He took off too, once he got to his feet, and ran after the rabbit that was now representing his frustration with his current predicament. He only had one thought in mind, and that was to catch the rabbit. If he could catch the animal, then he could prove to himself that he could get what he wanted, and what he wanted most was Juliana.
Andrew was happy that no one was around to see him chase after the small animal. One minute he had been calmly sat in a bush, and the next he had hurtled out of it to chase after a rabbit as if the animal had wronged him in some way. He now found himself scampering through the trees after a small white rabbit that fearfully hopped as fast as it could.
He leaped over a branch, waiting to trip up an unaware traveler, and ducked under another branch, ready to whip at some bare skin and cut like a knife. The small rabbit dodged left and right as it half-ran, half-hopped but, still, it stayed on the path. It took one last scurry, and Andrew jumped on it, pinning the animal to the ground.
“Sorry tae dae this,” whispered Andrew.
A small twist and the rabbit was now lunch. Andrew stood up from the ground and brushed himself off, holding the rabbit up and brushing that off too. He was panting heavily, and his remaining breath was about to be taken away from him.
From where he had caught the rabbit, he had a perfect view of the lake and the mountain behind it. He was almost at the top of the elevation within the forest and looked down slightly on the glistening water. He had always loved the Highlands but, still, they kept on surprising him.
The mountain reared behind the rippling lake, tall and fierce like a watcher, protecting those who dwelled below, the peak covered in a sprinkling of snow, leading down through rocky outcrops to heather-clad hills. Andrew would have stopped for a second to breathe in the scenery, but that was not what took his breath away.
Nor was it the majesty of the lake, mirrored when calm and blurry when rippled, taking the lines and colors of the mountain behind and distorting them in beautiful ways. No, the scenery was magnificent, but what was causing the ripples in the lake was more so.
Andrew already had a high opinion of the English lass, but she kept on surprising him. He watched her lithe arms stretch out in front of her as she made her way toward the middle of the lake, the ripples emanating from her graceful strokes.
I could stand here and watch that lass forever. I’ve heard stories of King Arthur and the Lady of the Lake, and now I’ve me very own version. If I were tae approach her, what would be me Excalibur?
He almost did.
When she turned and moved her arms around her to stay afloat near the middle of the water, he stood, unmoving, staring at the beauty before him. She swam in an arc and started her way back toward the shore; Andrew looked into the dead eyes of the rabbit.
Me thoughts are runnin’ away like this rabbit did. I must remember why I'm here; for lunch, not tae imagine being with Juliana.
Andrew went back to where he had left his trap and bag, finally recovering his breath and packed everything up, tying up the rabbit with a small string, and attaching it to his bag. He carried everything on his back and started back down the small incline toward Juliana and the fire.
He was halfway back to where they had stopped when he caught another sight of the lake. He was closer this time and could see the edge of the lake, and the small stony beach that was attached to it. He could also see a small wisp of smoke above the tree line and worried that someone would see and come and find them.
Am I worried about bein’ spotted and attacked, or having our time cut short by some helpful traveler?
The thought was pushed from his mind as Juliana emerged from the lake. He was caught in her beauty once again and found himself rooted to the spot. He stood there, staring at Juliana, clothed in wet fabric, and even took a little look around to see if anyone was watching him. She was being watched, but it was he who felt exposed.
Juliana stood up in the water, her upper body exposed to the breeze, but bathed in the sun. Andrew could see that she had stripped down, revealing the single underlayer of clothing below. There was a mixture of excitement and shame running through him. He felt that he was exposing her by standing and staring at her body. He wanted to turn away, yet he could not.
The shape of her body, her breasts, her pale skin, those bonny eyes, she's like a goddess. My heart cannae beat any faster than it's beatin’.
More and more of her emerged from the water as the alluring English lass strode toward the shore. Andrew could see the shape of her body as the undergarment clung to her. He wanted nothing more than to run his hands over the curves of her body, to take her, in all her wetness, and wrap his arms around her, taking her for himself and not letting her go to the Laird.
She walked forward, striding like a goddess through the sun-lit cold air. The more of her that came from the water, the more Andrew could not stop himself from looking at her; he was caught in a trance, a lilting lullaby from a leviathan of unimaginable irresistibility. He wiped his brow even though he was not sweating.
I dinnae believe in such things, but she must be a witch. This feelin’ inside of me is uncontrollable, such is the spell that I’m under. I cannae take it much longer, my urges are too much tae hold back.
He could not remember a time when he had been struck by such grace and allure. There had been women in his past, but none like the one before him who had more beauty hundreds of yards away than any other woman had come close to having.
For a second, she turned her head and looked toward the trees that surrounded him, and Andrew’s heart skipped a beat. He could not be sure if she saw him standing there in among the thick branches and leaves, wanting her.
When Juliana looked away a moment later, he was sure that he had not been caught.
Aye, I can see ye, and I dinnae care. I want tae watch ye, and I want for ye tae see me doin’ so. I know that I shouldnae be doin' this, but the temptation is too much and the lass is too bonny.
Andrew wanted to be caught. He wanted her to see him, to know that he was longing for her. He almost shouted out, but that would break the illusion of everything. When she fully emerged from the water, he turned away in shame.
If she wanted me tae see her, she would’ve made it more obvious. No, she waited until I was gone, yet, she must’ve known that I would return or be able tae see her through the trees. I cannae figure out her true intentions.
He stood facing the tree, looking away, feeling shame. He took in a deep breath and remembered once again why he was there. They had stopped for lunch and that lunch was strapped to his back. He could not provide food and safety for Juliana while he stood in the forest. Nor could he protect her. He had sworn to protect the lass, and bring her safely to the Laird.
Yet, here he was, thinking only of the opposite. He wanted to find a way to take her from the Laird, make her his own. There was no one around, they could escape into the Highlands and never be seen from again, but what life would that be?
She had been promised to the Laird, and Andrew would be hunted down if he did not arrive at the Castle with her. A life on the run would be no life at all. Andrew shook the thought from his head. He had to do what was right, and that was taking her to his Laird.
Andrew turned around. He took one more look at Juliana, now fully emerged from the lake, walking over the bare stones. That one look changed everything. She was standing there, the sun behind her, shining through her slightly translucent smock, showing the beauty that Andrew could not give up. He knew that he was developing feelings for her.
Andrew steeled himself and strode purposefully toward Juliana. He had made his mind up. There was something that he needed to do, and he had to do it now before it was too late.
8
A Forbidden Moment
Juliana sat crouched by the fire, keeping as close as she could so that her clothes would dry quickly but not so close that she would burn. She rubbed her hands together as the water evaporated from her skin, but it would take longer to dry
out her undergarment. She thought about putting her clothes back on and letting her chemise dry against her skin as they ate and then rode.
“Juliana.”
She had been crouched when the word was spoken, and her heart jumped into her throat. She looked up, and almost gasped when she saw him standing there. She could not be sure if the gasp came because she was undressed or because of the look on his face.
He may as well have been a wild animal from the way he was looking at her. He stood at the edge of the forest, looking directly at her with an intensity in his eyes, a solid determination, an assured and passionate look.
“I caught a rabbit…” stammered Andrew.
“I should…” started Juliana.
Juliana wanted to cover herself with her arms, but she did not. The look that he was giving her was one of daring, and she felt equal to it. She stood up in the light of the fire, and let her wet clothes cling to her in parts, and drop with the weight of the water in others.
She had never been so undressed in front of a man before, and felt naked, even though her body was covered almost from head to toe. She could feel the garment clinging to her, a last vestige of decency, and she looked into his hungry eyes as they devoured her shape willingly.
“The lake is bonny,” whispered Andrew as if it was the only thing that he could think of to say.
A sweetness filled the air, coming from somewhere afar, and the logs in the fire cracked from time to time, throwing up sparks that danced for a moment before the life was sucked from them. Juliana felt her body tense as all other sounds were removed from around her. It was only the crackling wood and her own breath that she could hear.
Juliana shifted her weight from one foot to the other, looking down at the fire now. The reds and oranges matched the heat that she felt in her heart.
I am to be married to the Laird, so why can I only think of Andrew being close to me?
As if on cue, Andrew finally made his move. Demurely, she kept her head pointed downward, but she could see him move out of the corner of her eye. He dropped his bag to the ground, the rabbit rolling in the dirt, and continued his fast walk toward her.
Juliana raised her head as he neared her and looked into his deep, blue eyes. She found herself at home there as much as she found herself at home in the Highlands. The fire crackled beside them, but the warmth could not compare to the warmth in their hearts.
Andrew took Juliana’s head in his hands, cupping each cheek in his large, rough palms. He stared back at her, the two of them not daring to say a word, not breaking the sacred silence. Neither dared to smile either. The excitement was bounding around inside of Juliana, but the moment was more serious than that. It was a moment of pure joy, yet a solemn one, too, a choice that was about to be made.
It was Andrew who moved first; he was the one who could not control himself any longer. He pulled Juliana gently forward, bringing his own lips down to meet hers. When their lips touched, Juliana felt the tingle run through her. It was more than just a snap of excitement; it was what the kiss represented, what it meant for her life.
All of the moments in her life leading up to this moment were flashing before her eyes. All of the men that had looked at her, the wealth that her family had, the loss of everything, the promise, her role as a savior, the Laird waiting for her.
Juliana knew that she could not do this, that she should not be doing this but, still, she leaned into the kiss, wanting more. She pressed her lips fully into Andrew’s, closing her eyes, and escaping from reality. Her arms hung at her sides as they kissed, their lips moving slightly before parting in acceptance.
Andrew moved his hands through Juliana’s wet hair, caressing her head, holding her, wanting her. Juliana let out a small welcoming moan as she felt the embrace of the Highlander’s tongue. She could smell him in their closeness, the smell of sweat on him, and the days that they had traveled, but there was a sweetness to it and a toughness. He was strong, and sensual, and sexual, and she could smell that.
Andrew moved his hands downward, across her shoulders and down her arms, and entwined her fingers in his own. Juliana let out another soft moan as a bird chirped in a nearby tree. She wanted to grab him too, take him in her arms and pull him in as tightly as she could, but the moment had her frozen to the spot. She could not move, she could only enjoy the embrace.
Andrew’s hands were on her waist, and they were welcome there. They gripped at her with firmness, and it was only then that she moved her hands to him, draping them on his shoulders, before moving both hands around to the back of his neck to hold onto him. She felt his broad shoulders, and then his muscular back, the muscles tense and rippling below his shirt.
Juliana felt Andrew's tongue reach forward and touch her own. Her own tongue felt a tingle of excitement, as she let him guide her. She had never done this before, yet it felt like the most natural thing in the world. She had been promised to the Laird, and she had not once imagined kissing him. The thought of him did not enter her mind once as she kissed Andrew by the beautiful lake.
The kissing intensified in its passion. Juliana felt Andrew pull her in closer, and she reciprocated by doing the same, grabbing onto his back, and pulling herself into him so that their bodies were touching. She fit into his body perfectly and wished that the moment could last forever. She had not kissed a man before and did not know if she was doing it correctly, but that did not matter to her. What mattered was that she and Andrew were together, though she knew that it could not last.
They finally broke from each other after what seemed like an eternity, though it was not enough for Juliana, and she could see that Andrew was thinking the exact same thing. They both caught their breath, and Juliana enjoyed her last act of freedom.
“I’ve wanted tae dae that since the moment I met ye,” blurted Andrew.
“We should eat,” said Juliana sadly. Her face reddened.
I cannot do this! It is not only the promise of marriage, it is also the consequences for my family. I must marry the Laird to save my father and I cannot jeopardize that because of this rugged Highlander.
“Sorry, I do not think this is right, I just…we should eat.”
“Aye,” stated Andrew, with a confused look on his face. He soon replaced it with a warm smile and went off in search of the rabbit. “I have tae clean the animal and butcher it. Can ye watch the fire and add a couple more logs? We need some nice coals.”
“I will take care of it,” said Juliana. She could not help but feel remorse as she crouched by the fire and tried to figure out how to make coals to cook the rabbit over.
Should I have kissed him when I know that I have to be with the Laird? I want freedom, yet I can never have it.
Juliana picked up a couple of the logs and placed them on top of the waning flames, hoping that they would be enough. Andrew would know what to do when he returned with the food. She looked down to the edge of the lake where he was crouched, partly in the water, and washing the rabbit. She would enjoy the meal with him, and then they would be off. Fate had already decided her future.
When Andrew returned, there was a renewed look of hope on his face. He had a steely determination and a butchered rabbit. The rabbit was missing its fur and inners. She could see the piece of fur in Andrew’s other hand, but the innards of the rabbit were gone, and the rabbit had been pierced by a stick, ready to be hung over the fire to cook.
“Ye know what ye’re doin’,” said Andrew, looking down at the fire.
Juliana looked too, seeing the wood turning into white-hot coals, and felt some pride. She had no idea what she was doing, but it had worked out.
Perhaps the same is true with my life. I have no idea what I am doing anymore, yet…
Andrew went to the fire and placed some large rocks so that he could lay the rabbit over the flames without it being too close to the heat. He stole a glance at Juliana, but neither of them said a word. The rabbit was turned and turned again until the flesh was finally cooked, and Andrew too
k it from the fire. There was a large rock down by the lake, and he took the food down there, pulling a large log for himself to sit on, leaving the rock for Juliana.
Juliana hesitated for a moment before following him down there. The time by the fire had dried her clothes, and there was only a little wetness in her hair. The sun was directly above them in the sky now, and warm enough for Juliana to feel more comfortable, even with her hair cooling her down.
She was halfway to the rock when she gasped. Andrew being close to her, had made her so comfortable that she had not yet dressed fully. She was aware that she was standing in the middle of nowhere still in her chemise. She almost gasped, and suddenly felt exposed, wanting to cover herself up even though Andrew had his back to her.
She ran back to where she had left her clothes to go swimming, and hurriedly put them back on, checking that Andrew was not watching. For some reason, the act of watching her dress would have made her nervous, even though she had just kissed him wearing only her undergarments. When she was fully dressed, she went to be with Andrew.
Consumed By The Lost Highlander (Steamy Scottish Historical Romance) Page 8
