Banished (4 page)

Chloe swore and sat
on the step directly in front of the door. She leaned against the wood and wondered
whether she should come back or knock. After last night, she thought it better
to come back but before she had the chance to stand, both doors swung open, sending
her flying backwards to lie beneath the piercing gray gaze of his lordship.

“Hello,” Chloe said,
smiling. She tried to push away the nerves, which unsettled her composure, but
the man’s gaze, no more welcoming than last night, was impossible to ignore.

The Laird leant
down and pulled her to her feet. He stared at her a moment before stepping back
and bowing.

“It’s a pleasure
to see you again, Chloe.”

Chloe wiped down
her bottom and swallowed. She looked up at him and caught him ogling her breasts.
Pulling her coat closed, she waited for him to look at her face before making a
reply. What was he doing checking her out like that? Didn’t he know it was
rude?

And delicious.

“Good morning,”
she said, holding her hand out for him to shake. Her eyes widened when their
skin touched. Fire ran up her arm and she had the odd feeling of déjà vu.

Again.

“I didn’t think
I’d have the pleasure of seeing you again so soon.”

Chloe stared,
unable to form words as she looked at him in the daylight. How was it possible
he was even more handsome in his dark denim jeans and blue shirt? He leaned against
the door. Again her eyes were drawn to his chest when he folded his arms. Chloe
licked her suddenly parched lips and met his burning gaze wholly locked on her.

Shit he was hot!

An inkling of
familiarity prickled under her skin and she frowned at the sensation. “Do I
know you from somewhere? I have the oddest feeling I’ve seen you before.”

Cian laughed and
shook his head. “No lass. I would remember meeting you. You’re forgetting you
saw me in the pub last eve and not to mention the ... alley.”

Oh, yes the
alleyway. How could she forget the location? Just the thought of his hands on
her skin, her breasts hard against his solid-as-a-rock chest, left an ache
between her thighs. She swallowed and hoped he couldn’t read minds or the
desire she was hopelessly failing to control.

“No. That’s not
it.” At his intense, heated look a blush burned up her neck. She stepped away
only to knock into the bell hanging near the door. “I’m so sorry. I didn’t mean
to hit that.”

“It’s no problem.
Don’t worry about it. Are you here to take a tour? We’re not open yet, but I
can show you around if you like?”

“Really? You
wouldn’t mind?” she said, forgetting about the chemistry abuzz between them for
a moment.

“Not at all, you
can come anytime, Chloe.”

She nodded
wondering why those words were also strangely familiar. What was it about this
man that conjured up feelings she had no idea even existed? He was making her
hot and flustered but extremely relaxed and comfortable. Her reaction to Eddy
when she first met him was nothing like this burn in her abdomen which she
experienced when around the Laird.

Perhaps it was
because he was so gorgeous, demanded women notice him and watch his every move.
Whereas Eddy was just a good-looking nice guy. But this one had a little
roughness about him. Like a lion trapped in a man’s body. Power mixed with
control all but oozed from every perfectly formed muscle on his body and she
had the odd craving to hear him roar.

“How long are you
in Durness?”

Chloe tore her
mind from her ridiculous wanderings and kept her eyes away from the man holding
her hand upon his arm and making her knees wobble. “For a week, my lord, we
only arrived last night.”

“Don’t call me,
my lord, Chloe. I prefer Cian from my friends.”

She smiled up at
him. “Thank you Cian, that is very kind.”

Chloe felt him
pause. Looking up, she took a steadying breath as he came around to stand
before her. She stilled wondering what he was going to do. His lips quirked in
a smile and his eyes locked on hers as he leaned around to open a hidden paneled
door. She breathed deeply when he stepped away, thankful for the much needed space
between them. For a minute, she had thought he was going to kiss her. And for a
minute she had hoped he would.

She looked up
into his eyes and watched as his gray orbs ran over her features, lingering on
her lips. Her breathing shallowed and all she could think was to have his lips
taking her own. With a will of their own, her lips parted and hope welled that
he would take what she offered.

“Shall we,” he said
smiling, gesturing for Chloe to precede him into the adjoining room.

Chloe shut her
eyes in self-disgust. What was she doing? About to kiss a man she didn’t even know,
while her future husband was in their holiday home waiting for her? Eddy was watching
soccer yes, but still waiting for her all the same. She shook her head and
cleared it of the vision of the highlander taking her against the wall, his
body pinning her there and undulating against her sex. His strong large hands
holding her arse while he fucked her until she came.

A shiver stole
down to her core and with shaking legs she walked into a library. Dark wooded mahogany
cupboards ran the length and breadth of the room. All were filled with books,
no doubt covering the many eras the family had lived here. It smelled of
leather and cigars. And another scent she could not name that belonged wholly
to the laird himself.

Hot and tempting
to anyone’s palate.

“You have a
wonderful home. You must be very happy here,” she said, and walked along the
multitude of shelves full of old tomes.

“I’m happy here most
of the time. Durness is a long way away from everything. We don’t often get
women as beautiful as you gracing our shores.”

Chloe laughed.
Was he flirting with her? “Well I’m happy to have obliged you this once. Thank
you for the compliment.”

“You’re all
compliment, Chloe.”

Oh, yes he was
definitely flirting.

Running her hand
along the leather spine of a dictionary of mythology book, Chloe looked up and
caught Cian watching her. His eyes widened as her finger traced the gold
writing embossed on the spine. She probably shouldn’t tease him so with her
sensual caressing of his books, but having never acted the siren before, it was
quite invigorating when one did. And for the life of her, around him, Chloe
couldn’t help herself.

What was it
about this guy that she found herself wanting to be naughty around? She watched
him stride toward her, knowing if he would only kiss her she would go with him
to Hell and back. She ogled his legs as they strode purposefully, his steps strong
and powerful. The shirt he wore today fit him like a glove and she could see
the six-pack that sat beneath the fine cotton.

He came to stand
before her, then reached around and pulled out the book her finger had stilled
on.

“Did you want to
borrow it, Chloe? It’s a first edition but I’m willing to lend it to you if you
promise to come back and return it when you’re done.”

Chloe nodded,
her mind enchanted by his voice and good looks. His knowing chuckle pulled her
from her dream and so too did the book when he laid the heavy tome in her hand.

“Are you ready
to finish the tour, lass?”

“Oh, yes of
course,” she answered, not a little disappointed he was all polite gentleman
again.

Cian walked her
into the formal dining room which was once the original great hall. “The room
has hardly changed in the last five hundred years. Of course this isn’t the
original table; we store that in a museum I built some years ago.”

Chloe walked
around him and looked up at the stone walls and old wooden beams that ran
across the ceiling. It reminded her of a cathedral with its high ceiling and
small ancient windows that would once had been devoid of glass. “It’s lovely,”
she said, awe tingeing her voice.

“Yes it is. Very
lovely.”

Chloe met his
gaze and a slither of awareness ran through her. The flirting highlander was
back. She walked toward the hearth, looked at the blackened grate, and inwardly
hoped the highlander from last night may make an appearance as well.

He cleared his
throat. “So, you’re here a week. That’s not long enough to sample all the
pleasures of the area.”

Chloe reveled in
the deep timbre of his voice, so close, that it tickled the back of her neck.
She turned to find him behind her, towering above her with a gaze that bespoke of
sin and all the pleasurable things he could show her. Do to her. Teach her. She
leaned against the fire surround and looked up.

“I’m an organized
type of girl. I’m sure I’ll fit everything in I wish to see and do while I’m
here.”

The laird threw
her a passing look as he walked back toward to the table. His large arms folded
against his chest pulled the shirt taut over his rippling abs. Longing like she’d
never known assailed her.

She wanted him.
Wanted him bad.

“You’re engaged
to be married.”

“Yes, next
spring.” Chloe tried to sound piqued by his nosiness, but her reply came out husky
and wonton. She cursed herself. What was she doing answering like she was a
woman out of breath, gasping like she'd just partaken in a marathon session of
sex? Not that she would know much about the latter. Eddy was good in bed, but he
tended to be on the quick side. She frowned when he smiled as if he knew what
she was thinking.

“Well, that’s a
shame that,” he replied.

Chloe licked her
lips, her attention moving down toward his chest. He was so solid; her gaze ran
over his every asset before settling on his hands, his knuckles white from
clasping the table. Looking away, she walked to the window and looked at the
view of the ocean, while striving for calm. Why did he look like his hands were
the only things keeping him in place? And why wouldn’t he let go of the blasted
table and take her already. “I believe this castle has four towers and all in
good condition considering their age. Are these also open to the public?”

“Some are. Come,
I’ll take you upstairs. There is a better view of the ocean from one of the bedrooms,”
he said.

The mention of bedrooms
nearly made her swoon. Chloe took a calming breath and followed him up the old
winding stone stairs. A mistake because as soon as she’d placed her foot on the
bottom step, she had a perfect view of a perfect bottom.

His arse
enclosed in denim was delicious. Holy mother of god, men as gorgeous as he was shouldn’t
walk in front of women. Ever.

They made the
second floor and Cian ushered her into a room. A four-poster bed stood opposite
a massive fireplace. Old, beautifully woven tapestries covered the walls and
made the stone-enclosed room feel warm and inviting. Chloe walked over to the windows
and gazed out over the ocean. From this view all you could see was sea, endless
blue and green beauty.

“Wow,” she said.

Cian walked over
to her and looked out the window. “I have something to tell you.”

“Yes.” Chloe
turned and looked at him. His chastened, guilty visage made her smile. “What is
it?”

“This is my
room.”

The air whooshed
from her lungs and she stepped back. “Well, I should probably go.”

He clasped her
arm and pulled her around to look at him. Goosebumps rose on her skin and her
blood heated.

“You are more
than welcome to stay,” he whispered.

Oh, she gathered
that. When it came to Cian McKay, he held nothing back, feelings or otherwise,
when he wanted something. Chloe stood looking transfixed at his lips. With alarm,
she noticed Cian moving toward her. Never had she wanted a man to kiss her as
much as she wished he would kiss her right at this moment. He smelled divine,
like sea air mixed with sex. Hot sex. Really, hot sex.

Her mind
screamed for her to move. Step away and stop this sin she was about to taste.
But she could not. When his lips brushed hers, her body fired electrical charges
to her core and her hands reflexively clasped his shoulders. Chloe inwardly
sighed at the hard, corded muscles beneath her palms, which flexed when he moved
to deepen the kiss.

His mouth became
insistent when she didn’t retreat and she lost herself to him. The highlander
certainly knew how to kiss a woman to an inch of her sanity. Jealousy over whom
he’d kissed in the past pricked her conscience. The thought of him with other
women oddly drove her temper up a notch. She clutched his hair and pulled it a
little in punishment over her wayward thoughts and she felt him smile though
the kiss. Her body ached at her core and for the first time in her life she felt
wet between her thighs.

Cian lifted her
onto the window seat and stood between her legs. He ground himself against her
jeans and Chloe had an overwhelming urge to strip off all her clothes and let
him have her. Take her here, up against the window. It was a tempting thought,
his touch alone made her feel like he could bring her to orgasm.