Highland Champion by Hannah Howell Page A

growled in response to Keira’s unspoken challenge, his whole body taut with the need to taste again the sweet heat of her mouth. For reasons he did not even dare to guess at, Keira was not going to retreat. It was his chance to show her the passion they could share while she was wide awake and fully aware.
    The first touch of his lips against hers made Keira feel so hot and needy, she had to clutch at his broad shoulders to steady herself. When she opened her mouth to welcome his tongue, she heard him groan softly and felt him wrap his strong arms around her. The feel of his lean body pressed so close to her made Keira shiver with delight. She put her arms around his neck and tried to get even closer to his warmth. She had the strangest urge to crawl right inside of him.
    That strange haze only he could rouse began to curl itself around her mind again. It smothered all good sense and silenced all the warnings her more prudent self wished to make. All she could hear was the voice demanding that she take more, take all he wanted to give her and revel in it. It did not matter to that voice that Liam had undoubtedly given it to more women than she could count, so long as he shared it with her, too.
    He slid his hands down her back until he was caressing her buttocks. When he pressed his groin against hers, shifting himself against her in a promise of all he could give her, Keira heard herself moan softly. The fever he stirred was growing too strong to fight, and a reckless greed was taking hold of her.
    Why not, her reckless self whispered in her mind. Who would know? Had her husband not failed her time and time again? Did she not deserve a little joy, a short time of blind selfishness before she had to fulfill her vow to Duncan? Facing Rauf and trying to free the people of Ardgleann could easily mean her death. Why not grab a little pleasure while she could, fleeting though it might be?
    Keira was a heartbeat away from casting all caution to the wind and taking this man as her lover when the horse shifted, bumping into her and Liam. Although Liam quickly righted them, Keira knew the moment of danger had passed. Fighting a deep sense of embarrassment over her wanton behavior, she pulled free of his hold. Only the taut look of desire upon Liam’s face and the way his breathing was fast and uneven saved her from utter mortification.
    “That was thank ye enough, I believe,” she said as she turned her back on him topretend that she was carefully checking her saddle before mounting.
    Liam took a deep, slow breath in a vain attempt to cool his blood. He could still feel her soft curves pressed against his body, fitting his embrace as if she had been made just for him. Moving even more awkwardly than usual, he walked to his horse, reluctant to climb up into the saddle. It was a relief when it took Keira several minutes to realize he still needed help to mount, for it allowed him a little more time to gain control of himself.
    He may have shown her the passion they could share, but he had also discovered something. Keira robbed him of all control, stripped away all of the lover’s skills he had gained over the years. He had thought the way that the morning kiss had affected him had been due mostly to waking from a somewhat salacious dream of her only to find her in his arms. It was now obvious that it was simply the feel of her in his arms, the taste of her, and even the soft murmurs of pleasure she made that enflamed him. He had suspected that the passion they could share would be hot and fine, but he had never truly expected it to be as all consuming as it was.
    Once mounted and trying to ignore his discomfort, Liam silently led the way toward Scarglas. Unless there was some trouble, they should reach it before the gates were shut for the night, and he was glad of it. It would be best if he and Keira did not spend another night alone together, at least not until Keira no longer saw him as some lecherous dog who would sniff around