Read Online A Promise Given by Samantha James - Free Book Online Page B
Authors: Samantha James
Ads: Link
moan—of surrender or denial, she knew not which.
Her fingers curled against the soft wool of his plaid. Her lips parted
beneath the pressure of his. All thought, all sanity, scattered to the far
reaches of the earth. There was only the hot seal of his mouth against hers,
hungrily demanding, darkly passionate.
It ended as suddenly as it began. He lifted his head and stared down at her.
Sabrina's legs buckled, as if she were without courage or strength. She would
have collapsed had he not caught her.
Slowly she brought her head up. Glittering silver eyes rained down on her,
but she could read nothing in the depths of his gaze, neither triumph nor
elation.
With a stricken sound she broke away from him. This time he made no effort,
neither to stop her nor help her. Ali at once she was shaking so that she could
scarcely stand. She pressed a trembling hand to her lips.
"What have you done?" she whispered, and then it was a wrenching cry: "What
have you done?"
She spun around and fled toward the keep.
In truth, Ian had no answer.
Nor did he know why he'd kissed her.
He knew only that he'd been angry—angry as never before that her wildness
hadn't abated—that she was still the daring little enchantress she'd been as a
child. A crimson mist of rage had come over him the instant he'd seen her with
Jamie—seen that wretched traitor daring to explore the round swell of her
breast.
Nay, he
did
know why he'd kissed her. He'd meant to teach her a
lesson—that she could not challenge him without paying the price.
He'd not expected the wave of passion that swelled within him the moment he
dragged her into his arms.
He didn't understand the way she had trembled beneath his touch. Oh, she had
resisted at first—they'd both been so full of emotion, so full of anger! But his
fury had given way to something else, something just as potent… just as
powerful…
And far more dangerous.
For now he knew how she felt beneath his hands, small and delicate and soft,
as if she would surely break in two. Yet she was startlingly lithe and firm.
He wanted… more.
He wanted… what could never be his. He wanted… her.
Sabrina.
He cursed her to the heavens… and damned himself thrice as blackly.
It was a long time later when he returned to the keep. He strode into the
hall and called for pungent ale. Perched on a wooden stool below a woven
tapestry, he drank deeply. The world had just begun to pleasantly recede when
the swirl of feminine skirts caught his eye. He stiffened as a form drew
near.
But it was only Margaret.
"My lord," she murmured.
Ian spared no greeting, for his mood was not tame. He gave a terse nod and
waited.
"I wonder if I might have a word with you." "What is it?"
She linked her fingers before her, as cool and calm as ever. "I would like to
stay on at Dunlevy for several days after the ceremony."
A muscle in his jaw jumped. "No," he said.
Her eyes flickered. "But, my lord, I've many things to—"
He was on his feet in a heartbeat. "No," he said again.
"Ian, I pray you—"
He slammed his fist against the wall. “We leave for Castle MacGregor
immediately after the ceremony, Margaret. That is final."
He strode away without a backward glance.
Sleep did not come easily for Sabrina that night. Her mind reeled when ever
she thought of it… Ian had kissed her. He had
kissed
her.
Nay, not just once… but twice.
Much to her dismay, she could think of naught else. His kiss had been like
fire, his body well muscled and strong…
Why it was so, she didn’t know. She loved Jamie. They planned to wed as soon
as they were able. So why this cursed awareness of Ian as a man, a very handsome
man indeed… ?
He had changed. He had changed from a gangly youth into a man of stark
masculinity. They hadn't always liked each other as children. Though he'd never
been one to treat her with scorn, at times there had been an air of haughtiness
about him, and it was that which had
Her fingers curled against the soft wool of his plaid. Her lips parted
beneath the pressure of his. All thought, all sanity, scattered to the far
reaches of the earth. There was only the hot seal of his mouth against hers,
hungrily demanding, darkly passionate.
It ended as suddenly as it began. He lifted his head and stared down at her.
Sabrina's legs buckled, as if she were without courage or strength. She would
have collapsed had he not caught her.
Slowly she brought her head up. Glittering silver eyes rained down on her,
but she could read nothing in the depths of his gaze, neither triumph nor
elation.
With a stricken sound she broke away from him. This time he made no effort,
neither to stop her nor help her. Ali at once she was shaking so that she could
scarcely stand. She pressed a trembling hand to her lips.
"What have you done?" she whispered, and then it was a wrenching cry: "What
have you done?"
She spun around and fled toward the keep.
In truth, Ian had no answer.
Nor did he know why he'd kissed her.
He knew only that he'd been angry—angry as never before that her wildness
hadn't abated—that she was still the daring little enchantress she'd been as a
child. A crimson mist of rage had come over him the instant he'd seen her with
Jamie—seen that wretched traitor daring to explore the round swell of her
breast.
Nay, he
did
know why he'd kissed her. He'd meant to teach her a
lesson—that she could not challenge him without paying the price.
He'd not expected the wave of passion that swelled within him the moment he
dragged her into his arms.
He didn't understand the way she had trembled beneath his touch. Oh, she had
resisted at first—they'd both been so full of emotion, so full of anger! But his
fury had given way to something else, something just as potent… just as
powerful…
And far more dangerous.
For now he knew how she felt beneath his hands, small and delicate and soft,
as if she would surely break in two. Yet she was startlingly lithe and firm.
He wanted… more.
He wanted… what could never be his. He wanted… her.
Sabrina.
He cursed her to the heavens… and damned himself thrice as blackly.
It was a long time later when he returned to the keep. He strode into the
hall and called for pungent ale. Perched on a wooden stool below a woven
tapestry, he drank deeply. The world had just begun to pleasantly recede when
the swirl of feminine skirts caught his eye. He stiffened as a form drew
near.
But it was only Margaret.
"My lord," she murmured.
Ian spared no greeting, for his mood was not tame. He gave a terse nod and
waited.
"I wonder if I might have a word with you." "What is it?"
She linked her fingers before her, as cool and calm as ever. "I would like to
stay on at Dunlevy for several days after the ceremony."
A muscle in his jaw jumped. "No," he said.
Her eyes flickered. "But, my lord, I've many things to—"
He was on his feet in a heartbeat. "No," he said again.
"Ian, I pray you—"
He slammed his fist against the wall. “We leave for Castle MacGregor
immediately after the ceremony, Margaret. That is final."
He strode away without a backward glance.
Sleep did not come easily for Sabrina that night. Her mind reeled when ever
she thought of it… Ian had kissed her. He had
kissed
her.
Nay, not just once… but twice.
Much to her dismay, she could think of naught else. His kiss had been like
fire, his body well muscled and strong…
Why it was so, she didn’t know. She loved Jamie. They planned to wed as soon
as they were able. So why this cursed awareness of Ian as a man, a very handsome
man indeed… ?
He had changed. He had changed from a gangly youth into a man of stark
masculinity. They hadn't always liked each other as children. Though he'd never
been one to treat her with scorn, at times there had been an air of haughtiness
about him, and it was that which had
Similar Books
