Read Online My Captive Highlander (Highland Adventure Book 7) by Vonda Sinclair - Free Book Online
Authors: Vonda Sinclair
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and he swallowed. "Delicious," he said, passing it back to her.
After corking the wine, she put it and the food away in her satchel.
"Is there another trail out of here?" he asked.
"Ben Clagen is to the north and Ben Milchen to the east. Both are high and craggy. We can cross neither. Even the pass is very high and rough. The best route is the way my clan went."
" 'Tis too dangerous to follow them," he said. "They might turn back. Or hide and wait for us to approach."
"A few miles south, there is a fork in the trail. In the morn, we might be able to see their tracks and tell which way they've headed. 'Tis too dark now, even with the moonlight."
"Aye."
Because she was only able to discern his silhouette in the moonlight, the sound of his voice stirred up something strange but thrilling inside her.
What were they going to do for the rest of the night? Sleep? She was far too restless. Kiss? That thought sent a rush of heat through her. Was this desire she was feeling for the first time in her life? Was this the passion the bards and troubadours sang of?
Feeling disturbed and flushed, she arose and wandered to the central standing stone, the tallest. It had to be at least twelve feet in height. Legend said it was the marrying stone. She did not know whether to believe this or not… or even what it truly meant. She placed her hands flat upon it, as she had done a few times before. It had certainly never caused her to get married. In fact, all her suitors had been repelled.
Rocks clattered as Shamus approached. " 'Tis a very tall stone." He tilted his head back to observe the top in the moonlight.
"Aye." She loved the smooth, weathered surface and the scratchy lichens growing on parts of it. When she closed her eyes, she felt the centuries these stones had stood witness to. They had existed here far longer than hundreds of years. 'Twas thousands of years they had stood just as they were now. With her "sight" she saw the ancient people who had come here. This had been a most sacred place to them. And then she saw the couples, hundreds of them, who had stood here touching the stone. It had bound them in a love so strong, none had ever parted. Even though death had separated some of them briefly, they had remained soul mates, and rejoined in the afterlife. Tears pricked her eyes at the depth of emotion and love. This was the kind of love she wanted.
"Maili, are you all right?" Shamus asked in a gentle voice.
She opened her eyes to find him leaning against the stone.
"Why are you crying?"
She shook her head, her throat too tight to speak. She could never explain what she saw. It was too grand, too elaborate and complicated. Infinite love.
He pushed away from the stone and drew nearer. With his thumbs, he stroked her tears away, then leaned in and kissed her. Keeping one hand on the stone, she placed the other around his waist. How profoundly his kiss affected her. She felt as if that same powerful emotion she'd sensed coming from the couples thousands of years ago, who'd joined here, was surging through her. Love and need so strong she could hardly breathe.
Her heart pounded and she pulled him tighter against her, kissing him with more fervor. His heart beat hard against her breast.
She grew frantic at the overwhelming intensity of emotion. "Shamus," she gasped between kisses.
"Aye, Maili." He sounded as profoundly affected as she was, and his kisses grew more insistent, more ardent.
Good heavens! Had the stones joined them?
***
Shamus drew Maili tight against him and took possession of her sweet mouth again. He flicked his tongue between her lips. Saints, but she was passionate and delectable. He wanted to devour her on the spot.
Her hands tangled in the hair at the nape of his neck and before he knew what he was about, he had her lying on the grass-softened ground. He drew back and lay beside her so as to not frighten her.
But she did not seem afraid. In fact, she grasped the top of his plaid and pulled him
After corking the wine, she put it and the food away in her satchel.
"Is there another trail out of here?" he asked.
"Ben Clagen is to the north and Ben Milchen to the east. Both are high and craggy. We can cross neither. Even the pass is very high and rough. The best route is the way my clan went."
" 'Tis too dangerous to follow them," he said. "They might turn back. Or hide and wait for us to approach."
"A few miles south, there is a fork in the trail. In the morn, we might be able to see their tracks and tell which way they've headed. 'Tis too dark now, even with the moonlight."
"Aye."
Because she was only able to discern his silhouette in the moonlight, the sound of his voice stirred up something strange but thrilling inside her.
What were they going to do for the rest of the night? Sleep? She was far too restless. Kiss? That thought sent a rush of heat through her. Was this desire she was feeling for the first time in her life? Was this the passion the bards and troubadours sang of?
Feeling disturbed and flushed, she arose and wandered to the central standing stone, the tallest. It had to be at least twelve feet in height. Legend said it was the marrying stone. She did not know whether to believe this or not… or even what it truly meant. She placed her hands flat upon it, as she had done a few times before. It had certainly never caused her to get married. In fact, all her suitors had been repelled.
Rocks clattered as Shamus approached. " 'Tis a very tall stone." He tilted his head back to observe the top in the moonlight.
"Aye." She loved the smooth, weathered surface and the scratchy lichens growing on parts of it. When she closed her eyes, she felt the centuries these stones had stood witness to. They had existed here far longer than hundreds of years. 'Twas thousands of years they had stood just as they were now. With her "sight" she saw the ancient people who had come here. This had been a most sacred place to them. And then she saw the couples, hundreds of them, who had stood here touching the stone. It had bound them in a love so strong, none had ever parted. Even though death had separated some of them briefly, they had remained soul mates, and rejoined in the afterlife. Tears pricked her eyes at the depth of emotion and love. This was the kind of love she wanted.
"Maili, are you all right?" Shamus asked in a gentle voice.
She opened her eyes to find him leaning against the stone.
"Why are you crying?"
She shook her head, her throat too tight to speak. She could never explain what she saw. It was too grand, too elaborate and complicated. Infinite love.
He pushed away from the stone and drew nearer. With his thumbs, he stroked her tears away, then leaned in and kissed her. Keeping one hand on the stone, she placed the other around his waist. How profoundly his kiss affected her. She felt as if that same powerful emotion she'd sensed coming from the couples thousands of years ago, who'd joined here, was surging through her. Love and need so strong she could hardly breathe.
Her heart pounded and she pulled him tighter against her, kissing him with more fervor. His heart beat hard against her breast.
She grew frantic at the overwhelming intensity of emotion. "Shamus," she gasped between kisses.
"Aye, Maili." He sounded as profoundly affected as she was, and his kisses grew more insistent, more ardent.
Good heavens! Had the stones joined them?
***
Shamus drew Maili tight against him and took possession of her sweet mouth again. He flicked his tongue between her lips. Saints, but she was passionate and delectable. He wanted to devour her on the spot.
Her hands tangled in the hair at the nape of his neck and before he knew what he was about, he had her lying on the grass-softened ground. He drew back and lay beside her so as to not frighten her.
But she did not seem afraid. In fact, she grasped the top of his plaid and pulled him
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