Free Laird of the Game by Lori Leigh Page A

backward on the couch, unable to speak at all. Four weeks with a beautiful, nearly naked woman in the camp would be a test of their stamina. The remaining brothers exchanged a knowing glance.
    They all fascinated Melissa. She had found seven of the most perfect men that had ever graced the earth. It was a little unnerving to be in their midst, and she worried they thought she was too forward. Perhaps she had just broken every social rule in their book, to say nothing of the thousand or so she had just broken in her own time.
    William glanced out the window and noticed their camp had company. “We need tae go now!” He nodded toward the front doors and muttered, “Rosabel!”
    Alex grabbed her hand and dragged her up the stairs. “Get your things. We are leaving right now.”
    “I’ll get the horses,” William announced.
    Her dress was stuffed into her bag of painting supplies. “Where are we going?” She was suddenly terrified. “Are we under attack?”
    “We’re moving our camp tae the cottages in the mountains where the Prince won’t be able tae find us.” It was a tactical move, to give them as much distance from the local cities as possible.
    He took her quickly down the back staircase and out into the courtyard. William had the horses saddled and waiting for them. Alex mounted his horse, and Daniel put his hands on her waist to lift her up before she could protest. She landed on Alexander’s lap.
    The Laird growled out commands to his warriors in Gaelic. The camp bustled as they moved quickly to break camp. The warriors would cause a diversion and then catch up with their Laird at the cottage.
    Gideon stayed behind to command their army. Luckily, one of the warriors had been called home for an emergency and they didn’t have to ask for a volunteer to leave. Melissa wouldn’t fight, but they could have no more than two hundred and fifty warriors each, or they would have been disqualified. Melissa’s name was included on the roster as a warrior, and Rosabel – no doubt – wanted to question the addition in the game.
    They set out at a furious pace. Melissa noticed that once they cleared the grounds surrounding the house the terrain got steep. The horses slowed to a walk, and they moved in single file up and down hillsides.
    The shimmer of moonlight cast a magical appearance on the hills around them. There were millions of stars overhead on a clear night. The heat of the summer had quickly faded, and a cool evening chilled her bare legs. She leaned back against Alex’s chest and took a deep breath, feeling very safe in his arms. His hands were in front of her, holding the reins, and she held on with an arm around his waist.
    Alex reached back into his saddlebags and took out a plaid blanket to warm her. If she didn’t stop squirming they were going to have to stop for—fifty or sixty years before he could say he had enough of her.
    He leaned down and kissed her neck. She was a luscious temptation that filled his head with her scent. He thought back to his comments earlier that day and had to say a silent prayer of thanks for his Angel.
    Melissa leaned back against his arm so she could look up in his face. She didn’t dare close her eyes, afraid her Celtic warrior would disappear.
    Melissa heard William humming softly behind them, and looked back over Alex’s arm. “I think I know that song.” She just couldn’t place it at the moment but recognized the melody from somewhere.
    “ Aye ,” William agreed. “The lady has excellent taste. I still can’t figure out why she’d want tae take up with such an ugly bastard like Alex.”
    “They’re drunk,” Daniel explained.
    Adding credence to Daniel’s words, Iain bobbed, almost falling off his horse.
    Melissa looked back at William. “I’m amazed how much you look like Alex.”
    “ Och !” The resounding chuckle from the brothers indicated she had hit her mark. But then he began to hum again in a happy drunken state before starting to