to Conquer a Highlander (2010) by Wine Mary

Author:Wine, Mary [Mary, Wine,]
Format: epub
Publisher: Sourcebooks, Inc.
Published: 2011-01-14T19:06:19.187000+00:00

Eight

Shannon suddenly heard the wind again. It was whipping up with the onset of night. Her heart began to slow, and her body felt spent, unable to move except for the necessary rising of her chest to breathe. Her thoughts returned in a flurry of disorganized ideas, rushing in to tear at her.

Her eyes flew open as she realized that she might conceive. It was a startling idea, one that she’d not considered in all her musing. But the hot pulse of delight in her belly told her that nature had everything it needed now.

Firm fingers moved along her hairline, bringing her head down so that Torin could look into her eyes. She shied away from his gaze, ducking beneath his arm to avoid his seeing her thoughts. The man was too keen, too able to read her emotions. For all that she’d just given him her innocence, she was suddenly shy.

He grunted and rolled onto his back. But he didn’t allow her to escape. One arm hooked her around her waist and brought her back against him.

“Do nae start with that yet, Shannon.”

He pressed her head down on top of his chest. His thighs clamped around one of her legs to keep her near.

“Yer kilt scratches my skin.”

He muttered something in Gaelic, his arms tightening around her, but he gave a snort and released her.

“That is nae the reason ye are restless.” He rolled onto his feet in a fluid motion, lifting her up as well and setting her on her feet. His strength still astounded her. A tiny shiver rippled across her skin as she realized how easy it would have been for him to take his pleasure without regard for her pain. He was displeased with her now, his expression telling her that plainly. But the fingers curled around her arms never closed too harshly.

“What is? Regrets for lying with me?”

The evening breeze was chilly. It blew across her bare skin, making her shiver.

“I’m cold.”

It was a truth, and it offered her an escape from meeting his eyes. Bending back down, she reached for her dress. But she stopped short when her gaze fell on her undergown. Made of a lighter-colored linen, it was marked clearly with blood. There would always be a stain on the garment too, because blood was impossible to remove completely once dried.

She shivered again, her body cooling down rapidly. There was a soft sound of frustration from Torin. In the next moment he scooped her off her feet and set her aside. He plucked her underrobe, holding it for a long moment while he stared at the stain. Shannon felt more exposed than she ever had, hugging herself with her arms to cover her nude body. Tears stung her eyes, and she stubbornly blinked them away.

She’d made her choice.

“Give it to me, Torin. I’m cold.”

One corner of his mouth twitched. If he smiled, she didn’t see it, because he gave her undergown a snap before setting it over her head. The fabric blocked out her view of him.

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