Page 38 of Secrets of a Kilted Seduction

CHAPTER FOURTEEN

Tadhg turned over Blane’s request in his mind as he headed back to the chambers he shared with Alana. He had agreed to go on the scouting trip for her sake, not out of any wish to assist Blaine. He did not trust Blaine one iota, but he figured he could look after himself if there was any trouble. The problem was, he felt uneasy about leaving Alana alone at the castle with Blaine while he was gone. Which was the reason why he intended to ask her to accompany him. He did not hold out much hope that she would agree though.

Alana gave a shrill scream as he entered the room and ran behind to hide behind the bed curtain. He caught a tantalizing glimpse of bare white limbs disappearing. “Can ye nae knock before ye come bargin’ in?” she complained, her head peering out from behind the curtain. “I’m gettin’ dressed.”

Tadhg sat down in an armchair by the fire and stretched out his legs. “’Tis me

room as much as yers,” he pointed out, “and we’re married. I’m yer husband, remember? Husbands can be present when their wives are dressin’.”

A loud huff came from behind the curtain along with some rustling. With a pang of excitement, he wondered what she was doing. He imagined her in her skimpy shift, putting on her stockings, pulling them up over the silky soft thighs he had once been allowed to stroke and kiss.

“I dinnae ken what ye’re pretendin’ tae be so modest about,” he said, shifting in his seat to relieve the sudden pressure at the front of his trews. “Like I said, I already ken every inch of yer body from before.”

A slipper flew at him from behind the curtain, and he dodged it before it hit him in the head. There was more rustling, then some curses uttered in a low, frustrated voice. He looked up as Alana appeared from behind the curtain, her cheeks glowing pink. She approached him, appearing to be fully dressed until she stood before him and turned around.

Tadhg stared helplessly to see that her stays needed lacing, and the back of her dress was gaping open, revealing white, naked skin above the collar of her shift. His arousal ramped up once more.

“Can ye dae me up, please? I cannae dae it by mesel’,” she said, clearly unhappy about having to ask.

“Aye, of course.” Tadhg stood up; glad she could not see his state of excitement. He towered over her, his large fingers taking hold of the laces of her stays and pulling them tighter, nipping in her already slender waist and emphasizing her hips. He longed to slip his hands inside and feel the soft, warm curves he remembered so well. At the same time, his eyes drank in the flawless beauty of her neck and shoulders. “How’s that? Nae too tight fer ye?” he asked, his voice suddenly hoarse.

“Nay, that’s fine,” she replied, and he tied off the laces. “Can ye dae up me dress now, please?”

“Aye, stand still.” He took his time doing up the fastenings, feasting his eyes on her skin, breathing in her floral scent, sad to see her disappearing inside the gown when his arousal was such that he burned to get her out of it.

“Blaine wants me tae go on a scoutin’ mission fer him, and I’ve agreed,” he told her when he had finished doing up her gown and she turned to face him.

Her eyes widened as she looked up at him. “What sort of a mission?”

He repeated what Blaine had told him. “So, it seems yer faither could be bein’ held captive by this clan somewhere in that area. He wants me tae locate him and report back on it so he can send a rescue party.”

She went to the vanity and sat down to brush her hair. She looked at him in the looking glass, her lips pursed. “Why did ye say ye’d go?”

“Ye want tae see yer faither, d’ye nae? Even if ’tis only tae tell him how much ye despise him. If he can be brought back alive, then ye’ll have a chance tae maybe find out the truth of what happened with him and yer maither.”

“So, yer goin’ fer me sake?” She paused in her brushing, staring at him in the mirror.

“All this is fer yer sake, Alana.”

She resumed brushing. “Well, it sounds very dangerous. Especially if ye go alone. I dinnae like it. Why does he nae send his own scouts,” she asked, a dubious expression on her face.

“He thinks I have more experience than his own men,” Tadhg explained, half mesmerized by her graceful movements. He longed to go over to her and take over the task of brushing out her long, dark hair, to run his fingers through it, to lift it aside and press his lips to her white neck. Stop! Stop thinkin’ that way!All ye’re doin’ is torturin’ yersel’, ye fool. Once again forced to conceal the evidence of his desire for her, he sat down hurriedly and crossed his legs.

However, he could not tear his eyes away from her, continuing to watch as she twisted her hair up into a bun and pinned it, revealing the soft nape he yearned to kiss. She got up and came to stand before him, her hands on her hips. “I dinnae like it all. I dinnae think ye should go alone,” she told him.

He shrugged. “Well, there’s nae one else tae come with me, except maybe Knox, and he mentioned last night that he might be leavin’ today. Besides, ye ken I can take care of mesel’. ’Tis nae goin’ alone that’s worrying me.”

“What then?”

“Leavin’ ye here alone with Blaine. I just cannae find it in me tae trust the man.”

To his surprise, Alana’s expression softened. “Ye’re worrying about me again. Ye’re always tryin’ tae protect me, eh?”

“A man protects what he cares about with his life,” he replied frankly, meeting her eyes. She gave a small smile and turned away as if to hide her face. Then she turned again to face him.

“I’ll come with ye,” she said decisively. “That’ll kill two birds with one stone. Ye willnae be alone, and ye willnae have tae worry about me bein’ alone here while ye’re gone.”

“D’ye mean it? Ye really wantae come with me?” he asked, genuinely taken aback that she would offer. He had been sure that if he asked her to come with him, she would refuse, unwilling to spend any more time with him than necessary, and especially not just with the two of them. Warmth suddenly glowed in his chest at the realization she actually wanted to go with him.