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“Because of the oath?”
“The oath made official what we already were.” His fingers closed loosely around mine. “Those men are my brothers, Isabella. You don’t leave a brother to rot in another country.”
What hit me hard wasn’t the brutality of the ritual, but the choice behind it. Those men had chosen to bind themselves to one another as brothers, and they would die for each other.
Lachlan’s attention dropped to our joined hands before slowly lifting to my mouth.
The intent in that look was unmistakable.
Chapter twenty-five
This time, there was no blindfold between us, no dungeon surrounding us, and no approaching footsteps forcing either of us to stop.
Only a few inches remained between his mouth and mine.
He leaned closer, slowly enough that I could have moved away.
But I didn’t.
His eyes lifted to mine and held there.
I released his hand and slid mine up around the back of his neck, drawing him the rest of the way to me.
His mouth met mine.
The first touch was surprisingly gentle.
Warm lips. Rough beard against my skin. His large hand closed around my jaw, holding me exactly where he wanted me while the last of his restraint still held.
So I opened my mouth beneath his.
“Good girl,” he murmured against my lips.
Those two words went straight between my legs.
Then the last of his restraint disappeared.
His fingers slid into my hair and tightened, angling my head as his tongue swept over mine. Sweet Jesus, the man could kiss. I’d spent far too much time wondering what it would feel like to have Lachlan take my mouth, and I’d seriously underestimated the experience. Heat tore through me so fast it melted my bones, settling into a deep ache between my legs. I fisted his hair and kissed him back with everything I had.
His other hand found my waist.
The instant his palm touched bare skin beneath my shirt, my entire body seemed to come alive under his hand.
God.
I had imagined those hands on me while he was kneeling at my feet only minutes ago. The reality was much worse for my ability to think.
Lachlan stepped between my knees, bringing his body closer. I slid toward the edge of the boulder until his hips were nearly against my center.
His mouth left mine only long enough to drag along my jaw.
“You sure know how to complicate a morning, Mouse.”
I smiled against his cheek. “You were doing a perfectly good job of that before I got involved.”
“Aye. Then you decided to help.”
“You make that sound unwise.”
