The Hawk (Highland Guard #2)(15)

But she found her flight abruptly curtailed, as her forward momentum was brought to a jarring halt. A long, muscular arm hooked around her waist and yanked her roughly back against a very broad—and very solid—chest. Her feet dangled in the air.

She gasped with shock, and something else …

Awareness. For a moment she went utterly still with it, trying to understand the overwhelming sense of powerlessness that had come over her. She knew without looking who it was. She also knew that she would never be able to free herself from the iron prison of his hold. His muscles were like rocks. And every inch of his body seemed to be covered in them. Like a map burned into relief on her skin, she could feel the hard ridges and contours of his body pressing against her. She’d never been so close to a man before, and the intimacy of it was unsettling. And warm. His body seemed to radiate heat. She stopped shaking.

He chuckled in her ear, and the warm, husky sound reverberated against her back, sending a strange tingle shimmering down her spine. A faint hint of spice cut through the salty tang of the sea.

“I would think you’d had enough swimming for one night,” he murmured teasingly, before turning to the man who’d held her. “The wee lass seems to be giving you a bit of trouble, Domnall?”

Dear Lord, that voice! Deep and husky, laced with the taunting hint of the mischievous, it was the kind of voice that wrapped around you and wouldn’t let go. The kind of voice meant to tell tales around a fire, recite verse, or, more likely with that face, lead women into temptation. A voice to entice, seduce, and make even a sensible woman lose her head.

She’d wager everything she had—which right now consisted of an icy chemise and a borrowed plaid—that he had a devastating smile to go along with it.

Fortunately, she was immune to such nonsense. The shine on his masculine beauty would dull—it always did. There were definitely benefits to being surrounded by a bevy of ridiculously gorgeous creatures all the time.

When he finally set her down and turned her around to face him, she wasn’t disappointed. His grin was every bit as irresistible as she’d anticipated. Even her heart—which had been hardened against such attempts years ago—did a little stutter step. But the blond-haired, blue-eyed, golden-god looks didn’t fool her. However easy his grin, he had ruthless barbarian written on every inch of his tall, indecently muscled warrior’s physique.

Without his protective hold, she felt the cold wind again cut through the plaid and drew it in tight over her head, clutching it around her neck.

“The wee banshee has sharp bones,” the older warrior moaned, rubbing his stomach, “and teeth.”

The captain’s grin grew bigger, revealing deep craters on either side of his mouth, a flash of extremely white, straight teeth, and the gleam of a twinkle in his eye. It was dazzling, and also, given the circumstances, completely absurd. What kind of cold-hearted monster could tease and grin at her like that, with what he had planned?

He gave her an exaggerated bow. “My hearty congratulations. It’s not often that one of my men is overpowered by such a …” His gaze slid over her, clearly trying not to laugh. “Delightful foe.”

This was crazy. Did he mean to charm her to death? What kind of cruel game was he playing? The roguish ra**st? The magnanimous murderer?

She couldn’t take it any more. Fear caught up with her, and tears streamed down her cheeks. “Don’t do this,” she pleaded. “I swear I didn’t hear anything.” She gazed up at him with watery eyes, the icy wind peppering her cheeks. “Please, don’t hurt me.”

All signs of lightheartedness slid from his face. She sensed that he wasn’t often serious, but he was now. His eyes met hers intently. They would have to be blue, she thought absurdly.

“You’ve nothing to fear from me or my men, lass. We’ll not hurt you.”

His voice was so gentle and sincere. Yet the tears only intensified, burning her throat and filling her nose. She was desperate to believe him, to hold on to any thread of hope, no matter how thin. “But I heard what you said,” she choked.

His mouth fell into a grim line. Like the rest of him, it was exceedingly well-shaped, wide and soft with a delicious, naughty flare. “It was necessary. My companion was not so mercifully inclined. If I hadn’t said what I did, he would not have let you leave.”

Ellie dare not believe it. Could he be telling the truth? “Then you’ll take me back?” she said, unable to keep the hope from her voice.

“I’m afraid I can’t do that. Not right now, at least.”

The surge in her chest deflated. “But why not?” Then the reason hit her. Like the other man, he didn’t want to risk that she’d heard something. “I swear I didn’t hear anything. I know nothing of what you are involved in.” Though piracy and smuggling definitely came to mind. “I won’t say anything to anyone, just please take me back to my family.” She started to shiver again. “They will be so worried about me.”

She searched his face in the hazy moonlight for a sign of softening, but his resolve was as hard and unyielding as the rest of him.

He stood stiffly before her, as if her pleas made him uncomfortable. “Believe me, lass, I’ve no more wish for you to be here than you do. But for now, I’m afraid we must make the best of the situation. You have my word, I will return you to your family as soon as it is safe to do so.”