Page 9 of Tempting the Highland Devil
“I told ye to stay away from me,” she retorted as she waded through the water and made her way to the shore. She climbed out, ignoring his outstretched hand when he offered her help.
“Ye threatened to run away…How was I supposed to do that when I saw ye sneakin’ out of the castle this mornin’.”
“I was nay sneakin’ out,” she challenged, brushing her hand down her soaking cloak and riding habit. “I ride out here every mornin’. If ye were nay too busy sleepin’ in brothels and heavens ken where every night, ye would ken that it is a morning tradition for me.”
She huffed again then began taking off the cloak because it felt heavy on her body. Yvaine caught Arran looking at her as she squeezed water out of her habit then swiped her hands through her wet hair again.
“What are ye doin’ out here anyway?” Her lips curled into a wry smile. “Got tired of the brothel?”
She meant that as an insult, and when Arran whipped his eyes back to hers again, she expected to see slight irritation or anger in them. Instead, there was nothing but wild terror and a shrill look in their green depths that made her freeze.
“What is it?” she asked, eyes darting from him to take a closer look at their surroundings. “Arran…”
“Dinnae move, Yvaine,” he announced suddenly, and she saw him reach for the sword sheathed to his side. His facial muscles tightened, and his eyes narrowed to tiny silts as he stared past her with those hawkish eyes.
His eyes always haunt me.And the way he slicks his hair back and ties it at the back of his neck isn’t bad either.The look exposed his sculpted features, and the angular looks of his cheekbones and firm jaw. If Yvaine was being honest, she liked everything about him.
Even down to the feel of his hard body against mine.The few times their bodies had collided in the past, she had felt his taut muscles and longed to run her fingers over them. In the face of danger, Yvaine burned as she imagined touching his bare skin.
Get a grip,she chastised herself then swallowed hard. Arran drew out his sword and gently tip-toed around her while she stayed rooted to that spot.
“We are being watched,” Arran announced, and a second later she heard the first whoosh of an arrow flying past them before he cursed and shoved her into the ground to protect her with his body.
5
Feeling her soft body pressed to his made Arran’s nerves tingle. Yvaine didn’t move, but he felt her hot breath on his neck and the heavy thuds of her heart while her bosom was pressed into his chest.
Three more arrows flew past them then the attack stopped. Arran rushed to his feet and scouted the area for threats, his sword drawn, and every muscle tensed.
When he did not find any signs of who the archer was, he hurried back to Yvaine. “Are ye all right? Are ye hurt anywhere?” he asked as he ran his hands down her sides then moved them to the back of her head to check for any bleeding.
“I am nae hurt,” she answered breathlessly as he dragged his fingers through her hair. Arran’s eyes drifted over her body. Her clothes clung to her skin and highlighted her figure. His fingers curled over her shoulders as he struggled with his own pounding heart.
“We should head back to the castle. Duncan will send guards to search for our attacker, and we can…”
Yvaine already refused him before he ended his sentence. “I am nay ready to go back yet,” she said breathlessly. “I need more time to think.”
“Yvaine!” he called desperately. “It isnae safe out here. Do ye nay see that?”
“Nay!” She pulled away from him, but he tightened his grip on her shoulder.
He took her in, greedily wanting to keep her in his memory forever like this.Safe,he thought.Especially if she ends up married to some laird far away from here. I would not know if she was safe or hurt.
His nerves tightened again, and his lips formed a tight line, but still, he did not look away from her. Bile rose in his throat when images of Yvaine in another man’s arms flooded his mind.
“Arran,” she called softly, and he blinked back to reality, then stared into her eyes again. “Ye…Ye are hurtin’ me.” Her whimper made him realize his hands were now digging into her arms.
Arran cursed under his breath and stepped away from her with force. “I am sorry…I am…” He ducked his head in shame, unable to meet her eyes again.
“I am all right,” she said to him, but he saw her clenched fists at her sides, and she shuddered lightly.
“Nay, ye are nae,” Arran said and began taking off his cloak.
Yvaine was soaking wet, and it was frigid cold outside.She is freezing.
He wrapped his cloak around her shoulders and tried to keep his eyes off the smoothness of her neck’s skin as he lifted her hair off her back and let it down again.
“I scared ye into the water…I am sorry about that.”
