and kindness, he did not think his heart would ever beat again. Nay, ’twould continue to thrum as rapidly as the water at the Falls of Clyde.
“Good morn, Aiden,” she said sleepily, her smile growing at the sight of him.
Dumbfounded, he fought to find his voice. “Ye’re real,” he whispered.
She giggled. “Of course I’m real ye d—”
He gave her no time to finish her reply. Mindlessly, he lowered his head and pressed his lips to hers.
* * *
A s far as kisses went , Rianna thought this one was most splendid.
Soft, warm, and tender, it stole her breath away.
She fell quite happily into the moment, fell away to passion, to wonder, and allowed him to pull her closer. The touch of his hand at the small of her back sent jolts of thrilling excitement up and down her spine. This . This was something else she now realized she longed for.
Pressed against him, she could feel the heat of his chest against her own, could feel his heart pounding against hers. Without any thought or experience, she wrapped one hand around his neck as encouragement.
Her breath hitched when his tongue traced along her bottom lip, his hands caressing her back as if each were on a great exploration.
The kiss deepened, grew and built like a fire gone out of control.
Though she was not ignorant about what could happen between a man and woman, she was completely without any personal experience. Her head began to swim, her breaths came in short bursts, her fingers twitched with wanting more than just his kisses.
Good sense reared its unwelcome head, reminding her of the oath she had taken as a child. It also reminded her she was allowing a man she’d not seen since they were children, touch, kiss and caress her as if they were newly married. What must he think of her?
The inner voice grew louder until it overshadowed her desire to know and feel more. Breaking away from the kiss, she pressed her hand to his chest. “Nay,” she said breathlessly as she fought to free herself from the blankets and his warm, wonderful hold. “Nay!” she exclaimed after freeing herself. Scurrying to her feet, she fled from him, her mind awash in uncertainty and yes, wonder.
Confused, Aiden shook his head and watched as she ran away from him. His arms and his chest felt oddly empty. Unused to such feelings, he sat for a long while, running a hand through his hair. His gut wasn’t telling him anything his mind didn’t already know; he’d behaved appallingly. He should have, at the very least, asked for her name before kissing her. Feeling more and more an ass, he expelled a heavy breath before going after her.
It took no time at all to find her. She was standing along the bank of a deep stream, her arms wrapped tightly around her small, delicate waist. The morning sun glinted off her long, dark tendrils, which showed just a hint of auburn.
“Who are ye?” he asked, keeping a safe distance. More for her own safety than his, for he doubted seriously she could do him any true physical harm.
She spun at the sound of his voice, her face bearing a most confused expression. “Ye dunnae remember?”
“Try as I might, I fear I cannot, lass,” he admitted without shame.
Although she wasn’t nearly as angry with him as she was with herself, she found his answer irksome. “Do ye think ye should have asked my name before ye kissed me? Or do ye have a habit of kissing women ye dunnae ken?”
The truth was humiliating. “Nay, I dunnae make a habit of such a thing. But in my defense, ye were layin’ right next to me. And ye did smile.” He knew it sounded stupid the moment the words left his mouth.
“Remind me nae to smile at ye in the future.”
“Please, accept my apologies, lass. I truly did nae mean to upset ye.”
Sensing his apology was sincere, she offered him a shrug, as if to say it didn’t matter. Closing the matter to any further discussion, she said, “We can break our fast before we leave.”
He quirked a confused brow.
“Good morn, Aiden,” she said sleepily, her smile growing at the sight of him.
Dumbfounded, he fought to find his voice. “Ye’re real,” he whispered.
She giggled. “Of course I’m real ye d—”
He gave her no time to finish her reply. Mindlessly, he lowered his head and pressed his lips to hers.
* * *
A s far as kisses went , Rianna thought this one was most splendid.
Soft, warm, and tender, it stole her breath away.
She fell quite happily into the moment, fell away to passion, to wonder, and allowed him to pull her closer. The touch of his hand at the small of her back sent jolts of thrilling excitement up and down her spine. This . This was something else she now realized she longed for.
Pressed against him, she could feel the heat of his chest against her own, could feel his heart pounding against hers. Without any thought or experience, she wrapped one hand around his neck as encouragement.
Her breath hitched when his tongue traced along her bottom lip, his hands caressing her back as if each were on a great exploration.
The kiss deepened, grew and built like a fire gone out of control.
Though she was not ignorant about what could happen between a man and woman, she was completely without any personal experience. Her head began to swim, her breaths came in short bursts, her fingers twitched with wanting more than just his kisses.
Good sense reared its unwelcome head, reminding her of the oath she had taken as a child. It also reminded her she was allowing a man she’d not seen since they were children, touch, kiss and caress her as if they were newly married. What must he think of her?
The inner voice grew louder until it overshadowed her desire to know and feel more. Breaking away from the kiss, she pressed her hand to his chest. “Nay,” she said breathlessly as she fought to free herself from the blankets and his warm, wonderful hold. “Nay!” she exclaimed after freeing herself. Scurrying to her feet, she fled from him, her mind awash in uncertainty and yes, wonder.
Confused, Aiden shook his head and watched as she ran away from him. His arms and his chest felt oddly empty. Unused to such feelings, he sat for a long while, running a hand through his hair. His gut wasn’t telling him anything his mind didn’t already know; he’d behaved appallingly. He should have, at the very least, asked for her name before kissing her. Feeling more and more an ass, he expelled a heavy breath before going after her.
It took no time at all to find her. She was standing along the bank of a deep stream, her arms wrapped tightly around her small, delicate waist. The morning sun glinted off her long, dark tendrils, which showed just a hint of auburn.
“Who are ye?” he asked, keeping a safe distance. More for her own safety than his, for he doubted seriously she could do him any true physical harm.
She spun at the sound of his voice, her face bearing a most confused expression. “Ye dunnae remember?”
“Try as I might, I fear I cannot, lass,” he admitted without shame.
Although she wasn’t nearly as angry with him as she was with herself, she found his answer irksome. “Do ye think ye should have asked my name before ye kissed me? Or do ye have a habit of kissing women ye dunnae ken?”
The truth was humiliating. “Nay, I dunnae make a habit of such a thing. But in my defense, ye were layin’ right next to me. And ye did smile.” He knew it sounded stupid the moment the words left his mouth.
“Remind me nae to smile at ye in the future.”
“Please, accept my apologies, lass. I truly did nae mean to upset ye.”
Sensing his apology was sincere, she offered him a shrug, as if to say it didn’t matter. Closing the matter to any further discussion, she said, “We can break our fast before we leave.”
He quirked a confused brow.
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