To Tempt Highland Fate (The Mac Coinnach Brothers) (9 page)

             
She turned and disappeared through the door, leaving Drust to wonder again what kind of man leaves his unwed sister to care for a wounded stranger who could be anyone at all, either sinner or saint.  A currently
helpless
stranger, to be sure, but a man, none-the-less.  He could not have imagined awaking to odder circumstances.  Perhaps he really
hadn’t
been expected to live.  And God, he felt like hell.

             
She returned moments later with more of the broth, and this time she sat down on the edge of the bed with a sweet little smile that made his breath catch and his heart thud hard in his chest.  Her hair fell around her shoulders and framed her perfect face, the ends falling just to the swell of her breasts… he wondered what it would be like to touch her…

             
What the hell is wrong with me?
 

             
After he had taken another long sip, he asked, “Lass, did I perchance take a blow to the head?”

             
Her smile disappeared and she looked worried.  “No, I don’t think so.  I tended every inch of you myself.  I think I would have noticed if you had a head wound...”  Her hand went automatically to his brow.  “Does it hurt?  Are you dizzy?”

             
“Nay, lass.  Not badly.  Just the fever, most likely.” 

             
She tended every inch of me herself?

             
Had her hands been all over him, then?  She had touched him, while he was unconscious.  Had surely washed him, as the blood he knew he had been coated in was gone.  Had she washed him… everywhere? 
The thought of it… it was far more thrilling than it should have been. 
Against all odds and despite his frustrating pain and weakness, the fatigue of his fever-wracked body, and the dull ache in his head, his cock began to harden. 

             
God, how in hell?  The blood of the Mac Coinnachs was stronger than most, but this… bloody hell, he couldn’t believe it.

             
He almost laughed out loud at the irony.  No woman in his memory had ever stirred him so easily, and yet here he lay just saved from the grave, drained of half his life blood or more, and his cock hard and aching as it had ever been.  He was fairly certain he would not even be able to muster the strength to so much take relief with his hand! Oh how Bren and Eian would laugh if they could see him now.

             
He must have actually smiled in rueful amusement, because she looked at him curiously.

             
“What is it?”

             
“Naught.”  He was thankful for the heavy blanket pulled up over his hips, or she would have seen for herself.  Even so, she narrowed her eyes, as if knowing there was something he wasn’t telling her.  “I just feel like hell, that’s all.  Been injured lots of times.  Never felt quite
this
bad before, though.”

             
He managed to down the rest of the broth, knowing how badly his body needed nourishment.  In truth, it was delicious.  Perhaps the best he’d ever tasted, and he wondered if she had made it herself.  When he finished, she stood, this time pointedly handing him a cloth to wipe his mouth.  His lips almost turned up again at that. 
Women
.  She smiled at him approvingly as he handed it back to her, then she looked to the window.

             
“I have some chores to do before it’s dark.  Try to rest now.  I’ll be back to check on you later.”

             
She pulled the blankets higher on his chest, dragging them across his absurdly aching cock, which did not seem to care one bit that the rest of his body was half dead and needed rest.  He sucked in a breath and just barely bit back a groan. 
Bloody hell!
  He had ever been this bad off before?  Perhaps some strange reaction to nearly dying?  Or maybe she’d given him an herb that was also an aphrodisiac?  As she leaned over, he again caught her sweet scent, and his chest did that strange tightening thing once more, even as his cock pulsed hard under the covers. 
Aye… aphrodisiac… only explanation.  Not normal for a man just back from near-death to have a raging erection.  That much he was sure of.

             
He wondered how she managed, here on her own, without a man to protect her, and with his sorry arse to take care of on top of it all.  If he weren’t so damned weak, he could help her, and protect her.  What would it have been like to have such a beautiful lass all his own, had life set him on a different course? 
A woman all
mine to love and protect…
The whole idea made him feel slightly panicked, so luckily his life had taken a very different course, and he had made choices that suited him just fine.  He would remain forever alone, a warrior and protector of the Mac Coinnachs.  Protector of his brothers and of
their
wives and children, never his own.  He had long since become comfortable with his decision, proud of it, even.  Two years ago, he had secretly taken vows as an elite warrior of a Druid sect.  A
celibate
sect, where all of a man’s energy was supposed to go to honing their skills and fighting against the many evils of the world.  Protectors of mankind.  Bren had grudgingly given him his support when he saw how important it was to Drust, but told him quite bluntly that giving up sex for
anything
had to be at least foolhardy if not an outright sin against Nature.

             
It hadn’t been so bad.  The constant training and physical exhaustion had kept the better part of lust away.  The rest had been little more than mind over matter.  He absently ran a hand over his still rock-hard erection, groaning at the sweet ache.  Perhaps the two years of celibacy he had endured had finally caught up with him… and at a most inopportune time.

Chapter 7

              Drust was still awake when he heard Willa finally return to the cottage.  It seemed that he had slept for so long, further rest now completely eluded him.  And his mind was full.  He needed to know if Faith was safely returned to Bren.  And Mored, did Bren know the evil sorcerer was still alive… still a threat?  He even found himself worrying over his younger brother Eian, whose wild ways always got him into trouble, and whose two older brothers were always saving his hide. 

             
And then there was the undeniable miracle that he was even alive… it would take some getting used to.

             
He had somehow survived… no, he had been saved. Saved by a beautiful woman… the most beautiful woman he had ever seen.  And now he was alone with her in a remote cottage and she was stirring his blood even when his body should not be able.  Aye, there was something of the way-too-good-to-be-true about this whole scenario.  He had best be cautious.  He lived in a world where fate was fickle and trickery abounded.  He had long since learned that things were not always what they seemed, and usually not what one hoped they were.  He would be wise to be
exceedingly
careful.  But then, he had never been one to be lured by a lush body or pretty face.  That was Eian’s weakness, not his. 

             
The sun had long since set, and the room was dark except for the moonlight that touched everything with a pale glow.  He had been lying there watching the moon rise over the trees, and now it hung just above them, filling the top half of the small window with its light.  Again he heard a soft sound as the door to the bedroom opened.  Willa.  He slid his eyes nearly closed to feign sleep while he watched her from under his lashes.

             
She came directly to the bed, pausing to pull the covers tighter over him before placing a cool hand on his forehead, as if to check for fever.  Even as she neared, his heart beat faster, harder, making his wound throb.  He had to concentrate to keep his breaths slow and even. 

             
Seeming satisfied that he was sleeping peacefully, she moved away, and he caught the fresh sent of outdoors and night and woman.  He cracked his eyes open further to watch as she crossed the room to where a small trunk rested against the wall.  She opened it and pulled out an item of clothing, closing the lid and setting it on top.  With her back to him, her hands went to the ties of her skirt, and he held his breath.  Certainly she wasn’t going to undress with him here in the room?  Ah, but she was!  She thought him asleep.  Guiltily, he closed his eyes to give her the privacy she thought she had.  But he just couldn’t manage to keep them shut.  They opened again against his will and he covertly watched her in spite of his best intentions. 

             
Och
,
I am only a man after all… and it’s not as if I could move from this bed, even if I wanted to…

             
Her skirt fell to the floor with a soft
whoosh
and she bent to pick it up, folding it neatly atop the trunk.  Then her hands slid to the hem of her chemise. Damn, but he was hard again under the blanket, suddenly aching, throbbing, unable to look away.  She lifted the fabric up over her body in one smooth motion, pulling it over her head before folding it atop the skirt and picking up what must be a night dress.  Was he dreaming?  God, but she was too beautiful to be real!  She stepped back into a shaft of silvery moonlight for a moment while she slipped her arms into the sleeves, and his breath caught in his throat.  She was so very lovely.  Long, slender lines of pale ivory skin swelled into perfect curves as her long hair tumbled loosely down her back.  When the night dress finally fell to cover that exquisite body, he nearly groaned with disappointment.  But that would have given him away. 

             
She unrolled a pallet of thick blankets on the floor and sank down onto it, stretching her long and slender limbs before pulling another blanket up over herself and giving a contented sigh.  Why was she sleeping there on the floor?  Surely there must be another room…  she must think to be close in case his fever returned in the night.  Gratitude for her tender care warred with feelings of frustration and anger at his physical weakness.  Thoughts came unbidden into his mind, lustful thoughts the likes of which he could not remember ever having before, at least not this strongly.  He closed his eyes and could almost see himself taking the few steps to where the lass lay on her pallet.  He could feel her softness beneath him as he stretched his body over hers, covering her completely, keeping her there, at his mercy.  In his mind, her clothing was gone, as was his, and her bare skin felt warm and soft against his hard body.  His hand reached to cup a full, soft breast while his lips took hers in a fierce and carnal kiss.  Unable to control himself a moment longer, he pushed his aching cock inside of her body with a growl, taking her, possessing her.  And it felt so very good, and somehow…right. 

             
Opening his eyes, he tried to shake off the waking dream, confused by its unfamiliar intensity.  Under the blanket, his hips rocked a little, helplessly, futilely.  The movement sent a sharp bolt of pain through his side, where his wound felt hot and tight and throbbing beneath the bandages.  Och, but it was going to be a long night.  Why must his mind and body betray him now, of all times?

              Drust opened his eyes to light streaming in through the window.  He must have slept, after all.  He groaned, lifting his arm to shield his still bleary and aching eyes from the brightness.  The he looked out from under a wrist to the pallet on the floor.  The lass…
Willa
… was gone already.  Where was she?  What was she doing?  The always battle-ready soldier in him felt the compulsion to gather information on his surroundings.  The layout of the house and the surrounding terrain… whether there were horses… the best escape route.  All things he usually did automatically, often without even realizing he did so.  Only now, when he was confined to a bed in a strange place did he recognize how ingrained it was in him to protect, to fight, to survive…