Free The Highlander's Stolen Touch by Terri Brisbin

seeing Tavis naked was something she’d dreamt about, but never thought possible. He sat near the opposite bank, in the water up to his waist, his broad chest and muscular arms glistening in the sun that managed to peek through the trees. He dunked his head under the water and shook it back away from his face, giving her a view of his strong back.
    When he swam across and climbed out of the water, she thought her heart had stopped! Elizabeth clutched her chest, so she must be having the same reaction. Then her friend covered her eyes and turned away. Ciara allowed herself several additional moments to watch him dress, holding her breath for fear of giving her position away and for fear of making a sound.
    A proper young lady would have screamed in fear and shock and run away at first glance. A proper young lady would have covered her eyes or had the decency to faint. She did none of that, instead watching every move he made and never turning away from his magnificently masculine form.
    Until Elizabeth grabbed her by the hand and dragged her away.
    They stumbled through the trees, back to the path and ran to the falls and the small pool there before stopping. There they’d fallen to their knees, laughing as they did when they did something naughty as girls. Though seeing Tavis naked made her feel something she’d not felt before—an ache that throbbed deep within her and sent tendrils of heat throughout her body. Her mouth grew dry, but she craved...something.
    Now, back in their chamber, Ciara wanted to speak of it to Elizabeth, but the image of his body as he climbed out of the water interfered with her attempts to do that. And that led her to thoughts of what being his wife might involve. And that kept her blushing at the truth of it as she understood it and unable to speak to Elizabeth.
    So, when the call came for supper, Ciara fought to keep all of her confusion and embarrassment inside. Mayhap if she did not look at him, she could control these strange feelings? Mayhap she should beg off and remain here until morning? Once they were on the road, she could avoid Tavis easily until the unease wore off.
    Nay, she was a grown woman now and she would soon learn a man’s body intimately. Not Tavis’s. She would need to put Tavis from her mind. Accepting that she must move on, Ciara rose and walked to the door. As she lifted the latch, she faced Elizabeth and smiled.
    ‘I was wrong today,’ she admitted. ‘I should not have remained there.’
    ‘He is...beautiful,’ Elizabeth said.
    ‘He is not mine to gaze on that way.’
    Her wayward thoughts then brought James Murray into her mind. He was at least a half-score of years younger than Tavis and did not have the training and experience as a warrior that he had either. Though quite attractive, he did not have the wildly handsome features that Tavis did, with his green eyes matching the tones of the forest around Lairig Dubh and his chiselled chin and wonderful mou—
    What was she doing? She seemed more under the spell of her childhood feelings about Tavis now than she had a year ago! She met Elizabeth’s gaze and could see her deciding whether or not to pursue this. Her friend smiled and nodded.
    ‘I am sure that James will be as pleasing as what we saw today.’
    Knowing the truth, they laughed for a moment, until Cora opened the door, urging them on to supper. Ciara had only a few more days, a week at most, to tame these errant thoughts and reactions before arriving in Perthshire. Taking in and releasing a deep breath, she calmed herself and nodded to Cora.

Chapter Six
    B y the time they reached the hall and walked to the front table where her uncles waited, Ciara believed she had this yearning for Tavis under her control. She greeted her family and cousins and sat down, only then looking around the large room for the rest of the travellers from Lairig Dubh.
    ‘Your MacLerie escorts sent along their regrets. They have other duties to see to so that you can leave