The Highlander's Sin Read Online Free PDF Page A

over hand, feet gripping the rope. He pulled them up at a steady pace, his muscles working with the added weight. Sweat trickled over his back, his arms. His palms grew damp but didn’t hinder his progress. Heather clung tight to him. Whispered prayers, begged forgiveness for her sins, and wished not to die. Duncan held in his laughter, and at last they reached the ledge.
    “Let go of my neck and pull yourself up onto the top.” Pushing off the wall gently with his foot, he twisted his body around so Heather’s back was against the stone.
    “I dinna know if I can.” Fear ebbed around the edges of her words.
    “Aye, lass, ye can,” Duncan spoke with knowing authority. “Go on. Do it now.”
    Heather blew out a breath, warm against his neck, then let go with one hand.
    “That’s it, Heather. Grip the wall.” Letting go of the rope with one hand, he slid it under her thigh—gritting his teeth at the suppleness of her flesh. He didn’t know which was more painful—holding up their weight on the rope with a single hand or touching the softness of her thigh. “I’ve got hold of ye. Ye can do it.”
    She seemed to gain some measure of safety from his grip on her thigh and took off her other hand, hoisting herself up onto the wall walk of the battlements.
    Duncan made quick work of hoisting himself onto the stone floor and pulling up his rope. The sun was quickly rising. It wouldn’t be long before guards came to relieve those Duncan had dispatched of. He tied off the rope on a crenellation, preparing for them to go down the other side.
    “Get on.” He crouched down, and Heather climbed onto his back again.
    “Do ye make it a habit of having women ride ye?” she asked.
    Duncan choked on his tongue. Holy Mother, did she realize what she’d just asked? With a wicked grin, he turned to glance over his shoulder. “Aye, lass, as often as I can.”
    Even in the dusky morning , he could see her face color red as a berry. Just to make her glow redder, he winked, satisfied when she let out a little gasp.
    After making sure that the area below the wall was clear, he gripped the rope tight and climbed over the side. With measured movements, he walked them down the wall. The climb down was always easier than up. Once they were on solid ground, Heather dropped to her feet. He turned to see her smoothing out her skirts.
    “Dinna be modest on my account, I’ve had your legs wrapped around me, your bare thigh under my fingers.”
    She let out an outraged snarl. “Only because if ye didna, I’d have ended up dead.”
    He snickered. “’Haps. Or maybe I just wanted the privilege.”
    “Ye’re a brute.”
    Duncan bowed low. “I thank ye.”
    “’Twas not a compliment.”
    “Enough chatter. We must be away.”
    Dunrobin’s beach was a hundred feet away, the waves lapping lazily at the shore, completely unaware that one of the ladies of its mighty castle had been so easily taken away.
    “What will ye do? Sail away with me?” she quipped.
    He shook his head and again tossed her onto his shoulder. “Nay, lass. Nothing so romantic as that.”
    Duncan ran toward the trees, careful to keep his eyes on the guards of Dunrobin. Once inside the cover of the forest, he found his horse, Blade, just where he’d left him, and set Heather on her feet.
    “Where is my horse?” Heather asked.
    “Och, such a spoiled lass ye are.” Duncan gave her a pointed look. “This is an abduction , in case ye dinna recall. There will be no horse for ye. No way for ye to escape. Ye’ll ride with me.”
    Heather crossed her arms over her chest, tilted her chin at a haughty angle and shook her head. “Nay. ’Tis indecent.”
    Duncan let out a surprised laugh. “Truly? Ye think I care for decency and your honor? I am abducting ye.”
    Was the lass daft? Did she not understand the concept of abduction? And for that matter, was he truly indulging her act? At that moment, he wished he had tied her up and stuffed her mouth with a rag. Then at