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.Ian’s heart shouldn’t have hammered in his chest, but it did.Before he thought, he reached up and covered it with his much larger palm.Their gazes met.Ian could not mistake the yearning in her eyes, certain the same longings reflected in his own.He choked back his urge to pull her in his embrace.It was madness to allow his heart to yen for a lass in a few brief moments.But Merrin made him feel like he was the only man in the room, which he was quite literally.Still, Ian’s chest swelled, more like she regarded him to be the only man in the world—a king.Her tongue slipped out and dabbed her top lip, then her gaze dropped to his mouth.Ian suddenly had an overwhelming urge to kiss her.He reached up with his free hand and cupped her face.“I haven’t thanked ye for rescuing me.”She drew in a ragged breath.“Ye do no’ need to.I’m just relieved Ye’re alive.”He stared at her pink lips, slightly parted.Heaven help him.He gently tugged her toward his mouth and lightly brushed his lips across hers.Merrin jumped back.Her fists flew under her chin, her eyes wide as saucers.“What was that?”“Do no’ tell me a lass as bonny as ye has never been kissed?”Her face turning a brilliant shade of scarlet, she darted to the hearth and picked up her mixing spoon.Ian watched her.Keeping her back to him, Merrin nervously stirred an enormous kettle sitting atop an iron grill.Bloody hell, no one has kissed the lass.Ian clenched his fists.He could not take advantage of an innocent woman, no matter how beautiful.“Where’s your father?” It came out gruff, but so it should have.Kissing an innocent? He should be flogged.“Gone to Brochel to fetch stores.He’ll be back soon.” She kept her face turned toward the hearth.“I’m sorry.”She stopped stirring.“For what?” Her backside was every bit as lovely as her front.Ian moaned.“I’m sorry I kissed ye.I lost me head staring into your bonny eyes.”***His words were practically more than Merrin could bear.Had Ian really said her eyes were bonny? She’d nearly swooned when his lips touched hers.When he grasped her hand and stared into her eyes, her heart had fluttered as if propelled by wings.She tried, but she couldn’t look away.Merrin mustn’t encourage him.If he saw her mark, he’d flee before he was completely healed.She would keep it covered and avoid kissing him again.But how marvelous was the mere caress of his lips.She pressed her fingers to her mouth.It still tingled.She stirred the pottage one more time and dished up two bowls, Gar coming to life, instantly at her heel.If Ian was bold enough to kiss her, he was certainly well enough to keep down a few bites of pottage.She skirted around the table with Gar drooling behind.Still a bit shaken, she didn’t look Ian in the face until he moaned.His eyes were closed and beads of sweat dribbled from his forehead.That kiss must have sapped him of all his strength.Merrin glanced at Gar.“May as well not waste it.” The dog wagged his tail and trotted to his bowl by the door.She shoveled in Ian’s portion.“What a strange day this has been.”When the sunlight dimmed, Merrin lit the candles and reclined in the rocker.She watched Ian sleep.If only she could find a man like him, she wouldn’t be alone when Niall passed.She’d take fine care of a husband.Around and around, she caressed the back of her hand.A young man like Ian might never touch her again.She would savor the memory of this day and lock it in her heart.So much had been revealed in a few short moments, Merrin wondered if Niall had left her alone for her own education.Her father would do something like that.Life’s lessons come from experience, he’d say.On the morrow Niall would return, and her fascination with Ian would become a distant memory.Of that she was absolutely certain.Chapter FiveWhen Merrin came in from collecting the eggs, she found Ian sitting on the edge of his pallet, the plaid wrapped around his waist, his well-muscled chest bare.She could scarcely breathe.All night she’d tried to block the images of his hard body from her mind.She’d bathed every inch of that masculine flesh.Doing so had stirred a yearning so powerful, her insides twisted with pain.When she’d finally left the rocking chair and sought her bed, it took forever to drift off.Each time she closed her eyes, she saw his rock-hard chest, or a sturdy thigh, a thick arm.Thick? Of course her mind would then conjure up his undeniably fascinating manhood.Heaven help her, it would haunt her forever [ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]