Page 54 of The Highland Heir

She didn’t understand what was so excitingabout it, but she didn’t need to know why to know he found greatsatisfaction in watching her stroke her fingers through her foldsin the way he had done.

“Christ, Ella. That is . . .I’ve never . . .” He squeezed his eyes shut andshook his head. “Ye must stop now, or I will be done for.”

She might have pointed out it hadn’t been heridea in the first place, but he grasped on to her hips and thrustinside her again, stealing away her ability to say anything but hisname over and over.

After giving in during their hunt, they cameup with ways to be alone nearly every day. And each day when shethought it might be enough to walk away, it only made her lookforward to the next day and the next.

And soon a month was gone.

The days moved by too quickly. They wererunning out of time.

Chapter Nineteen

“We could run away,” Kieran said oneafternoon as they lay naked in the hayloft of the stables.

“What?” Ella looked at him with her browspulled together. “Run away?”

“I don’t want to marry the MacKenzie lass. Iwant to be with you. We could leave Girnagoe, leave Caithness,leave the Sinclair lands entirely. We could join another clan. Icould be a soldier, and we could be happy.”

Just thinking about it made his heart poundwith longing. He wanted that simple life. Just him and Ella andwhatever family they would be blessed to have in a place where hewasn’t the heir.

Where he could just be Kieran.

But Ella was shaking her head. He’d thoughtshe would be ready to pack the instant he suggested his plan, butshe only put her hand on his and said, “Nay, Kieran. We can’t runaway.”

“Why not? It would probably be weeks beforemy father even noticed I had left. He won’t care.”

“He will. You know he will. You are his heir,and he will search all the Highlands for you. And whomever is daftenough to give you refuge will be claimed as an enemy. This is yourclan. You are a Sinclair, Kieran. I’ll not allow you to give upyour birthright because of me. It isn’t right.”

“What isn’t right is that I’m not allowed tomarry the person I want to spend my life with.” He rested his palmalong her cheek and tried to meet her gaze so she would agree.

She squeezed her eyes closed and shook herhead as if trying to hold off his words.

“You mustn’t say such a thing, Kieran. Itwill only make it worse.”

“Not if we leave this place so we can staytogether. Say you will go with me.”

“I cannot. We will not find peace. We wouldbe hunted.”

Of course, he knew she was right.

He relented and held his arms out so shewould come closer and he could hold her.

“Tell me you will think about it,” heasked.

“Very well. I’ll think about it.”

“If there is a way to make this plan work,you will find it,” he said and kissed her hair.

“I am the best at making plans.”

He laughed sadly. When she tilted her head upto look at him, he stared into her eyes.

“I would choose you, Ella. If I could.”

She smiled, though it looked painful.

“I would choose you too.”