A Forbidden Night with a Scot (Sins in a Kilt #1)

Chapter 12

CHAPTER TWELVE

A nother sleepless night, but one Alicia refused to spend tossing and turning in bed. She had quickly figured out there was little point in it, staying supine when sleeping was impossible, and so now she quickly dressed and stared for a moment out of the window into the distance, the land illuminated by a bright, full moon.

It was late and if Alicia knew what was best for her, she would be staying in the castle—reading a book, maybe, or finishing the painting she had long abandoned, but of course, she didn’t know what was best for her. The thought of doing something rebellious, something her father and Samuel would be disapproving of, was too tempting to resist. It was the only thing she still had control over; a little mischief to make her feel like herself again.

A night swim doesnae sound bad at all.

She wasn’t going to be entirely irresponsible, though, not when it could get her into a little too much trouble if something were to happen to her. Before doing anything else, she went into Katherine’s room, slipping quietly inside and closing the door behind her.

The room was dark, nothing but the moonlight and the dying embers of a fire illuminating the place. Her sister must have been asleep for a while now already, she thought, as she approached the bed and gingerly sat at the edge of it, Katherine entirely undisturbed in her deep sleep.

For a moment, Alicia considered letting her sleep, but then placed a hand on Katherine’s shoulder and shook her awake. She opened her eyes with a gasp, flinching at the sudden touch and trying to scrabble away from Alicia, almost falling off the bed before she realized who she was.

“What dae ye want?” Katherine groaned, a hand rubbing her face with a sigh before it ran through her unruly hair, pushing it back from her face. “Ye almost scared me tae death.”

Entirely unapologetic, Alicia said, “I am goin’ tae the loch.”

“Now?” asked Katherine, pushing herself up to her elbows with a frown. “What time is it?”

“Late,” said Alicia. “But I cannae sleep.”

“An’ ye thought ye’d go tae the loch?”

“Aye,” Alicia said, as though it was the most natural thing in the world.

“I’m nae goin’ with ye.”

Alicia rolled her eyes, giving her sister a gentle, playful shove. “I didnae ask ye tae come with me,” she pointed out. “I’m only tellin’ ye in case Faither looks fer me. I dinnae want him tae punish me fer goin’ tae the loch an’ fer disappearin’ without sayin’ a word.”

“Ye woke me up fer this?” Katherine asked and Alicia thought it was a fair question, but one she answered with nothing but a shrug. “I’m never goin’ tae sleep now.”

“Ach, o’ course ye will,” said Alicia, pressing a kiss to Katherine’s cheek before she sprang off the bed and headed to the door. “An’ if ye cannae, ye ken where tae find me.”

Alicia left the room before she could hear Katherine’s reply, knowing it would most likely be a complaint. Now, she had the task of leaving the castle—mostly—undetected. The only people whom she could allow to see her were those she knew would not run to her father and tell him what she was up to, and that left her with very few options. Creeping close to the shadows, Alicia made her way to the back of the castle through the usual passage, the same stairs she had taken when she had returned from the tavern with Katherine and Samuel, hoping that since Samuel had promised not to tell anything to her father, the same guards would be there, at the small back door. Once she got there, though, she realized it wasn’t them, but rather another set of guards, older and most likely far more responsible.

Alicia cursed under her breath. How had Samuel managed to get her father to change the guards without telling him anything about that night?

Faither respects his opinion. If Samuel told him tae change the guards, he would.

Alicia just had to find another way out.

Climbing the walls was impossible; not only were they too high, but they were also guarded, soldiers patrolling at all times of the day. The main door was certainly not an option. That only left her with a side door, one close to the stables. It was a long walk from where she was, a walk through the courtyard, where there were few places for her to hide, and there was no guarantee whoever guarded it would let her pass, but she couldn’t figure out another way.

And then she saw it: a rock on the ground, heavy and big enough to make some noise. Alicia grabbed it, her fingers barely managing to wrap around its circumference, and then gathered all the strength she could muster before throwing it hard at the wall, as far from the small gate as she could.

Just as she had expected, the guards were alarmed by the sudden sound, both of them drawing their swords. One of them quickly rushed to investigate while the other followed at a slower pace, keeping half an eye on the gate.

Dinnae look. Dinnae look.

Alicia waited for the perfect moment, holding her breath. When the two men were far enough from her and neither of them was looking, she broke into a sprint, keeping her footsteps light and silent, and slipped right out of the castle.

Returning might be more difficult, she thought, but that was a problem for a later time. For now, she was free.

The light of the full moon was enough to light Alicia’s way as she moved down the path with the practiced ease of someone who had crossed it hundreds of times before. On horse or on foot, she knew precisely where to step and how fast she could afford to go, where the path was steep and where it was smooth, allowing for fast travel. Half-running and half-walking, she quickly made it to the lake, its waters shimmering under the moonlight.

Just as she had expected, the place was empty at that time of the night, and so she didn’t hesitate before she shed her clothes and jumped into the water with a splash.

Instantly, the cold bit into her skin relentlessly, like a thousand pins digging into her flesh. At the same time, though, the sensation was invigorating, clearing her mind of everything else and leaving behind a calmness she didn’t think she could achieve in any other way. There was nothing but her and the water, the sting of it, the gradual fatigue of her muscles as she swam.

She wished her life could always be like this, without distractions, without worries, despite the knowledge it could never happen. How long did she have until she had to meet Laird MacTavish? Her father could claim that nothing was yet certain, but Alicia already knew what her fate would be; Laird MacTavish would not say no to this marriage.

What if he loves another? Could I ever be so lucky?

But if he loved another, he would have already married her and he would not have reached out to her father for a betrothal. Such wishful thinking only hurt the soul, she thought, making her yearn for something that could never happen.

Submerging her head into the water, Alicia tried to chase those thoughts away once again and replace them with the calm blankness of the first dip. When she broke the surface, she pushed her hair off her face and wiped her eyes as dry as she could, staring up at the full moon and all the little pockmarked details of its surface.

And then the quiet was broken by a noise; footsteps, fast and quickly approaching.

There was no time for Alicia to get out of the water and dress before the intruder reached her. She wondered who it could be at that time of the night; a traveler perhaps? Or could it be a brigand who had spotted her from afar and had now found his chance to attack while she was trapped in the water?

Taking a deep breath, Alicia let herself plunge deeper in the water, only her eyes and the top of her head visible as she tracked the intruder’s movements. She hoped that if she stayed entirely still, she could be hidden in the water even with the light of the full moon above her.

No one could see her like this. She was entirely nude, with nothing nearby to cover herself.

The figure came to a sudden halt at the bank of the lake and Alicia cursed in her head, closing her eyes and dipping even lower in an attempt to remain hidden. Before she could resurface, though, a splash disturbed the waters of the lake and within moments, strong arms were wrapped around her waist, pulling her out of the water as she screamed and thrashed, heart beating like a drum in her chest. Fear gripped her, but she didn’t let it paralyze her. Instead, she fought her captor, water splashing wildly around them as she kicked and punched at him, madly trying to get away.

“It’s me!” the man shouted; a voice familiar even in Alicia’s panic. “It’s me, Samuel!”

At the sound of the name, Alicia stopped struggling and looked, truly looked, at the intruder for the first time. It was indeed Samuel, his blonde hair now wet and sticking to his skin, his blue eyes still bright under the moonlight.

At the recognition, a shiver of a different kind ran down Alicia’s spine. Samuel’s arms were still around her, holding her tightly, and their bodies were pressed from chest to feet, her naked body against his clothed one.

Only his legs were bare as the kilt he wore still floated in the water, not yet fully saturated with it. Alicia could feel the wet slide of his thigh against hers, even against her mound as Samuel hugged her close, his arms enveloping her entirely.

“I thought somethin’ happened tae ye,” he said. “I thought ye were?—”

He didn’t finish his sentence, but Alicia didn’t need him to in order to know what he meant. He thought she was dead, like his wife, like his son in that sea. His relief at finding her alive was so overwhelming that he didn’t even try to push her away, seemingly uncaring of her nudity.

“I’m alright,” she assured him, taking the chance to run a hand through his hair and look in his eyes, tongue darting out to lick her lips. The moonlight highlighted the sharp features of his face—the jawline, the strong nose and high, regal forehead, making him look almost otherworldly, and Alicia couldn’t take his eyes off him. “I’m alright.”

With a grimace, as though it pained him, Samuel wrapped his fingers gently around Alicia’s wrist and removed her hand from his hair. “Alicia, I cannae.”

As he spoke, he made to pull away, but Alicia was quicker, emboldened by the cover of the night and the fact that there was no one else around. She wrapped her arms around Samuel’s neck, swimming close to him once more, and then hooked a leg around his waist for good measure, a soft moan escaping her as her folds brushed against him.

Her need for him was so strong that she didn’t care about anything else. Samuel could push her away, he could reprimand her for this, he could yell at her, he could decide he never wanted to see her again. None of it mattered. After all, he would be leaving the following day and Alicia didn’t know if she would ever see him again.

Surging forward, Alicia pressed her lips desperately against Samuel’s, fully expecting him to push her away, to reject her. What she did not expect was for Samuel to tighten his grip on her, his fingers digging into the soft flesh of her hips as he deepened the kiss, licking just as desperately into her mouth.

It was like a dream, one Alicia could hardly comprehend. Samuel was kissing her; he was touching her, his hands like a lick of flame on her skin, encouraging her to wrap both legs around his waist and grabbing her buttocks when she did. Warmth pooled in Alicia’s core, dripping out of her as her hips sought more friction, her body chasing that pleasurable sensation she had felt at the first brush of his thigh against her.

“I’ve been thinkin’ about ye,” Samuel admitted, mumbling into the kiss. “I’ve been dreamin’ about ye.”

Alicia’s breath hitched at the confession, her heart beating wildly as Samuel hauled her higher up. She shivered as the cold air hit her wet skin, but when Samuel wrapped his lips around her nipple, sucking at the hardened nub, any chill was erased from her mind. Arching her back, Alicia pressed closer and closer, not knowing what she desired the most: the heat of his mouth on her breasts or the brush of his muscled stomach against her mound.

She wanted it all. She wanted Samuel to do everything he had described to her and more.

“Please,” she gasped, not even knowing what she was asking for anymore. “Please, please, Samuel. I’ve wanted ye fer so long. I’ve wanted this fer so long. Make me yers. Take me, I wish tae feel ye, please.”

Samuel groaned, the sound coursing through Alicia, reverberating inside her. “I’ll be so good fer ye,” he promised, one hand moving towards her opening to tease her folds in a way that made her breath catch in her throat. “Is this what ye want? Ye’ve made it so difficult fer me tae resist ye. I’ll give it tae ye then. If ye wish fer it so badly, then I’ll give ye what ye want.”

As he spoke, his fingers rubbed against her, her own slickness and that of the water making for an easy, pleasurable glide. He teased her folds, touching all around her opening but never once breaching her, even as Alicia moved her hips in an attempt to take more. Her efforts only gained her a playful slap to her rear, one that had her stilling for a moment before she groaned deep in her throat and doubled her efforts.

She was entirely lost in her pleasure, nothing else in her mind save for Samuel’s heavy breathing and the feel of him against her, so when he stopped his ministrations, Alicia was confused at first. She frowned as she pulled back enough to look at him, but before she could speak, Samuel pressed his finger over his lips in a shushing gesture.

Then she heard it. There was a sound not too far from them—one that could be from an animal or it could be from a human.

Once again, she froze, moving deeper into the water to hide. The sound repeated itself a few times, like a crunching of leaves and twigs underfoot, before it stopped entirely, but by then, both she and Samuel were too paranoid to stay in the lake.

“We should head back tae the castle,” he said, quickly pulling back from Alicia.

She nodded, swimming to the bank and quickly dressing. Her clothes stuck to her skin and so did her hair, the soaked fabrics uncomfortable and heavy, but she didn’t stop until she was covered from neck to toe. Next to her, Samuel was even more soaked, dripping water everywhere he walked.

What will happen now?

So many things had been left unsaid between them. Would Samuel want to talk to her this time or would he pretend like nothing happened, avoiding her just as he had been all those days?