Free The Highlander's Reward by Eliza Knight

reached the small guest house. By this time the sun had started to lower in the sky—a point where the horizon was orange and the sky still blue. It would be dark within the hour.
    “Here we are.”
    Prickles ignited along Arbella’s arms and legs. Even the hair on her head seemed to stand on end. ’Tis pretend , she told herself. You will retain your innocence and return home .
    The problem was, the more hours she remained in Scotland—with Magnus—the more she didn’t want to return, however absurd it was. There was no logic to it, but she felt a sense of peace here, deep within her soul.
    He held the door open for her and Arbella entered the darkened house , the only light coming from the doorway. She stepped aside as Magnus entered, his bulk momentarily blackening the room.
    He rummaged by the door until she heard a sizzle and saw a spark as he lit a ca ndle with a flint. Holding it up, the small candle dimly illuminated the room. Along the back wall was one tiny window and below it a rickety looking table with two stools.
    As Magnus raised the light around the space, he paused on the small bed in the corner.
    “’Twill be a tight fit,” he said with a chuckle.
    Arbella’s lips twitched in the semblance of a smile, but truthfully she was too nervous to smile genuinely. His words only brought to mind the fact they’d been married before the eyes of God and even with his promise to keep her virtue intact, he was legally her husband and if he chose to, he could demand his husbandly rights.
    He set the candle down on the table and started to disarm himself. A large pile of various weapons formed on the floor beside the table. A rather messy heap. She had to stop herself from organizing the pile into a corner where it wouldn’t be in the way.
    Then he sat down and started to unlace his boots completely pulling her thoughts from anything but his actions.
    “What are you doing?” she asked, her voice a little shrill. They were supposed be pretending, not truly undressing.
    He glanced at her briefly before returning to his task. “Taking off my boots.”
    “Why?”
    He exhaled loudly and sat back, his eyes narrowing on her. “What’s wrong?”
    “You are undressing.”
    “Aye.”
    “But you promised.” She wrapped her arms around her stomach, trying to keep the soup down.
    “And I intend to keep my promise. But that doesna mean I’m going to sleep in my boots with my sword strapped to my back.”
    His words made sense and with the confused and annoyed expression on his face she understood she’d been overreacting.
    She nodded and turned toward the bed. They would both never fit on the small mattress. Perhaps if he was a normal sized man, but Magnus was a giant. “Well I intend to sleep fully clothed.”
    “Whatever suits ye, lass.”
    He was so close his voice startled her. Arbella whirled around to see that he stood a foot away from her—nude.
    Her eyes glued to the muscles of his chest , the light sprinkling of hair, his shoulders and she dare not look further.
    “I prefer to sleep in my skin.” He walked around her and she caught a glimpse of his sculpted arse.
    Her mouth fell open, breath caught. She’d never seen a man’s arse before…and never dreamed it would look so…look so…nice. Arbella snatched back her wayward hand that had reached out to touch him.
    Magnus dove onto the bed, his head buried in the pillow, his arms beneath it. His face was turned away from her and she took a moment to observe his long legs, his strong back. But looking at him only made her blood burn hot. Her desire for him stronger.
    She chewed her lowe r lip, her gaze focused on his god-like body.
    “Will ye join me, lass?”
    She jerked her gaze up to see his eyes on her and full of merriment.
    “N—No.”
    With quick movements she grabbed a blanket and pillow from the bed and curled up on the floor, mortification running hot through her blood.
    Damn the man! Being married to him in name only was turning out