Read Online My Daring Highlander by Vonda Sinclair - Free Book Online Page B

horse
further. Seona’s cowl had been blown off her head and her long dark
hair whipped out behind her.
    “Whoa!” she ordered the horse, which
promptly ignored her and continued its panicked run.
    Pushing his larger mount harder,
Keegan gradually gained on her. “Seona! Come. Get on in front of
me,” he called, his words whisked away in the chill, punishing
wind.
    She turned her head, quickly glancing
at him. “I cannot!” Then, she focused her attention on trying to
get the animal under control. She truly was a skilled
rider.
    But who knew how long it
would be before the moor turned boggy or… Something up ahead caught
his attention—a wide stream near overflowing with spring
thaw. Saints! The
horses couldn’t jump that. Likely, her horse would stop abruptly
and toss her in.
    Guiding his horse closer to hers,
Keegan placed the reins in one hand and offered his free hand to
her. “There’s a wide burn up ahead! You can’t jump it. Give me your
arm. I’ll pull you onto my horse.”
    When she noticed the swollen stream,
her eyes widened and she looked near frantic. Her gaze darting back
and forth between him and the burn, she held out her hand toward
him.
    He grabbed her arm and dragged her
from her mare and onto Curry, while her horse kept going. Holding
Seona tightly around the waist, he slowed Curry and guided him
toward the left and away from the stream. Likely, she wasn’t in the
most comfortable position, because of his saddle, but at least she
was safe.
    “Saints, Seona. You scared the devil
out of me,” he grumbled loudly to be heard over the
wind.
    “’ Twas not my fault,” she
responded, trying to gather her wildly blowing hair into one hand.
Her skin was still pale, but thankfully she hadn’t gone to pieces
in terror. He admired her strength.
    “Nay. Your mare went mad.” He glanced
about for shelter. They were some distance from the rest of their
party now, and he couldn’t even see them beyond the hill. Further
along, he noticed a rocky outcropping and kneed Curry into a trot,
the wind and rain lashing them.
    He drew up beside the rocks that
appeared stable enough and helped Seona slide to her feet, before
he dismounted. He guided her toward the stones which blocked much
of the fearsome west wind that pounded them and led Curry behind
him. Keegan glanced upward, determining the stone was solid and
that nothing would fall on their heads.
    Immediately they were out of the wind
and rain. He turned back to watch the gale rage across the moor
behind them, the grasses, bushes and plants twisting and almost
lying flat at times.
    “There goes your horse,” he said,
pointing. Seona’s mare was a distant black spot, running along the
burn. The animal likely wouldn’t calm down until the gale had
passed. “We’ll recapture her later.”
    Following his gaze, Seona
nodded.
    “This is a decent shelter.” He was
glad to get her out of the wind and rain.
    “Aye,” she said, her breathing still
elevated. Arms wrapped around herself, she shivered and her teeth
chattered, though she tried to hide it.
    “Come. I’ll warm you.” He took her
into his arms, but he knew it wasn’t only the temperature of the
chill wind that made her shiver. ’Twas also the waning of the
extreme fear she must have felt taking a wild ride on that daft
horse, tearing across the countryside. “’Tis all right, lass,” he
murmured in her ear. “You’re safe now.”
    Her body still trembled, but she
nodded. He would do anything to keep her safe. Did she not know
that?
    His face against her cool damp hair,
Keegan closed his eyes and drew in her sweet scent. She felt
perfect against him, but he fought down his need to pull her even
closer, to feel her body completely aligned with his.
    Finally, her shivers diminished and
her breathing returned to normal. Reluctantly, he removed his arms
from around her and backed up a step. “Better?”
    “Aye. I thank you for helping me. I
don’t know what got into