Page 28 of In Bed with a Highland Beast

The two of them were close, their bodies melding together as they kissed. Alaric’s lips were soft against hers, surprisingly so, and the way he kissed her, like he was ravenous, like he couldn’t get enough, drove her mad with lust. No man had ever kissedher like this before. Every past tryst was nothing more than a fleeting pleasure, one that was more for the sake of her partner than hers. It had been a long time since Lucia had last concerned herself with such matters, but now, in Alaric’s arms, she didn’t know how she had gone through so much time without him.

Every touch of his hands on her hips, every brush of his lips ignited another flame inside her. Desire coursed through her, pooling in her core as she tilted her hips in an attempt to feel him against her, but he was quick to pull back just enough to avoid pressing into her pelvis. It was the exact opposite of what Lucia wanted and she couldn’t help the whine that bubbled up her throat, demanding and petulant, her lips parting to deepen the kiss.

It was only when Alaric tore himself away that Lucia realized the men were there now, staring wide-eyed at them. Some were laughing and one went as far as to whistle, much to Lucia’s irritation. She had forgotten all about them, but now they had ruined the moment between her and Alaric, and never before had she been so irritated with someone.

“What are ye doin’?” Alaric growled at them and it was then that they stopped, balking at his sudden outburst. “Get out o’ here. Dinnae ye see I’m with me wife?”

The men didn’t need to be told twice. The smiles wiped from their faces, they rushed back to the camp, leaving the two of them alone, but not before they took Callum’s and Douglas’ horses away.

Lucia cursed under her breath. There went her chance to get the letters, and now she didn’t know if she would ever get such a chance again.

They didn’t have to pretend anymore. Lucia could let go of Alaric and the two of them could linger there for a few more moments before heading back to the camp, as well. It would be the wise thing to do, she told herself. It would be the right thing, since she couldn’t allow herself to get too close.

And yet, neither of them moved to disentangle themselves from each other. Lucia couldn’t help but wonder if Alaric wanted her like she wanted him, but she also remembered what he had told her that morning when he had pulled back from her so fast, he had almost given himself whiplash.

If he wanted her, he could have had her right then and there. Surely, he knew that, since Lucia was still holding onto him, gazing into his eyes in the dark. But Alaric was still keeping his hips far from hers, refusing to get too close, and his expression was one of agony, as though it physically pained him to be close to her.

“It seems like ye were lyin’ tae me,” she said, chuckling when Alaric gave her a confused frown. “I fear that I dae, in fact, disgust ye, an’ ye simply dinnae wish tae admit it.”

For a few seconds, Alaric only stared at her, his expression blank. But then he surged forward, his hips finally colliding with Lucia’s as he pressed his manhood against her. Throughhis clothes, she could feel how hard he was, his pulsing length digging into her bare thigh.

There was no stopping the moan that escaped her. Lucia wanted nothing more than to reach for him and guide him to her opening, taking him inside her. She was already dripping with arousal, so eager for him that her hips seemed to move on their own accord, trying to get him closer.

“Ye shouldnae fash about whether I find ye attractive,” Alaric whispered in her ear, his lips brushing against its shell and drawing a shiver out of Lucia. He gave another thrust then and they both moaned in unison at the friction, Lucia’s chest already heaving as she gasped for breath.

Unable to stop herself, Lucia grabbed him and pulled him into a kiss, one that Alaric eagerly reciprocated. There was no one watching them, but it didn’t matter to either of them. Lucia couldn’t deny her feelings anymore; ill-advised as it was, she still wanted him and she didn’t care about the consequences.

Alaric, though, was quick to pull back, even if he had kissed her with such passion that it could only mean he wanted her, too. Lucia found herself chasing his lips before she realized what she was doing and came to an abrupt halt, pulling back from him, surprised by her own reaction.

“We may be attracted tae each other, but it doesnae mean I will bed ye,” Alaric said, much to Lucia’s disappointment. A chill spread through her, replacing the heat in her core, and she slowly extricated herself from him, taking a few steps back.

How could he be attracted to her and reject her at the same time?

“It isnae wise,” Alaric added, as though he could read her mind. “We are both smarter than this.”

Reluctantly, Lucia nodded. “Ye’re right,” she admitted and she meant it. Of course, Alaric was right. It would be far from wise, but that didn’t mean she could stop wanting it or that the rejection stung any less. Still, she would never admit this to him. If he wanted to keep his distance, then so be it .

Lucia was a grown woman. She may not have been used to rejection, but that didn’t mean she would fret and whine over it.

“Thank ye,” she said after a short pause, deciding it was best to change the subject. “Ye saved us both back there.”

Alaric gave a small shrug. “Ye dinnae need tae thank me. I wouldnae have let them catch us.”

“Ye’re a quick thinker,” Lucia said, grinning at him and in the dark, she could have sworn she saw a faint blush on Alaric’s cheeks. “It’s a shame we couldnae get any o’ the letters though.”

“The letters?” Alaric asked, frowning a little as he reached into his pocket. When he pulled his hand out, he was holding a fistful of papers up in the air victoriously. “Ye mean these letters?”

A gasp escaped Lucia, one that she stifled with a hand over her mouth. Her eyes wide, she rushed to him and took a better look at the papers in his hand, still in disbelief.

“Ye managed tae get them?” she asked, suddenly elated. In her joy, she threw her arms around him once more, pulling him into another embrace, only this one was chaste and friendly. She could hardly believe her own eyes and the relief that coursed through her was so overwhelming that her knees almost buckled, her trembling legs hardly supporting her weight.

“Thank ye, Alaric,” she said, pulling back to look at him. “Thank ye.”

It had been a terrible idea, Alaric realized. Sure, it had easily convinced the men who were patrolling that they were doing nothing sinister near Callum’s horse and they had gotten away with taking the letters, but now he could neither ignore nor hide his attraction to Lucia.

Even now, he was still aroused, still aching. It was difficult to ignore his attraction to her when she stood right in front of him, so willing to kiss him and touch him. Her disappointment when he pulled back was palpable and Alaric thought it equaled his own, but he couldn’t allow himself to continue.

Guilt gnawed at him, all-encompassing and overwhelming. He couldn’t forget that he had a fiancée waiting for him back home.Kayla was in Castle MacGregor, waiting for him to return so they could wed, and yet here he was, lusting after another woman.

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