to explain. Instead you threw me out into the cold where I all but wore my shoulders out with a pair of oars. That just really chaps my hide, gal."
"I am sorry. I reacted instinctively, without thought. You see, the threats he made were so... " She closed her eyes and shuddered.
"Threats? What threats? What did that Englishman say and why did he say it?"
Gillian's skin grew cold at the memory. She closed her eyes and replied, "He basically stole something from Rowanclere and I went to England and took it back. It did not set well with him. He came here once and tried to force his way inside the castle, but we managed to keep him out. Rowanclere is still a fine fortress. After that he wrote letters. Made threats."
"Tell me what he said, Gillian."
Her mouth went dry, her throat tight, and she worked to force the words. "Apparently, Lord Bennet is quite a taxidermy enthusiast. He threatened to kill me and have my body stuffed for his special trophy room."
Shock registered on the Texan's face, then his mouth set in a grim line. "Damn. He'd have done it, too. You're right, the man was evil. You have no idea how much I wish I'd been the one to shoot him. At least the scoundrel died hard."
Gillian waited for a moment and allowed the words to filter through her mind. Then she lifted her head off her pillow. "Excuse me? What did you say? Someone shot Lord Bennet?"
"Yes. My sister. He was trying to kill her."
Gillian simply stared, trying hard to take it all in. He had a sister who shot Lord Bennet. "He's dead?"
"Dead as a fly in molasses. Has been since winter."
Gillian froze. He was telling the truth. She could read it in his eyes. Relief washed over her, and as her head dropped back against the pillow, she murmured, "I wish I'd known. I've been plagued by terrible taxidermy nightmares."
Jake's mouth tilted in a wry grin as he approached with a wicked looking knife and sliced through the silken ties, While he took hold of her arms and pulled her into a seated position, she imagined the look on Flora's and Angus's faces when she told them the news. The threats had made them all uneasy.
Jake sat beside her on the bed and gently rubbed her wrists where the fabric strips had bound her. Though it reflected poorly upon her to feel pleasure at another person's demise, Gillian couldn't help herself. He had just freed her from a fearsome burden and it filled her with delight. Pulling free of Jake's tender hold, she beamed a smile at him. "Oh, Texas, this is the most welcome news."
She threw her arms around his neck and yanked him to her.
Then, Gillian kissed him.
* * *
For the first time since arriving in Scotland, Jake Delaney wasn't cold. He smoldered. He steamed. He sizzled.
He was hot.
Damn. He knew from experience that females had a talent for surprising a man. His sister Chrissy was a fine example of that. And hadn't Scooter knocked him for a loop earlier today at the watchtower when she somehow managed to catch a bird? He had been shocked senseless when the pooch approached with her trophy in her mouth.
This particular surprise didn't knock him senseless. No, this surprise kept his senses very much in working order.
At the first touch of Gillian's lips against his, he felt an instant, intense jolt of lust. Sensation bombarded him. She tasted delicious, an intriguing combination of sunshine and sweetness. She smelled heavenly, surrounding him in a cloud of jasmine and temptation. Then the sound she made when his hands clasped her waist—that little, dazzled hitch of breath—made him want to howl.
Instinctively, Jake took control of the kiss. He changed the angle, deepened it. Invaded her mouth with his tongue. She whimpered once, and then responded, seducing him completely. Every impulse in him yearned to lay her back, to strip her naked, to take her and make her his.
But the pesky voice of reason, of honor, could not be silenced for long. She was no lightskirt or lusty widow, but a young, unmarried woman of good
"I am sorry. I reacted instinctively, without thought. You see, the threats he made were so... " She closed her eyes and shuddered.
"Threats? What threats? What did that Englishman say and why did he say it?"
Gillian's skin grew cold at the memory. She closed her eyes and replied, "He basically stole something from Rowanclere and I went to England and took it back. It did not set well with him. He came here once and tried to force his way inside the castle, but we managed to keep him out. Rowanclere is still a fine fortress. After that he wrote letters. Made threats."
"Tell me what he said, Gillian."
Her mouth went dry, her throat tight, and she worked to force the words. "Apparently, Lord Bennet is quite a taxidermy enthusiast. He threatened to kill me and have my body stuffed for his special trophy room."
Shock registered on the Texan's face, then his mouth set in a grim line. "Damn. He'd have done it, too. You're right, the man was evil. You have no idea how much I wish I'd been the one to shoot him. At least the scoundrel died hard."
Gillian waited for a moment and allowed the words to filter through her mind. Then she lifted her head off her pillow. "Excuse me? What did you say? Someone shot Lord Bennet?"
"Yes. My sister. He was trying to kill her."
Gillian simply stared, trying hard to take it all in. He had a sister who shot Lord Bennet. "He's dead?"
"Dead as a fly in molasses. Has been since winter."
Gillian froze. He was telling the truth. She could read it in his eyes. Relief washed over her, and as her head dropped back against the pillow, she murmured, "I wish I'd known. I've been plagued by terrible taxidermy nightmares."
Jake's mouth tilted in a wry grin as he approached with a wicked looking knife and sliced through the silken ties, While he took hold of her arms and pulled her into a seated position, she imagined the look on Flora's and Angus's faces when she told them the news. The threats had made them all uneasy.
Jake sat beside her on the bed and gently rubbed her wrists where the fabric strips had bound her. Though it reflected poorly upon her to feel pleasure at another person's demise, Gillian couldn't help herself. He had just freed her from a fearsome burden and it filled her with delight. Pulling free of Jake's tender hold, she beamed a smile at him. "Oh, Texas, this is the most welcome news."
She threw her arms around his neck and yanked him to her.
Then, Gillian kissed him.
* * *
For the first time since arriving in Scotland, Jake Delaney wasn't cold. He smoldered. He steamed. He sizzled.
He was hot.
Damn. He knew from experience that females had a talent for surprising a man. His sister Chrissy was a fine example of that. And hadn't Scooter knocked him for a loop earlier today at the watchtower when she somehow managed to catch a bird? He had been shocked senseless when the pooch approached with her trophy in her mouth.
This particular surprise didn't knock him senseless. No, this surprise kept his senses very much in working order.
At the first touch of Gillian's lips against his, he felt an instant, intense jolt of lust. Sensation bombarded him. She tasted delicious, an intriguing combination of sunshine and sweetness. She smelled heavenly, surrounding him in a cloud of jasmine and temptation. Then the sound she made when his hands clasped her waist—that little, dazzled hitch of breath—made him want to howl.
Instinctively, Jake took control of the kiss. He changed the angle, deepened it. Invaded her mouth with his tongue. She whimpered once, and then responded, seducing him completely. Every impulse in him yearned to lay her back, to strip her naked, to take her and make her his.
But the pesky voice of reason, of honor, could not be silenced for long. She was no lightskirt or lusty widow, but a young, unmarried woman of good
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