TO LOVE A HIGHLANDER (book I in the Scandalous Scots series)
A TEMPTING PROPOSITION
As one of the bastards born to the Stirling court, Sorley the Hawk has never known his mother or father. It's a burning quest he has devoted himself to uncovering at any cost. But as a roguish warrior who serves at the pleasure of the King, his prowess-both on the battlefield and in his bedchamber-is legendary. So when a flame-haired Highland lass sneaks into his quarters with a tantalizing proposition, he can't resist taking her up on her offer . . .
AN UNQUENCHABLE DESIRE
Lady Mirabelle MacLaren will do anything to keep from marrying her odious suitor, even sully her own good name. And who better to despoil her than his sworn enemy, the one they call "Hawk?" As they set about the enjoyable task of ruining her reputation, Hawk and Mirabelle soon learn that rebellion never tasted so sweet.
Excerpt:
As one of the bastards born to the Stirling court, Sorley the Hawk has never known his mother or father. It's a burning quest he has devoted himself to uncovering at any cost. But as a roguish warrior who serves at the pleasure of the King, his prowess-both on the battlefield and in his bedchamber-is legendary. So when a flame-haired Highland lass sneaks into his quarters with a tantalizing proposition, he can't resist taking her up on her offer . . .
AN UNQUENCHABLE DESIRE
Lady Mirabelle MacLaren will do anything to keep from marrying her odious suitor, even sully her own good name. And who better to despoil her than his sworn enemy, the one they call "Hawk?" As they set about the enjoyable task of ruining her reputation, Hawk and Mirabelle soon learn that rebellion never tasted so sweet.
"We had a plan, an agreement." Mirabelle shifted on his lap, keenly aware of a certain hot ridge of hardness nudging the bottom of her thighs, burning her even through the layers of her skirts.
"Aye, we did." He took her face between his hands then, kissing her long and deep. When he pulled back, breaking the kiss, his eyes were darker than she’d ever seen them, and he was breathing hard. "I still have a plan, sweetness. And I hope I’ll gain your agreement."
Mirabelle just looked at him, sure she hadn’t heard rightly.
But she must’ve, because all along the table, and even elsewhere on the dais, people were grinning, looking on with rapt interest.
Mirabelle ignored them, but she did frown. "Our plan doesn’t seem to have the affect I’d desired."
To her surprise, Sorley grabbed her to him again and kissed her even more hungrily than before. It was a wild and heated open-mouthed kiss, full of breath, tongue, and hunger. He also thrust his fingers into her hair as he ravished her lips, holding her firmly to him, giving her no choice but to return the kiss with equal fervor.
She did so gladly, feeling bereft when he finally tore his mouth from hers. She hadn’t wanted their kiss to end and the delicious tingles rippling through her left no doubt that she also wanted more.
Sure he could tell, she met his gaze, thrilled and excited, but also worried that her heart and not her good sense was guiding her.
"That was indeed better." It was all she could think to say. "A most convincing display, for sure."
"Indeed." He leaned in, kissed the tip of her nose. "Though my purpose has changed, or have you no’ heard anything I’ve said this e’en?"
Mirabelle blinked. "I do not understand."
"Then I shall make it clearer." He cupped her face, slanting his mouth over hers again, his tongue thrusting sure and possessively.
She melted beneath the onslaught, gripped his shoulders to keep from sliding off his lap. The he pulled back, breaking the kiss as swiftly as he’d seized her. But he kept hold of her face, looked deep into her eyes. Clearly stirred, his chest rose and fell, heavily. And his gaze wasn’t just piercing, but blazed with something that made everything else around them fade to nothingness, as if they were alone in the hall, perhaps all the world.
"This isnae a planned seduction, Mirabelle," he spoke her name as if it held gold. The rough softness of his tone weakened her knees.
The look on his face….
Her eyes started burning again just seeing the adoration there. The other more fierce expression that she didn’t dare hope to decipher.
"No deliberate attempt to scandalize you." He leaned close to say that, lowering his voice so no one else would hear. "A man doesnae bring shame to the woman he loves."
"Aye, we did." He took her face between his hands then, kissing her long and deep. When he pulled back, breaking the kiss, his eyes were darker than she’d ever seen them, and he was breathing hard. "I still have a plan, sweetness. And I hope I’ll gain your agreement."
Mirabelle just looked at him, sure she hadn’t heard rightly.
But she must’ve, because all along the table, and even elsewhere on the dais, people were grinning, looking on with rapt interest.
Mirabelle ignored them, but she did frown. "Our plan doesn’t seem to have the affect I’d desired."
To her surprise, Sorley grabbed her to him again and kissed her even more hungrily than before. It was a wild and heated open-mouthed kiss, full of breath, tongue, and hunger. He also thrust his fingers into her hair as he ravished her lips, holding her firmly to him, giving her no choice but to return the kiss with equal fervor.
She did so gladly, feeling bereft when he finally tore his mouth from hers. She hadn’t wanted their kiss to end and the delicious tingles rippling through her left no doubt that she also wanted more.
Sure he could tell, she met his gaze, thrilled and excited, but also worried that her heart and not her good sense was guiding her.
"That was indeed better." It was all she could think to say. "A most convincing display, for sure."
"Indeed." He leaned in, kissed the tip of her nose. "Though my purpose has changed, or have you no’ heard anything I’ve said this e’en?"
Mirabelle blinked. "I do not understand."
"Then I shall make it clearer." He cupped her face, slanting his mouth over hers again, his tongue thrusting sure and possessively.
She melted beneath the onslaught, gripped his shoulders to keep from sliding off his lap. The he pulled back, breaking the kiss as swiftly as he’d seized her. But he kept hold of her face, looked deep into her eyes. Clearly stirred, his chest rose and fell, heavily. And his gaze wasn’t just piercing, but blazed with something that made everything else around them fade to nothingness, as if they were alone in the hall, perhaps all the world.
"This isnae a planned seduction, Mirabelle," he spoke her name as if it held gold. The rough softness of his tone weakened her knees.
The look on his face….
Her eyes started burning again just seeing the adoration there. The other more fierce expression that she didn’t dare hope to decipher.
"No deliberate attempt to scandalize you." He leaned close to say that, lowering his voice so no one else would hear. "A man doesnae bring shame to the woman he loves."
About Sue-Ellen Welfonder
Sue-Ellen Welfonder is a Scotophile whose burning wish to make frequent trips to the land of her dreams led her to a twenty-year career with the airlines. Now a full-time writer, she's quick to admit that she much prefers wielding a pen to pushing tea and coffee. She makes annual visits to Scotland, insisting they are a necessity, as each trip gives her inspiration for new books. Proud of her own Hebridean ancestry, she belongs to two clan societies: the MacFie Clan Society and the Clan MacAlpine Society. In addition to Scotland, her greatest passions are medieval history, the paranormal, and dogs. She never watches television, loves haggis, and writes at a 450-year-old desk that once stood in a Bavarian castle. Sue-Ellen is married and currently resides with her husband and Jack Russell terrier in Florida.
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