My Heart's in the Highlands by Angeline Fortin (ebook reader screen TXT) 📕

She shook her head in the negative. Theterror was gone and she had no desire to revive it.

“I hope it wasn’t a vision of ourhoneymoon.”

A slight smile tilted her lips at histeasing, and Hero lifted her head to look up at him. Her breathcaught in a way that had nothing to do with her nightmares. Awashin the light of early dawn, Ian was more gorgeous than Hero hadever seen him. His dark hair was mussed. Locks normally combed awayfrom his face curled and feathered against forehead and cheeks. Hischeeks were darkened by the overnight growth of his beard. Hisdimples deepened and his grin flashed in stark contrast. Beneathhis thick, straight brows, Ian’s brown eyes caught the light andglowed like amber as he smiled down at her and reached out to tucka stray tendril of hair behind her ear. “What is it?”

Hero’s heart was pounding once again, but fora much more pleasurable reason than her recent dream. Pushing thenightmare away, she smiled back, already feeling the rush oflonging coursing through her, and her head buzzed pleasantly. “Youlook very handsome when you first wake.”

His brows rose at her tone, and Hero knew hecould hear her growing desire in the husky tones. Ian’s eyesdarkened and he skimmed the back of his knuckles down hercheek.

The bleakness in Hero’s eyes had faded awayas she studied him. The melding of blues and greens had softenedand blended, easing the crystallization of her terror. The anxietythat had been gnawing at him since Hero had cried out was sweptaway by her innocently provocative words, only to be replaced bystirring arousal. “Yer a lovely sight as well. Tousled. Warm.Flushed.” Still holding her gaze firmly, he moved his hand down herthroat and brushed his knuckles over her breast. Hero’s breathcaught as his fingers slipped over her nipple and his hand enclosedher breast.

He could feel the fluttering within as herchest rapidly rose and fell, and Ian inhaled deeply, savoring theswell of his answering need as it flowed through him. “Yer heart isracing,” he murmured. “Because of the dream?”

Hero shook her head mutely and Ian’s smilewidened wickedly. “Because of me?”

A blush was his only answer, but Ian didn’tneed words to know what she wanted. What he wanted. Pushing asidethe covers, he lifted Hero against him and kissed her gently,brushing his lips over hers. “This is a pleasurable way to spend amorning, but I hope you don’t make me late for my wedding. Myfiancée would not approve, I think.”

Hero slipped her arms around his back andboldly over his buttocks, and Ian groaned against the flood of wantthat overwhelmed the gentle swell. “I think she’ll forgive you,”Hero whispered in his ear before she caught the lobe between herteeth. “Love me, Ian,” she begged, running her foot down hiscalf.

“Thoroughly,” Ian whispered, astounded thathis passions could rise so rapidly. The previous night the urge todevour Hero, to possess her, had almost overwhelmed him. He hadfeared that his unleashed passions would frighten her, but Hero hadmet him wholeheartedly, bringing them to a thundering climax. Ithad been incredible but over too quickly.

Now, with the urgency gone, he would savor.He would make love as he never had before and, bending to kiss Herotenderly, he proceeded to show her how.

Chapter Twenty-Eight

More than an hour later, Ian leaned againstthe door to his bedchamber and watched with amusement as Herodashed across the landing to her own bedchamber, clutching herwadded nightgown against the dressing gown that was wrappedhaphazardly around her. After today, there would be no need forsecrecy. He would have her in his bed openly and withoutinterruptions.

Thankfully, he had thought to rise in theearly hours of the morning and lock his door, barring any potentialattacks while Hero was at his side. If he hadn’t, Dickson wouldhave gotten quite an eyeful of something more profound than thegrain of oak that morning. Ian grinned again at the memory. Just amatter of minutes before, Hero had been in the throes of anotherorgasm when his valet had rattled the knob. She had frozen, pantingpainfully, but Ian hadn’t allowed her to draw away. He hadcontinued on, forcing her to completion and capturing her cries ofecstasy with his kiss as she strained against him.

She had lain on his bed, gasping at thepowerful climax, but had roused the strength to slap his arm weaklywhen he fell on to the mattress next to her. “You’re terrible,” shehissed without venom. “What if he heard?”

“I don’t care if he did,” Ian had answered,reaching for her. Hero had eluded him though, rushing for herdressing gown and slipping it on hastily to cover the blush thatencompassed her entire body. Ian had barely had enough time to pullon his trousers before she was at the door. He had stopped herthere, pinning her against it and kissing her passionately untilshe had surrendered, wilting against him, before he had allowed herto go.

Now Hero reached her bedchamber and openedthe door, pausing to look back at him. Ian grinned wolfishly.“You’re still terrible,” she whispered.

Her eyes widened in alarm as Ian strodepurposefully toward her. Her eyes darted left and right as sheshook her head and shooed him away, but Ian came anyway, pushingher through the open door as he caught her face between his hands.The force of his voracious kiss drove her farther back until shewas pressed up against one of the posts of her bed. Her handsencircled his wrists, pulling, but Ian drew her tightly againsthim, bending her over his arm until she was once again warm andpliant. “I am a man in love, and for that, all can be forgiven,” hewhispered in her ear and released her.

A gasp filled the room, and he turned to findMandy standing in the dressing room door. The towel she had beenholding fell to the floor. “I was wondering where you were, mylady,” the maid stammered nervously. Her wide eyes lingered onIan’s bare chest before sliding to the side, and Hero moanedpainfully in embarrassment.

“It’s quite all right, Mandy,” Ian assuredher with a wink as he went