HIGHLAND
DUKE
Curled under Geordie’s arm, Akira finally stopped
shivering. All around them rain splashed. Everything was soaked and their
little alcove smelled of horse—not a horrid smell, but not one she’d choose for
her boudoir, either. If she had a boudoir.
She chose to ignore the voice in the back of her head
telling her it wasn’t proper to allow a strange man to put his arm around her
shoulders and offer her warmth. But there was something in the way Geordie
looked at her that made her feel all warm inside and, moreover, protected. Aye,
he’d been in a great deal of pain—was still in great pain—but since he roused
from his last bout of unconsciousness, he’d behaved admirably. He’d brought the
horse under control, figured out where they were, and formed a plan to take
them to someone he could trust to provide her with an escort home.
With darkness, the air grew colder. Clutching her
fists under her chin, Akira curled into Geordie’s heat. He smoothed his palm
along her outer arm, his touch soothing.
When he turned his lips toward her, his warm
breath skimmed across her forehead. “Try to sleep.” The gentle burr of his
voice imparted all the more comfort.
But she couldn’t get too comfortable; she must to
do her duty. He was still her patient. “I’m the healer. I should be telling you
to do the same.”
His hazel gaze drifted to her mouth, and he
grinned.
“Very
well.” He pulled his arm away, but not before running his fingers across her
back. Blessed tingles spread over her skin as if she’d been caressed by
feathers. Oh, heaven help her, his touch was unbelievably sublime. If only she
could ask him to run his fingers back and forth again—just one more time.
She reached for the hem of his kilt, then quickly
snapped her fingers away. What had she been thinking? True, she’d applied the
salve before, but that was when he was mostly unconscious and definitely before
he’d put his arm around her shoulder and smiled at her like a…like a…brawny
Highlander.
“Have you gone shy, lass?” he asked with a hint of
humor in his deep brogue.
