Part 3 (2/2)
”What?” Amus.e.m.e.nt and disbelief colored his voice. ”Then you are not Miss Hurst.”
”No. I mean, yes, but not the one-What I mean to say is that I am Miss Hurst, but not the Miss Hurst you think me.”
Even in the gloom, she could make out the flash of his teeth as he smiled. ”I see,” he said politely. ”You are Miss Hurst, but then you are not.”
”No, no, no. I am not Miss Caitlyn Hurst, I am Miss Caitriona Hurst. Caitlyn is my sister. My twin, in fact.”
”Of course she is.”
She relaxed a bit. Thank goodness he was a man of reason! ”This has been a horrible mistake. You see, I thought Caitlyn would sneak into your coach and try to...Oh, dear, this is so indelicate-”
He reached across the coach, his large, warm hands closing about her waist as he lifted her and placed her in his lap.
”Ow!”
He stopped immediately, holding her in place. ”What's wrong?”
”My knee,” she managed through clenched teeth. ”I struck it on the seat when the coach jolted to a start, and it's swollen.”
”Can you move it?”
”Yes, but it hurts.”
He grunted and settled her more firmly in his lap, the muscles of his thighs hard beneath her skirts. ”We'll have a look at it once we stop.”
Triona's jaw tightened. ”We will not do anything. You will unhand me and you will stop this carriage as soon as possible.”
”Really?”
”Yes, really. If you do not, then when we finally do stop, I will demand your arrest.”
”Arrest? Arrest for what?”
”Abduction.”
His powerful arms tightened about her, and she could feel the irritation coming from him in waves, a deep heat that replaced her s.h.i.+vering with another kind. ”Once we stop, I will look at that knee. As for the rest, you can call for whatever help you wish.”
”I shall!”
He grinned, his handsome face within inches of hers as he said in a low voice, his breath warm on her cheek, his sensual cologne tickling her nose, ”Since I caught the little bird, she is mine to enjoy. But first, let us agree to dispense with story time.”
”My lord, you don't understand! I'm not Ca-”
It was then he committed an even more unthinkable act than holding her in his large, warm lap, as scandalous as it was. In the semidarkness of a luxurious coach as it dashed madly through a snowy night, MacLean yanked her closer until her b.r.e.a.s.t.s were pressed firmly to his chest. Then, his smile gleaming in the semidarkness, he bent his head and kissed her.
Chapter 4.
”Whilst ye may not be as strong as a braw hulk of a man, ye're infinitely smarter. And smart will get ye further than ye might think.”
OLD WOMAN NORA TO HER THREE WEE GRANDDAUGHTERS ON A COLD WINTER'S NIGHT The kiss seemed to last forever, absorbing and enveloping her. The complete, utter devouring was nothing like the idealized, gentle kisses of her imagination. And nothing had prepared Triona for her body's willful reaction to the warmth of MacLean's seeking hands and mouth, for the way her heart pounded and her body softened as if welcoming him, soaking in the heated warmth of him, the heady scent of his cologne, the wild and almost out-of-control way his hands molded her against him, making her b.r.e.a.s.t.s tingle and her legs tense with the desire to move closer.
It wasn't until MacLean's hot tongue brushed over her bottom lip that she was shocked into reacting.
Suddenly freed from the fog that had held her in place, she pressed her hands against MacLean's chest for all she was worth. He reluctantly lifted his head and released her.
Triona scrambled off his lap to the seat opposite, gritting her teeth at the pain in her knee. Her body quivered with anger and something else, something so potent that she dared not attempt to define it.
”You are no gentleman!” she said, her voice trembling furiously.
He chuckled, the sound low and husky in the dark. ”I never said I was, and you would be wrong to think I wish to be one.”
She clenched her hands into fists. ”I am done with this! There has been a horrible mistake.”
”If there has, it would be your planning to trick a MacLean into marriage.”
She swallowed a flash of temper. The man thought she was Caitlyn, and her sister's brash words and actions were reprehensible.
”My lord, allow me to introduce myself once and for all. I am Caitlyn Hurst's sister, Triona Hurst.”
His deep laugh was not pleasant. ”Yes, the convenient mystery twin. Really, is that the best story you can come up with?”
”It's the truth. I realize Caitlyn's behavior has been terrible. I, too, was shocked when I discovered her plan to trick you into-”
He laughed, the sound rolling over her like a dash of cold water. ”Come, Miss Hurst, we both know there is no *sister Triona.'”
”It's the truth,” she replied in a waspish tone, clenching her hands. ”If you'd light a blasted lamp, you'd see for yourself!”
Still chuckling, he settled into the corner of the rumbling coach. ”There's no need for such games, my dear. I am master of this trick now.” He yawned. ”Because of your silly plan, I had but an hour of sleep last night and was up with the sun. You may entertain me with your faradiddles when I awake.”
Triona ground her teeth. The wretch was going to sleep? ”Look, MacLean, I refuse to just sit here while you-”
”You don't have a choice,” he replied, an edge of impatience to his voice.
”I'm not going to accept this simply because you-”
”Enough.”
His dangerously low, flat voice doused her irritation with cold reason. She was alone in a dark coach with a man she knew very little about, and what she did know wasn't promising. Her grandmother's tales about the MacLeans' storm-inducing temper and Aunt Lavinia's warning about the man's pride told her challenging him directly would be a poor decision.
To some extent, she was defenseless-though a woman of intelligence could always find some sort of weapon. She flexed her foot, thinking that her pointed boot could be used to good effect. It wasn't much, but it replenished her sense of calm.
If she wished to escape this little adventure unscathed, she must use her wits. She'd have to make her move when the carriage was still and there might be other people nearby-decent people, she hoped, who would help a woman in distress. ”My lord, I suggest we find the nearest inn and repair there to discuss this unfortunate happening.”
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