Page 12 of When a Highlander Vows (Enemies to Lovers #1)

12

C aitlin held her breath when the horse surged forward, and again, she felt Lucas’ arms wrap around her as his hands held the reins. She’d never expected to be riding with him again like this. It was such an intimate act, even though they were doing it for a very practical purpose.

But she let it out as soon as the first strong breeze hit her cheeks. They were trotting along, but it was quick, and she wondered if it was because Lucas wanted to get this experience over with. He did have business to attend to, and his grandmother had still found a way to get him to show her the land.

She swallowed when she felt his mouth by her ear again, and she wrapped her arms about herself to keep the tremble of hidden desire from being obvious to him. It surged inside her, warming her belly despite the cool breeze.

“The Castle sits on its own plot of land, but on McDougall lands, there are ten villages all with farms. The boundaries last for miles and miles in all directions, but we keep the sea to our backs. Our ancestors thought it wise militarily.”

“And me village? Where does it stand? Is it large or small?”

“Your village, Taobh Cnuic, is about in the middle. It’s one of the best places to find grain, however. The Castle takes much of its grain from your village. Your brother did well selling it as a merchant, but then he gathered other things from other lands, and as ye ken, his business expanded rapidly. He was an intelligent lad.”

“Aye,” Caitlin said, nodding against him, and she could feel the start of a beard on his chin which brushed against her ear.

She kept silent then, listening to him speak as he pointed things out to her along the way. He gave her the names of glens and forests and rivers, and then, he slowed, moving closer to the edge of the sea until the horse’s steps sounded wetter and thicker.

“Come. Ye said ye’ve never been to the sea, right?” he asked.

“Aye. Never.”

“Then, ye will come and see it now. Ye will nae be able to come on yer own, so I will show ye now. I daenae ken when there will be another chance” He jumped down, his boots squelching a little in the soft ground, and he reached up for her.

Caitlin looked down at him. The angry lines she’d seen on his face that morning had smoothed, as if the brightness of the day and being out in the cool breeze had done something to ease his spirits. His strong hands were reaching up for her, and she reached for him too, suddenly wishing that she was jumping into the arms of the man she loved, wishing that she had someone.

The ache for that was sudden and swift, but as she lowered herself into Lucas’ arms, it was soothed somewhat. His hands held her waist, and as he dropped her down, he didn’t move away. Instead, his body was pressed to hers, and her heart reacted swiftly, pattering away with nerves and that hidden desire she’d tried so hard to keep locked deep down inside her.

Surely it is nae just because he is a handsome man? Am I so in need of affection that I would choose anyone?

She looked into his dark eyes for another moment before she stepped back and faced the sea. She did not think her draw to him was because of that because she didn’t want that to be so. She would not wish to be wanted as a mere ornament either.

Facing the sea, her troubles washed away quickly, however, for now, as she stepped closer, she could see it clearer and clearer. Her lips parted, amazed by the sight in front of her troubled eyes.

“Lucas,” was all she could say, and then she felt him standing next to her.

Stones were under her feet as she continued to walk forward, faced with the beauty of gray and blue twisting together to make a color all its own. The crash of waves filled her ears, and the gentle salt spray of the ocean, dripped and dropped across her cheeks with each roll of the water.

She could feel him looking at her. “Why do ye stare at me so?” she asked, unable to take her own eyes from the natural amazement in front of her.

Mountains of stone and green lay on each side, and she could see the blurred outlines of the edge of Scotland, the edge of her homeland. Beyond, was God knew what. Well, her brother had seen those things at least. A surge of grief washed over her and then was let out to sea. Being close to the water reminded her of Seamus, made his life’s work more real to her. The sea was where he’d met his end.

Somewhere below in that gray-blue water, me brother lies, gone from this world.

It was like standing at the foot of his grave, and even though the sea looked to her to be a terrible, fearsome thing, that thought gave her peace. Living at the castle, she would be far closer to Seamus than living in the village.

When Lucas spoke again, his voice was gravelly, as if he was struggling to get out the words. She’d forgotten for a moment that she’d asked him a question.

“I stare at ye because I find I cannae look anywhere else, Lass, when ye are nearby.”

When she realized the import of his words, she faced him, her lips pursed together as she turned the words over in her mind. His tone had been almost tender.

“I—” she started to say, but her voice fell away when she saw the look in his eyes.

Those eyes, like little pieces of darkness put into a man, were shining. They were not fierce or angry or even cold. He was looking at her just as he said. As if he couldn’t look anywhere else.

She swallowed and brushed a hair away as it blew across her face, trailing over her lips. Lips that begged to be kissed.

A muscle ticked in his jaw as he stepped closer. His hand reached out and grasped her waist. She gasped at the feel of his strength holding her. Keeping her blissfully captive. There was such latent power in that body, and she could imagine there being many people who were frightened of him. It was exactly the kind of a thing a laird would wish.

But even though his grip was firm, it was not painful nor was it rough. Nothing like fear was emanating from her. Instead, it was pure heat as their bodies came together, his eyes searching hers before moving to her mouth.

Kiss me, she pleaded.

Like the last time they’d been this close, his other hand lifted to her cheek where his thumb brushed against her chin and her bottom lip.

“Are ye even real, Lass?” he asked in a breathless tone. “What have ye done to me?”

Only a small sound escaped her as his mouth finally touched hers. But a moan from inside her came anew when the warmth of his kiss overwhelmed her. This was what she wanted, what made her blood sing, what brought to life all that she’d tried to stamp out. By instinct, she sank into him, wanting the feel of his hard body against hers. It helped keep her steady while her knees weakened with continual desire. As he turned his head, angling her mouth to his, her hands moved up to his neck, pulling him even closer.

His lips were hot, and her heart quickened as his hands pulled on her waist, fingertips brushing against the top of her backside. He held her close, closer than she’d ever been held in the whole of her life. Was this what it was like to be taken? But surely there was more.

Deepening the kiss, a little groan coming from him, Lucas taught her what she needed to do. Their mouths mingled as she opened hers to his, allowing him to do whatever he pleased. He took it hungrily, tasting her swollen lips first before moving his tongue inside her mouth to taste her further.

Caitlin’s body was on fire. Everything prickled all the way down to her bones, and tears sprang to her eyes as she allowed the rest of the world to fade away. This was what she’d wanted for so long. What she’d craved without really knowing what it was she needed.

“By God, Lass,” he said in a rough voice as he pulled away from her lips, turning her neck so that he could lay hot kisses along the line of her soft skin.

She trembled underneath the onslaught of desire as it rolled through her, just like the waves crashing nearby. It filled her up until she thought she’d burst or scream. She wanted more, and her fingertips dug into his muscled shoulders, silently begging him to give her more.

“Ye are exquisite,” he whispered gently before kissing her ear.

Quickly, she used her hands to guide him back to her mouth, never wanting it to end, continually wanting more with each movement of his hot tongue. The craving only grew as the kiss grew in passion.

Her fingertips slid across the rough stubble of his cheek until they met at the base of his neck, feeling the soft curls of dark hair. Cradled in his arms, feeling the savageness of his kiss, Caitlin felt hopeful for the first time in a long time. That not everything was bleak and dark, even though the man she was holding to her was like a piece of darkness itself. Yet he made something light up within her.

A sudden and sharp coldness at her ankles made her yelp, and the both of them stepped back from each other, looking at how close the wave had come to shore. The water covered both their boots, grasping at their ankles, and then went out to sea again.

When she looked back at Lucas’ face, his expression was shuttered, and she knew the moment was gone. Whatever had possessed him to kiss her as he did had now passed. Now, he was the laird she’d first met. Cold, distant, and hard.

“This shouldnae have happened. I am sorry, Caitlin. We should return. Nan wouldnae like ye to have wet boots. Come.” He waved at her to follow him, and stiffly, she obeyed him and allowed him to hoist her up into the saddle again.

They were silent the whole way home to the castle. He dropped her at the castle gates with a servant and then rode off into the distance with hardly a goodbye. Picking up her skirts, Caitlin took the servant’s arm as the young man helped her inside and up the stairs to change her clothes.

When she was left alone again, waiting for Arla, she touched her lips. The kiss felt like it was still there, waiting, unfinished. But then Lucas had run away, treating her as though what had happened was a bad thing or worse than that, was normal for him. An everyday occurrence that he could just finish as abruptly as he’d begun, thinking no more of it. But the fire that had flooded her veins because of his touch did not feel normal.

And now Caitlin feared she had given something away that she would never get back.