Tess and the Highlander Read Online Free PDF Page B

down the coast in search of
him.
    “While we’re trapped on this barren harbor, I’m
joining ashore to join the search to the south. Send someone after
me if you get any news from the others.”
    “Aye, m’lord.”
    As Alexander called for a boat, he tried to push
back the nagging voice in his head that kept telling him that
perhaps he was not doing enough. But then, maybe all of this was
for nothing. Perhaps Colin was indeed lost at sea.
    Nay. He wasn’t ready to deal with such a
possibility. His brother had too much life in him…too much fight in
him…to die like that.
     
    Her first conscious thought was the realization that
she was warm.
    She snuggled into the familiar comfort of her
bedding. Warm and dry. Tess let out a deep breath. She could hear
the sound of the wind and rain against the walls, and the stormy
sea in the distance. She’d get up in a moment and see about getting
together something to eat. Aye, she was hungry and thirsty, and she
needed to relieve herself. Just a moment more, she thought,
stretching her muscles beneath the blanket, savoring the lovely
warmth surrounding her. Her legs bumped against something hard.
    Tess opened her eyes and froze, too stunned even to
breathe. Inches from her face she could see the mouth and chin of
the sleeping Highlander. The two were both lying together on the
narrow bedding! On her bed! One of the man’s lean, muscular
arms rested on her bare shoulder. She had been using his other arm
as a pillow. She could feel his warm breath caressing her
forehead.
    And she was naked, she realized with a hot flash of
panic. She didn’t have to lift the blankets to know she was bare to
skin.
    Tess moved her head only slightly to look down at
his body. From what she could see, the Highlander was fully clothed
and sleeping on top of the blanket.
    Bits and pieces of a one way conversation rattled
around in her mind. He seemed to talk quite a bit. She also
remembered him being concerned about her. Aye, he’d come after her.
He’d even carried her back here! And then she faintly recalled
taking off her own wet, half-frozen clothing before falling
sleep.
    Falling sleep naked. Her entire body flushed hot at
the thought.
    She glanced again at him. But nothing had happened.
He was fully clothed even now. Layers of blankets separated
them.
    Tess stared at the man’s full lips. So near. A
shadow of growth was already darkening his chin. His shoulders were
wide. His strength was so potent even while sleeping. And still she
found she was not at all afraid of him.
    Tess instantly knew that spending too many hours in
the cold must had done some serious damage to her mind. She had to
somehow escape this bed and dress herself before the
Highlander…
    Her stomach growled loudly.
    Tess held her breath as the man mumbled something in
his sleep. Before she dared to move, his two arms wrapped around
her like bands of steel, and he drew her tightly against him. Her
head was tucked under his chin and her body was aligned perfectly
with his.
    As she was trying to think of some way to extricate
herself from this situation, she was shocked to feel his hands move
up and down over her back, as if he were trying to warm her. And it
was working. Too well, in fact. In her entire life, Tess had never
had anyone do such a thing to her, and a wild thrill raced through
her at the feeling he was producing in her.
    The thrill turned to real panic the instant she felt
his hand stray a bit too low on her back. She was ready to awaken
him with a jab, but then the Highlander rolled to his back and
tucked her into the crook of his arm.
    From this angle, she had a much better view of the
room. The fire in the hearth had burned down to red coals. The wind
was whistling through the small windows, and she knew the storm was
still continuing unabated. The light was dim in the large room, and
Tess guessed that night was approaching again. She spotted her wet
clothing in a pile near the hearth. Next to the