Stealing a Lady's Heart: A Regency Fairytale (Fairfield Fairytales Book 1) by Tammy Andresen

reached out the window and grabbed the rope.  He plastered Charlotte to his body. He looped it around his and Charlotte’s waist, then between their legs. 
    Charlotte didn’t even stir and Graham shook his head.  He was glad she wouldn’t see what they were about to do but it required a great deal of strength to accomplish.
    Straddling the sill, he had one foot in the room and one foot out on the beam.  Graham couldn’t balance on the beam while holding Charlotte so he was going to have to throw himself out and hope his brothers were watching to pull the rope taut.
    He made eye contact with Will and then rocked one, two, three and out the window he flew with the sleeping Charlotte strapped to his chest.
    They were seventy-five feet off the ground and for a split second he thought his brothers wouldn’t pull the rope.  But suddenly the rope jerked taut and Graham angled his feet towards the wall to keep from crashing into it.
    His feet hit the wall but he bent his knees to cushion their jump.  Graham breathed a sigh of relief.  Then Tom, Nick and Will began lowering them to the ground.
    Graham’s feet touched the earth and Tom began unwinding them from the rope. He worked quickly. They left the rope where it was. It didn’t matter now if Lord Bard knew how they had gotten her out. They needed to get off the island fast. The four brothers sprinted towards the boat. What was important was putting as much distance between them and the island as possible. Charlotte still slept soundly in Graham’s arms.
    Will climbed in first and Graham almost tossed Charlotte to him as he hurtled over the side.  Tom jumped in behind Graham, and Nick gave the boat a heaving push just before jumping in.
    “Head straight for the Scottish Coast. We’ll find horses and supplies, but we are defenseless on the open water,” Graham hissed as Nick caught the wind with the sail and headed for the shoreline.
    “We’ve lucked out. The wind has shifted directions for us,” Tom called over the rush of the water.
    Graham’s face was grim. Luck would get them to the coast before Charlotte’s absence was noticed.  Will passed Charlotte back to him and she stirred in his arms. She licked her lips, bringing Graham’s attention back to her glorious mouth. The sea air and distance from the castle seemed to lift her sleeping potion. 
    She opened her eyes. She licked her lips again and then blinked sleepily a few times. Then, seeing Graham, Charlotte gave him a soft sleepy smile. Graham felt attraction like a bolt of lightning shoot through his body. 
    “You came,” she reached up touched his cheek with her hand.
    “Of course,” he smiled back, her beauty taking his breath away. His hands were wrapped around her and he was suddenly aware that she wore only a nightdress. He could feel her incredibly small waist.  Her breasts were crushed up against his chest.
    She curled her hand into his hair and pulled his head to hers, their lips softly touching. From that small touch, Graham felt heat spread down his body. He was instantly rock hard.
    Charlotte pulled away, their lips breaking contact. Her eyes were gigantic. “I thought I was dreaming.”
    Even in the dark, Graham could see her cheeks flush bright red. “My apologies,” Graham gritted out. He could have cursed himself. Charlotte would never be his. He was foolish to forget that even for a second.
    Charlotte started to respond, but suddenly a dark shadow blocked out the moonlight. A massive schooner was headed right for them.
    Graham lifted his head from the beautiful woman in his arms. “How far to the coast?”
    “Quarter mile, maybe a half. There is an outcropping of rocks!” Nick pointed to their left and aimed the sailboat in that direction.
    The other ship came closer and Graham could see the men in black on its deck. “It’s them!”
    Will grabbed his bow and the largest arrow Graham had ever seen.  The other ship flew across the water towards them; it would be on top