Chapter Eight
Miran panicked, feeling her pulse in her throat. How could she escape what she knew was about to happen? Kai leaned forward, skimming her cheek with his strong fingers, a look of compassion and adoration in his eyes. Nay, she couldna avoid what was about to happen, no matter what—for she craved his touch, needed it more than anything. She’d gone too long without comfort, and right now, her body ached from every sadness, from endless loneliness, and the need to belong to someone.
Even if that someone came from a heathen land.
Tears welled in her eyes as his mouth claimed hers, soft and subtle at first, his hands clamping onto her hips, pulling her hard against him. Usually, whenever there was contact between them, it was borne of frustration or anger. Not this time. The dark-haired devil in a tartan was gentle yet firm. Supportive yet demanding. As openly desperate for something more than words as she was.
His tongue parted her lips, and he slipped inside her mouth, his tongue finding hers. Her mind demanded resistance, but her body wouldna listen. She surrendered, yielding to his strength, his taste and scent overwhelming her senses. Kai always smelled like smoke and exotic spices, for he bathed more than any man she knew.
The underside of his hands were rough and calloused, and she liked the way his palms felt against her cheeks. The kiss deepened, and she gasped in shock at what joined tongues could do together, what they did to her insides, especially the sensitive spot between her legs—where every sort of sensation blazed to life and made the rest of her body tingle with raw need.
“Miran,” he whispered against her lips, moaning, holding on to her, burying his fingers in her hair.
“Aye?” she said breathlessly.
“There’s so much more I wish to experience with you.”
But when his fingertips slipped down to her breast, her protective instincts kicked in and she pulled away. “Contrachd ort!” She cursed him. “A kiss is one thing, touching me there…another.”
He seemed confused for a moment, still shaken and silenced by their shared desire. But then thunder filled his face. His eyes glittered with ire. “What did you want me to do, Miran?”
She hugged herself protectively and couldna tear her gaze away from him. In the dim light from the stars and moon and lantern, he looked as wild as any predator, his powerful frame, hawk-like features, and intimidating strength all converging on her at once. “Temperance,” it came out sounding weak, more like a question than a demand.
“If you haven’t noticed, woman, I have shown nothing but self-restraint all these years I’ve known you.”
“I dinna invite ye to touch my breasts, or even to kiss me, Captain.”
“Nay?” He stepped forward. “Did I force myself on you? Or did you invite me in, Miran, your mesmerizing eyes and delectable mouth as demanding as my own? One word from you would have stopped me.”
She dinna want him to stop! She’d die for more, much more.
“What choice did I have?” she asked.
He laughed mirthlessly, or mercilessly. “There’s always a choice, woman. Always.”
“I doona like ye, Captain Kai. I never have trusted ye.”
“I’ve spent years around you, watched you blossom into the woman you are. You do not get to toy with me, Miran, to tempt me with your wit and beauty, to offer me morsels of your passion, then cut me off like a starving dog. I am not an animal, but a man, as savage and brutal as any Highlander, but also open to feeling, to wanting you, to protecting you at any cost. To…” He stopped, his jaws clenched.
“To what?” she demanded.
“I’ve spoken my piece.”
She closed her eyes. “Do ye know how many men look at me the way ye do?”
He growled. “Many.”
“And yet, not one has touched me. Only ye.”
“You are Laird Jamie’s beloved cousin. Laird Alex’s, too. The consequences of risking such action far outweigh the need to feel you.”
Her eyes snapped open. “What did ye say?”
“Why make me repeat it?”
“Kai,” her tone softened. “I doona believe ye meant to insult, but ye did.”
“How?”
She rolled her eyes. “By telling me I’m not worth touching!”
He scratched his head, rolling it over in his barbaric mind, she was sure. He’d stumbled on his words. Though his Gaelic was flawless, even better than some native Highlanders, she knew he must get the words confused whenever emotions got in the way. She could see it more clearly now than ever before. But would he admit it, understand it?
“Tell me what I said.”
“Ye told me the need to touch me isna worth the risk of whatever consequences would follow.”
His eyes widened. “Then I apologize for misspeaking. But if you will allow me to correct myself…”
She nodded, approving of his desire to do just that.
“Good.” He pulled her into his arms, locking her against his body, his mouth bold and intrusive, his lips hot with need. “Open up to me, sweet Miran. Let me show you how fearless I am. For I do not fear anything but your denial of what exists between us.”
Her body trembled as her hands locked behind his neck, pulling him in, giving him permission to hold and kiss her again, to caress her wherever he wished to. But before he kissed her, he lifted her up and carried her to the nearest tree, propping her against it, then leaning into her, capturing her between the bulk of his body and the tree trunk.
She had no choice but to gaze up at him, to blink through the dark shadows and really see him for the first time—to look him in the eyes and recognize him for the man he was now, not where he came from or what god he worshipped.
“Miran?”
Her pulse pounded in her ears. Kiss him. The wanton lass inside her begged her to take the initiative, to taste him freely, to hold him, to want him without guilt.
Their lips met again, fierce and hungry, no obstacles in the way this time—her mind and heart were in unison, if only temporarily. She would take comfort where she could get it this night. For she faced many days and nights in the future where she would undoubtedly be alone.
And when his hand slipped underneath her cloak, and her breast filled his hand as he kissed her harder and deeper, she dinna curse him, she only sighed, hoping he would alleviate the heavy pain in her other breast.
She quickly struggled with the notion of where to touch him. What would be acceptable, where would be too brazen? She dinna care. Her hands slipped up his chest, slow and appreciative of every hard inch of male flesh he possessed, sculpted muscle forged at a high cost through exhaustive training and sweat and blood.
He broke the maddening kiss then, pulling his head back and staring down at her, a satisfied look upon his face. “Now tell me what punishment will follow.”
God help her, she’d be the only one receiving any kind of punishment! He deserved special privileges for being able to kiss like that—to muddle her mind, to leave her breathless and not remembering her own name. “Ye are arrogant!”
“And you are a temptress. Mine now.”
His words shook her to the core. “I belong to no one.”
He took her hand and gave it a squeeze. “But you do. Give yourself some time to grow accustomed to the idea.”
Huffing out a frustrated breath, she gave him a solid shove. “Ye are soft-skulled to think one kiss gives ye any right to claim me as yer own.”
His body rumbled with laughter, and it made her angry.
“Ye think I am jesting?”
“I think I have deprived you of air by kissing you too much all at once.”
She balled her hands at her sides, the burning desire she felt for him only moments ago forgotten and replaced with righteous indignation. “I wish to return to the farm.”
He stepped aside and motioned for her to walk ahead of him. “I will not stop you, Lady Miran. Twould be best anyway, for first light is but a short time away. I would not want to offend our hosts by having them think we were rutting like beasts in their fields.”
“Ye are the only beast here.” She stomped away, walking with renewed purpose down the footpath, cursing Kai under her breath the whole way.