The Highlander

Chapter 5

Chapter 5

Rosie felt exhausted, she and Caine had been riding for what felt like hours, at first she kicked, swore and pushed at him but quickly discovered it wasn't helping as he simply brushed off her attempts at escaping him.

Nightfall was getting closer and closer, they had been riding for a whole day and she started pondering on where the highlander could have possibly come from, she knew that they were clearly heading north but where up north? Rosie decided to give getting Caine to tell her where they were going another shot although she doubted she would get any other answer than the ones she had been receiving for the past couple of hours.

" So where are we headed " she tried once again trying to sound casual.

" I already told ye I ain't tellin ye nothing until we ́re there me bonny lass " he answered and of course being his usual teasing self added "Unless ye ́d like trading something in return fer this valuable information that is"

" But I don ́t have anything to tra..." she stopped mid-sentence the meaning of his words dawning on her. She blushed at the implication and then once again grew angry and irritated with the nerve of the man sitting behind her caging her in with his arms around her holding the reigns. " You scoundrel, keep your hands far away from me "

He put his mouth right by her ear. "Ye ken that would be quite the feat considering our daunting proximity, don't ye think lass" he teased.

Rosie became suddenly acutely aware of their intimate nearness and non-existent distance. At the beginning of the day she had been too caught up with trying to get away from him that she had completely forgotten to keep her distance and unconsciously leaned into his chest letting his arms envelope her. Now that the error had been pointed out however she immediately jumped up trying and failing to put some distance between them no matter how she positioned herself she failed in removing herself from him without sliding of the horse.

Just as she found a good spot Caine pulled on the reigns and the horse came to a halt, she gazed around confused they were in a small clearing in the middle of the forest from what she could tell by the little light provided by the moon.

" T ́is a good spot fer resting " he uttered.

" What, we can ́t stop here, thieves or animals might attack us in our sleep " he couldn't possibly be serious about staying here to rest.

"Trust me lassie most men will run the other way when they recognize me, ye ́r safe ave no doubt about this". Rosie grew curious at his words and started wondering who he could possibly be to frighten people so , well he certainly wasn't from here his blacker than black hair and vibrant green eyes made that clear. Then the curiosity turned into frustration.

Before she could get so much as a word out however he had placed his hands on her hips and lowered her off the horse and then starts to get off himself. She contemplates making her escape but realize he ́s faster than her both on and off the horse and with this in mind she wouldn't make it far.

" Safe, are you trying to get us killed, you may have a death wish but I certainly do not " she tells him while pushing at his chest with her hands letting her frustration with the situation take over and by the time she realized what a mistake she'd just made it was too late.

Her devil hooks one of his arms around her waist and pulls her tightly to his chest while entangling his other hand in her hair pulling slightly at it, forcing her to lean her head back giving him the perfect opportunity to kiss her. At first the kiss was soft and gentle urging her to give in to him.

Rosie tried resisting him by pushing away but the arm around her waist kept her secured tightly to him and as his lips grew hungrier nipping and biting at her own and then finally sliding his tongue in between her lips she found that resistance was the furthest thing from her mind.

When he finally drew away from lack of breath she could feel the warmth of his body even with just a kilt around his waist and slung across his shoulder he was warm and she found she didn't have the energy or the will to remove herself from him and simply stayed there in his arms.

" I warned ye once lassie, if ye touch me again I mite decide tae take more than just a kiss from ye " he whispered in her ear before removing her from him and setting her down on a tree stub.

While he started getting a fire going she decided she was to tired to fight as she was feeling dizzy from their earlier interaction she promised herself she would lecture him when she was feeling better and then gently probed her lips which seemed oddly swollen, perhaps this was usual when kissing.

Her thoughts were interrupted by Caine taking the blanket that was still around her shoulders and laying it out by the fire which was now burning brightly.

He laid down on the blanket stretching his hot, rock hard, muscled body out on it, caught up in her improper thoughts about the stranger in front of her she let her gaze travel down his body until she reached that forbidden place between his hips, blushing she looked away catching the heated look he was sending her, her face felt like it had caught on fire when she realised that he had caught the place her eyes had strayed to.

Raising his hand he beckoned her with a crooked finger.

'' Come ere lassie I'll keep you warm through the night ave no worries bout that "

She stood up horrified "Are you mad I am not about to sleep in the arms of a strange man in the middle of the woods'' she exclaimed.

'' Come ere lassie this is no negotiable I'll no ave ye run away and get yerself killed out ere '' he said in a stern voice.

Rosie tensed her flight instinct taking charge, in her eyes she had two choices, join him and risk not surviving the night as a maiden and by the look of that warm welcoming body of his that was definitely a realistic scenario or run and take her chances with the forest. She chose the latter.

It was quite safe to say her plan did not get her very far she had only gotten a few feet ahead when she could hear cursing and thundering footsteps behind her and then those warm hard and by now familiar arms caged her in against a hard wall of a chest she knew all too well.

Then his husky voice was right by her ear. '' Ye' ken better than tae try something like that by now lassie '' he said while putting her over his shoulder and carrying her back to their little camp.

'' I will not sleep with you and that is final '' she breathed out trying to put an order behind her words knowing she was probably failing miserably.

He was surprisingly gentle while putting her down on the blanket and folding her in to his chest while laying down letting her head rest on his arm and now she was much to exhausted to resist the warmth his body provided for her or follow through with her own words however that did not mean she was going to carelessly trust him she thought staring up at him defiantly.

He tucked her hair behind her ear trying to reassure her '' I promise ye' lassie I will no lay a hand on ye in any way improper until the sun rises, ye ave mee word on this '' he uttered locking his eyes with hers trying to convey the truth of his words through his eyes. As Caine's word seemed to mean a lot to him and as he had never broken it in her presence before she finally relaxed into his arms only to ponder on the meaning of his words.

'' What do you mean by until the sun rises?'' she asked suspiciously.

That wicked grin of his came back ''Well let's just say if ye'r no awake by then I'll ave tae find some way tae wake ye '' he said with a glint in his eyes.

She blushed raising her chin confidently ''That's fine I've never slept longer than till sunrise a day in my life''.

Just as she'd uttered the words she felt sleep dragging her down into a bottomless hole the last thing she saw and heard was his smile widening and then she heard him muttering ''too bad'' just as she fell asleep.

A/N: I hope you enjoyed this chapter a little late I know but as many of you know I'm abroad on vacation so finding an internet connection isn't really as easy as it may seem and neither is finding the time to write so I want to thank all of my readers immensely for their support and patience.