Page 40 of My Notorious Highlander

"I need no protection."

He shook his head at her stubbornness. "You didn't mind that I came to your rescue last time."

"Leave me be." Carrying her shoes and three sheathed knives, she strode away from him along the beach, dodging the massive black boulders which protruded from the sand, but he followed. She glanced back, catching his eye, then started running. Abruptly, she tumbled onto the ground with a short shriek.

"Saints! Are you hurt?" He knelt by her, one knee drawn up to conceal his tarse, so she would at least face him.

She turned to her back and leaned up on her elbows. "My foot! I stepped on something sharp."

"Och. Let me see." He lifted one of her bare, sand-covered feet. 'Twas a long, slim and elegant foot, much like the rest of her body.

She sat up, glaring at him. "The other one."

"Ah." He examined her other foot but saw no sign of blood. "Where does it hurt?"

"My heel."

"I see no injury to it. I think you'll live."

She narrowed her eyes, her gaze skittering over his naked chest, then looked skyward. "Where are your clothes?"

"Over there somewhere, but it's much nicer without them today. You should try it. The sun is warm. How often have you gone naked outside?"

"Never." She lowered her voice. "Well, except when I swim sometimes."

"Indeed? You swim naked?"

Her blush deepened. "A couple of times."

"I'm shocked, m'lady," he teased with a smile. Saints, how he loved the image in his head of her swimming naked like a goddess of the sea. "You are a wild and brave lass, are you not?"

She shrugged. "Some would say wayward."

"I like a wayward lady."

At the moment, the way he knelt, his leg hid his shaft, but the problem was it was rapidly rising to its full height. She made him hard so quickly, so easily, every time he was in her presence.

"Don't give me that look, MacLeod," she said firmly.

"What look?"

She pointed at his eyes. "That one."

Could she see the raw need and desire written upon his face? He hoped so. She'd driven him mad for the past several days. "I can't help it," he said in a low tone. "I hunger for you."

Jessie swallowed hard as she held Torrin's dark, passionate gaze. In the bright sunlight, his lashes halfway hid his deep green eyes, but 'twas clear they reflected profound sensuality. His sculpted muscles were lean and elegant. He appeared iron-strong but not too bulky.

She had seen his shaft moments ago, just for a trice, when he'd emerged from the water, before she'd slammed her eyes closed. She could not see that part of his anatomy now, unless she moved closer to him. Which she was definitely not going to do. What gall he had to gallivant naked in front of her.

At the moment, his eyes bewitched her and she did not want to look away. Besides, his body aroused her. She glanced down at his chest and the defined muscles there. The rippled ridges of his abdomen intrigued her. She had only seen glimpses of naked men or lads before, some, like MacBain, in half darkness. But observing Torrin now, in the daylight, so close… he was a divine work of art. She found herself wishing she could touch him, run her fingers over those muscles and see how hard they were.

He was like a god of the sea who had just emerged from the depths. His dark, wet hair brushed his broad shoulders.

His eyes turning predatory, he slowly moved closer, crawled along beside her and captured her mouth. Giving up the fight with herself, she lay back on the warm sand and slid her hands around his neck into his cool wet hair. He tasted salty, like the sea, and his tongue delved boldly into her mouth. Her body quickened as if awakening from a long sleep to feel the bright sunlight burning into her… and Torrin burning into her.

Aligning his body with hers, he slid his hand around her derriere and dragged her tight against him. Oh, saints! He was hard. She knew what this was all about; she'd lain several times with MacBain during their trial marriage, but never had she been ravenous for him as she now was for Torrin.

One of his bare legs slid between hers and he lay half on top of her. His mouth and body felt divine on hers as if something about the two of them was perfectly harmonized.