Free Capturing A Highland Knight by F.S. Hyman Page B

were tear stains on her face, but the look in her eyes was the complete opposite of what tears should mean.  There was fire in their green depths, and he had the feeling that if she thought that she could get away with it, she would have murdered him on the spot.
                  “The priest is ready to perform the ceremony, Annabelle,” he said quietly.
                  The fire in her eyes seemed to burn hotter.  He wondered if they would have the same look when she was in the throes of passion.
                  She did not answer, but continued to stare at him.  He could feel the tension flowing from her body.  He knew she objected.
                  “Ye have nae choice, lass.  Ye have been compromised and we must be wed to correct the situation,” he said in a hard voice.
                  Annabelle gave an unladylike snort and turned again to the window.  Derek stepped farther into the chamber and closed the door.
                  “I only have yer word that is what happened,” she finally said. 
                  “But ‘tis true.  I remember exactly that it happened,” he smirked.
                  Annabelle turned on him with a scowl.
                  “And, besides, we were found together in bed, and that alone is enough for us to wed.”
                  “I willnae marry ye, Derek MacDougal!  I have a betrothed, and soon I will be going back home to wed him.  So ye might as well release me from this farce!” she said to him hotly.
                  For some reason, hearing her say that she would wed another made Derek’s anger return.  He strode up to her and pinned her against the wall with his body.  Instantly, his memory returned of the feel of her body against him as he drove into her heat.  His breath quickened.  He noticed that her breath quickened also, but he could not tell if it was from anger, fear, or if she was remembering also.
                  “I find, Annabelle, that I canna allow that to happen,” he said into her ear.
                  Annabelle stiffened.  The memories came flooding back of the feel of him against her body, what she thought had been a dream.  Her breath quickened.  His breath on her ear as he spoke sent shivers down her spine.
                  “Why willnae ye release me, Derek?  It will be so easy to just allow me to return home.  My betrothed need not ken what has happened.  Maybe he willnae notice that I wasnae a virgin on my wedding night,” Annabelle asked as a whisper trying to reason with him.
                  “But I will ken what has happened.  Because now that I’ve had a taste of ye, I realize I want some more.  And I willnae forget,” he said and connected his lips to hers.
                  Annabelle froze.  She put her hands against her chest to push him away, but he resisted, and the kiss that started off soft became hard and demanding.  She struggled against him, but he would not relent.  His arms came around her and pulled her closer into his body.  She could feel the hard planes of his body pressing into the soft curves of her own.  She seemed to fit him perfectly, she thought distractedly.  She felt herself softening into the kiss.
                  Derek suddenly let her go.  He looked down in her face intently for several moments.  His grey eyes appearing almost cobalt.  His gaze dropped to her lips and then to her heaving breast.
                  “The priest is waiting.  Let’s go,” he said turning and heading for the door.  Annabelle watched him head toward the door, not making any effort to follow.
                  Derek stopped at the door and turned, expecting Annabelle to be right behind him.  When he noticed that she had not moved, but stood watching him with a look of defiance on her face, he