The Betrayal - By Ruth Langan Page 0,22
his return to his own home, for he was anxious about the safety of his people, he couldn’t leave this family alone and helpless.
He patted her hand and glanced over at Kylia. “The lady and I will stay until your man is strong enough to travel. If you desire, we’ll accompany you to your village, where there will be family and friends to tend to your needs.”
The woman closed her eyes while giving a sigh of relief. “I thank you, my lord.” She turned. “And you, my lady.” She cuddled her infant in one arm and drew her toddler to her before looking around in alarm. “Alas, I can’t even offer you shelter from the night.”
“We need nothing but this fire. I’ll keep watch while you and the wee ones sleep. On the morrow, I’ll set about finding some way to make your journey back to your clan possible.” Grant gave her a gentle smile. “My name is Grant, laird of the clan MacCallum. The lady is Kylia, of the clan Drummond.”
“I am Flora. And these are our children, Ian and Donald. We are of the clan Kerr.” She drew close to the sleeping man and lay down in the grass, gathering her children to her bosom. Exhausted by their ordeal, they soon joined him in sleep.
Kylia got to her feet and hurried toward Grant, who was already striding toward the woods. “What can I do to help?”
He paused and turned. In his eyes was a look that warmed her more than any touch. “You’ve already done so much, my lady. Your courage leaves me without words.”
She shook her head, sending dark curls dancing. “It was your courage that saved these people, my lord.”
“Nay. It was nothing compared with what you did.” He reached up to tuck a stray curl behind her ear.
At once she felt the rush of heat and wondered that her heart didn’t leap clear out of her chest.
He kept his hand there a moment longer, loving the look of softness that came into her eyes. He found himself enjoying the quick rush of heat, and the slow, steady throbbing in his loins. After the ordeal they’d been through, touching her was a reward, like coming home.
She could feel the change in him. A tension that conveyed itself to her, as well. As she started to pull back he closed a hand on her shoulder.
“I must kiss you, my lady.”
“This is hardly the place…”
Her words were cut off abruptly as he dragged her into his arms, crushing her against his chest. His mouth covered hers in a kiss so hot, so filled with hunger, it unleashed a matching hunger inside her.
His was such a clever, agile mouth. Strong, firm lips. A tongue that dueled with hers. The taste of him, so potently male, had her head spinning, her heart racing. The blood in her veins seemed to ebb and flow, causing the ground beneath her feet to shift and tilt until she was forced to grasp his waist to keep from falling.
“My lord. Wait.” She pushed away, struggling for air. “I can’t think when you kiss me.”
His smile was quick and dangerous. “That’s exactly what I had in mind, my lady.” He drew her close and ran soft, nibbling kisses along her temple, down her cheek, to the tip of her nose. “There’s no need to think when we can feel such as this.”
The sweetness of it had her relaxing in his arms until he took the kiss deeper. There it was again. That little jolt to the heart, and then the warmth sliding through her veins, leaving her sighing with desire.
This time it was Kylia who reached for him, her arms encircling his neck, her body straining toward his. With her mouth on his she poured herself into the kiss, feeling the heat, the excitement, the flutter of danger.
Her body felt so alive. As though with one touch, he’d opened her up to all that was new and possible. She was, she realized, already wildly in love with this man. She wanted to tell him. To shout it out for the whole world to hear. What’s more, she wanted desperately to show him. And she did, by returning his kisses with a fervor that had them both gasping.
“How soon,” she whispered against his lips, “before we leave for your home?”
The sweetness of her breath mingled with his. He breathed her in, wanting more than anything in the world to taste more. To take more than her