so intense, she was certain it had to be a sin, but she couldn't make herself care. All she wanted to do was kiss him back as passionately as he was kissing her.
She wanted to get closer to him, to throw her arms around his neck, hold him close, and never let go. She tried to do just that, and when he ended the kiss, she very nearly toppled to the ground. Fortunately, he wasn't as addlebrained as she was-'twas a fact he didn't look at all affected by the searing kiss-and he was able to catch her before she disgraced herself.
She could hear Alec making gagging sounds of disgust in between his giggles, but didn't turn to look at any of the soldiers, knowing that her face was burning with embarrassment.
'You mustn't ever kiss me again, Brodick,' she whispered hoarsely.
He laughed as he swung up onto his mount and took the lead. She nudged her horse into a trot to catch up with him.
'I mean it,' she whispered.
He acted as though he hadn't heard her, and she decided to let the matter go.
They rode hard that day, stopping only once more to rest the horses and let Alec stretch his legs. Gillian stayed behind Brodick as they rode through rough, untamed, but breathtakingly beautiful land.
When they stopped for the night, she went to the nearby stream and washed, all the while thinking about the comment Brodick had made but hadn't explained, and the longer she thought about it the more curious she became. He'd told her that arrogance wasn't her greatest flaw, indicating he believed there was another more serious imperfection.
She was dying to ask him to explain himself, but determined not to, and though it was frustrating, she was able to control her curiosity for a while. She and Alec were so worn out from the long day, they went to bed directly after supper. Both of them slept like the dead, and if Alec had nightmares, she didn't remember soothing him. She awakened a little before dawn and found herself cuddled in Brodick's strong arms again. Content, she closed her eyes and went back to sleep.
So that Alec could catch up on his sleep, they got a late start the following day and didn't stop until the middle of the afternoon. Alec was more relaxed now, but he still wouldn't let her out of his sight. She had to order him to sit with Keith when she needed a few minutes of privacy, and as soon as she returned, he ran to her and latched onto her hand.
The poor innocent looked relieved to see her again.
'I'm not going to disappear on you, Alec.'
'Uncle Brodick says we're close to my home now.'
'Does this valley look familiar to you?'
'No,' he admitted. Then he tugged on her hand. 'Gillian?' he whispered.
She leaned down. 'Yes?' she asked, wondering what he was worrying about now.
'Can I ride with you?'
'Don't you like riding with Robert?'
'He won't let me talk, not even when it's safe.'
'You can ride with me.'
'But you got to ask Uncle Brodick.'
'I will,' she agreed. 'Finish eating, and I'll go ask right now.'
Brodick was walking back from the forest and appeared to be preoccupied when she approached him.
'Brodick, how much farther is it to Alec's home?'
'A couple of hours.'
'Would it be all right if Alec rode with me for a little while?'
'He'll ride with Robert.'
'But Robert won't talk to him.'
Exasperated, he said, 'My soldier has more important matters on his mind.'
'The child doesn't understand that.'
With a sigh, he said, 'All right. He can ride with you. We're on safe land now.'
He started toward his horse, then stopped. 'Do all boys his age talk as much as he does?'
'I don't know. Alec's the first child I've ever been around.'
'You're good with him,' he said abruptly. 'You have a kind heart, Gillian.'
She watched him walk away. The sun seemed to be following him. Beams of light shone down on his head and shoulders as he crossed the glen, and in the golden glow, her bronzed warrior looked as though he'd been sculpted by God in the archangel Michael's image so that he, too, could fight the demons roaming the world. It was at that moment that she became aware of him in a way she never had before. Now she reacted as a woman, and she was consumed with a yearning so intense tears came into her eyes. Annie and Kevin
Drummond's charming home suddenly came into her mind. She pictured their pretty little cottage, but in her fantasy, Kevin wasn't standing in the doorway, Brodick was, and he was beckoning her.
Daydreams were dangerous because they made her wish for things she could never have.
'Milady, is something wrong?' Liam asked.
At the sound of his voice she jumped. 'No, nothing's wrong.'
Before he could question her further, she picked up her skirts and hurried to her horse. She couldn't get a proper grip with her left hand, and after trying twice without success, she gave up and called Brodick for assistance.
He nudged his mount close, leaned down, and all but tossed her onto her mare's back. Robert lifted Alec into her lap and went to fetch his horse.
'Brodick?' she whispered so the others wouldn't overhear.
'Yes?'
'You told me that arrogance wasn't my greatest flaw. You had another imperfection in mind?'
He'd wondered how long it would take her to get around to asking him that question and had to force himself not to laugh. 'You have many flaws,' he announced. He swore he saw a spark of fire ignite in her emerald eyes as she straightened her shoulders. The lass had a temper, and he found that flaw quite pleasing. 'But there was one flaw that made all the other imperfections pale in comparison.'
'Was?' she asked. 'I don't have this flaw any longer?'
'No, you don't.'
'Pray tell,' she muttered in exasperation, 'what was this terrible flaw?'
He grinned. 'You used to be English.'
Chapter Eleven
Gillian felt as though she'd entered another world. Even the sunset seemed different in the Highlands. The sky had turned into a brilliant canvas filled with broad, sweeping strokes of gold and splashes of orange. The center of the sun was a bold red, unlike any color Gillian had ever seen before, and she knew tomorrow the palette would be just as magnificent. God, she thought, surely favored this land.
'Gillian, you know what? I'm almost home.'
'We must be close,' she replied. 'We've climbed almost to the top of the mountain.'
Alec yawned loudly. 'Tell me the story again when you scared your uncle Morgan and made him scream,' he pleaded.
'I've told you that story at least five times now.'
'But I want to hear it again. Please?'
'You close your eyes and rest and I'll tell you the story again.'
Alec cuddled up against her chest and yawned once more. 'I'm ready now.'
'When I was a little girl-'
'You didn't talk for a whole long year.'
The little boy obviously had memorized the story. 'Yes, that's right. I didn't speak for almost a full year.'
