My Daring Highlander (36 page)

A battle rage such as Keegan had never
felt pounded through his veins. He wanted to kill Chief Ambrose
Murray. What was wrong with a man who would beat his beautiful
young daughters? He had to be a madman.

Keegan pulled back and stared down at
Seona’s hand within his, so much smaller and more delicate than his
own. He kissed her slender fingers, unable to imagine how anyone
would want to hurt her in any way. Aye, he knew she possessed great
inner strength—she must in order to deal with her detestable father
all her life. But Keegan had to protect her; ’twas his
responsibility and his wish.

He’d never even seen Lady Talia, and
now he knew why. “Did your father lock your sister in her
chamber?”

“Aye. How did you know?” Seona gazed
up at him, trust and worry in her dark blue eyes.

“I wondered why I hadn’t seen her. If
her face has a great bruise on it, he’s not going to want anyone to
see that.”

“Indeed. Just before I left the
castle, I learned that my father had unlocked her door after supper
because the bruise had faded.”

“How will we get her out of the
castle?”

Maybe he could ask Rebbie or Fraser to
sneak her sister out, but he couldn’t let Seona go back. There was
too much of a chance her father would beat her.

“What does your sister look like?”
Keegan asked.

“She looks much like me, except she
has dark brown eyes.”

Keegan released her hands and stepped
back. “Wait here. I’ll go see if Fraser and Rebbie can slip into
the castle, find her, and bring her here.”

“’
Twould be wonderful, but
very dangerous for them should my father discover them.”

“They live for danger.” Keegan sent
her a smirk, hoping she would stop worrying so much.

“Very well. Two of the maids, Abigail
and Beth, are looking for Talia in the attic right now. I told them
to bring her to her chamber or mine when they find her.”

Keegan nodded, then hurried down the
stairs and outside. “Fraser?”

“Aye.” He stepped from the shadows of
the building.

“I need for you or Rebbie, or both of
you if possible, to steal into the castle and find Seona’s younger
sister, Talia. Chief Murray beat her recently, leaving her face
black and blue. We have to rescue her, too, or he may beat her
again. Or worse.”

“Damn the man,” Fraser muttered. “I
agree.”

“She has a tendency to hide from her
father in the deserted attic. Two maids named Abigail and Beth are
searching for her there now. Talia resembles Seona, except Talia
has brown eyes.”

“We’ll find her.” Fraser mounted and
headed back to the castle.

***

Seona awaited Keegan in the inn’s
chamber, praying Rebbie or Fraser could indeed find Talia and bring
her here before it was too late. She worried for her sister’s
safety more than her own.

Keegan entered the room, closed the
door, and locked it with a large key. “He said he would do
it.”

“Oh, I hope they can find her. I thank
you.”

“You’re welcome.”

The candle and the fire burned
brightly, the orange glow illuminating Keegan’s striking face and
gilding his hair. She drank in the appealing sight of him, wanting
so badly to touch him. To kiss him and show him her
gratitude.

“When they find her and bring her
here, where will we go?” she asked.

Keegan knelt at the hearth and placed
another stick of wood on the fire. “We’ll go south with a small
group of MacKay guards. The MacKenzies will head back to Teasairg
to tell Dirk what’s happened. The remaining MacKays will return to
Dunnakeil as quickly as possible to prepare the clan and castle for
a possible attack from your father. Hopefully, once he knows you’re
not there, he’ll leave.”

“This is terrible,” she whispered, her
stomach aching. “I never wanted to endanger your clan. I love them
like mine own.”

“I ken it. I wish you’d told me
earlier about your father beating your sister.”

“I figured if you knew that, you’d
also assume—rightly—that my father has beaten me in the past. I
feared you might retaliate against him, putting your own life in
danger.”

He stood and faced her, frowning. “You
were trying to protect me by leaving yourself in
danger?”

“I suppose I was.”

“Seona.” He shook his head.
“I don’t need protecting.
I’m
the protector.”

“But you are not immortal,” she said
fiercely, tears burning her eyes. “I love you, and I could never
live with myself if you were hurt or… killed because of
me.”

“Lass.” He moved forward and drew her
close. She loved the way his strong arms tightened about her,
surrounding her with protection. She felt safer than ever before.
He kissed the top of her head, and his affection flowed sweetly
through her.

Oh, why could he not be
hers?

Sliding her arms around his neck, she
rose on tiptoes and kissed his prickly chin. He bent and captured
her mouth with his own. All thoughts scattered from her mind. His
lips were so warm and firm, yet also silky soft. Gentle, yet
forceful. And his tongue was erotic seduction itself. He tasted of
virile male, spiced wine and apples.

Desire for him burned through her and
passion exploded like a lightning bolt. His hands cupped her
derriere, tugging her closer, tight against his hard shaft. He felt
so divine, she couldn’t stop herself from rubbing against him. A
scorching tingle shot through her, inciting an ache in her lower
belly. Somehow, she knew he could relieve the feverish need he
always stirred up within her.

“I want you, Keegan,” she whispered
against his mouth.

He moaned and gave her another deep
kiss.

She drew back an inch. “You must show
me what love means between a man and a woman.”

“Saints, Seona,” he hissed. “You drive
me mad with your teasing.”

“I am not teasing,” she said most
firmly. “I want you to… show me how to please you… in bed. I want
you to take me.”

He growled and closed his eyes, his
jaw clenching so tightly the muscle in his cheek flexed. After
drawing in a deep breath, he opened his eyes. “I need for you to do
something first.”

“What?”

His blue gaze burned into hers. “Marry
me.”

Chapter Twenty-Eight

All the breath left Seona
as she stared into the azure flame of Keegan’s eyes for a long,
heart-stopping moment.
Marry
me
, he had said.

“Now?” she asked.

“Aye. Right now.” He dug into his
sporran and brought out a gold band. “I went to Inverness yesterday
and bought this ring for you, for when we marry. I ken we cannot
legally wed without a priest or minister and witnesses, but what
matters most are the vows between us, even if spoken in secret. To
me, that would be real. You would become my wife, in the ancient
way.”

She nodded, tears in her eyes, her
heart so filled with love and joy she could scarce contain
it.

“You agree?” he asked.

“Aye. I want to marry you, Keegan.”
Even if it was a marriage her father wouldn’t recognize… to her it
would be a true marriage. The only one she would ever have. Keegan
as her husband was what she wanted most in the world.

“Good.” Keegan pulled in a deep breath
and drew her to stand facing him before the hearth where the
firelight was brighter. His face told her many things—that he was
suddenly a wee bit nervous, but then, so was she. Terrified, in
fact. But it was time to grab hold of what she wanted and never let
go. The sincere devotion in his intense gaze made her fall even
harder for him.

“Lady Seona Murray,” he murmured, his
voice deep and strong. “You are the stars in the sky, the warm and
bright sun upon my face, the wine I drink, the air I breathe. And I
love you.” Lifting her left hand, he kissed her ring finger then
slid the gold band upon it. “With this ring, I thee wed. I vow to
protect you and cherish you the whole of my life. I shall always be
faithful unto you. I take you for my wife.”

Though she tried to hold back, Seona
burst into tears.

He drew her close and kissed her
forehead. “Shh.”

“That was so beautiful, Keegan,” she
whispered. How on earth could she find words of equal beauty to
tell him how she felt?

Forcing her emotions under control,
she wiped the tears away and stood back. Gazing up into his eyes,
she knew she had to be the luckiest woman in the world. “Keegan
MacKay,” she began.

He nodded, a hint of a smile taking
away his serious expression.

She swallowed hard. “You are the most
honorable and noble of men. Strong and steadfast… the rock I cling
to in the storm. I admire you, trust you, and love you more than I
could’ve ever dreamed possible. You bring me joy and happiness such
as I have never known. And I vow to forever love and cherish you. I
shall always be faithful to you only. I take you for my
husband.”

His smile broadened, then he kissed
her lips. “You have made me the happiest man on earth,” he
whispered. “I’m never letting you go, Seona.”

“I don’t want you to.” She slid her
hands ’round his neck and into his silky hair. “You are
mine.”

***

Seona’s pleading expression told
Keegan she needed him in the worst way. In the same way he needed
her.

He lowered his head and kissed her
lips, her sweet taste and warm breath seducing him instantly. “I
could devour every inch of you,” he said, then deepened the
kiss.

Her arms clasped him tight around his
neck. His hands at her hips, he lifted her, relishing the feel of
her slight body and feminine curves plastered to him.

He loved her and wanted her intensely,
yet he’d restrained himself during each sensual encounter. But not
this time.

She ground herself against his erect
shaft, sending jolts of pleasure and yearning through him. When she
spread her legs and wrapped them around his waist, he near lost his
mind. Next thing he knew, he was laying atop her on the bed, his
shaft against her crotch. Layers of clothing separated
them.

He dug through her skirts. Finally, he
reached the silken skin of her thigh above her stocking. His
fingertips traced upward.

Slow… take it
slow.

He made a fist, restraining himself.
Hell, he’d touched her in more carnal ways before, but this time he
knew he couldn’t stop. He didn’t want to hurt her or frighten
her.

“Keegan, please,” she gasped, tugging
at his belt buckle. He caught her hand, halting her. “Make love to
me,” she whispered.

He growled, wishing he had more
control. Wishing he did not crave her so powerfully.

“I want to feel your hot, naked skin
against mine,” she whispered. “’Tis what I dream of.”

Saints!
What an image she put into his head. “’Tis what I
dream of, too, lass.”

When she pulled at his kilt, drawing
the plaid upward, something in him refused to stop her. Arousal
blazed a trail through him, burning away his restraint. And when
her soft fingertips brushed up his bare thigh to his shaft, he
groaned.

Launching into action, he
unclasped his belt and in seconds threw off his plaid, shirt, and
weapons, then kicked off his boots. Next, he removed her belt
and
arisaid
. The
linen of her smock ripped.

“Damn,” he muttered, struggling to
unwrap her from all her clothing. Finally, she was nude, the
firelight dancing off her pale curves. His chest constricted,
seizing his breath. But then he noticed, on her forearm, she still
wore the leather sheath and knife he’d given her. The sight of it
only aroused him more, told him she was his.

Lying beside her, he traced his
fingers along her warm silken skin. “You are delectable,” he
said.

“Nay, you are,” she breathed, her gaze
trailing down his chest and abdomen to his erection. Her eyes wide,
she bit her lip.

“You are not afraid, are you?” he
asked, knowing some women did fear men’s bodies… and their first
time.

Her sincere gaze met his. “Nay. Of
course not. I love you and trust you more than anyone.”

His heart near burst from his chest
with love for this woman. And when she grazed her fingertips
lightly along his rock-hard shaft, showing him how much she wanted
him, lust stormed through him.

Moving over her, one of his knees
between hers, he brushed his lips over her beaded nipple, then drew
the sweet morsel into his mouth. “Mmm.” He couldn’t resist tasting
the other one, too, swirling his tongue around it, sucking it into
his mouth.

“Keegan,” she whispered. Her hands
tangled in his hair, pulling it, holding his head near, her hips
lifting toward him. Seeing how much she wanted him, despite her
innocence, fired his blood. But he had to take it slow.