must let her train.”

It was on the tip of Conall’s tongue to tell Frang why he didn’t want Glenna with the Druids, but he changed his mind.

Frang sat on a nearby rock. “Oaths are funny things.”

“How so?” Conall asked. He crossed his arms over his chest and waited for the high priest to share whatever wisdom he thought Conall needed.

“People can make too many oaths. When they do they put their honor at stake, or at least they think they do.”

“Why don’t you just tell me what you want to say and quit talking in riddles?”

Frang cocked his white head to the side and grinned. “But I am, Conall. You just aren’t listening.”

Glenna’s voice reached him, and he turned to see her standing beside Moira. She looked more relaxed than he had ever seen her, and it pained him to know he was going to try to keep her from them.

It’s only for a wee bit. Then she can spend eternity with them if she wishes.

“It doesn’t do to lie to yourself.”

Conall turned to give Frang a piece of his mind only to find he was no longer there. “I hate when you do that.”

Frang’s laughter echoed around the forest. He waited while Glenna trained with Moira until they walked from the circle. With a quickness that had saved his life several times, he ducked behind a tree and watched while they said their goodbyes. His feet barely touched the ground as he followed Glenna until she was safely inside the castle walls.

He yearned to interrogate her but knew he couldn’t allow himself to get close. He might throttle her for not obeying him and then not gain any answers.

Still, he had to admire her gumption. The MacNeil liked women meek and timid, but Glenna had shown him she had fire since she had been here. And it was something she would need if she were to be Highlander’s wife.

Wife? Now where did that come from?

He thought of finding Glenna naked and sprawled atop the covers, waiting for him while the drapes hanging on the bed gave him tantalizing glimpses of her body. Just that simple image caused his desire to flare. Painfully.

A swim in the loch was just what he needed to cool his rock-hard cock. He nearly ran to the loch, ignoring Angus’ calls as he did. He quickly shed his kilt and dove into the chilly water. But it didn’t help.

The water swirling around him only reminded him of her silky legs and how well they would fit around his waist as he filled her. She would be tight and hot, but she would have as much passion for loving as she did for living. He would just have to coax it out of her.

He had to take his mind off Glenna and her tantalizing lips. He dove under and stayed until he thought his lungs would burst. His head cleared the water and he sucked in a deep breath. Then heard the splash.

* * * * *

Glenna couldn’t resist the temptation of the loch. It had beckoned once she had left Moira, and after informing Angus where she was headed, her feet moved swift and sure. She still didn’t know how to swim, but at least this time she could remove all her clothes and enjoy the delectable feel of the cool water against her skin.

She ventured out until the water was to her waist before she stopped and crouched down. She leaned her head back to gaze at the clouds racing across the sky as she wondered at Angus’ smile when she had told him of her destination.

It must have been a ripple in the water that alerted her. She wasn’t alone. She turned and saw a naked backend as someone went under the water. For several heartbeats she sat and waited when her mind screamed for her to run.

When she had finally convinced herself to leave, a man burst from the water. Conall. Her breath wedged in her throat as she caught sight of his body. It was then she became aware of his lack of clothes.

Water dripped from his unbound hair that hung past his shoulders and ran down his chest. Muscles flexed in his chest as he raised his arms to wipe the water from his face. One droplet of water held her attention as it wound its way through his black chest hair to his hard stomach and trim waist to disappear into the loch.

She should have felt ashamed for her disappointment at not being able to see the rest of him, but no such emotion flowed in her. He was quite handsome with a body most women would die to run their hands down, and she had to admit she was one of them.

She was so caught up in the glory of his body that she lost her balance and fell backward. Water splashed around her face and she looked up to find him making his way toward her. Without thinking she gasped and stood. He stopped in mid-stride. His eyes left her face to drift hungrily over her body.

Her breasts tightened and an ache began between her legs. The urge to have his hands on her heated her body. A low growl, one that could only come from a man burning with desire, resonated from Conall. She looked down and groaned before quickly covering her breasts and sinking into the water.

How could she have forgotten she was naked?
Because you were held captive by the hunger in his eyes.
Just to make sure she hadn’t imagined that hunger, she chanced a look. Instead of desire, anger radiated from his molten depths.

Fear gripped its steely manacles around her stomach. She hastily backed into deeper water until she was on the tips of her toes with her chin barely above water. He reached her in a blink and wrapped his big hands around her arms. She barely had time to gasp as he dragged her into deeper water. He held her away from him, his jaws clamped tightly together while he glared at her.

“Conall,” she said, but his look hardened even more.

“What were you doing away from the castle?”

“I told Angus I was coming here.”

“I know where you’ve been.” His eyes glistened with the sun’s reflection off the water.

How did he know she had been to see Moira? It seemed she couldn’t keep anything from this man. “If you know, why are you asking?”

“I told you I didn’t want you near Moira.”

She had to make him understand. “I have no control over it. I’m drawn there by an unknown force, something I can’t ignore just as I can’t ignore the breath that fills my lungs.”

“You didn’t try very hard.”

“Please,” she beseeched. “I’ve learned so much today. I feel as though I’ve found part of myself that’s been missing. Don’t take that from me.”

“I cannot let you go back.”

“Aye, you can.”

He sighed and she didn’t like the sadness that entered his eyes. “There are reasons. If you value your freedom, don’t return to them.”

Anger consumed her. How dare he refuse her the very people who had given her answers and filled the holes in her life? How dare he refuse to allow her to live as she should have.

She lifted her feet and with all her might she shoved against him, sending herself into the deep, dark water. It was much darker than she remembered and she tamped down the panic at not being able to find the bottom.

Try as she might she couldn’t reach the bottom. She had thought she had her back to the shore, but she had been too intent on Conall to pay much attention. And now she would pay with her life. Now that she didn’t wish to die but live.

Fate once again laughed at her.

She looked up to see the sunlight filter through the water, but didn’t see any sign of Conall. Her lungs burned and her hands clawed for the surface to no avail. She wasn’t moving either up or down.

When she tried to kick her legs, they wouldn’t move. She looked down to find them ensnared in weeds. Since she had done this before, she wouldn’t blame Conall if he let her drown this time.

The more she struggled, the more the weeds wrapped around her legs as if they were alive. A shape loomed in front of her and she forgot about her legs. She wouldn’t drown—she would be eaten by a sea creature.

But it was Conall’s face that soon came into view. His hands immediately began working on the weeds, but it wasn’t quick enough. She tried to keep still so he could free her legs, but fear had settled firmly around her and all she could think about was getting loose. A couple of times she thought Conall might have freed her only to discover more weeds had wrapped around her.

Her time was running out, as was the air in her lungs. She clawed at his face, begging him to get her some air. Abruptly Conall placed his hands on her face. She opened her eyes as his mouth covered hers. Precious air flowed into her lungs. Had she not needed the air she would have thought more about the fact he had his mouth on hers.

He pulled away and shot to the surface. He returned and worked on the weeds, but only managed to untangle a few of them. Once again he had to give her his air, but this time his tongue touched her lips.

She had long since stopped being afraid for she knew Conall would eventually free her. The heat from his body warmed her as he offered her air. He drew back and looked into her eyes. With a smile he shot to the surface.

It him took two more trips for air before he was able to break all the weeds from around her legs. In an instant she was jerked out of the water and onto rock. Except it wasn’t rock but Conall’s chest. She wound her arms around his neck and held on for dear life.

She eased her grip somewhat when she felt his arm around her waist. “Th…thank you.”

He pulled her away from him enough to see her face. “That’s the second time you’ve tried to drown yourself. Why? I would never harm you.”

The hurt in his eyes was almost more than she could bear. “I wasn’t intending to drown. I was going to shore, but I didn’t pay attention to how far we’d come out.”

Her hand slipped and her body moved across his. Her nipples hardened. She sucked in her breath when she felt his arousal, hard and hot against her leg.

She gazed deep into his eyes and saw the desire burning there. His arms pressed her naked body tight against his, and the yearning that always consumed her when he was near spread like wildfire through her.

Her fingers touched his unbound hair. He was just heartbeats away, and her gaze dropped to his wide, firm mouth. His arm urged her forward. She leaned close, their lips touching briefly. He groaned and held her tighter.

She gave in to her body. She had wanted this for a long time and she wouldn’t deny herself. His lips moved over hers, nipping, tasting and learning.

His tongue ran along her lips, urging her to open for him. She did and nearly died from the pleasure when his warm tongue swept in and swirled around hers. His tongue touched every part of her mouth, giving her everything of himself and demanding the same in return.

Her first kiss was fiery hot, passionate and wanton. A taste of what it would be like having a man such as Conall as a lover. The ache between her legs intensified as his rod rubbed against her when he shifted her more fully in front of him.

He groaned and buried his hands in her hair. His lips trailed hot kisses across her jaw then back to her mouth where he claimed her with a kiss so full of fervor and wanting that it touched her soul.

Her hands left his neck and wound in his hair as the kiss deepened and intensified. His hands slide down her back to cup her derriere and pull her against his cock. She moaned as passion heated her body, sending waves of pleasure through her. She wanted to run her hands over him as he ran his over her, to know him as he learned her.

He left her mouth and trailed hot kisses down her neck to her throat as his hands came up to squeeze her breasts. His calloused palms ran across her nipples, and she cried out from the pleasure. Instinctively she rubbed her hips against him.

Conall was going to die from the desire flooding his body and rod. Once he had tasted her sweet mouth there had been no turning back. He had to have her.

All of her.

She was like a wine he couldn’t get enough of. Her breasts, fuller than he had realized, filled his hands. He ran his thumb over her nipple. It hardened as she leaned her head back and brought her hips against him.

He wrapped her legs around his waist, and the heat of her seared him. His cock jumped at the contact and by sheer will alone he didn’t plunge into her.

She lay back in the water, her dark hair floating around her, her breasts thrust forward, waiting for him. He leaned over and took a nipple in his mouth and swirled his tongue around it.

Nails raked his shoulders and arms as she cried out in pleasure when he sucked. He held on to her back with one arm and with his other found her sex.

She was slick and hot and moist. He moved aside her woman’s lips and found her pearl. While his thumb rubbed around it, he slowly slid a finger inside and she nearly came out of his arms.

Take her.

He had never desired a woman so much in his life. Had never had one match his own passion so equally, but he couldn’t have her. This had to stop before he took her right there. He wrapped his arms around her and kissed her deeply before taking her under the water with him.

The sensation of the water surrounding them as their mouths melded heightened the kiss. He brought them to the surface and made his way to shore with her legs still locked around him as their mouths joined.