“Shh.” He kissed her forehead, his lips and breath warm and soft on her skin.
Feeling both comfort and excitement, she slipped her hands around his lean torso, her palms pressing against his sides. Moving closer to him and pushing her hands around to his back, she found most of the aching pressure leaving her chest. She could not believe how much she needed him and wanted him.
He held her close, pressing kisses to the top of her head. She laid her head against his chest and listened to his heart pounding in her ear. The appealing scent of him—male, spice and leather was like a bewitching potion to her senses.
’Twas perfection.
Shortly, a bit of her sanity returned. Heavens! What must he think of her, embracing him in such a way? She drew back and glanced up at him.
His heavy-lidded eyes searched hers. She was glad he didn’t ask why she’d been crying for she couldn’t have answered. Merely that her rampant emotions had gotten the better of her, which almost never happened, and she couldn’t let him know the depth of her feelings for him. At the same time, his gaze was so spellbinding, she could think of naught but touching him.
Before she knew what she was about, she lifted her hand and stroked her fingers along his square jaw, delighting in the prickly golden-brown stubble. She had wondered what it felt like—very masculine and harsh, so unlike her own skin.
She raised her gaze and found his eyes darker than before, the color of the sky near gloaming. She dropped her hand, but he caught it and kissed her palm. His lips and warm breath on her sensitive skin fragmented her thoughts. His gaze held hers with that intense, magnetic force she didn’t understand. It compelled her to draw closer to him, and she did.
He leaned forward and placed a sweet kiss on her lips. It surprised her and served as a potent temptation.
Unable to quell her enthusiasm, she lifted herself onto her tiptoes and tilted her chin up, hungering for another kiss like the one they’d shared the night before.
“Saints,” Keegan growled then took her mouth. His wicked tongue flicked at her lips and she opened for him, completely ready to devour him. But he did not seem in a hurry as he tempted and taunted her. Barely touching his tongue to hers, then retreating.
A sound escaped her and she was shocked to realize it was halfway between a moan and a needy whine. He gave an answering groan and stroked his tongue inside her mouth. It darted around hers, then swirled.
He hummed a soft sound. “So sweet,” he whispered.
Whatever magic possessed her increased with each kiss he placed upon her mouth.
She became aware of strands of his soft hair between her fingers. When had she buried her hands in his hair to hold his head?
He pulled her tightly against his hard body, and she had never felt anything so exquisite. This, combined with his kisses, consumed her thoughts with a fiery, carnal sensation. Oh saints. She craved his bare skin against hers. She wanted him to touch and kiss every inch of her.
What was wrong with her?
Keegan was thankful his sporran disguised his body’s fierce response to her. He was mad to indulge in such luscious kisses with her, but he could not stop himself. Especially when she made it abundantly clear she wanted more.
She shyly flicked the tip of her tongue against his, stirring his lusts into a boiling caldron. Mo creach! She was too innocent for him to kiss this way. He was indeed a rogue, as he’d told her. Yet, he could not get enough of her. He feared he was hooked.
“Thank the saints!” someone said behind him. Keegan spun around to find Rebbie behind them, grinning like a devil. “We thought you’d both perished in the storm.”
Keegan stepped away from Seona and glanced beyond Rebbie. The gale had passed and the sun was peeking through the clouds. When had that happened? He knew gales could vanish as quickly as they appeared. But had he been so wrapped up in kissing Seona, he’d ignored their surroundings completely?
’Slud! He was daft.
“Nay,” Keegan muttered. “We are well.”
“I can see that.” Rebbie’s dark eyes gleamed with amusement. “Where is Lady Seona’s mare?”
“I know not. Last time I saw the mad animal, she was running along the burn.” Keegan pointed.
Rebbie nodded and hoisted himself back into his saddle. “We’ll find her.” He rode down toward the burn and three guards joined him.
“Come. I’ll help you mount.” Keegan glanced at Seona, not expecting her to look so… arousing. Indeed, she was always beautiful, but now her cheeks were pink, her pupils dilated, and her bow-shaped lips red and moist from his kisses. She looked well-loved but… like she needed more. Aye, he could easily imagine her in his bed, looking just like this, her dark hair mussed, her heavy-lidded gaze silently asking him for more.
Lust and need burned through him.
Her mouth was sweet as a wild summer strawberry. He wanted to consume her utterly. He ground his teeth and forced himself to look away.
She moved toward Curry and waited, avoiding his gaze. Maybe that was for the best. ’Twas when she made eye contact that he got into trouble and did things he shouldn’t.
He lifted her to the soft roll of woolen blankets behind his saddle. It provided a good pillion cushion. He then hoisted himself into the saddle in front of her. He would certainly much rather hold her in front of him, but it wouldn’t be as comfortable for her. Besides that, he needed his arousal to drain away before they joined the rest of the party, and that wouldn’t happen if he was holding her in his arms.
But when she slid her arms around his waist from behind and flattened her hands against his stomach to hold on, another wave of desire surged through him. How he would love to feel her hands smoothing over his bare skin.
Even though his rational mind told him he would never have Seona, something inside him refused to believe it.
He kneed Curry into a trot and guided him across the moor toward where their party must be. The breeze was calm and the sun beamed between the scattering clouds. Glancing across the rolling, heather-covered landscape and toward the burn, he didn’t see Rebbie or anyone else. ’Twas too bad the heather was not yet in bloom, for the sight would’ve been lovely.
Glancing up, he noticed something else. A giant double rainbow spanned across the horizon, one slightly dimmer than the other.
“Och.” He halted and turned in the saddle. “Have you ever seen such a bonny rainbow?”
Seona gasped. “Nay. ’Tis very bright.”
Even lovelier, at least to Keegan, was Seona’s smile as she took in the scenery. She was so beautiful his chest ached. Yet… he knew not how he was going to keep her in his life so that he might see her smile every day.
Facing forward, he urged the horse along at a slower pace. No reason to rush. He wanted to enjoy Seona’s arms around his waist a bit longer.
“I can’t believe how big the rainbow is,” she said behind his shoulder.
“Aye. Are you thinking there’s a great pot of gold at the end of it?”
She smiled. “’Haps. Or maybe something even better than gold.”
He wondered what she was thinking. What would she prize more than gold?
He covered her hands with one of his and stroked her silky smooth skin. An idea occurred to him. He turned. “I no longer trust your horse and I’m thinking you should ride with me for a ways.”
“In truth? You are right that Juliana has become unpredictable, but I’m not certain my aunt will agree to the riding arrangement.”
“She wants you to be safe, aye?”
“Aye, but…”
Out ahead, their party came into view. They appeared to be gathered around someone sitting on the ground. Who was that?
“I wonder what’s happened.” His heart rate accelerating, he kneed the horse into a trot. As they approached, he saw that it was Lady Patience sitting on the ground on a plaid blanket.
“Is Aunt Patience hurt?” Seona asked, concern in her voice.