The Highlander

Chapter Thirty Six

Finlay

"What are you doing?"

We returned to Laird McCain's castle swiftly after the dealings in the Tavern. I was quite surprised when one of my warriors told me she was there. It was the last place I thought Rose would go willingly without any other purpose than to drink and socialise. I was taken aback as I wondered what had happened before I got there- and before the incident with the brute Calan.

As we walked back to McCain castle, through the walled courtyard, up the stairs to her room, Rose was silent. Silent when Laird McCain's wife commented on her bloody torn dress. Silent when I took her hand in my own.

She said nothing.

"What are you doing, Finn?"

I was shocked when she spoke. We were in her room, left alone after McCain and his wife left. I was sat on the end of the bed, looking at her but not really looking at her at the same time. She stood across from me, looking at the ground.

Till she was talking and looking at me.

"I'm waiting for ye to explode like ye usually do when something unexpected happens. Need I remind ye of the last time I said and did something ye did not like ye tried to run away."

My fingers were wrapped around the curved edge of the bed, waiting for Rose to react. I was tired, dirty and not in the mood for an argument. The decision I made was the right one, it secured her safety even if I died in battle.

"No, no, I understand why you did it." Rose said, her voice holding only the slightest hint of defeat.

My head shot up, "what?"

"Oh shut up. Just because I've actually agreed with you for once over some macho decision I had no real part in. And get rid of that smirk or I'm going to punch you in the face."

A quizzical smirk was plastered on my face as Rose sauntered over to me. Just as she went to hit me, mockingly I thought, I grabbed her wrist in one hand and her bum with the other before pulling her onto my lap.

Her face rocked gently up to mine and I claimed her mouth, my rough lips sliding across her soft ones, my tongue sliding against her, investigating every part of her mouth.

She moaned against me, the vibrations tickling my chest as she pushed her body closer to mine. Her hands raised to mess with my hair, a sensation that sent chills down my spine in a good way.

I took delight in the times when Rose played with my hair like a dog revels in the petting of its fur or my warriors in tasting the blood of their enemies.

Knowing your enemy was dead used to be the sweetest thought to me, now it was Rose's safety. I had tried to hide my initial attraction to Rose at first and how strong my feelings where but I soon found that hard, and soon most of the men didn't care. They realised, like I did, that having Rose's welfare to focus on I wanted to end the McKenzie's even more.

Make them feel more pain.

"You stupid Scotsman." Rose muttered against my lips though I felt her smile as her lips lifted to kiss my eyelids gently as she pushed me back against the bed.

"Now lass, there's no need to go tarnishing the people of Scotland now is there?" a deep laugh beat its way out of my chest as my hands ran up and down the length of Rose. My hands were gentle as they stroked her back, the flimsy material cage of her dress aggravating me as I longed to feel her skin close to mine. Though my touch was rougher as my hands reached her thighs, skimming over her bum slowly, I reached for her dress, pulling it up her legs.