Free The Highlander's Temptation by Eliza Knight Page B

just said that? And she didn’t want it either for that matter!
    “One dance,” she said.
    “Just one.” He winked.
    Oh, what a devil he was, winking at her like that. What did that mean? That he was saying one dance, but meant more? Before she could think on it, Jamie pushed back his chair, then pulled hers out and offered her his hand.
    Lorna ignored the many eyes on them, and took Jamie’s hand, her fingers sinking into his larger, warm grasp. A smile curled his lips, matched by her own. She liked holding his hand. A little too much. Just one dance, and then she’d excuse herself for the evening, lest she do something she regretted, like tell the man how his palm against hers was sending hot frissons up her arm, or how her legs shook a little as they walked toward the other dancers.
    Jamie twirled her around, his body clashing against hers before he twirled her another way, and then they were both tapping their feet, and whirling around the others. But every time they came back together, Lorna felt the heat of her body increase. Sparks of some foreign emotion. Her belly wasn’t the only thing fluttering either. An intense, confusing heat had started to build between her thighs. She wasn’t naïve enough not to understand it either. She was attracted to the warrior. Dangerously so.
    At the end of the dance, he bowed toward her, and she curtsied in turn.
    “My thanks,” she murmured. “If ye would excuse me.”
    Lorna did not say goodnight to anyone. Nor did she care that she would miss out on the bonfires being lit across the moors, there’d be plenty more on the morrow. Escape was necessary, else she be convinced to dance again. She trembled so fiercely at the reaction her body had to Jamie’s, and confusion warred so intensely within her, she needed to escape to her room, to breathe in the air that couldn’t seem to make it past her throat. She didn’t wait for Jamie’s response, but ducked out of the great hall and hurried toward the stairs. Her foot hit the fourth stair when he called out behind her.
    “My lady, wait.”
    Lorna paused on the stairs, her heart hammering against her ribs. Should she turn? Run the rest of the way up without looking back?
    She turned, seeing him standing at the foot of the stair. So tall he was—his head reached to her shoulders, and here she was four steps up.
    “What is it?” she asked, her voice doing that breathy thing again.
    “I—” He glanced away, seeming at a loss for words.
    Lorna waited patiently, unsure of how to respond, and quite frankly, she wasn’t sure she’d be able to find the words anyway.
    “I wanted to thank ye for the dance, lass. And…” He stepped closer, eye level now. His voice lowered as he spoke. “I hope ye didna feel the need to run away because of me.”
    Lorna swallowed. He was the reason she’d run.
    She stared at his lips, all the feelings she’d had inside the great hall colliding. Jamie’s gaze flicked to her mouth, too. He wanted to kiss her just as much as she wanted a kiss.
    Lorna licked her lower lip nervously, watch ing his eyes widen at the innocent move.
    “I am tired, ’tis all,” she lied.
    “Aye, me, too.”
    “Good night, then” she whispered, retreating backward up another step, to put some distance between them, before she completely fell into her desire to press her lips on his and see if they were warm or hot.
    “Sweet dreams, my lady.”
    Lorna turned and ran the rest of the way up the stairs, completely certain her dreams would be anything but sweet.

Chapter Seven

     
    “Rise and shine, my dear.”
    Shafts of blinding light stabbed at Lorna’s barely opened eyes. Who would torture her this way?
    She rubbed her eyes, swearing it must have only been an hour since she fell asleep , or it might as well have been. A candelabra filled with nearly a dozen candles blazed bright on the table beside her bed.
    “That’s it, lass. Open your eyes. Ye’ve a big day ahead of ye.” Aunt Fiona stood near the