Page 45 of All In Good Time
He wanted to hug her, but wasn’t sure she’d except it, so instead he stayed where he was.
“I’m exhausted,” Sara crossed the room and threw herself onto the bed, and then curled up like a cat near one edge.
“Do ye mind if I stay here with ye fer a while,” Logan asked.
“No,” she replied without looking at him.
Logan sat back against the headboard staring at the canopy overhead. He wanted so badly to wrap himself around Sara, but he realized that would be a mistake. Her feelings were still raw. He understood her anger, but his plans to marry Aisla were hatched before she’d arrived. Everything was already set in motion when he ran into her that day in the road. And now he couldn’t possibly back out of his agreement with her. What if Rory didn’t want her? He’d not see his friend labeled a harlot and her child a bastard. Sara would survive. She’d go back to her own time and find a man to love her and care for her. This thought brought him great pain, but he couldn’t think only of himself. He must remember that she would need to live her life without him and she would be fine. He on the other hand doubted he’d ever forget her.
* * *
The achesand sore muscles of riding were not something Sara expected, so having the time to lie on a somewhat comfortable bed and rest was just what she needed in this moment. What she didn’t need was Logan MacPhail at her back, where she could feel his presence and knew all she had to do was turn to him and he’d hold her in his arms. As it was, he’d covered her with a blanket, which she was grateful for, but she was angry and she wasn’t about to make any of this easy for him. How could she?
This was all so maddening. With any luck, Rory would see them tomorrow and then she’d convince him to go back for Aisla and all would be well… for them. She was another story all together. She might never be the same after this strange journey she’d made through time. Dreams of a hot bath flitted through her head. She’d have to ask Katriona if it was at all possible. The thought of languishing in the warm water, soothing her tired body was almost as good as thinking about Logan. She needed to get him out of her head. She’d been trying since he came to her room, but so far no luck. Nothing she thought about didn’t end up with her thinking about Logan. A hot bath, food, anything. Tomorrow couldn’t come soon enough.
The pain shooting across her lower back caused Sara to yelp as she rose from the bed.
“Are ye well, lass?” Logan shot up and was beside her in an instant.
“I’m fine,” she muttered.
“’Twas nae the sound someone makes when all is well,” Logan noted.
“I’m fine, really.” She turned to face him and could see he didn’t believe her. “I’m sore from riding for three days. I’ll get over it.” His intense gaze hadn’t left her face. “What are you looking at?”
“Let me help ye, lass.” He moved a chair closer to the fire. “Here, sit.”
Sara wanted more than anything not to do it, but she didn’t seem to have a mind of her own when it came to him and before she knew it, she was seated in the chair. Logan warmed his hands by the fire and then moved around behind her. As he moved her hair out of the way and laid his hands on her neck, the healing warmth of them was all she needed for a soft moan to escape her lips. As he expertly massaged her neck, Sara closed her eyes and guiltily enjoyed the sensation of his hands touching her skin. She repositioned herself in the chair, so that her left side was now leaning on the back of the chair. His fingers moved to her shoulders and then down her back, vertebrae by vertebrae. She was melting and not just from the heat of the fire. Logan’s thumbs circled her lower back, the mixture of pain and pleasure was a heady combination. Leaning her head back, she found it resting on his shoulder, her cheek touching his face. As he worked, she felt his warm breath on her neck.
She wanted him to kiss her, but reluctantly remembered it wouldn’t be a good idea. He wasn’t hers and might never be. Her mind was playing tricks on her, because now she was thinking the exact opposite. How bad would it be to turn her head just that tiny little bit, putting her lips closer to his? A voice in the back of her head told her not to, but she brushed it aside and did it anyway. Now, if he’d only turn her way, his lips would be within kissing distance. She willed him to do it with her thoughts and after a few moments he seemed to understand her need for him and his lips lightly brushed hers. She raised a tentative hand to first caress his face and then his silky, soft hair. Logan move around beside her and knelt there, his hands skimming along her side and barely touching her breasts. She must remember to breathe, but her brain seemed focused on other places and on the persistent aching within her core. Logan’s lips were on hers again and she happily accepted them, returning his kisses with flicks of her tongue on his. Breathing seemed an annoying necessity at this moment. Breaking away for a brief second, she drew in some much-needed air before going back for more. Those kisses were going to undo her resolve if she didn’t stop them now, but the little voice in the back of her head said, “Just a little bit longer.”
A knock at the door stopped them both mid-kiss.
Damn, people in this century sure had bad timing, Sara thought as she broke away from Logan and rearranged her clothing.
“Yes,” she called.
“They’ve called us down for the evening meal.” Hamish’s voice came through the heavy wooden door loud and clear.
“We’ll be right down,” Logan said. They listened as Hamish walked away.
“I thought we weren’t going to do that again,” Sara said, moving away from the fire.
“I dinnae believe we can help it,” Logan said, a lopsided grin on his handsome face.
She couldn’t resist him. She might as well give up trying.
“I guess they’re waiting for us downstairs. Shall we?”
“Aye.” Logan opened the door and guided her out and down the stairs, fanning cold air up his kilt as he walked.
Sara giggled as she watched him. “Sorry about that.”
“Yer nae sorry and ye ken it.”
She smiled. No she wasn’t sorry. Not one tiny bit.