My Heart's in the Highlands by Angeline Fortin (best english novels for beginners .TXT) 📗

tomb.Did you not read the inscription? ‘Until they meet again,’ itsaid,” he explained. “Over the past couple of weeks, I came to theconclusion that those words were a command of sorts. I had to come.I had to see if the woman I fell so desperately in love with wastruly here as well. I never would have made this journey to findyou without having seen that. Still, given the circumstances, Ialmost didn’t.”

Mikah blinked in surprise. “Whatcircumstances? Why weren’t you going to come?”

“Something else Smith said,” Jace shifted,putting space between them. “If you were … are … happy with youryoung man, I didn’t want to ruin that for you.”

“My young man?” she parroted.

“Aye, that Kris fellow.” Jace gestured towardthe door.

“Kris?” Mikah repeated dumbly. “You thinkKris … that Kris and I …?”

“Aren’t you?”

Mikah burst out in laughter, earning a darkscowl from Jace. “I had that very same reaction from Kris before heleft. Clearly, Smith was mistaken. Yet you two seem quiteintimate.”

“He’s my best friend and I love him.”

His heart sank with her admission, yet Jaceraised a skeptical brow. “In my experience a man and woman cannotmaintain a purely platonic friendship.”

“Oh!” Mikah giggled, her face lighting withhumor as she laid a hand on his arm. It was an expression that Jacehadn’t seen from her yet this evening, yet it was so reminiscent ofHero that he felt his heart lift, a smile form in response.

“Tell me.”

“Oh, Ian … uh, Jace! I can’t believe that youdidn’t realize it, but Kris would have a much harder timemaintaining a platonic relationship with you than he does withme.”

Jace’s mind blanked for a moment before herimplication sank in. “What? You’re jesting.”

Mikah shook her head, laughing again. “I hopeyou’re not homophobic. He truly is my dearest friend. He has beensince grade school.”

“No, not at all.” Jace shook his head inamusement. “I guess it’s a good thing that I decided not to letthat stop me from seeing you. Is it a good thing, Mikah? We havebeen permitted a second chance that few ever have opportunity for.Can you take a leap of faith with me that this is how it was allmeant to be?”

Mikah could have drowned in the intensity ofJace’s dark eyes. There was no pleading there, none of thedesperation she so often felt about all of this. There was justthat eternal calm, that unflappable self-assurance that was so mucha part of the Ian she remembered. He would leave if she said no,Mikah realized. Well, perhaps not right away. He would fight forwhat he wanted because that’s how he was, but he wouldn’t forceher.

He would let the choice be hers.

“When I got back, I worked very hard toconvince myself that that was all it was,” Mikah told him slowly.“That what I had felt was just an echo of her life, her emotions.That it was her life I remembered, not my own.”

“And did ye succeed in that?” He was tensedlike a panther ready to pounce. Balanced on a limb, waiting andwatchful.

Mikah looked into his dark eyes and saw thepower of that timeless love there and felt it in herself. Thiswasn’t Hero’s, it was hers. And it was no use trying to deny it anylonger. “No.”

Fire flamed in his eyes as he strode back toher. His fingers dove into her hair and he forced her head backuntil he was towering over her. “What we carry inside of us isn’ttheirs or ours. It’s always been in our souls and it always willbe, do you understand?”

Mikah nodded.

“Will ye ever try to deny it again?”

“No. Never.”

Jace’s lips took hers ardently, as if hemeant to devour her. His hands fisted in her hair, pulling her headback farther until she was bent back, clinging to him for support,but Mikah didn’t care. Already that familiar passion was racingthrough her veins and she was melting against him. She opened hermouth to him, inviting him deeper with a moan of delight, and felta growl of satisfaction rumble through his chest.

Strong arms drifted down her back until theytightened around her, lifting off her feet as he moved. Mikah feltthe island counter at her back, then he lifted her to the edge.Head spinning deliciously, Mikah wrapped her legs around his waist.She ran her hands over his chest and upward, pushing his jacket offhis shoulders until he shrugged it away. Jace’s hands returned,running over her hips and down her thighs before they slid upwardonce more, raising her hem up along the way. The feel of thosehands, his hands, against her bare flesh drew a low, keening moanfrom deep within her.

He was so real. So very alive. So verypresent.

Her head fell back in surrender, and Jaceseized the invitation, dragging his lips down her neck, sucking,nipping, licking. Mikah ran her hands down his muscular chest oncemore, learning the sharper planes before embracing him, urging himcloser until Jace pressed his hips between her thighs. They moanedin unison at the contact.

Dizzily, Mikah clung to him once more, lostto desire. “Yes,” she whispered throatily. Her fingers fisted inhis hair as Jace nudged her dress from her shoulder, his lipstrailing downward even as his hands crept up. One caught her behindthe knee, lifting her against him. The other tugged down her dressuntil her breast was bared. He curved his palm under it and liftedto his lips.

Mikah gasped as his lips closed over hernipple, suckling gently. “Oh God,” she moaned. “Please,please.”

“Aye, my love,” he murmured against herbreast. Wrapping his arms around her once more, he lifted her.

“Your leg!” she protested.

“Wouldna dare to give out on me now,” hemurmured and carried her through the nearest door and was rewardedwith the site of a bed. He lowered them down while Mikah worked thebuttons of his shirt, spreading her palms across his bare chestwith a hum of appreciation.

Jace shuddered at the contact, and Mikah knewthat his need matched hers. He wanted more. Wanted her naked andwrithing beneath him as badly as she wanted him over her. Rising,he shed his shirt and began to undo his trousers while Mikah pushedher dress down and squirmed out of it. His eyes were black withdesire, burning into hers