Highland Promise (Murray Brothers 3)
by Hannah Howell[ Romance ]
Eric Murray was the youngest of his brothers, determined to gain his rightful inheritance after thirteen years of bitter dispute with his father's family. Starting out alone to confront his tight-fisted kinsmen, he encountered a chestnut-haired beauty set upon by thieves. When she begged for Eric's protection for herself and her infant nephew, Eric promised to deliver them to the safety of her family. Bethia Drummond desperately tried to ignore her attraction to the azure-eyed stranger. Still, Eric Murray was Bethia's only hope of escaping her ruthless kin who planned to kill her and her orphaned nephew, and claim their inherited land. Then Bethia learned that Eric, too, was seeking land and coin from his own kin--her family's closest allies. How could she love a man she might one day be forced to stand against him? And yet she could not ignore what her troubled heart knew--that this proud knight had more than inspired her deepest passions he had become her very destiny
HIGHLAND KISS
Eric turned to face Bethia and found her staring at him. He wondered if she intended to stop him before he even stole one kiss. When he slid his arm around her tiny waist, tugging her close to him, and she did not resist, he breathed an inner sigh of relief.
He started in surprise when, as he slowly lowered his mouth to hers, she suddenly wrapped her slender arms around his neck and yanked him even closer.
"Ye must be confused, lass," he said as he released her mouth and began to kiss her throat. "That was a morning kiss."
Bethia giggled, then sighed with delight as he moved his hands over her back. "There are different kinds of kisses for different occasions, are there?"
"For us--aye."
"Then what sort of kiss would ye give me if I told ye that I wasnae ready to go to sleep yet?" She cried out softly in surprise when he abruptly turned, pinning her firmly beneath his lean, hard body.
"That would require a kiss that asked, nay, begged for something," he said in a soft, rough voice as he brushed his mouth over hers.
The kiss he gave Bethia sent all of her senses reeling. She realized that he had been treating her gently, restraining himself. With his tongue, he ravished her mouth, then he pulled it back, tempting her to follow with her own, so the dance would begin all over again. He released her mouth only briefly, just long enough for her to take a breath, then started all over again until she was aware of nothing but the taste of him....
