Page 21 of Sadie's Highlander (Highland Protector 1)

“Your sister.” Alec stopped, bowed his head for a moment, then fisted a handful of his dark hair out of his eyes and lifted his head and locked his gaze on Sadie. “Your sister is a heartless bitch that kens nothing about me or my family. As a matter of fact, I doubt that woman would ken what honor and decency were if they bit her on both cheeks of her bony arse.”

Sadie caught her lip between her teeth and clamped her mouth shut. Sounded like he had Delia pegged, but he could still be playing the game. After all, they were at the beginning of their six-week stint.

Alec reached out and barely grazed his knuckles under her chin. “I wanted t’know ye better. After reading all those emails, after seein’ ye the first time at the practice ring…” He paused, studying her, looking at her with such an intensity that she felt he was laying open her soul and trying to find the words to mend all the broken pieces back together. “I would ne’er hurt ye, Sadie,” he finally whispered.

“And after the six weeks?” There. She’d said it. Even though she’d sworn she wouldn’t. After all, who wanted a woman who begged for some sort of guarantee or commitment after sex the first time? She sounded pathetic. “I go back to LA and you go back to Scotlandizing North Carolina?”

Alec cupped her chin in his palm and sadly shook his head. “I canna tell ye what the future holds.” His voice had dropped to an even deeper rasping whisper that Sadie would replay in her dreams. “Only the gods know that, Sadie. But I will swear t’ye that I’ll ne’er hurt ye. Not ever. And Ialwaysdefend those I love.”

“I’m not asking you to swear your love for me—or fight for me.”What an odd thing for him to say.Sadie eased away from Alec’s hand. She couldn’t think when he was touching her. “I just need to know that you’re not a part of Delia’s joke. I need to know that you two haven’t gotten…” She waved a hand to encompass the whole of the clearing. “I need to know that the two of you haven’t worked out some kind of deal for stuff like this.”

“I assure ye,” Alec said as he took hold of her by the shoulders and pulled her into his arms. “The only deal I’ve worked out with that”—he paused again, obviously struggling to tone down the adjectives he’d like to use to describe Delia—“thatsisterof yours is the contract for her company to film at the park.” He pulled Sadie so close his nose nearly touched hers. “And I asked that ye be my assistant because ’twas the only way I could think of t’guarantee that yer days would be spent with me so that I might get t’know ye better.” He pressed a gentle kiss to her forehead, then leaned back, lifted her chin, and looked her in the eye. “Today was a precious gift I’d hoped for…but didna ken if ye’d wish it. And if ye didna wish it, this day would no’ have happened. But when ye did…” Alec squeezed her shoulders and pressed his mouth to her temple. “When ye did, m’heart fair soared,” he whispered against her skin.

An embarrassingly loud stomach growl broke the spell of the moment. Sadie eased away and stretched to pull the picnic cooler back between them. Those words. The meaning she’d felt in his deep, honey-toned Scottish burr.Is he really saying what I think he’s saying or am I just on the wishful-thinking roller-coaster ride straight to hell?

She retrieved his sandwich and handed it to him without making eye contact. “Here. Eat. We’re good now.” And they were. Her heart felt better after their talk and if Delia happened to find out what had happened, she’d handle that later.

The weight of Alec’s hand rested gently on her shoulder. “I’m glad of it. Truly, I am.”

A warm sense of peacefulness she’d rarely felt made Sadie smile. Whether this lasted six weeks or sixty years, she’d take it. Alec MacDara was a rare find. Thank goodness, this day was going to have a happy ending after all.

Sadie leaned forward and pulled out one of the squat, dented thermos jugs tucked in one corner of the basket. “There’s two of these. I hope Miss Lydia filled one with chicken and dumplings.”

Alec chuckled. “Check and see. If she did, I’m sure she packed bowls and spoons as well. The woman could manage the needs of a large clan with a snap of her fingers.”

As soon as she removed the cap, the warm, rich aroma of chicken and dumplings wafted up from the jug. “Score!” Sadie set the thermos aside and pulled the basket closer to find bowls and spoons.

Two plastic ziplock bags that had been tucked behind the pair of thermoses tumbled forward as Sadie pawed aside other items.Are those…? He said he didn’t bring any.Sadie pulled the bags out and dangled them in front of Alec. “Did you forget you’d packed these?”

Alec’s eyes flared wide and his jaw dropped open. “I didna pack those.”

“Miss Lydia packed these?”

“That meddlin’ old woman.”

“Oh my.” A snorting giggle bubbled free. Sadie pressed the back of her hand across her mouth. “Sorry…but itiskind of funny.” She piled the two, same brand as Delia had selected, “super-sized with extra ridges guaranteed to please” baggies of condoms on the blanket beside the food basket. “At least now we know we’ve got plenty—for later.”

“I will speak to her,” Alec promised with an apologetic bow of his head. “I dinna wish her to offend ye.”

“I’m not offended.” Thankfully, her stomach chose that exact moment to chime in with another rumbling gurgle. “I’m hungry, and look—” She held up a tightly covered plastic bowl of whole strawberries in one hand and a gigantic economy-sized can of whipped cream in the other. “We’ve got berries and whipped cream for dessert!”

Alec pushed the basket aside and moved closer. He took the berries and spray topping out of her hands, set them on the blanket, then yanked his kilt out from around his body. “I’d rather ‘later’ be now, ye ken?”

His impressive erection bobbed in her direction with anI’m so happy to see you againnod. Folding his plaid into a neatly squared bundle, he placed it on the blankets behind her, then gently took her by the shoulders and lowered her to it into a delightfully promising reclined position. He brushed a kiss across her forehead. “And I shall feed ye first—to recompense for Mistress Lydia’s boldness.”

The hungry rumbling of Sadie’s empty stomach shifted to a fluttering herd of excited butterflies. She nestled more comfortably atop the bundled pillow. “Miss Lydia didn’t insult me.” She hitched in a deep breath, her body aflame as Alec hovered over her with the strawberries and whipped cream. “But I do love strawberries and squirty cream.”

“Squirty cream,” Alec repeated. “I’ve ne’er heard it called that.” He popped the cap off the can and sprayed out a small amount on the tip of his finger. “Here’s a wee taste, m’sweetling.”

Sadie sucked the whipped topping off the end of Alec’s finger, not missing how he tensed and closed his eyes as she treated his appendage to a long, slow lick that would also be deeply appreciated were she to decide to use it elsewhere. “Strawberry, please,” she whispered.

Alec opened the container, drew out an enormous red berry, and placed it between his teeth. Leaning over her, he put the fruit in her mouth, pressing his lips against hers in a juicy, sweet kiss.

“I need more squirty cream with the berry,” Sadie whispered as Alec lifted his mouth from hers.I need more you,she silently added as she took the can and spewed a mound of white frothiness atop the head of his cock. “Now feed me,” she whispered, lying back atop the folded blankets.

Alec straddled her body and leaned forward, his smoldering expression shifting to one of sizzling bliss as Sadie sucked the creamy sweetness off his cock, then took another strawberry, bit off the end, and rubbed the juiciness of the fruit up and down the length of him, then followed the juicy strawberry trail with her tongue.

“I ne’er thought I’d appreciate berries and cream so much,” Alec groaned as Sadie covered his cock with more cream, then swallowed him again while massaging his balls with a handful of the cool, crushed berries. He stopped her as she lifted the can again. “Nay, lass. ’Tis my turn now. I hunger as much as you.” He popped a smaller berry into her mouth and sealed it with a kiss.

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