Page 44 of Highland Guard
“They make sure we can defend ourselves if the abbey is ever under siege.”
“There’s a difference between defending yourself and fighting like a Norse warrior.”
Naomi just shrugged her shoulders. She was not at liberty to tell all the abbey’s secrets. She changed the subject.
“What of your family, Kieran? You dinnae talk much about them.”
“My sire was a right royal bastard. My mother was his mistress. I was born on the wrong side of the blanket, so to speak. She loved him with everything she had, and he treated her like dirt.”
“I am sorry to hear it. What happened to her?”
Kieran was not sure why, but he ended up relaying the entirety of his life story, including his reason for going to Dunsinane and the onerous petition thrust upon him by the MacKenzie clan.
Naomi was sad and angry for him, in equal measure. She mourned for the boy who had to grow up fast amidst tragedy and betrayal. And she mourned for a mother who died of a broken heart. Naomi felt a sense of grief for her own loss, understanding that Kieran was betrothed to another and realizing that, even though she was growing more attached to him, she could never call him hers. While she served theOrderalone, he would be a laird and leader of men.
“I will never be like him. That’s all I ken, and I will never treat a woman the way he treated my ma,” Kieran said with vehemence in his voice. He noticed Naomi was very quiet and wondered if maybe he should not have told her his life story. After all, the church looked down on bastards like him. Suddenly, he became uneasy. “What’s the matter, wench? You think because I was born in sin and tragedy, you dinnae want to have anything to do with me now?”
Kieran got the shock of his life when Naomi turned around and punched him hard in the arm.
“Ouch! What was that for?”
“That was for thinking the worst of me, when I could never think ill of you because of what your father did.”
Kieran was quiet and cautious. He said, “Sorry, lass. I just thought with your silence you were—”
“I was quiet because I was thinking about how I’d like to beat your father to death with a war club for what he did to you. I’d also like to take a stick to his entire clan for standing by and not doing a thing to save you both from that heartless creature,” Naomi shouted, because she was getting worked up on his behalf.
“All right, lass. I’m sorry, dinnae fash. Twas a long time ago.” Kieran had his hands up, trying to calm her down. But Naomi was already up on her feet and began pacing the short distance between her chair and the door.
Naomi came back and stood in front of Kieran with her hands on her hips then said, “It amazes me how you still turned out so good, kind and honorable when you had such a rotten example to choose from. It is your father’s loss that he never got to see the fine man you have become, and I hope he rots in hell because of it,” she growled.
Kieran looked up at her, noticing her disheveled hair, flushed face, and glower. No one had ever shown such outrage on his behalf until now. No one. He had never seen a more beautiful sight in his life. He was about to tell her that when she was pacing again.
“And to think that now you’re free and leading a good life with the Hendersons, his clan thinks they can come in and force you ... force you to marry against your will in order to save them. When they turned their backs on you. How dare they,” she yelled.
Kieran thought she looked magnificent in all her righteous fury and before he could think better of it, he reached out, snagged her around the waist, hauled her onto his lap and then kissed her like his life depended on it.
***
NAOMI LET OUT A SMALLgasp of surprise as Kieran’s lips devoured hers. He cradled her gently in his lap, his arms entangled with hers, and his tongue fervently tasted her, consuming her entire being. The passion was overwhelming, causing Naomi to feel like she might burst into flames. She moaned and wrapped her arms around his shoulders to deepen the kiss.
Kieran groaned in response, but never let up with his relentless onslaught. He was drowning in a sea of pleasure as his arousal came back in full force. He wanted to lay her down, strip her body of every inch of clothing and ravish her on the floor until he was deep inside her, claiming her as his own.
Naomi found herself consumed by a fog of desire and yearning. The sensation of Kieran’s hardness against her thigh ignited her desire for more. She wanted so much more. Naomi blushed with her wanton thoughts and pulled away to get some much-needed air into her lungs. It was short-lived when Kieran growled and captured her lips once more.
Naomi could feel his firm hands moving beneath her tunic, caressing her skin. It was as though she was ablaze with intense heat. As his hips writhed under her, his hands found their way to her breasts, where his thumbs leisurely teased her hardened nipples. Her entire being burst into flames like molten lava as she eagerly responded to the kiss. Kieran adored how she tasted. With her breath smelling minty and fresh, he intensified the kiss. As she melted into his arms, she let out a contented sigh. Only then did he pull away, giving her a soft look.
Pleasure washed over Naomi as Kieran’s lips moved from her neck to her abundant cleavage. Lost in a daze, Kieran’s desire to make love to Naomi intensified upon hearing her whimper of pleasure. He paused when he realized she was innocent, and he felt guilty for treating her poorly. He would not be like his father. That doused the flame within, and he abruptly pulled away.
Naomi appeared both dazed and confused, yet irresistibly beautiful with her shimmering lips and half-glazed eyes. With her gentle body nestled against his and the scent of lilacs enveloping them, he knew he had to protect her, even from the depths of his own desires.
“I am sorry, lass. But we canna do this. Tis not right, you’re an innocent and my future is uncertain.”
Naomi was panting, but she understood perfectly. She had no willpower to move away and was glad Kieran had the power to do so. It shattered her heart to think of him wed to another, but he was right. It was not proper for them to dally in this way.
Instead of letting go, Kieran surprised her by wrapping his arms around her even tighter when she tried to move away. Her heart could feel the rhythm of his pulsating against it. Their eyes met, and she saw the same longing and need mirrored in his gaze.
“Kieran, we should probably prepare for bed. But I’ll sleep on the chair. You take the pallet.”
