Chapter 7
Mairiana could not believe Darack was asking if she wished to kiss him. "Nay! You are the last man on earth I would allow to kiss me."
His brows shot upward. "And why is that? Am I hideously ugly?"
"Now who is being silly?"
He watched her for a long moment, his brows quirked innocently. "You think me handsome?"
She rolled her eyes. "Do not fish for compliments. 'Tis not an attractive quality."
His expression changed, becoming speculative. "'Haps you would like me to kiss you so you can forget all about Alec Lindsay."
Her heartrate sped up as panic grabbed hold of her. She leapt to her feet and paced away. Not because she feared Darack, but because she was so captivated by him... and she should not be. She had to get away from him.
Standing now, he gradually moved closer. "'Haps you could get some revenge."
"Stay back," she warned.
He paused and shrugged. "Why let Alec control your life?"
"He is not."
"What would make him angrier than you kissing another man?"
She twisted her mouth and glanced aside. "He would never know of it."
"Nay, but you could imagine. 'Twould be like saying... to hell with you, Alec. A lot more men besides you find me irresistible."
"What... you—?" she broke off. Had he just said he found her irresistible?
"Aye." He smiled, moving closer. "As I said already, you are beautiful, even if a bit maddening at times."
Her heart pounding with excitement, she narrowed her eyes. "No more maddening than you, sir."
Darack placed one hand at her waist, and with the other, he cupped her nape.
He yanked her against his chest. His lips came down on hers, forceful and commanding.
Good heavens! Darack's scrumptious mouth was hard and soft at the same time.
Gentle one moment and forceful the next.
His wicked tongue flicked at the part between her lips, but 'twas not the way Alec had done it.
She suddenly found Darack's demands impossible to resist. When she opened her mouth, he darted his tongue inside, again with a forceful gentleness that completely disarmed her and made her dig her fingernails against his hard shoulders.
She'd had no idea a kiss could feel like this.
'Twas how a rogue's kiss was different from a normal man's.
It shot flames and chills through her, dragged the strength from her knees, compelled her to sink to the floor beneath him.
How could she respond this way? She was not a loose, immoral woman.
She had only just escaped her barbaric fiancé.
How could she be here, devouring every kiss this outlaw gave her?
When she came to herself, she realized he was holding her up, pressed against the stone wall. What the devil was wrong with her?
Grasping at self-preservation, she turned her face away, breaking the kiss—though everything in her railed against it—trying to regain her senses and her strength.
But Darack dropped his lips to her neck and placed dreamy kisses across her skin, suckling at her tender flesh, trailing his tongue downward.
Saints... the delicious tingles of pleasure which showered over her.
She should shove him away or tell him to stop.
But her arms were wrapped around his shoulders. And she was not herself.
"Tis a fever," she whispered.
"What?" he murmured against her throat.
"I'm ill. I have a fever." Surely, that's what it was.
He chuckled, drew back a few inches and looked into her eyes, his own midnight-dark and filled with mirth. "In truth?"
"Aye, what else would cause me to be so insensible and feverish?"
His grin remained. "I do wonder, m'lady."
What was that tone he took with her? As if he thought her daft.
"I believe you," he said, placing her feet upon the floor.
"You retain your virtue." He released her and walked away.
She slid down the wall to the floor, hugging her drawn up knees.
Saints, what had he done to her? She'd never experienced anything so powerful and sharp.
Was it passion? Why should she feel passion for Darack?
She'd obviously felt none for Alec. What had she felt for him?
She'd found him attractive and ideal. Like a perfect man, she'd thought.
The full-grown embodiment of her girlish fantasies.
A charming prince come to life. But 'twas not so. He'd deceived her in every way.
And Darack, outlaw rogue, had kissed her and made her feel astounding things. Her body still felt afire from touching his. Out of her control. She wished—against her will—that he would do it again. Good lord, she even shocked herself. She was mad, surely!
But something about his lips, his deep kisses had struck a flint to the tinder within her.
And his hard body pressing against hers...
she could not brush the feel of him off her skin.
Her slight muscles craved his far larger and harder ones, digging into her.
As he'd held her up, his hips, his... manly parts had pushed up against her.
And he was firm everywhere, his arm muscles bulging.
"I'm sorry," Darack said from several feet away, his back to her.
"As you should be," she snapped, but in her heart she knew she didn't mean it. She pressed her fingers against her burning lips.
Darack glared around at her and she lowered her hand, holding his gaze, trying for a brave front.
She resented being so drawn to him. Not because he was a bad person, but because 'twas almost as if he assumed she was attracted to him before she even realized it herself.
And most annoying of all, he was right. She found herself fascinated by him and could not force herself to stop.
***
DARACK WATCHED MAIRIANA as she moved to her pallet and lay down, keeping her gaze on him the entire time. What did she think? That he was going to attack her?
Ha.
Nay. Not attack, of a certainty. Seduction was a different matter entirely, however.
Damnation! That mad thought should go back to wherever it came from.
She'd only just broken off her engagement with a murderous, thieving bastard.
But at least now, after he'd kissed her, maybe she would realize it wasn't the end of the world.
Other men found her attractive. She must realize she hadn't truly loved Alec anyway.
Based on the way she'd responded to his kiss, nay, she couldn't have.
Though innocent, she had a natural, fiery passion. Saints, how he wanted to bring that to the surface again. Her kiss had enchanted him.
Darack dropped to the floor and reclined on his pallet opposite her.
Resting his head on his bent arm and lowering his lids to slits, he watched her.
Her eyes remained wide open, observing him for long minutes.
What was she thinking? She'd called him a libertine and a rogue.
She was not far off the truth, but he could never treat her as less than a respectable lady.
Dugald would kill any man who took advantage of her.
Not that Darack was frightened of him, but the MacKerrick chief had a large force of fighting men.
Darack was one man alone; he'd made a habit of not provoking powerful chiefs.
Nay, he liked Dugald and counted him as a friend.
He was a no nonsense chief who spoke his mind.
Darack respected that. 'Twas the kind of chief he would want to be, if only he could.
***
THE NEXT MORN, AFTER Darack and Mairiana had quickly broken their fast, they headed toward the ship in the cool, misty rain.
They all suspected that Alec would leave someone watching for her at the docks.
Because of this, she now wore a different plaid arisaid over her cloak so she would appear different from yesterday.
With the cowl completely enveloping her head, she affected a limping, stooped gait while she held onto Darack's strong arm.
Likewise, he had borrowed a dark cloak from Felix, and now his head was covered in a cowl.
Having left his own sword back at Dunmoris, Clan Grant's castle, in order to play the role of stall-mucker, Darack had borrowed a sword from his friend to help protect her.
She prayed he wouldn't have to use the weapon.
Once on the galleon's deck, Mairiana glanced around in the gray dawn light to make sure no one was watching. Her gaze scanned the docks. A dozen or so men loitered there in different areas, but none were facing her direction.
"I don't think anyone saw us," she whispered, still holding onto Darack's arm, so strong and comforting.
He shook his head. "Come. I have to speak to the captain and get you out of this rain."
After they found Captain Madding, Darack spoke to the tall, graying man alone, then escorted her to the captain's cabin, which he'd allowed her the use of since she was the only lady on board.
After entering, Darack closed the door behind them. The salon of the captain's quarters was a small, confined space with a low ceiling. A wee table and two chairs occupied the center of the floor. Two more padded chairs sat to the side.
"I'm glad we'll be in here," she said. "'Tis cozy."
"You will be in here. I'll be guarding outside."
She frowned up at him. "But 'tis raining."
"That isn't rain. 'Tis only a mist." He gave a near imperceptible grin. "I have to keep an eye out. I don't want anyone slipping up on us."
"Oh." She had to admit she was disappointed, for she wanted to spend more time with Darack. She had enjoyed last night and could not get it out of her head.
He stepped closer and placed his fingertips along her jawline, making her heartrate triple. "Mairiana, I want you to know, I'll protect you." His dark eyes were solemn, and he seemed to be looking into her soul.
"I know you will. I never doubted it," she whispered.