Highland Destiny by Laura Hunsaker Read Free Book Online Page A

breathing heavily after her tirade, and her breasts were pressed up against Connor's chest, making her aware of just how close they were. She tried to put some distance between them, but when she 50
    stepped back, Connor pulled her up to his eye level as if she weighed nothing! Mackenzie gasped in outrage... and something else...as he lifted her against his body.
"I warned you to control yourself."
    Connor's anger was obvious in the fierceness of his kiss.
    When his lips slammed down on hers she gasped. It gave him the perfect chance to slip his tongue into her mouth. With one arm wrapped around her waist, crushing her up to him, and the other tangled in her hair, holding her still, it left his mouth free to ravish hers.
    It was unnecessary, anyways, since she couldn't have broken free if she'd wanted to. She'd placed her hands on his chest to push him away, but he was immobile, a rock. And through his anger, there was something else, something, more... passion. That's what it was. Mackenzie felt the moment his kiss became more hungry than angry, because at that exact moment, she was kissing him back. A low burn started smoldering in her belly, and her hands slid up to his shoulders, and then crept behind his neck until she was clutching his hair as if by letting go she would lose her balance, when in reality it was Connor who was holding her up.
    Once she'd weakened, it was obvious Connor felt it; his muscles bunched under her hands with restraint, as if he struggled with something. Then his head snapped up, and he stared down into her eyes for a moment. His eyes were clear.
    If he'd been as surprised by the heat behind their kiss as she, he didn't show it. If anything, it was the opposite; he was 51
    collected and slightly distant, where she was scattered and mussed.
"We'd be needin' to leave. Now." He released his hold on her waist, but gripped her wrist again, and she let him tow her behind.
    Mackenzie didn't say anything in response; her mind was too busy trying to figure out his motives. She must have imagined the passion she'd felt in the kiss; Connor was just too cool. He'd even seemed annoyed that she had responded, well, she was annoyed by how she'd responded to that kiss. It hadn't even fazed him , and here she was, dazed, disoriented, and still thinking about it, over and over. That must have been his game all along. Mackenzie growled in irritation in her head. She hated arrogance. Connor was definitely arrogant.
    And he must have known how she would react to his kiss. He was attractive, no doubt, and he obviously knew his appeal to women. There was no way he was ignorant of the fact that he was incredibly hot, so he must think that if Mackenzie were attracted to him, she'd be more likely to follow his orders. It was the only reason that made sense. Well, Connor would see that she was not some schoolgirl who would cave at a mere kiss. Although to be fair, it had been more than a mere kiss.
    Her body had never actually melted into someone else like that before. But it was probably just the strain of the trip and the magical backdrop of the lake. She sighed. She was over-thinking everything.
    When they reached his destrier, Mackenzie stepped ahead of Connor to mount his horse, rather than let his warm hands span her waist again. She had regrouped her scattered 52
    thoughts, and was firmly in control of herself once more. She was resolved that Connor would not get to her like that again; if he even kissed her again. Which he wouldn't. She wouldn't let him, besides he didn't think of her like that. But how did he think of her? And what exactly was it that he wanted from her? He had some questions to answer when they got to the castle. She folded her arms across her chest. And he would answer them.
After she had situated her cloak around her, now understanding that her legs were bared to these men and that she was riding astride, she knew how that must look to them, Connor leapt up behind her. One hand was on the