Free The Highlander's Conquest by Eliza Knight Page B

another beneath his head. He made sure he faced away from Aliah. He didn’t need to gaze at her as he drifted off. He was certain h is dreams would be filled with her , even without looking. She captivated him with her beauty, intelligence, curiosity and her passion. When he was around her, common sense warred with need. Kissing her… Oh, God, when he’d tasted her lips, swiped his tongue in side to tease. The warmth of her mouth, sweetness of her lips, had nearly destroyed him. He would have plunder ed her mouth, pulled her to the ground and had his way with her.
    ’Haps when they traveled this eve he would have her ride with Liam. He wasn’t sure if he could handle her breasts pressed to his back. ’Twas a sweet torture, one that only seemed to increase his need —a constant remind er of how he’d never have her.
    Blane wasn’t a glutton for punishment—not until yesterday when he’d met Aliah. Now it seemed he was in a constant state of arousal, which would forever go unsati sfied . The faster they got to Dunrobin the better. He’d drop her off and then leave. Beg off, making excuses about having to get word to someone. He didn’t really care what excuse he gave Magnus; he just knew he wouldn’t last being around her.

 
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
    Chapter S even

     
    B lane woke on his own some time later . He sensed a change within the cave, and rolling over noted that Aliah was folding up her blankets. Frosty stood at attention by her side. Seeing Blane’s movements , she turned her gaze in his direction and smiled.
    He was mesmerized by her long slim fingers as she neatly and precisely worked the blanket .
    The other men had already risen and taken the ir things. Blane felt lazy for having slept so long. But his body must ha ve needed it. He felt refreshed.
    “Did you get enough rest?” Blane asked . He stood and collected his own things , in not so neat a fashion.
    “Yes, I did.” She tucked the blankets under her arm and turned to fully face him. “Will we travel through the night now?”
    “Aye, ’tis safer for us.”
    “I didn’t realize how dangerous it was …e verywhere.” Her brow was creased with a frown he wished to smooth away with his thumb.
    “’Tis not this way everywhere.” Blane wanted to tell her of his own family’s lands, of being able to ride freely, to walk the beaches without fear. But , was even that freedom changing? After all, Arbella had been attacked in the forest just an hour’s ride south of the castle by men from the Ross clan. Ross land bordered their own an d recently the laird’s daughter Ina had married Arbella’s original intended in a bizarre twist. Ina was supposed to have married his brother Magnus, and threatened all sorts of hell when she found out she’d been betrayed. Blane feared that with two of their enemies now united and living so close, the days of being carefree were coming to an end.
    “I wonder why my father never told me of the dangers?”
    “Did he not?”
    She pursed her lips. “Mayhap he did. I knew that I must always be careful, but I would not have thought to be attacked within hours of having left my home. Glenda certainly did.”
    Blane chuckled. “Aye, she would. And even though she may have exaggerated most things, she was also right about a lot , it would seem.”
    “Truly?” Aliah’s frown intensified and fear flickered over her features.
    “Well, maybe not most, I don’t know what she’s told you.”
    Aliah waved her hand. “Mostly silly things , I’m sure.” But she didn’t look so certain.
    “ Perhaps your father thought Glenda was taking care of warning you. And as you must know, he probably did not expect you to leave home unescorted. Come, let us mount up. We’d best be on our way.”
    Blane was quite surprised that her father had not expounded more, but then again, she was excellent with a bow. ’Haps rather than telling her the horrors of the world he’d done what he deemed best