Free Highlander's Seduction (The Matheson Brothers Book 3) by Joanne Wadsworth Page A

also apologize for doubting you and your own word. I shall never do so again.”
    “Apology accepted, and since you’re the king’s eldest born is there any particular protocol I need to take care of when being around you?” He stroked around to her bottom, his hands getting lost within the mountainous folds of blue silk. Gently, he squeezed her rear. “I wouldn’t want to overstep any particular mark.”
    “I do believe you are becoming far too familiar with me, although that I shall allow and henceforth encourage.”
    “Thank heavens for that, because I intend to get a whole lot more familiar with you before this day is out.”
    “In what way?” She wriggled around and sat on his lap, her skirts puffing around her. “And be specific.”
    “I want the right to kiss you, anywhere and everywhere you might please.” He trailed one finger along the lush swell of her breasts pushed up by her corseted bodice edged in blue satin. Licking his lips, he leaned in and kissed the mark he’d given her on her neck. Wicked pleasure at seeing the evidence of his bite on her flesh rippled through him. He played with her hair, long golden locks that swayed about her waist, the exquisite color as bright and rich as the sun beaming in the sky out the window.
    “Mayhap then we should set some boundaries to begin with.” She tipped a finger under his chin and lifted his gaze back to hers.
    “I love boundaries. Let me start.” He took her with him as he laid down on the soft fur blanket. “Wherever you go, is where I need to go. You’re not to flutter away across time without taking me with you, or disappear on me again. Never again.”
    “Once we have joined as one, ’twould be painful for either of us to be parted for any great length of time, the same as any mated pair, although should I get called away without any warning and need to travel quickly, then you can be assured I’ll return for you the first moment I can.” She threaded her fingers deep into his hair and raked her nails lightly across his scalp. His bear fairly purred at her deliciously bold touch, one of absolute claiming. “What of that for a compromise?”
    “Detail the moments for when you might get called away without warning.” He never intended to let her go, not now she’d finally accepted their mated bond.
    “Right now we are together, but should you be elsewhere, with your brothers or so, that would be one example of when ’twould be quickest for me to just leave.”
    “Once we join as one, we’ll have a merged link of the mind, one inherent in my shifter blood. We’ll be able to speak to each other at will along a pathway known only to us, mind to mind. Can that link remain in place even across the separation of time?”
    “We would need to see what worked and what didnae. You are the first shifter to mate with a time-walker, so this is all rather new.”
    “Tell me more about your skill then. I need to understand all you can do.”
    She lifted one hand and the breeze fluttering through the window played over her skin. Sunshine glimmered and her skin sparkled even brighter. Such a glorious sight to behold. “I require the constant touch of my element. To be enclosed in a room without free flowing air is difficult for me.”
    “Then you wouldn’t have appreciated it when I asked Iain to close the window.”
    “Nay, not one bit.” She tapped his nose. “The wind speaks to me, brings me the knowledge I need of mated pairs, so when I travel through time to locate the two who are newly mated, it is along the pathway that the wind first brought their bond to me on. To carry out my duty, there must always be fresh air surrounding me, and plenty of it.”
    “Duly noted. I’ll never enclose you fully in a room again. I’ll ensure a window or door remains open.” He dipped his head and nipped her lower lip. “Where do you live? And this time be specific, very specific.”
    “I own several parcels of land, but only one place have I ever