His Heart's Desire by Kristi Ahlers Read Free Book Online Page A

next plane .”
    “Thank you, lass, but what I would really like is a precious taste of your sweet lips.”
    “Ah, man, can’t you wait until I find a way out of this place?” another male voice asked almost frantically. “No offense, but I don’t want to have to watch that.”
    Catrìona opened her eyes and stood motionless. He was there! He was living and breathing and so very, very large. She resisted the urge to giggle when she thought of the trite expression ‘larger than life’. Inhaling, she took in his musky male scent, and her heart cried out for him. Instead, she stood rooted in her place.
    “Braden?” She shuffled her feet a few steps and stopped. “How can this be?”
    There in front of her were two very big, very handsome men, one of whom was Braden. He had to be Braden. He was more beautiful in flesh and blood than he was on canvas. But he wasn’t supposed to be standing there. He was supposed to be finding his happy ending in the mystic realm. She blinked hard and looked again.
    Both men stood with legs braced apart, bare-chested, and clad in tartan.
    Her eyes tracked over Braden’s incredible body. His body didn’t come from any exercise regime found in today’s gyms. Catrìona looked at his legs once more and licked her lips. A burning desire to nibble her way down from his six-pack to the area covered by the plaid scared her for a moment. Oh, this was not right. She must be losing her mind. Men really didn’t come alive from a painting. And who was the other man? She didn’t recognize him. Was he friend or foe? Lord, she hoped he was friend because the sword hanging down his back, from the strap across his equally bare chest, was beyond description. And, judging from the size of the muscles in his arm, he’d easily wield that steel with little effort.
    The other thing that surprised her was that Braden spoke English. Not Gaelic. Then again, she had to be having a delusion, so it would make sense she’d hear a language she could understand. At least, that’s what she prayed. He wasn’t supposed to be here. Maybe she was suffering delusions from fumes from the candles. Maybe there was something funky in the wax!
    Another thought came crashing down on her. She was very much alone with two strange men who could easily hurt her if they desired. Rape and torture was not on the list of things she wanted to experience in any lifetime. Oh, she was so screwed—and not in a good way!
    “Stand back!” Her voice was high-pitched; her panic clearly evident, if the frown on Braden’s face was any indication.
    “Lass? You fear me?” He held out his hand. “I would never cause you harm.”
    Catrìona shook her head in an attempt to clear the muzzy feeling that suddenly overtook her. He was right. She knew him in her dreams. And in her dreams he’d always been generous and loving. Still, she couldn’t shake the closed off feeling she had, surrounded by so much testosterone. Cat needed air. She glanced down at her bag and tried to judge the distance between it and the men’s location in the room. “No . . . yes. It’s all very confusing.”
    “Why?” Braden offered a small smile.
    Why indeed? She took a deep breath and inhaled pine and male. Very male. Her heart pounded a furious rhythm. She was afraid all right. Afraid she’d throw herself at him and beg him to have his wicked way with her. Oh, yeah, that was not going to work. She feared herself and her reactions to him. Ignoring the pained expression her knight wore, she tried to get control of herself. First things first, she needed space put between them. A lot of space.
    “I want you and your friend to move over to the fireplace.”
    She watched as they exchanged a glance before Braden moved toward her.
    “Stop! Please, just do as I ask. Don’t make me call for help.”
    “No one will hear you, lass,” said the other man. “The keep is empty.”
    Catrìona clenched her fists. Well, that wasn’t good. If they knew she was alone,