Highlander's Promise Read Online Free Page B

her husband well. She could see, sense, and feel when things troubled or angered him. Then there were those times when his wrath surfaced and no one—absolutely no one—would dare go near him, except Dawn.
    She felt that wrath smoldering in him now and she did the only thing she could think of... she took his hand and pressed it firm against her chest, then she pressed it to his chest, and she repeated the gesture over and over and over. I love you. I love you. I love you.
    His fury tempered, but did not fade.
    “And my love for you runs as strongly as yours does for me, wife, which is why I am both overjoyed and furious to hold you in my arms. You have much to explain, but first...” He took hold of her chin, tilting it up and brought his lips down on hers.
    His demanding kiss stole her breath, her heart, and her soul, and she got lost in it. Time and place did not exist, only the two of them and their hearts that once again beat together as one.
    When it ended, he rested his brow to hers and whispered, “Good God, Dawn, what are you doing here?”
    It was not easy gesturing in the dark and his frequent interruptions did not help.
    “You came to rescue me? You endangered yourself over a fool’s errand?”
    She continued.
    “Old Mary is with you? Are you two daft?”
    After several more interruptions, Dawn pressed her finger to his lips, ordering him silent.
    He let her finish, then pressed his finger to her lips.
    She smiled. She loved that he treated her as if she truly had a voice, but then she did. It was just heard differently than others.
    “If we were home the keep’s rafters would tremble with how loudly I would chastise you. Do you not have faith in me? Do you think me weak?”
    Dawn tapped his arm twice and twice again as she shook her head. A tear trickled from her eye as she took her hand and pretended to chop at the side of his head, reminding him of the beheading.
    “I have lost my head to only one person... you.”
    Her body shook with laughter, though a shiver from a sudden chill quickly stole it from her.
    “Damn,” Cree muttered and ran his hand up and down her back, trying to rub warmth into her. “They gave me no bedding, no blankets. I have nothing to wrap you in.”
    Dawn patted his arm.
    “My arms are not enough to keep you warm and if you catch a chill and die on me, do not think it will stop me from coming after you and punishing you for not obeying me.”
    Dawn laughed again, then sighed and snuggled her body comfortably against him.
    “How can you be content here in this wretched place?” he asked, feeling her body ease in his arms.
    She tapped his chest, then hers, and shrugged.
    “As long as we are together, it does not matter to you?”
    She tapped his arm once.
    With it being dark, it took a few hand gestures for him to understand what she asked next. “You want to know how I planned to escape?” One tap to his arm had him continuing, though not answering her question. “And what of your plan? How do you expect to get both of us out of here?”
    Dawn gestured slowly.
    “Old Mary will rescue us tomorrow? You cannot be serious.”
    Dawn nodded and tapped his arm once.
    “An old woman bent and gnarled with age will free us from the bowels of this place?” he asked incredulously.
    Dawn nodded again.
    He was about to argue with her when they both heard footfalls approach.
    Dawn’s arms went around her husband, holding him tight.
    Cree felt her fear of being taken from him and his anger soared. He quickly shifted her body so that she straddled him, keeping his back to the door and tucking her head against his chest. His hands went to her backside and he lifted her up and down in a motion that made it seem she was riding him. And he snapped, “Harder women! Harder!”
    Light suddenly filtered through the narrow slit in the door.
    “Minnoch will be pleased to know you are enjoying your gift.” A snorting laugh faded along with his footfalls.
    Cree waited a moment to make