Free Highland Thirst by Lynsay Sands, Hannah Howell Page A

to Cambrun. Ye will be safe there until I have killed
Hervey and Angus.” Heming realized stating his plans for her cousin so bluntly
may not have been the wisest thing to do, for she grew a little pale.
    Brona
knew Hervey and Angus deserved whatever punishment this man wished to give them
considering all they had done to the man. She had just not been prepared to
hear his plans spoken so bluntly or with such a cold resolution. Yet, it was
not just Heming that men like her cousin were threatening, it was the entire
MacNachton clan. Knowing her cousin and Angus, they had undoubtedly made their
distaste for MacNachtons brutally clear, insulting and humiliating Heming at
every turn. Brona supposed it was Heming’s right to feel as angry as he did. A
man as proud as she sensed Heming was would have found his time as Hervey’s
prisoner a source of great rage.
    “I
apologize,” Heming said. “The mon is your cousin—“
    “Aye,
but he has courted such a fate as ye promise him for years. I kenned what ye
must feel, e’en what ye may have to do to save your clan, ere I unlocked your
cage. I just winced a bit at hearing it said so clearly. ‘Tis as if I
unsheathed the knife that is now being held to my kinsmon and laird’s throat.
In truth, it would do the people of Rosscurrach only good if those two men were
gone. My cousin isnae a verra good laird.”
    Heming
gently grasped her by the chin and turned her face up to his. “Come with me to
Cambrun. I can keep ye safe until ye can return here or anywhere else ye may
wish to go.” He felt sure that he would be doing his best every step of the way
to convince her to stay with him for a great deal longer than that, but it was
not the time to even hint at such a plan.
    Brona
stared up into his golden eyes and felt something inside of her melt. He was
such a beautiful man, his face cut of pure clean lines, and his lips full
enough to be incredibly tempting. If she went with him she could remain at his
side for a little while longer and she knew that was just where she wanted to
be. The way he stroked her cheek with the tips of his fingers had her trembling
slightly and she had to face the fact that she would probably be willing to
follow him anywhere.
    Just
one little kiss, she thought as she stared at his mouth. That did not seem too
much to ask. Brona knew she was not the sort of woman a man as fine as Heming
MacNachton would choose, but he could weaken enough for just a moment to give
her a kiss. When she realized that his mouth was actually slowly moving toward
hers, Brona had to fight hard to keep from throwing herself into his arms and
hurrying things along. She had been dreaming of kissing this man for days and
she did not want to do anything to stop him from giving her what she craved.
    He
knew it was a mistake, but Heming could not resist the temptation. Brona’s full
lips were so close and he felt a deep urge to try to do something to take the
look of sadness from her eyes. The moment he brushed his lips over hers,
however, all thought of gently comforting her fled. He felt a wildness seize
him. Even as a voice in his head whispered that he should be cautious and
gentle, he quickly deepened the kiss. He needed to taste her, needed to hold her
close. Slipping one hand into her hair and wrapping an arm around her small
waist, he pulled her close to him and nipped gently at her bottom lip. As a
soft gasp escaped her Heming swiftly took advantage of it, thrusting his tongue
into her mouth. The taste of her was almost as intoxicating as the rich taste
of her blood.
    Brona
clung to his broad shoulders and tried not to do anything that might let Heming
know that she was almost completely innocent of this sort of thing, even
kisses. When he thrust his tongue into her mouth, she almost squeaked out a
protest, but it died as he stroked the inside of her mouth. The same heat that
had flooded her body as he had taken her blood rushed back so quickly she felt
faint from the power