Highland Persuasion (The MacLomain Series- Early Years) (12 page)

“Help?”
Iosbail stood, turned and looked up through the branches.
“Unimaginable help!”
Her cheeks turned rosy, her eyes bright. “Are you quite sure, lad?”

“Aye.”
He stood and smiled. It pleased him to see her so happy. As displeasing as that was!

“I dinnae ken.”
She shook her head and grinned.
“First Shamus, now this.
It seems Eire has once more found and welcomed me even from her distant shores.”

For the first time in a long while Alexander felt something akin to joy. There was no way of knowing from where exactly it derived but the emotion was genuine and much welcome. It felt like he’d given the best gift... one lost and nearly forgotten.

So when she embraced him in happiness he didn’t push her away but held tight. Caught up in her elation Iosbail seemed to melt into his embrace. It would prove to be the most unusual moment of his life. Not because he had a woman in his arms—he’d done that tenfold—but because the embrace was unique. How, he’d never know. Just that it was. Perhaps it was because the bitterness between them suddenly seemed nonexistent. Or perhaps it was because she felt so amazingly perfect in his arms.

When Iosbail pulled back slightly and her blue eyes met his, Alexander knew she felt the same. And like him, was surprised. Before either of them could overthink, he kissed her. Unlike their first stiff kiss, this one was made of something entirely different. He swore he felt heat flare between their lips. Without doubt lust flared immediately. Cupping her face, he titled her mouth beneath his and met her tongue with vigor.

With more passion and pure feeling than he thought capable they stayed that way, their tongues exploring, their hearts pounding, lips searching, for an unknown amount of time. He explored her mouth, the curves of her cheeks, and the texture of her smooth tongue against his.

There existed no true description to describe what he felt save… lost.

Even when rain started to fall they remained locked with one another, exploring, hungry. Bliss, lust, need, soon gave way to full blown arousal. As if the Hebrides sensed his emotions rain started to fall harder and wind started to blow.

Yet they were protected save a few errant drops here and there.

The great Oak provided cover with its thick, tall layer upon layer roof of leaves.

Unable to curb his want, Alexander brought her to the ground beneath. Unusually warm, the soft grass created a soft, welcoming scent that enveloped them. Fire roared through his blood and he struggled to touch her everywhere at once. Iosbail, clearly as desperate, pulled at his clothes while her lips teased his earlobes, then feathered along his neck.

As her tongue flicked over his skin, Alexander didn’t have the power to bother much with her clothing save to push her skirts up around her waist. He needed to feel her,
really
feel her, from the inside out.

Rain started to fall in heavy sheets and formed a waterfall around their sphere. Thin, determined sunrays burst in errant streaks while thunder rumbled overhead. It seemed the weather felt his emotions, a strange mix of welcomed rage mixed with the brutal desire he possessed for his enemy. Through it all, unimaginable elation that he was getting exactly what he’d wanted all along.

When he hooked her legs beneath his arms and thrust forward, pleasure ripped through him. Iosbail’s chest lifted and she flung back her head, eyes closed. Teeth clenched he pulled back and thrust again so hard she slid. Eyelashes fluttering she cried out and arched further. He put an arm beneath her shoulder blades to anchor her as he moved. This time she cried out and her eyes popped open, locking with his.

Somehow looking into their impassioned depths made him near crazed. With a growl he pulled back and pushed forward almost harshly. Small gasps started to burst from her lips but he continued. Once, twice, but it was the third time that had her body buck then lock up. One more unforgiving thrust and she started to quiver and shake uncontrollably.

The sun vanished. Black clouds roiled. Harsh wind started to blow and the leaves overhead swung and flipped wildly. Alexander became mesmerized by the way her lips fell apart and her eyes rolled back, by the way her small body became so much controlled by his.

His throat closed, eyes watered, muscles rippled and vibrated. A sharp, almost painful wave of pleasure jolted his body forward once more. When he released it was so much an unfamiliar mix of pain and pleasure that he cried out. Head tucked next to hers, he tried his best to hold his weight off her as his hips thrust and locked forward, as he released so hard his body shook as violently as the storm exploding around them.

Iosbail cried out again, the sound long and loud, but he barely heard.

Several minutes later, once he’d caught his breath, he pulled up but not away. A man didn’t come this far with this sort of woman only to flee. Her eyes were closed, breathing still harsh. As he studied her face he realized that they’d never even unclothed.

Regardless, it’d been the best bloody experience of his life.

Sweat soaked their clothes to their bodies and the world felt as though it swam around them. When her eyes inched open and met his, he knew he was closer to her now than any other had been. Confused, her hands gripped his arms and she slowly shook her head.

As suspected, she didn’t trust the emotion any more than he.

Alexander tried to speak but had no words. So he moved away from her and sat.

Why, he didn’t know. Because truly, he’d wanted her to look at him in awe or hate or confusion, not the way she had… not like she was just as confused.

Iosbail stayed lying on the ground staring up through the branches. When she finally spoke it was quietly. “What’s done is done.”

Her logical conclusion of the passion they’d just shared didn’t surprise him. Alexander sat back against the tree trunk and watched her. Rain continued to pour but the storm was quickly passing. It’d been as fast and furious as their coupling. All that remained in its wake was cleansing. He almost said he liked what had transpired but realized that she saw it as a means of emotional release betwixt them, nothing more. Disregarding the heavy feeling in his chest, he leaned his head back and looked up.

It was time to regroup and think straight.

What they’d just felt and experienced had been temporary. Even he knew better than to want more. And why should he? They’d felt attraction and acted on it. When they did, stress was relieved, simple as that. 

For an untried lass
their lovemaking would be considered brief. What was it
for a five hundred year old lass
?

Determined not to get caught up in feelings of inadequacy, Alexander said.
“’Tis nearly eve.
We need look for our companions.”

“Mmm, aye.”
Yet Iosbail didn’t move, only stared dreamily upward.

Startled out of his contemplations, Alexander leaned forward slightly and stared at her. He couldn’t help but grin. It appeared her stress had been relieved good and true. Though he almost chuckled no sound came from his lips. Never had he seen a more beautiful site than Iosbail with her arms stretched above her head, hands intertwined, nude from the waist down, legs crossed seductively.

She was the epitome of sensuality.

A woman well satisfied.

Lost.

Iosbail had not nearly reached the point in which she was ready to return sharp words. His Broun was floating. Curious, unable to resist, he crawled to where he left her and looked down. She didn’t move for several long seconds until she touched his cheek lightly and whispered, “For today, ye are not mine enemy.”

“No,” he whispered. “Not for today.”

Alexander lay down next to Iosbail and took her hand. “What do you see when you look up?”

“The sun when it dances within the leaves. I can see both his God and my gods.”

He made no mention of the rain. “
Whose
God?”

“Adlin, my brother.”
She shook her head. “He will always be a Christian at heart, me the Pagan.”

“’Tis good to know where you stand.”
He stared up at the dancing leaves and closed his hand more securely around hers. “We are all stronger for it.”

“Nay,” she murmured. “The future will like me less and less for my old way of thinking. I will seem more the witch than ever before.”

It was not a hard thing to understand her grief. “Then you will have to remain strong. ‘Tis the obvious course of action.”

“Must it always be about the course of action?”

“Aye, when you are born into a great life ‘tis your duty to see it through with pride. ‘Tis your duty to do what is best for those you love.”

Her small finger stroked slowly up the outer edge of his hand. “You go forth now with pride and determination, to the point of seduction. You have thoroughly seduced me, Alexander, now what will you take from it. How will you change your course of history?”

His finger met hers and made a low slow stroke as he watched the rain become a mist and sunset break through the branches overhead. “With you I’d imagine.”

“Could be we already have.”

“You came here from another time, Iosbail. When was it?”

“It matters naught.”

“Aye, it does.”

Iosbail paused for a moment then said, “You figure my brother will be expecting us.”

“Makes sense.”

Her hand pulled away and she sat up. In that single moment he knew they’d once more been torn apart. The MacLomains were her kin and they waited, well she knew it.

“We’ve two more nights then we travel home.”

“To your home,” he reminded.

Iosbail stood and fixed her skirts.
“Aye, to my home.”

Yet he’d heard the quiver in her voice. His Broun thought she’d make it off this island but not the rest of them. She feared this place
that
much even with the Oak at their back.

“We
cannae
stay sheltered here. We must find Shamus and Caitriona,” he said.

Iosbail nodded. “I agree.” Her eyes flickered over him then turned to the waterfall. “Back the way we came, aye?”

Alexander nodded, stood and walked to her. Despite Iosbail trying to brush him away, he set to making sure her dress and plaid were in place. He smoothed his hands over her hair then cupped her face with his hands.

Startled but defiant, her chin thrust forward. “Fixing my appearance willnae do a thing for what lays ahead.”

“Nay.”
He leaned closer until she had no choice but to look him in the eyes. “I simply care for you. ‘Tis the least I can offer.”

Her eyes rounded, narrowed and she pulled away. “You need not offer me a basic kindness, Sinclair. We freed from our systems what can lie betwixt a man and woman, ‘tis all.”

 So that was how she intended to make sense of what had happened between them.
Fine then
.
Alexander ignored the anger that her derision caused. Truly, what had he expected? She was an immortal
lass
with nothing but a need to survive.

He secured his tartan and claymore without looking at her. “The sun is nearly set. Then we travel.”

“Aye.”
She wrapped the MacLomain plaid over her head like a hood and looked skyward as though she could find all her answers there.