One #8
The light crunching paused before her and she smelled the clean male scent that was all Alec. “Rachel.” His voice started a shiver that catapulted through her body. She slowly opened her eyes and stared up at the massive Highland warrior. “Life flashes by too fast up here to waste time courting.”
Rachel’s eyebrows rose. “Too fast for a simple question?” She propped hands on hips.
“Let me teach you a little something about women, Alec Munro,” she leaned forward to stare up into his face.
“You men may dream about your first battle, mentally preparing for it from the moment you can walk. Well, women dream about …” she suddenly felt foolish. Her hands slipped from her hips.
Alec caught her chin. “What, Rachel, what have ye dreamed about since ye were a wee lass?”
She pursed her lips and ignored the sting of moisture in her eyes. “The bloody question! Delivered reverently by a gallant knight.”
Alec ran his thumb over her cheekbone and grinned. “I’ll never be a gallant knight, Rachel.”
“Agreed,” she sniffed, her eyes looking to the ceiling before meeting his again. She huffed, “Delivered, then, by a stubborn, domineering, overbearing mountain of a man.”
His grin increased. “And here I was afraid ye would say ye didn’t even know me.”
She glanced down. “I don’t.”
His voice softened. “But I know a lot about ye.” He ran fingers through her curls, encouraging that shiver to the tips of her toes. She braced her trembling legs against the wall. Alec’s dark blue eyes focused on hers. “I know ye are the bravest woman I have ever met.”
He closed the scant distance between them.
Rachel tried to breathe evenly. “I know ye trust me.” She frowned at his arrogance.
“In the woods ye didn’t sound an alarm.” When she didn’t refute he continued.
“Ye possess magic and it’s a blessing, but it should only be used when necessary because it tires ye.
” He raised her wrist and traced the wings of the brown dragonfly mark.
Alec’s nose skimmed the pulse of her neck, his lips hovering up to her jaw. Rachel’s heart pounded. “I know yer scent.” He inhaled and goose bumps rippled along her arms.
His hand moved to her chest, palm against her heart, fingers stretched up along her collarbone. “I know the sound of yer heart racing and how yer sky blue eyes turn darker when I am close.” She would have denied it but guessed it was true.
“Ye like sweetened raspberries and are exceedingly clever.” His palms cupped her cheeks and Rachel’s lips opened on their own accord but he held himself apart.
She almost groaned in frustration. “And I know ye meddle and get into trouble when ye think ’tis the right thing to do.
We’re certain to yell a bit at each other.
For ye have spirit, lass, to match my own. ”
His nose touched hers and she hardly breathed. Several heartbeats passed. His heat scorched her. His scent filled her every breath. His strength radiated outward, encompassing her, making her weak and mighty at the same time.
Rachel cleared her throat. “But there’s more to me.”
“And we have decades to learn the particulars,” he whispered so close to her lips she felt the breeze of his words. She nodded, brushing his forehead. He lowered his hands and straightened, a look of mild disappointment tightening his face.
“And what do ye know of me, besides the fact that I’m stubborn and a mountain of a man?” He flexed his thick biceps as if proving her physical description.
She smirked. “You forgot domineering and overbearing.” He tipped his head in acceptance and a small laugh broke from her grin. “Well … you are kind to let my father live.” He nodded vehemently. “You have a good sense of direction and know how to cook a rabbit.”
“And find raspberries,” he added.
“Charming” – she could add that. Charming when he wanted to be. “A leader of a great clan.” He nodded. “And I think … honourable.”
“I always keep my promises, lass.”
“You are good with a sword and you smell clean and wholesome,” she added quickly.
He flashed white teeth. “Because I am clean and wholesome.” He stepped close again.
“But ye forgot a most important part of me, something that I’ve recently stumbled upon.
” His face grew serious, almost pained for a moment, as he caught a curl and tucked it behind her ear with a caress.
“When that bastard Macbain stabbed ye –”
“Because I was meddling.”
“Aye,” his quick grin faded just as fast as it was born.
His gaze moved to the ceiling. “Let me back up.” He paused until he looked her in the eye again.
“I hate the Macbains.” Pure loathing shook his voice.
“They killed my father, my two brothers, and would have killed me.” He took a large breath of air.
“But when Angus Riley,” he nearly spit the name, “stabbed ye, all I could think about was saving ye, holding yer warm body against mine again, kissing ye.” Rachel felt her blush but couldn’t look away.
“I could have turned and killed him there, possibly killed The Macbain himself, but,” he shook his head, “they meant nothing.” His eyebrows rose as if surprised.
Alec’s fingers brushed her cheek and she suddenly realized a tear had trailed down it.
“All I could think about was Rachel Brindle and how much …” his lips tightened as if he were about to say something foreign. “How much … I love ye.”
Rachel’s breath caught. Alec took her hand in his and his voice deepened with his oath. “Tha gaol agam ort, Rachel. Gu bràth, forever.” He leaned in so close, his bottom lip brushed hers. He waited. “I doona break my promises.”
Rachel moved her lips against his but he held still. The memory of his oath in the cave surfaced. He’d kept his promise not to kiss her until she asked. This wild, headstrong barbarian was her gallant knight. “I love you too.” She took his face in her hands. “Kiss me, Alec Munro.”
As if her words broke through a dam, Alec’s entire being swamped her.
His lips, hot and urgent, melded with her own.
His arms caught her up, fitting her into the shelter of his body, pressing her tightly to his muscled form.
The physical difference between them sent a giddy rapture spiralling through Rachel.
She let him hold her up as sensation after sensation washed away everything but his taste, his scent, his touch.
The rough board at Rachel’s back that Alec pressed her against faded from her consciousness, as did everything but their hearts racing together.
Alec’s kisses trailed down Rachel’s neck and she moaned softly.
Only then did she hear the polite cough.
She stiffened and Alec growled. “Be gone, Phillip.” Alec’s hot lips feathered back up to Rachel’s and she relaxed as his hands ran caresses down her arms.
A deep chuckle. “It’s customary for the bride to say ‘I do’ before …”
“I do,” Rachel breathed against Alec’s lips.
He paused and she blinked open to see his broad smile.
His blue eyes shone bright and he threw back his head and laughed.
She couldn’t help but join him. Alec picked her up.
Rachel gasped on a giggle and clung hard to his neck as he carried her towards the altar.
“I do, too,” Alec said against her ear. The heat in his words scorched her. “Let us tell the good father quickly then. I have a desire to learn everything about ye. From the curls of yer lovely head to the tips of yer wee toes, and everything in between.” He paused to seal his oath.
Rachel’s blood surged with the promise in Alec’s kiss, a promise of adventures and passion, a promise of a lifetime of love.