My Daring Highlander (9 page)

Seona felt her face burning despite
the icy wind, but she forced herself to meet Keegan’s gaze. There
was so much she wished to tell him, but fear held her back. He was
perfect… or he would be perfect for her, at least. Simply gazing
into his enchanting sky-blue eyes made her feel happy. And his grin
was naught but charm and seduction. Most impressive of all, he was
a strong, heroic man who didn’t fear anything.

“You are…” What should she
say?

He moved his head closer to hear her
better, and turned slightly so one of his ears was near her
mouth.

“You are very brave and heroic. You
saved my life,” she said, finding it easier to talk to him when he
wasn’t looking directly into her eyes. “Twice.”

He pulled back a few inches, his lips
twisting into a lopsided grin. “I thank you, m’lady,” he said. “I
could never allow you to be injured.” He shook his head. “Over the
past few months, I have wanted to talk to you or… dance with you
but… you ken your aunt doesn’t like me.”

“Nonsense,” she said to be polite.
Truth was Aunt Patience didn’t want her to go near him because she
deemed him unacceptable as husband material for Seona.

“Come now, Lady Seona, you ken I speak
the truth,” he said in a light tone. “Her glares are like sharp
blades.”

She nodded. “My aunt is much like a
guard dog.”

“Well, she has a right to
be. You’re a beautiful
lady
and I’m…” He shrugged. “Just a guard.”

She frowned. “You are much more than
that.”

’Twas obvious he was trying to
maintain his pleasant expression, but a hint of sadness crept into
his blue eyes that near broke her heart.

He shook his head. “Nay, I fear when
it comes to you, Lady Seona, I’m naught but a knave and a rogue.
I’ve hardly been able to concentrate today because of memories of
that amazing kiss.” After shoving his fingers through his
windblown, damp mane, he backed away and stared out at the blowing
rain. “I must behave myself,” he muttered, as if to himself, but
she heard it despite the roaring wind.

She could not take her eyes off him
and the stunning passion in his gaze. He was right… completely and
unequivocally right. He should never touch her again. She should’ve
never allowed him to kiss her the night before, but she could not
have stopped him any more than she could’ve stopped breathing.
Speaking of which, her own breaths were now short and shallow. Her
chest ached with the need to be closer to him. To touch
him.

His gaze shifted to her. “Hell. Seona,
don’t look at me like that.”

She pressed her eyes closed, the
moisture gathering there burning. Why did she feel the urge to cry?
’Twas insanity. She was not normally a very emotional person. She
should face facts now—she could never have Keegan. Even though he
had owned her heart for months.

His warm, rough fingers touched her
face. Her eyes popped open and she sucked in a sharp, surprised
breath.

Standing an inch in front of her,
Keegan frowned down at her. “Don’t you dare cry.”

She shook her head. “I’m not,” she
said just above a whisper, her throat tight. ’Twas a lie, she knew,
even as more tears formed in her eyes. She didn’t want to cry and
didn’t understand why she was. She simply felt overwhelmed and
confused by her own surging emotions, added to her earlier fear of
the bolting horse. And Keegan’s close proximity only made
everything more powerful.

When tears spilled from the corners of
her eyes, she was mortified and tried to avert her face. Surely, he
would think her a bairn.

He held her still and brushed his
thumb beneath her eyes, catching her tears.

“Shh.” He kissed her forehead, his
lips and breath warm and soft on her skin.

Feeling both comfort and excitement,
she slipped her hands around his lean torso, her palms pressing
against his sides. Moving closer to him and pushing her hands
around to his back, she found most of the aching pressure leaving
her chest. She could not believe how much she needed him and wanted
him.

He held her close, pressing kisses to
the top of her head. She laid her head against his chest and
listened to his heart pounding in her ear. The appealing scent of
him—male, spice and leather was like a bewitching potion to her
senses.

’Twas perfection.

Shortly, a bit of her
sanity returned.
Heavens!
What must he think of her, embracing him in such a
way? She drew back and glanced up at him.

His heavy-lidded eyes searched hers.
She was glad he didn’t ask why she’d been crying for she couldn’t
have answered. Merely that her rampant emotions had gotten the
better of her, which almost never happened, and she couldn’t let
him know the depth of her feelings for him. At the same time, his
gaze was so spellbinding, she could think of naught but touching
him.

Before she knew what she was about,
she lifted her hand and stroked her fingers along his square jaw,
delighting in the prickly golden-brown stubble. She had wondered
what it felt like—very masculine and harsh, so unlike her own
skin.

She raised her gaze and found his eyes
darker than before, the color of the sky near gloaming. She dropped
her hand, but he caught it and kissed her palm. His lips and warm
breath on her sensitive skin fragmented her thoughts. His gaze held
hers with that intense, magnetic force she didn’t understand. It
compelled her to draw closer to him, and she did.

He leaned forward and placed a sweet
kiss on her lips. It surprised her and served as a potent
temptation.

Unable to quell her enthusiasm, she
lifted herself onto her tiptoes and tilted her chin up, hungering
for another kiss like the one they’d shared the night
before.

“Saints,” Keegan growled then took her
mouth. His wicked tongue flicked at her lips and she opened for
him, completely ready to devour him. But he did not seem in a hurry
as he tempted and taunted her. Barely touching his tongue to hers,
then retreating.

A sound escaped her and she was
shocked to realize it was halfway between a moan and a needy whine.
He gave an answering groan and stroked his tongue inside her mouth.
It darted around hers, then swirled.

He hummed a soft sound. “So sweet,” he
whispered.

Whatever magic possessed her increased
with each kiss he placed upon her mouth.

She became aware of strands of his
soft hair between her fingers. When had she buried her hands in his
hair to hold his head?

He pulled her tightly
against his hard body, and she had never felt anything so
exquisite. This, combined with his kisses, consumed her thoughts
with a fiery, carnal sensation.
Oh
saints.
She craved his bare skin against
hers. She wanted him to touch and kiss every inch of
her.

What was wrong with her?

Keegan was thankful his sporran
disguised his body’s fierce response to her. He was mad to indulge
in such luscious kisses with her, but he could not stop himself.
Especially when she made it abundantly clear she wanted
more.

She shyly flicked the tip
of her tongue against his, stirring his lusts into a boiling
caldron.
Mo creach!
She was too innocent for him to kiss this way. He was indeed a
rogue, as he’d told her. Yet, he could not get enough of her. He
feared he was hooked.

“Thank the saints!” someone said
behind him. Keegan spun around to find Rebbie behind them, grinning
like a devil. “We thought you’d both perished in the
storm.”

Keegan stepped away from Seona and
glanced beyond Rebbie. The gale had passed and the sun was peeking
through the clouds. When had that happened? He knew gales could
vanish as quickly as they appeared. But had he been so wrapped up
in kissing Seona, he’d ignored their surroundings
completely?

’Slud! He was daft.

“Nay,” Keegan muttered. “We are
well.”

“I can see that.” Rebbie’s dark eyes
gleamed with amusement. “Where is Lady Seona’s mare?”

“I know not. Last time I saw the mad
animal, she was running along the burn.” Keegan pointed.

Rebbie nodded and hoisted himself back
into his saddle. “We’ll find her.” He rode down toward the burn and
three guards joined him.

“Come. I’ll help you mount.” Keegan
glanced at Seona, not expecting her to look so… arousing. Indeed,
she was always beautiful, but now her cheeks were pink, her pupils
dilated, and her bow-shaped lips red and moist from his kisses. She
looked well-loved but… like she needed more. Aye, he could easily
imagine her in his bed, looking just like this, her dark hair
mussed, her heavy-lidded gaze silently asking him for
more.

Lust and need burned through
him.

Her mouth was sweet as a wild summer
strawberry. He wanted to consume her utterly. He ground his teeth
and forced himself to look away.

She moved toward Curry and waited,
avoiding his gaze. Maybe that was for the best. ’Twas when she made
eye contact that he got into trouble and did things he
shouldn’t.

He lifted her to the soft roll of
woolen blankets behind his saddle. It provided a good pillion
cushion. He then hoisted himself into the saddle in front of her.
He would certainly much rather hold her in front of him, but it
wouldn’t be as comfortable for her. Besides that, he needed his
arousal to drain away before they joined the rest of the party, and
that wouldn’t happen if he was holding her in his arms.

But when she slid her arms around his
waist from behind and flattened her hands against his stomach to
hold on, another wave of desire surged through him. How he would
love to feel her hands smoothing over his bare skin.

Even though his rational mind told him
he would never have Seona, something inside him refused to believe
it.

He kneed Curry into a trot and guided
him across the moor toward where their party must be. The breeze
was calm and the sun beamed between the scattering clouds. Glancing
across the rolling, heather-covered landscape and toward the burn,
he didn’t see Rebbie or anyone else. ’Twas too bad the heather was
not yet in bloom, for the sight would’ve been lovely.

Glancing up, he noticed something
else. A giant double rainbow spanned across the horizon, one
slightly dimmer than the other.

“Och.” He halted and turned in the
saddle. “Have you ever seen such a bonny rainbow?”

Seona gasped. “Nay. ’Tis very
bright.”

Even lovelier, at least to Keegan, was
Seona’s smile as she took in the scenery. She was so beautiful his
chest ached. Yet… he knew not how he was going to keep her in his
life so that he might see her smile every day.

Facing forward, he urged the horse
along at a slower pace. No reason to rush. He wanted to enjoy
Seona’s arms around his waist a bit longer.

“I can’t believe how big the rainbow
is,” she said behind his shoulder.

“Aye. Are you thinking there’s a great
pot of gold at the end of it?”

She smiled. “’Haps. Or maybe something
even better than gold.”

He wondered what she was thinking.
What would she prize more than gold?

He covered her hands with one of his
and stroked her silky smooth skin. An idea occurred to him. He
turned. “I no longer trust your horse and I’m thinking you should
ride with me for a ways.”

“In truth? You are right that Juliana
has become unpredictable, but I’m not certain my aunt will agree to
the riding arrangement.”

“She wants you to be safe,
aye?”

“Aye, but…”

Out ahead, their party came into view.
They appeared to be gathered around someone sitting on the ground.
Who was that?

“I wonder what’s happened.” His heart
rate accelerating, he kneed the horse into a trot. As they
approached, he saw that it was Lady Patience sitting on the ground
on a plaid blanket.

“Is Aunt Patience hurt?” Seona asked,
concern in her voice.

Chapter Eight

Why was her aunt sitting on
a blanket on the wet ground with everyone else standing around,
Seona wondered.
Heavens!
Had something bad happened to her during the
storm?

Keegan drew up a few feet from their
party, moved his leg across in front of him and slid to the ground.
Next, he lifted Seona down.

“I thank you,” she whispered, savoring
one last, brief glance into his eyes.

He gave a deep nod and she hastened
away to see what was going on.

“Aunt Patience, what has happened to
you?” she asked, bending and taking her hand.

“Me? What about you, lass? I feared
your horse would toss you onto the rocks and kill you.”

“Nay. I am well, as you can see.
Keegan rescued me.”

“Thank the heavens.” Her aunt spared a
halfway kind glance up at Keegan, the first Seona had seen her give
him.