The Scottish Rose by Jill Jones

Author:Jill Jones
Language: eng
Format: epub
ISBN: 978-1-62681-490-5
Publisher: Diversion Books
Published: 2014-10-21T04:00:00+00:00

Taylor awoke before dawn, but Duncan was already gone. She saw that before leaving, he had added wood to the fire and moved Pauley back into the bed next to her. She closed her eyes and wrapped her arms tightly around her nakedness, recalling the exquisite pleasure she had found in Duncan’s arms. She lay very still, relishing the new feelings that tingled throughout her. Her body was aglow, but not just from sexual fulfillment, she realized. There was something deeper about her feelings for Duncan.

They were the feelings she had tried all her life to avoid having toward a man. Feelings of caring. And commitment. Of wanting a future with him. She knew better, fought the idea, but she couldn’t ignore that Duncan’s caresses last night had presented her with a summons to life, a mandate unlike anything she had ever experienced, a wake-up call to discover a more profound meaning of human existence.

Sliding out of bed, she donned her sleeping gown to ward off the chill morning air, then snuggled back under the covers. She was sorry Duncan hadn’t awakened her to say goodbye, but in a way, she was glad, too. She treasured the intimacy they had shared in the night, but she needed some time to sort out her feelings.

Disturbed by her earlier self-talk that included words like “caring” and “commitment,” she warned herself against reading more into their interlude than was there. It could have been but a moment of passion, a much-needed release for them both, and ironically, she was glad she didn’t have to worry about getting pregnant.

Taylor was unsure whether she wanted something more between them than an occasional moment of passion, even if he returned safely from his pointless errand to France. It went against her carefully controlled life plan. She’d always been strong, committed to her career, certain that a loving relationship could only lead to eventual disappointment, since the family she would want from such intimacy could never be. The tender emotions that surrounded her at the moment left her feeling vulnerable, afraid even.

And yet, a new awareness sang in her blood this morning. She felt more alive, more vital than at any time she could remember, and in her heart she knew that Duncan Fraser was a man who could make her reevaluate her priorities.

And because of that, he was a very dangerous man.

She wished she knew more about him. That he was a passionate lover there was no doubt. And Taylor knew from the way he treated Pauley, and the deep pain on his face when he’d told her about his own children’s deaths, that Duncan was a caring father. But how was he at being a partner?

A life mate?

A…husband?

The “h” word scared her, and Taylor abruptly forced herself to rise and face the day, shaking off these and other troublesome thoughts. Her hair, she noted as she brushed it vigorously, had grown long and uneven. Fit for little other than a braid, Taylor managed with some difficulty to twist it into control, tying the end with a bit of ribbon given her by Mrs.

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