Highland Defiance - By Sky Purington Page 0,40

room and Adlin’s warm eyes studied hers. Had she slept? If so, for how long?

“Good morn, lass,” he said softly.

With a small, bashful smile, she said, “Good morning.”

They remained interlocked and without clothes, his warm skin soothing against already sore muscles. Though slightly embarrassed, she was grateful he was still there. That he’d waited for her to wake up.

His thumb brushed her lower lip before he cupped the side of her cheek. Soft, eager, his lips touched hers then pulled back. “I love you, Mildred. Always have.”

Speechless, caught off guard, she could only nod. He meant it… believed it. And didn’t expect a reply. So she nodded once, unable to voice what she felt. Not quite ready.

“I’d like to show you something,” he said. “Are you ready to get out of bed?”

Though the idea of staying in bed with Adlin seemed far more preferable, she nodded.

Anything for him.

“Good.” With a smile, he bounded from the bed and set to getting dressed.

For the first time in her life, she got out of bed naked and stood in front of a man while she looked for her clothes. Plaid half wrapped around his muscular body, Adlin froze, his eyes roaming over her in admiration.

Despite the fact they’d been intimate; a slow burn ran over her face and no doubt half her body. Although it was a startling and new sensation having a man eye her nude, she liked the way it made her feel. Powerful, sensual, Mildred realized that she was now truly a woman in every sense of the word.

All because of Adlin MacLomain.

About to slip into her dress, Adlin shook his head, half tripping over his own plaid to get to something else.

“No, wear this.” He picked up another dress that’d been laid on a chair. “Fresh clothes.”

With a shy grin she took the garment from him, completely flattered and aroused by his inability to function with her in a state of undress. The near white dress was very soft. Emboldened by his obvious infatuation, she raised an eyebrow. “White? You do realize that I’m not a virgin anymore.”

If a man could literally trip over his tongue, her five hundred year old wizard certainly did with his next words. “It was. I mean. Iosbail must’ve. On. You.” Frowning, he shook his head and ran what she swore was a shaky hand through his hair. “Just get dressed.”

With a small, womanly smile she slid the dress over her head, completely content on skipping the chemise.

“Mildred!”

Impressive erection pillowing an ill-laid plaid over his waist, Adlin’s frown deepened and he held out a chemise. “Get all the way dressed, lass.”

With what she imagined was a perfect pout, she took the garment, turned away and set to dressing properly. When she turned, Adlin was properly dressed and sternly holding out a pair of those awful Scottish shoes, but this time they looked more like boots. She scrunched her nose. “Really?”

“Have you any idea what cold highland rock feels like beneath bare feet?” His eyes fell to her feet and lingered. A loud swallow preceded his next statement. “Not that those feet should be covered.”

How did Adlin make her feel so incredibly beautiful simply by looking at her toes? No doubt, it’d be a question she’d ask herself the rest of her life.

“Sure.” After she slid into her shoes she turned his way.

For all she thought she was in control with her feminine wiles, one look at him leaning against the wall in full highland attire stopped her dead in her tracks. He was, in all sense of the word, perfection, beyond handsome. As she stood there staring at him with his plaid wrapped to perfection over a warrior’s physique done up to par with black boots, easily six-foot four, black hair finger combed, sapphire eyes arresting, she felt a sharp pang in her heart.

Who was she in such a man’s life?

As if he sensed it the minute she felt it, he said, “You’re the lass I’ve been waiting my whole life for.”

Frozen, unsure, Mildred understood just how vast Adlin’s time on Earth really was, how much a blip she was in the span of his existence. Even as she took a step back he was in front of her, his wide shoulders a reminder of his sheer physical strength and power.

He wrapped a fur cloak over her shoulders, his body and face coming close. “There has never been and will never be another like you. I do love you, Mildred.”

There was a sense that