Read Online Seduced by the Highlander by Julianne MacLean - Free Book Online

she replied, teeth chattering. “I am responsible for them, and they are worth a great deal.”
    “If you walk in there wearing them, lass, I promise you’ll leave without them. Hand them over. I won’t let anything happen to them.”
    She hesitated, then removed the pearl and emerald necklace and surrendered it. He dropped it into his sporran while she removed the earrings and handed them over as well.
    Lachlan swung out of the saddle and held out his arms. She accepted his assistance without complaint, and a moment later was standing before him, letting down her hair. It fell wetly onto her soft, ivory shoulders while rainwater glistened on her lips and forced her to blink away the silvery drops of moisture pooling on her eyelashes.
    Ah, fook, but she is lovely .
    It was too bloody much. He wanted to hit something.
    “What now?” she asked.
    He removed his hands from her tiny waist and let them fall to his sides. “We go inside and get warm.”
    “Will we take a room?”
    “Aye, but just until the storm passes.”
    She turned away from him and began walking toward the front door while he handed Goliath over to a stable hand.
    “We’ll use false names,” Lachlan told her as he caught up. “And it’s a good thing you look like a drowned cat. No one would take you for an heiress, looking as wretched as you do.”
    It would help him if he could believe it.
    “Thank you so very much for the generous compliment,” she curtly replied as he strode ahead to lead the way.
    They entered the inn, which housed a taproom on the main floor, with dark paneling and hunting portraits on the walls. Lachlan took hold of Raonaid’s hand and approached the red-bearded barkeep.
    “We need a room and a hot meal.”
    The giant Lowlander waved a barmaid over. “Abigail, take these soggy travelers upstairs and ask them what they want to eat.” He wiped a cloth over the bar. “There are only two choices,” he added under his breath. “Stew and stew.” He lifted his eyes and regarded Lachlan steadily. “I’m Bill Anderson, and I’ll require payment in advance.”
    Lachlan dug into his sporran and dropped a handful of coins onto the bar.
    The innkeeper’s bushy brows furrowed as he counted the money. “You plan to stay more than one night, stranger?”
    “Nay, but I don’t want to be bothered. Do you understand my meaning?”
    The innkeeper peered over Lachlan’s shoulder at Raonaid, who stood behind him, wringing the water out of her hair. It splattered onto the floor.
    “Someone’s going to have to wipe that up,” Anderson said, sounding offended.
    Lachlan tossed him another few coins. “Will that cover it?”
    “Aye, friend, it will. Now go with Abigail up the stairs. She’ll see to all your needs.”
    Lachlan tossed his hair out of his eyes and waved a hand at Raonaid, who followed him across the taproom.
    Upstairs, the corridor was narrow and dimly lit by a single candle in a wall sconce. The floor slanted sharply to one side, but the roof was sound, which meant they would at least stay dry.
    The barmaid slipped a key into the lock and took them into the spacious room. It had a window overlooking the stable yard below, and a fireplace opposite a table with four chairs. A clean blue and white quilt covered the brass bed. It was big enough for two.
    Abigail lit the lamp and soon a warm golden glow filtered through the room. Lachlan’s eyes turned to Raonaid. She, too, glowed like fire with that mass of wet hair sticking to her gleaming white skin.
    “You’d like two meals sent up?” Abigail asked as she moved to the bed and folded back the covers.
    “Aye,” he answered gruffly, turning away from the sight of that soft, welcoming mattress, and moving to the window. “And a bottle of something. Wine, claret. Doesn’t matter.” He needed to numb his passions.
    She nodded and left them alone.
    Raonaid crossed to the bed and sat down, but Lachlan refused to look at her. He could do nothing, however, about the