Highland Song (44 page)

Then he withdrew, slowly, making her beg for him.

"Nay," Lainie said.

"I thought I was causing you pain."

"Only when you left me."

She made a low, ragged sound as Slade slowly returned, rocked against her and then retreated as deliberately as he had taken her.

"I think…" Lainie whispered.

He drove in again. She writhed against him but said no more.

"What do you think?" he coaxed.

"I think there is magic in the world…with you…"

She moaned and clung to him more tightly, sweet nails biting into him, claiming him as hers.

Slade heard the echoes of ecstasy in Lainie's voice, felt it in the pulsing shiver of her body, and he needed to cry out his victory, and tell the world of her sweet surrender.

But he had no breath to cry out. The flames that he had nurtured in her were spreading outward, licking over him in the silken tempo of her release. He held himself utterly still, fighting against the need to join her. He didn't want that yet, not before he had plumbed the depths of her ability to respond to him.

The lure of Lainie's body was too great to withstand. When she arched slowly, repeatedly, against him, Slade felt the world unravel in a series of ragged explosions. With her name breaking on his lips, he came undone a single heartbeat at a time, giving himself to her in a long, rippling current of fire.

Lainie's breath caught and sighed out as she held Slade. For long, sweet minutes, her slender fingers caressed his back and shoulders. Now he lay with his head between her breasts, breathing slowly, utterly relaxed.

Lainie stroked Slade's back with slow sweeps of her hands, pausing in different spots as is she were curious to learn more about his body.

"I love you," she whispered then realized she had spoken out loud three words that was taboo to Aaron Slade.

"Love isn't real, little darling," he said sardonically. "But burning passion is--raw hungry desire is. Our overwhelming passion is the only reality we need."

Lainie felt the slow drawing of Slade's tongue over her nipples. With each delicious movement, his body stirred within her, redoubling the effect of his caresses. An answering heat splintered through her.

"Again?" she asked.

Slade's laugher was velvet and smoothness.

"Passion is real," he said biting delicately at Lainie's taut nipples. "We're good together, you and I. We're better than good. There is no word for what we have when we're like this."

"I don't understand," she whispered.

"Little miss innocent," Slade murmured, drinking the tender shivering of her flesh as his teeth raked lightly. "You don' even know, do you?"

"What?"

"This."

His hips moved, and he drove into her as though he would fuse their bodies into a single seamless whole. A throttled cry and an urgent twisting of her hips answered him. Laughing with sheer pleasure, he twisted against her in turn and listened to his name come from her lips in a rush.

Slade moved heavily, sparing Lainie nothing of his power. Nor did she ask for less. She moved in urgent counterpoint, meeting strength with fluid grace, hunger with desire, fire with searing fire.

When sweat misted her skin, he bent his head and licked salty drops, bit flesh that strained to become part of him. He seduced her breasts with his teeth and tongue, demanding and receiving a hard bud from each while his hips moved relentlessly, demanding a different kind of flowering.

His hand slid down between their slick, hot bodies until he found the satin bud. He circled, pressed, raked with shattering delicacy.

"Slade…what…sweet Jesu…"

Pleasure burst in her with the force of a blow, arching her body as fierce currents swept through her, driving her even higher.

Slade held Lainie while he moved over and within her relentlessly, riding the fierce passion he had called from her. He punctuated each heavy thrust with a savagely restrained caress that demanded everything of her, plucking at the delicate bud until it began to flower one velvet petal at a time.

Lainie cried out as her body experienced an ecstasy that had no beginning and no end, shattering her, transforming her. If there had been room in her for fear, she would have been terrified; but there was room only for Slade's driving body and the dark words of desire and demand he poured over her.

She cried out in abandon, sinking her nails heedlessly into his back as she arched like a drawn bow, succumbing to the sweet violence he had called from her.

Slade's smile was as untamed as Lainie's cries. He held himself utterly motionless, absorbing her violent trembling into his strength. When she was still once more, he bent his head, drew his teeth over her shoulder in a fierce caress, and began moving inside her again.

Lainie gasped as passion ravished her body once more.

Slade."

"I warned you,” he said in a low voice. “Until we can’t do anything but sleep.”

Slade move powerfully, pulling the night down around them like a cloak of black fire.

And like fire, they burned.

#

Bertram sat in his posh room inside the castle at Edinburgh and waited for news. He'd heard Jericho had ridden into town early that morning. He'd be reporting to him soon.

Soon, he would have Lainie in his possession. He sipped from the goblet of wine he'd poured, and popped a chunk of cheese into his mouth, settling back, replete. A blond, not so good replica, of Lady MacPherson lay in his bed, waiting for him. Now that Lainie was so close, he was sure he could find satisfaction.

Suddenly the door burst open. There was a scrambling of men, cries, and clashing of swords from the outer hall. Bertram sat up quickly, sloshing the wine on his pristine white shirt.

"What the devil…"

His words died away.

Hawke stood inside the room and Ian MacPherson stood in the doorway. Hawke's hand rested on the hilt of his sword.

"Where is she?"

Sweat beaded across Bertram's forehead.

"What do you want?" Bertram asked.

"The devil brought us here. Where is my sister?" Hawke asked, stepping into the room, his every action a threatening move. His hand rested on the hilt of his sword.

"I--" Bertram stammered. He licked parched lips, his hands fisted by his sides. "I don't know."

"Would you tell me if you knew?" Hawked asked, striding boldly up to Bertram and lacing the fingers of one hand around Bertram's neck.

Bertram's eyes gleamed. "No, I would not, but suffice it to say," he inhaled a thin stream of air, realizing that baiting this man was not wise. It didn’t appear that his guards were coming to his defense.

With barely controlled rage, Hawke pushed Bertram against the wall. "Where is she?"

"I sent men to find her. I'm expecting them back soon." Bertram's fingers laced around Hawke's in a futile gesture to push Hawke's hands away from his neck and tried to swallow.

"What my brother wants to know," Ian stepped forward, a thin smile gracing his hardened features. "Is why there is a bounty on Lainie's head? She has done nothing wrong."

With a muffled, heated curse, Hawke released Bertram. Bertram sank to the floor, trembling. A few moments later, he stood, resettled his coat and flicked an imaginary spot of dust from his sleeve.

Then, "she stole papers," Bertram said, puffing out his chest when he saw his men at the door. "Secret papers
. '
Tis treason she is wanted for."

"I heard you raped Lainie," Hawke challenged with a growl and might have throttled Bertram except Ian stepped in front of him.

"You heard wrong," Bertram said. "She has stolen secret documents and she must stand trial."

"What are those documents?"

"Secrets." Bertram said as if any fool would know.

"Produce them," Hawke challenged.

Bertram's cheeks quivered. "I cannot."

Chapter Seventeen

The loch seemed to stretch on forever. Its crystal, clear water was framed against emerald green mountains. Lainie and Slade walked their horses along the beach, water lapping softly all around them. A cool breeze swept down from the north.

Autumn was upon them.

He listened to the steady swish of water and the clip-clop of the horse's feet. Lainie had been silent for most of the morning but her cheeks would warm and color when he looked at her with hungry eyes.

Sweet Jesu, if Jericho wasn't a threat as well as her brothers, he could have stayed in that secluded glade another day, and neither one of them would have risen from the blankets.

He laughed to himself. The memory of Lainie's sultry warmth hardened him instantly. He looked to Lainie who was pushing her hair from her face, and reaching behind her to tie it into a loose knot. The motion caused her breasts to sway beneath the shirt.

He shook his head, and forced his gaze to travel northward--away from
Lainie
. There was some rough country ahead of them, and he should not let himself forget that he had enemies.

So did Lainie.

For the first time in his life, he found that he wasn't in a hurry to get anywhere. Lainie was his woman until they reached the MacPherson castle. He didn't mean to get there too fast. He was having too much pleasure in other explorations, mapping the uncharted territory of a dual sensuality that was
both fierce
and calming, savage and gentle, challenging and life giving. He didn't want it to end until both of them were ready to move on with their lives.

He sensed though, that Lainie would not have such an easy time when he left. She might have explanations to those who cared for her that would not be easy to give.

The thought of leaving her and not being able to reach for her in the middle of the night was unsettling to Slade. Whenever the thought came, he pushed it away. And whenever he thought of her with another man, his gut churned and his heart skipped a beat. He knew that Lainie would eventually find a man to love her and marry her. Someone who could give her all she needed--in time children. He was not that man.

By now, word of the presence of a man and a woman riding northward toward MacPherson land would have gone out along the mysterious efficient grapevine that existed throughout the highlands.

Slade hoped the brothers would have heard sooner or later. He also hoped that they would be looking for their little sister. He didn't have any doubts that he would have to explain himself to them. He also didn't have any doubts that he would be able too explain. He also hoped Stephan had made his way to Edinburgh to smooth the rough waters he'd created over the bounty on Lainie's head. Stephan and his family were a powerful force in England.

By the time evening fell that day, Slade and Lainie had set up camp at the end of the loch. The camp they made had little protection if one was looking to guard their back. Slade knew he would get little sleep that night.

Slade had been right about Lainie's reaction to the loch after riding so many miles from Ayr. When they crested the hill and looked down upon it, she gasped surprised and looked back at him.

"We are almost home," she whispered in awe.

Slade teased her about her reaction, and when she tried to push them to ride all the way home, he'd had to tell her no. They still had at least two days of riding before they would see the castle.

"Almost, but we don't know what is around the next corner." If Jericho didn't have Red tracking for him, he wouldn't be worried. But the two of them were like dogs chasing a bone. They just didn't give up. And if they new Lainie’s last name, they would know where he would take her.

"My brother's won't do you any harm," she said turning to look at Slade.

"You're sure about that?"
I think they would if they knew what I'd done to their little sister.

You're leaving her as well.

She nodded and laughed. "Aye, they will thank you for keeping me safe this entire, long trip."

He looked at her with narrowed eyes, a slight shimmer of guilt sweeping over him when he thought of the depth of Lainie MacPherson he had explored and touched.

I haven't kept you safe though. I've changed you forever.

But there was one thing that didn't change. Each time Slade looked behind him the hairs on the back of his neck stood on end. He trusted his gut instinct. The only thing for certain was that they were being followed and whoever was back there was moving faster than they were.

"Somebody is on our trail again. Is it Jericho or your brothers?" Slade asked putting away the spyglass.

"Must be Jericho. My brothers would be coming from the north," Lainie said unhappily.

Slade shrugged. “Unless they went to Edinburgh first."

"Are we going to try to lose them?"

"No," Slade said, "You made the point yourself. You're almost home. You should have friends close by."

Lainie nodded.

The next day, Lainie was still watching the back trail as often as the way in front of her. Hand shading her eyes, she stood in the stirrups and she looked out over the trail she and Slade had traveled.

For an instant, she thought she saw a shadow or some movement in the distance where the hills met the sky. But it was hard to be certain. In this rugged terrain, it was difficult to see very far.

The vague darkening in the air could have been caused by almost anything, even the strange mists that rolled in and out of the valleys.

The shadows could have been a trick played on her by eyes tired from straining forever into the distance, searching for something that might or might not be there.

On the other hand, it could be her brothers or Jericho and his mercenaries dogging Slade and Lainie's trail with unnerving patience.

Lainie turned away from her scrutiny of the back trail.

She felt a distinct thrill of pleasure as she watched Slade ride closer.

Even before Slade spoke, Lainie sensed his buried excitement in the way he held himself. It was a difference few people would have noticed. But she had come to know him very well during the long days and sultry nights on the trail.

"What is it?" Lainie asked before Slade could speak.

"What do you mean?" he asked reining in alongside her a wide grin flashing across his face.

"Don't tease, Slade. I know you discovered something. Now tell me," she said eagerly.

Slade looked over his shoulder, "Found an Inn. I thought you might like a night in a real bed and a meal where you can sit down at a table and enjoy it."

Lainie looked down the road. "I don't remember…"

"I doubt if this is a place your family would have taken you. But it's safe enough, and I bribed the owner with the promise of MacPherson sheep. You do have sheep, don't you?"

Lainie laughed. "Of course, but why would you have to offer a bribe?"

"I'm an Englishman. English soldiers are not thought of too highly in these parts. It seems a certain general didn’t hesitate to use and sometimes misuse the women while he made promises that were never kept."

Hesitantly, Lainie looked back down the trail then to Slade again. "The inn keeper will post a lookout to make sure we're safe."

Lainie's sigh was one of both exhaustion and relief. "And food…"

"Yes, I was thinking the same thing. The man assured me his wife was an excellent cook. They are honest folk," Slade said.

Grinning, Slade hooked his arm around her neck, pulling her close for a brief hard kiss before he released her once more.

It wasn't until dusk that they reached the Inn and were shown their room. Slade had meat and cheese brought upstairs as well as water for a bath and sweet red wine.

He left and let Lainie soak in the tub while he made sure guards were posted. Lainie finished with her bath, dressed and ate a second helping before she wandered to the window to gaze at the land.

She was almost home. The rolling rugged terrain was familiar.

She watched the clouds. They were the color of slate on the horizon. A ragged, slanting veil of lighter gray came from the base of the little storm. As she watched, the storm grew and the rain came down thick and heavy.

Whoever followed them would be getting soaked tonight. She breathed in the clean scent of rain-washed air and silently thanked Slade for finding them a safe dry place for the night.

Slade walked in and tossed his hat on the table, coming up behind her to put his hands on her shoulders and turn her around.

"I didn't see anyone," he answered her question before she could ask it. He brushed a quick, light kiss across her forehead.

Rain pounded hard on the roof, and drops flew in the open window. Slade reached around Lainie and closed it.

"I'm afraid," she said, wishing she hadn't voiced her feelings to Slade but knowing she would have to find the words to explain without telling him the real reason. "I--" she swallowed hard.