Page 23 of A Healer for the Ruthless Highlander
And for a long, endless moment, they just looked at each other.
“I’d… I’d better go,” Leana stammered, fearing she would collapse in despair if she remained in his lap any longer.
“Aye,” Kenneth replied.
As soon as he released her, she hurried to put some distance between them. Because if she did not, she knew she would toss caution to the wind and throw herself at him.
Never before had a man affected her like this. Never before had she desired a man in such a way. So much so that her senses and inhibitions, even her thoughts and reason, faded into the background.
But it was obvious that he had an almost overwhelming effect on her, one that made her lose her reason.
As a result, Leana wanted to run away, to escape. She needed some time alone to clear her head. Probably dunk her face in cold water and see if she could recover her sanity.
The maelstrom of emotions was enough to make her rush to gather everything up and step away from him.
“Ye need to rest,” she said. “And try nae to move yer arm too much. We daenae want the wound to open up.”
“Aye. I will, lass.”
“I’ll have to examine ye again tomorrow,” she added.
“Alright. But ye willnae do it until ye’ve taken care of Hunter.”
“Of course. daenae give me any trouble until then,” she blurted out, turning to leave.
But before she could reach the door, Kenneth stopped her.
She had not seen him coming, for his movements had been unpredictable and extremely swift.
By the gods, that man cannae be human!
She turned around… only to find herself trapped between the wall and Kenneth, who looked down at her intently, the silver of his one eye turning molten.
She felt herself getting lost in his gaze, in that heat. Unable to help herself, she let out a soft moan, before holding her breath.
“It’s ye who shouldnae be causin’ me trouble, lass,” Kenneth purred, closing the gap between them.
His lips were so close to hers that she could feel his warm breath on her face. She could almost taste it…
“So, what… so what if I do?” Leana asked, lifting her face just a little.
Kenneth’s gaze lingered, sharp yet intrigued, as she stepped closer, the subtle tilt of her chin both daring and beckoning. Her breath hitched; his fingers twitching at his side as if debating whether to reach for her. The air between them thickened, charged with an unspoken pull, the space shrinking without either of them taking a step.
He leaned down toward her mouth.
It was not clear to Leana who was seeking whom. At times, she thought he had leaned in to kiss her, but then she remembered rising on her tiptoes, seeking his mouth.
However, she knew that she kissed him back. For when his tongue probed her lips and sought entry, she could do nothing but allow it, letting out a low moan that he immediately swallowed.
She clung to him, trying not to fall, for she felt the ground shifting beneath her feet, and all that remained was the terribly attractive and infuriating man holding her.
Kenneth grabbed her waist and pulled her harder against him so that she could feel his hard muscles. His strong arms enveloped her, his muscles rippling beneath her fingertips as she tilted her head, seeking a better angle. She arched into him, seeking the friction she had unknowingly longed for since she had first met him.
Leana wanted more. So much more.
She wanted Kenneth to trace the curve of her neck with his tongue. She wanted to run her hands down his torso and then–
Suddenly, Kenneth pulled away from her. His eye was a sea of silver, searing into her. Her lips parted on a gasp she had failed to hold back.
