Plight of the Highlander (The MacLomain Series: Next Generation Book 5) by Sky Purington Page A

then that he should have let you be.”
    Torra had not been looking forward to this moment but too long had she come between their friendship. “He tried,” she said softly. “But I wouldnae have it.”
    Valan’s eyes shot to hers, but he said nothing.
    It was impossible not to feel bittersweet pain as memories resurfaced and she remembered the past…
     
    “There ye are, lass.”
    Torra had barely caught sight of him when Colin MacLeod swung her around. Laughing, she batted him away but not before a lingering moment when their gazes tangled and breathing became a struggle. Pale silver flecks ignited in his eyes as the sun crested through the trees and hit his face.
    It had been her fourth visit back in time since she first met him at the Highland Defiance and he was in rare form. But she imagined that they both were. Their friendship had fast blossomed along with something else altogether. And with that something else grew a niggling of guilt. She’d not seen Valan again since Colin had traveled back. While she had not entirely understood her feelings toward the Hamilton before, now she did. And they couldn’t compare to what she felt toward Colin.
    Yet her guilt only ran so deep. Because though he claimed to love her, Valan had a secret of his own. A secret he had only just shared before she met Colin MacLeod.
    Colin pulled her after him, a wide smile on his face. “Have ye ever had a swing into the water then, lass?”
    “A swing into the water?” Torra laughed as she ran to keep up with him. “I cannae say I have.”
    The day was warm and a light wind blew through the trees as they stopped at a riverbank. A fairly sharp decline led down to a narrow shore.
    Colin pointed. “See there.”
    Torra put a hand to her forehead to block the sun and peered up. A rope was tied to the top of an exceptionally tall tree that slanted out over the water. She looked at him with a frown. “I dinnae ken.”
    Colin grinned and pulled off his boots. Though she suspected he wanted to remove his tunic and plaid he did not. While Torra knew she should appreciate the courtesy, she was surprisingly disappointed. But her interest soon became ensnared by his actions as he climbed the tree.
    “What are ye doing?” she yelled.
    He climbed to the top of the tree, grabbed the rope then climbed down a bit. With a grin that she could only describe as fun-loving, he yelled, “‘Twill be obvious soon enough.”
    Wide-eyed, Torra put her hand over her mouth when Colin jumped from the tree. He released a loud whooping sound as the rope swung him far out. Then he let go and splashed down into the river. When he broke free from the water laughing, she laughed as well.
    The MacLeod had lost his mind!
    Colin nodded at her. “Now ye.”
    “Me?” She shook her head, still laughing. “Nay.”
    “Oh, aye.” He nodded at the rope. “Go on then, lass. Dinnae be a coward.”
    Coward? Her? Never! But she still shook her head.
    “What are ye afraid of?” He cocked his head. “‘Tis naught but a tree and a rope and some water.”
    Torra stood a little straighter at the taunt, at the unabashed challenge in his eyes. Well, she’d wipe that look right off his face. While it might be indecent to remove her chemise, the shoes and dress would definitely have to go so they didn’t weigh her down. Colin made no move to leave the water, just watched as she determinedly started to climb the tree.
    “There ye go, lass,” he cheered.
    Torra did not look down but kept focused on the climb. It didn’t matter in the least that she’d never climbed a tree before. In truth, she found the experience rather enjoyable if not downright fun. And she was good at it! Only when she reached the rope and looked down did she realize how high she actually was.
    “Now make your way down some with the rope, hold on tight and push off hard,” Colin yelled.
    Not afraid in the least, Torra did just that, excited. She couldn’t remember ever smiling so much. Determined