Hero of a Highland Wolf
Page 23
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She had to feel what her body was doing to his, the vixen, as she brushed against him. She continued to kiss him until they both had to come up for air—as if she was unwilling to give up first. She smiled at him. He was so shocked at her response that he couldn’t control his own. His body was eager for more. He stared at her dumbfounded, which made her smile broaden even more.
He had worried she might regret what had passed between them. What had passed between them? He felt unbalanced. But she only smiled wickedly at him as if she was perfectly fine, though he swore she was just a little breathless.
“I’m hungry,” she said, throwing him for a loop. “It must be about lunchtime.”
Lunch. He couldn’t get his mind off the kiss they had shared, and she was thinking about lunch?
But she was right. He hadn’t realized how long he’d taken to show her around. He wanted to say something about the kiss they’d shared, but she had already pulled away from him and begun making her way down the hill.
When he reached her on the bridge, he again wanted to explain himself, but she hurried across it as if nothing had happened between them. And that bothered him more than he wanted to concede.
Hell, he’d been a fool to leave his bed this morning. He should have stayed in it—with her.
He opened her car door for her, and then they were off.
“Thanks for showing me the properties,” she said, her cheeks a little flushed. “You’ve done a lovely job maintaining them.”
He respected her for appreciating how he had managed the properties, but more than anything, he wanted to speak about what had just happened between them. He didn’t want her reading more into it than what it was—just a spur-of-the-moment reaction to being close to a bonny lass in a beautiful glen…
So then why couldn’t he quit thinking about it?
“We’ve always taken pride in managing the properties,” Grant said, trying to focus on the real world and not his passion for the lass. Despite the fact that his body still craved her touch and he’d had a devil of a time making it down the hill wearing trousers when he was fully aroused. A kilt would have made it so much easier to manage.
Colleen felt all tingly and hot and deliciously sexy after the kiss she and Grant had shared. He’d obviously been just as affected as she had, only she’d managed—somehow—to control her evident reaction better than he had. Which she was glad for. She didn’t want him thinking she melted under any old Highlander’s kisses.
She’d loved seeing the sea and the castle grounds, but the glen where they’d shared that magical kiss…she would remember that forever.
He was quieter now than when they started the tour, maybe because he didn’t have anything more to say about the properties. She didn’t believe he could still be thinking about the kiss—like she was.
After praising him for a job well done, she couldn’t think of another thing to say. She should tell him she didn’t kiss men like that, ever, but she thought it might be better if they didn’t discuss it. He probably kissed all the lasses like that and didn’t give it another thought.
She shook her head at herself and watched out for the castle, but she couldn’t see it for the trees and the long winding road that led up to the castle walls.
When it came into view, she smiled. The four round, gray stone towers stretched to the blue sky, and she saw three men on top of the wall walk watching their approach. She couldn’t imagine they’d have guards posted all the time like in ye old days.
Grant parked the car in the inner bailey and she said, “Well, that was a lovely tour. Thanks so much for taking time out of your busy schedule to show me around.” And then she fled into the keep.
***
“How did the tour go?” Enrick asked Grant, who watched Colleen hurry off.
“What?” Grant asked his brother.
“The tour? Did she act bored and give you grief like her father did?” Enrick asked as they headed for the keep.
On the one hand, Grant was thinking how much he’d like for her to stay longer. On the other hand, after what just happened between them—though he was still unsure what had occurred—he thought she needed to leave sooner rather than later. How could he even look at her now without thinking of that kiss and the way she had pressed her body against his? And how he wanted more?
“Grant?” Enrick looked back at the castle and said, “You didn’t have words with the lass, did you? She seemed a little flustered and looked to be in a hurry to leave you behind.”
“She’s hungry,” Grant said.
Enrick frowned at him.
Grant hadn’t expected to still be so rattled when he sat down to the meal. All he could do was take deep breaths to smell her scent. He could tell she was just as interested as she had been earlier. Not good. He had no designs on her or her property, and he didn’t want his brothers or anyone else believing he did.
“Where’s the whisky?” she asked, buttering a slice of bread.
“You can’t be serious,” Grant said, shocked. Maybe she did have a drinking problem. Hell, maybe she was just like her father…only her drinking problem was more insidious.
Colleen was surprised at Grant’s reaction. She was trying to touch on inane subjects, just to make a bit of conversation. She couldn’t stop worrying about whether Grant had told his brothers he’d kissed her in the glen and was making headway with seducing her. What if that was the only reason he had done so? To heel her with a kiss—very much like training the hounds with bits of meaty treats, which was on her agenda.
He had worried she might regret what had passed between them. What had passed between them? He felt unbalanced. But she only smiled wickedly at him as if she was perfectly fine, though he swore she was just a little breathless.
“I’m hungry,” she said, throwing him for a loop. “It must be about lunchtime.”
Lunch. He couldn’t get his mind off the kiss they had shared, and she was thinking about lunch?
But she was right. He hadn’t realized how long he’d taken to show her around. He wanted to say something about the kiss they’d shared, but she had already pulled away from him and begun making her way down the hill.
When he reached her on the bridge, he again wanted to explain himself, but she hurried across it as if nothing had happened between them. And that bothered him more than he wanted to concede.
Hell, he’d been a fool to leave his bed this morning. He should have stayed in it—with her.
He opened her car door for her, and then they were off.
“Thanks for showing me the properties,” she said, her cheeks a little flushed. “You’ve done a lovely job maintaining them.”
He respected her for appreciating how he had managed the properties, but more than anything, he wanted to speak about what had just happened between them. He didn’t want her reading more into it than what it was—just a spur-of-the-moment reaction to being close to a bonny lass in a beautiful glen…
So then why couldn’t he quit thinking about it?
“We’ve always taken pride in managing the properties,” Grant said, trying to focus on the real world and not his passion for the lass. Despite the fact that his body still craved her touch and he’d had a devil of a time making it down the hill wearing trousers when he was fully aroused. A kilt would have made it so much easier to manage.
Colleen felt all tingly and hot and deliciously sexy after the kiss she and Grant had shared. He’d obviously been just as affected as she had, only she’d managed—somehow—to control her evident reaction better than he had. Which she was glad for. She didn’t want him thinking she melted under any old Highlander’s kisses.
She’d loved seeing the sea and the castle grounds, but the glen where they’d shared that magical kiss…she would remember that forever.
He was quieter now than when they started the tour, maybe because he didn’t have anything more to say about the properties. She didn’t believe he could still be thinking about the kiss—like she was.
After praising him for a job well done, she couldn’t think of another thing to say. She should tell him she didn’t kiss men like that, ever, but she thought it might be better if they didn’t discuss it. He probably kissed all the lasses like that and didn’t give it another thought.
She shook her head at herself and watched out for the castle, but she couldn’t see it for the trees and the long winding road that led up to the castle walls.
When it came into view, she smiled. The four round, gray stone towers stretched to the blue sky, and she saw three men on top of the wall walk watching their approach. She couldn’t imagine they’d have guards posted all the time like in ye old days.
Grant parked the car in the inner bailey and she said, “Well, that was a lovely tour. Thanks so much for taking time out of your busy schedule to show me around.” And then she fled into the keep.
***
“How did the tour go?” Enrick asked Grant, who watched Colleen hurry off.
“What?” Grant asked his brother.
“The tour? Did she act bored and give you grief like her father did?” Enrick asked as they headed for the keep.
On the one hand, Grant was thinking how much he’d like for her to stay longer. On the other hand, after what just happened between them—though he was still unsure what had occurred—he thought she needed to leave sooner rather than later. How could he even look at her now without thinking of that kiss and the way she had pressed her body against his? And how he wanted more?
“Grant?” Enrick looked back at the castle and said, “You didn’t have words with the lass, did you? She seemed a little flustered and looked to be in a hurry to leave you behind.”
“She’s hungry,” Grant said.
Enrick frowned at him.
Grant hadn’t expected to still be so rattled when he sat down to the meal. All he could do was take deep breaths to smell her scent. He could tell she was just as interested as she had been earlier. Not good. He had no designs on her or her property, and he didn’t want his brothers or anyone else believing he did.
“Where’s the whisky?” she asked, buttering a slice of bread.
“You can’t be serious,” Grant said, shocked. Maybe she did have a drinking problem. Hell, maybe she was just like her father…only her drinking problem was more insidious.
Colleen was surprised at Grant’s reaction. She was trying to touch on inane subjects, just to make a bit of conversation. She couldn’t stop worrying about whether Grant had told his brothers he’d kissed her in the glen and was making headway with seducing her. What if that was the only reason he had done so? To heel her with a kiss—very much like training the hounds with bits of meaty treats, which was on her agenda.
