"Naught." His response was quick and his voice gruff, making her suspect he was lying. Had he heard a noise she'd missed? She listened for a moment, detecting nothing but silence. One of his hands caressed her back, soothing her again.
He was so sweet and caring. She pressed a small, silent kiss to the shirt covering his chest. She was certain he couldn't feel it. She hoped. But she wished she could kiss him all over, especially his lips. She wondered what they looked like and, most especially, what they felt like.
His hand moved upward into the back of her hair to gently massage her scalp. Delightful tingles spun down her neck and along her spine. His fingers felt heavenly. She sighed again and, with it, a soft moan slipped out, against her will.
"Kristina?" Her name was a guttural murmur against her hair.
Och, nay! He had heard it. What would he think? "Aye?"
"What are you doing?" He sounded as if his teeth were clenched.
"Naught. What are you doing?"
"Hell if I know. You're driving me mad."
Why on earth would the minute sound she made vex him so? She moved back a few inches. "What am I doing that so annoys you?"
He blew out a breath. "'Tis not annoyance, lass. Surely you ken that."
Nay, she did not ken the entirety of what he meant. She had no familiarity with men, had never even experienced a real kiss, truth be told. If he was not annoyed, what was he? "What do you mean bymad, then?"
"Damnation," he muttered.
"I'm sorry I've angered you." She drew farther away.
"Kristina." He stroked his palm up the undamaged side of her face. "I'm not angry, sweet lass," he murmured.
The change in his tone from irritable to compassionate brought tears to her eyes. "What then? I'm tired of this riddle. I don't understand you."
He tilted her face upward and pressed his mouth against hers. But it wasn't a simple, quick peck. Nay, indeed. His mouth did not leave hers. Instead, his lips explored hers and then suddenly his tongue was flicking against her lips and teasing her mouth. Good heavens! She had never imagined a kiss could feel like this.
When men had pressed their lips to hers in the past, all she'd felt was repugnance. But this was the opposite. Colin's mouth was delicious and appealing against hers. She reveled in this contact and wanted more. She opened her mouth as he seemed to want her to do and he delved inside, took the kiss deeper. Tingles spread from her breasts downward. The feeling of wanting was so overwhelming she knew not what to do.
His hand slid down her back to her hips and he gathered her closer against his body.
Suddenly he tore himself away from her. "Hell. I'm sorry."
She gasped for breath. After finally drawing in enough, she whispered, "Why? That was amazing."
He shoved himself to his feet. "Ow!" He hopped about, muttering several colorful Gaelic curses.
"What happened? Are you hurt?"
"Stubbed my toe on a damnable rock."
"If 'tis dark in here, mayhap you should lie down."
"I cannot. You tempt me too much."
A heated flush of happiness covered her. Very few men found her tempting. Was he being honest?
He'd certainly sounded sincere.
She smiled. "That's the first true kiss I've experienced. Thank you for showing me how wonderful that can be."
Colin was silent for a long moment. "What does that mean? Has someone else kissed you?" He sounded almost possessive, and she was unsure how she felt about that.
"Red Holme smooshed his disgusting mouth to mine when he attacked me, so I would not call that a kiss. Years ago, before I was blinded, another man pressed his paper-dry lips against mine for an instant, and I would not call that a kiss either. But what you did…" She would remember forever. It stole her thoughts and sent her to another realm. "Anyway, I don't mind if you kiss me again."
