Free April Holthaus - The MacKinnon Clan 02 by Escape To The Highlands Page A

nightfall,” Ewan proposed.
    Popping the last piece of meat in her mouth, Jacqueline took his advice and excused herself. As soon as she relieved herself, she journeyed back towards Ewan. When she got back, Ewan had already removed all evidence that they were there and was already mounted on his horse.
    Noticing her curiosity, he replied, “With the English out here looking fer ye, I dinna want to leave a trail that would make ‘em want to search these woods.”
    “You have thought this through very thoroughly.”
    “Aye. I have had me a run in or two with the English before and am verra good at losing ‘em off my track,” Ewan said as he reached out his hand to indicate his assistance.
    Jacqueline willingly accepted it and swung up behind him. Clutching her hands onto his waist, he kicked his horse into a full run. Knowing that time was not on their side, they rode almost nonstop, only stopping to stretch and relieve themselves. Jacqueline quietly watched as the scenery flew by. The landscape was beginning to change right before her eyes. It had become hilly and covered in purple heather and lush greenery. Far different from the flat lands and open pastures that she was used to. As the sun lowered in the heavens, the colors in the sky faded from blues to reds and yellows.
    Ewan directed his horse into a cove along a crystal clear lake. The sandy shoreline was covered with fine grains of sand and small pebbles. Jacqueline eagerly got down to stretch out her legs. After such a long ride, her thigh muscles burned from the strain of bracing herself atop the horse.
    Ewan grabbed onto his bag and entered the carved-out cove that stood at the base of a moss-covered hill to set up camp. Eager to relieve her muscle pain and to wash, Jacqueline decided to dip her foot into the water to test how cold it was.
    “The water feels warm,” she called out.
    “Aye, there is a warm spring coming down from the mountain. Many of the smaller lakes and creeks will nay be too cold,” he yelled out so she could hear him in the distance.
    Lifting her skirt around her arm so that it would not get wet, Jacqueline slowly walked into the loch until her calves were completely exposed to the coolness of the water. Leaning into the water, she began to clean off the muck and grime from her hands and face. Hearing the sound of splashing, Jacqueline flipped her hair over her shoulder and wiped the water from her eyes.
    “What are you doing?” she asked when she saw Ewan fully submerged into the water.
    “Bathing,” Ewan said as he began to swim around.
    Jacqueline looked onto the shoreline and saw the pile of clothes that Ewan had been wearing.
    “You cannot bathe with me here, it is indecent,” Jacqueline scowled.
    Ewan laughed as he saw the redness fill Jacqueline’s cheeks; she abruptly turned away from him. But just as she jerked around, Jacqueline slipped and her body quickly was immersed under the water. Ewan leaped forward into the water towards Jacqueline. Helping to lift her up out of the water, Jacqueline fussed over getting her gown completely soaked.
    “Are ye alright, lass?” Ewan asked smiling over her amusing predicament.
    As Jacqueline stood, she cried out in pain and held onto her leg. Not knowing what had happened, Ewan picked her up off her feet and began walking her to the shore. Laying her down on the sandbar, Ewan looked at her ankle that she was rubbing intensely.
    “Let me take a look at ye, lass.”
    Jacqueline released her leg exposing an already bruised and swollen ankle.
    “My foot caught on a rock I think,” Jacqueline said as she cringed at the sight of it.
    “I dinna think ye broke it. It may be just a sprain. Ye will no’ be able to walk on it fer a while.”
    Jacqueline raised her eyes and froze at the sight of the naked man crotched down in front her. Quickly, she averted her eyes, but not before she caught sight of his manhood. The image was haunting. The size and how it protruded down his muscular