April Holthaus - The MacKinnon Clan 01 by The Honor of a Highlander Page A
Authors: The Honor of a Highlander
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a flat expression on her face.
Rory looked over at Annella and could see the defiance in her eyes. He knew that she was angry with him but he needed to do what he must to protect his future bride.
“Tell the men to grab what supplies they can. We leave before sunrise.”
Rory worried about only being a day’s ride ahead of the oncoming danger but he hoped that they would secure sufficient enough distance between them to keep both Annella and his mother safe. He knew that traveling with two women would greatly decrease their speed but he trusted his men to protect the women with their lives. Rory turned towards Annella. Her lips were pursed and eyes were a darker shade of brown.
“Will ye meet me in the upstairs chamber, my lady?”
“Aye,” she said and walked away towards the stairs.
Watching her walk away made Rory sigh. He thought it was cute the way she sauntered off, huffing and puffing. It made him smile. This wee hellcat of his excited him. Anxiously, he dashed up the stairs behind her.
“What is Dunakin like?” she inquired.
“Are ye worried ye will no’ be happy there?”
“Nay, it’s just besides my grandfather’s, I’ve ne’er really travelled anywhere else,” she said giving him a sad look.
“I promise ye will like it. Dunakin is a massive structure, and can look quite intimidating to outsiders, but my mother has added a womanly touch to the inside making it feel like home. It is built up on a hill a short ways from the village. On the east side of the castle lays Loch Alsh. Many ships and vessels pass through the loch to reach the mainland but we dinna get visitors verra often as we have no port.”
“I heard that the northern Highlands are beautiful.”
“Aye, but no’ as beautiful as ye.”
Rory walked over and stood in front of Annella. He leaned down and planted a soft kiss upon her lips. Eager for his touch, Annella stood on her toes lifting herself closer to him pressing her lips harder to his. She parted her lips as did Rory, only this time it was Annella who bravely swept her tongue inside his mouth tasting his sweetness. Rory rubbed his hands along her sides feeling the curves of her waist and hips. Pressing his hips to hers, he grunted feeling the desire he had for her.
But Rory wanted to bed her properly. He wanted to be married first. Softly biting her lower lip, he slowly pulled away.
“Have my mother help ye pack yer things. I can send someone later to get what ye need that we can no’ take on the horses. I will see ye in the morning.”
Feeling hazy from the kiss that caused her lack of breathing, Annella smiled and nodded and turned in for the night.
After finishing off the last bite of his oatcake, Rory helped Annella onto her horse. Once the rest of the group was mounted, Rory jumped onto his saddle and grabbed the reins. With Annella riding next to his mother in the middle of the riders, Rory took the lead and kicked Torran into a fast sprint.
Rory knew that in normal conditions it would take him two days ride to ride back to his lands but traveling with women especially with Annella still recovering from her injuries, they would have to add an extra day. Some of the terrain would be rough and he wasn’t sure whether or not the women would sufficiently ride in the mountains. They would have to significantly slow down or he would have to find another route with a more stable path for the horses.
If anything happened to Annella, he would not forgive himself. He glanced over his shoulder to see how she fared and gave her a reassuring smile. She sat on top of her horse with such pride and proficiency. Her reddish hair loosened from its braid and fluttered around her head like wild fire.
Glimpsing over at Ewan who was riding at his left flank, he noticed a wide grin plastered on his face.
“What are ye so happy about?”
“Just waiting for ye to tell me that I told ye so.” Ewan looked towards Annella’s direction and then back to
Rory looked over at Annella and could see the defiance in her eyes. He knew that she was angry with him but he needed to do what he must to protect his future bride.
“Tell the men to grab what supplies they can. We leave before sunrise.”
Rory worried about only being a day’s ride ahead of the oncoming danger but he hoped that they would secure sufficient enough distance between them to keep both Annella and his mother safe. He knew that traveling with two women would greatly decrease their speed but he trusted his men to protect the women with their lives. Rory turned towards Annella. Her lips were pursed and eyes were a darker shade of brown.
“Will ye meet me in the upstairs chamber, my lady?”
“Aye,” she said and walked away towards the stairs.
Watching her walk away made Rory sigh. He thought it was cute the way she sauntered off, huffing and puffing. It made him smile. This wee hellcat of his excited him. Anxiously, he dashed up the stairs behind her.
“What is Dunakin like?” she inquired.
“Are ye worried ye will no’ be happy there?”
“Nay, it’s just besides my grandfather’s, I’ve ne’er really travelled anywhere else,” she said giving him a sad look.
“I promise ye will like it. Dunakin is a massive structure, and can look quite intimidating to outsiders, but my mother has added a womanly touch to the inside making it feel like home. It is built up on a hill a short ways from the village. On the east side of the castle lays Loch Alsh. Many ships and vessels pass through the loch to reach the mainland but we dinna get visitors verra often as we have no port.”
“I heard that the northern Highlands are beautiful.”
“Aye, but no’ as beautiful as ye.”
Rory walked over and stood in front of Annella. He leaned down and planted a soft kiss upon her lips. Eager for his touch, Annella stood on her toes lifting herself closer to him pressing her lips harder to his. She parted her lips as did Rory, only this time it was Annella who bravely swept her tongue inside his mouth tasting his sweetness. Rory rubbed his hands along her sides feeling the curves of her waist and hips. Pressing his hips to hers, he grunted feeling the desire he had for her.
But Rory wanted to bed her properly. He wanted to be married first. Softly biting her lower lip, he slowly pulled away.
“Have my mother help ye pack yer things. I can send someone later to get what ye need that we can no’ take on the horses. I will see ye in the morning.”
Feeling hazy from the kiss that caused her lack of breathing, Annella smiled and nodded and turned in for the night.
After finishing off the last bite of his oatcake, Rory helped Annella onto her horse. Once the rest of the group was mounted, Rory jumped onto his saddle and grabbed the reins. With Annella riding next to his mother in the middle of the riders, Rory took the lead and kicked Torran into a fast sprint.
Rory knew that in normal conditions it would take him two days ride to ride back to his lands but traveling with women especially with Annella still recovering from her injuries, they would have to add an extra day. Some of the terrain would be rough and he wasn’t sure whether or not the women would sufficiently ride in the mountains. They would have to significantly slow down or he would have to find another route with a more stable path for the horses.
If anything happened to Annella, he would not forgive himself. He glanced over his shoulder to see how she fared and gave her a reassuring smile. She sat on top of her horse with such pride and proficiency. Her reddish hair loosened from its braid and fluttered around her head like wild fire.
Glimpsing over at Ewan who was riding at his left flank, he noticed a wide grin plastered on his face.
“What are ye so happy about?”
“Just waiting for ye to tell me that I told ye so.” Ewan looked towards Annella’s direction and then back to
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