The Lion (Clan Ross of the Hebrides Book 1) by Hildie McQueen (ereader for android .TXT) ๐
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- Author: Hildie McQueen
Read book online ยซThe Lion (Clan Ross of the Hebrides Book 1) by Hildie McQueen (ereader for android .TXT) ๐ยป. Author - Hildie McQueen
โI wish to speak to ye about a grave matter. This must stay between us. It has to do with why I cannot marry ye.โ
He nodded for her to continue.
โIf ye are half undressed and we are found out, the worst could happen,โ Isobel started. In truth, his nakedness was most distracting. For whatever reason, it was hard to catch her breath, and her pulse raced.
โWhat is worse than having to marry?โ
Isobel could have been insulted by the fact, he considered marriage to her horrible, if not for the fact she found it distasteful as well. Since she could not come up with an example of a worse fate, she gave up. โI will tell ye what I have to say and go.โ
โGo on,โ Darach prodded.
โWell, ye see.โ It was harder than she thought to tell someone about her shameful past. โI wasโฆI wasโฆ betrothed before. Handfasted actually.โ The last two words seemed to burst from her and float in the air between them.
โI see.โ
Isobel got to her feet. โDo ye really, Laird? It is not possible for me to be yer wife. I am not a maiden. Hopefully, yer clan has given up the entire dreadful bedding ceremony custom, but I doubt the bloodied sheet showing will not be demanded by yerโฆ yerโฆ whoever.โ
The fact he remained still as a statue, his gaze taking her in made her want to scream, which under the circumstance would be most dreadful.
โWhat will ye do?โ It was his turn to take some of the burden of how to handle the situation. In truth, she was growing weary. And also, very sleepy.
โI agreed to marry ye. Given my choices of daughters of neighboring chieftains, I find ye the most acceptable. It is quite doubtful I will grow bored. That is certain.โ
Her mouth fell open with a retort, but Isobel stopped the first words that came to mind. It would not do to tell her mother that he was utterly mad. He acted as if her not being a maiden was nothing out of the ordinary. โYe forget the main obstacle.โ
โAh yes, yer maidenhead. There is no reason to worry. The sheet will be bloodied.โ
Her breath caught, and she looked to the region between his legs. โWhat exactly are ye going to do to me?โ
Nearing, his movements like those of a predator, Darach stopped a hairs breath from her. He smelled masculine, outdoorsy, and strangely enticing.
โI am going to kiss ye, Isobel. It is only fair that we do since ye took so many chances coming here.โ
โI-I did not come to be kissed. I came to ensure ye help me find a way out of this marriage.โ
โNo. I think ye came so that I would kiss ye,โ he replied with a curve to his lips.
When his mouth came over hers, at first she could not tell what he did. It was as if he was taking his time to persuade her. Then he pursed his lips, the motion so erotic, she could not keep from doing the same in return.
Darachโs muscular arms encircled her body and she found herself once again against his chest. This time so very different. Not only because he was without a tunic, but because the warmth of his body permeated through her night rail.
The kiss intensified, his mouth moving against hers, their tongues dancing, their breaths intermingling.
A new world opened for Isobel as she clutched his shoulders, not wanting the sensations to stop. Like the flickering flames of a dying fire once fanned, Isobelโs body heated more and more with each passing moment.
Darachโs hands traveled down her back and she trembled with anticipation. At the same time, she wrapped her arms around his neck, their kiss becoming almost desperate. Something pressed into her stomach. It was his sex. Heโd grown hard and from what she could tell, he would grow even larger still.
โNo.โ
Suddenly, she stood alone swaying in the darkness. Isobel blinked several times and stuck both arms out, unsure if sheโd fall sideways.
โI should go,โ she stuttered and grabbed the candlestick.
Darach had moved to beside the bed, his back turned to hers. โAye, ye should. I apologize.โ
โYe should not,โ Isobel said. โPlease, consider what I said.โ
When he turned to her, she waved the hand without the candle between them. โThis never happened.โ
With those words, she hurried from the room only then realizing the severity of her scandalous actions.
Of course, Darach Ross thought sheโd come wishing to be invited into his bed. She was practically as naked as he was. With only a night rail, sheโd not bothered to even wrap a robe around herself.
Once inside her own bedchamber, she hurried to her bed and climbed between the sheets. Thankfully, Beatrice slept soundly in the other bed. Only once she had doused the candle and was swept into utter darkness did Isobel allow herself to breathe.
Her body hummed, sensations sheโd never known running up and down her arms, legs, and chest. Of all of them, the heat that pooled between her legs was the most unbearable. Most wonderfully intolerable.
Chapter Nine
Cairn stalked the parlor, too angry to do more than ball his fists, he could not utter a single word. The imbeciles had ruined everything.
Someoneโhe would find out whoโhad told about their meeting. The lairdโs guards now patrolled the narrow road to the empty building. Heโd had to pretend to stumble upon them and asked what they were doing there.
A guard had informed him that they were on the lookout for a possible insurgency plot.
โNow what?โ he growled out loud. โEverything is ruined.โ
There was a rap on the door, and he called out for whoever it was to enter. A meek woman, who he kept on as maid walked in. โYer food gets cold, sir. Will ye be eatinโ soon?โ
Her gaze lifted to his, her attraction to him obvious. If not for the fact he was in a sour mood, perhaps heโd give her what she
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