Tess and the Highlander Read Free Page B

with the quickness of a cat. Colin stared at his own dagger,
drawn and ready in her hand.
    “I believe that dirk belongs to me,” he said
calmly.
    She waved the weapon at him in a motion that he
understood meant that she wanted him to back away. He didn’t want
her any more frightened than she was, but he was as far away as he
could get. Sitting in the dim light against the far wall, he had
seen her enter, only to slip on some of the seashells that
cluttered the room. She had been lucky to not crack her head.
    “Why don’t you put that weapon down.” He leaned
casually against the wall.
    She raised her elbow a little, ready to strike, and
took a step toward the stairs.
    Colin tore his gaze away from the dagger and studied
the rest of her. She was the same woman that he had seen by the
tidal pool. The same dark eyes sparkled in the growing firelight.
But her face was stained with streaks of dirt, and in the dim light
of the room, all he could see was that she was young…well, younger
than he was. Her dark hair was soaked and a loose braid lay on her
back like a thick rope. The woolen dress that she had no doubt spun
and woven and sewn herself was also dripping wet. She was a wee
thing, all in all, and Colin knew he could overpower her if he
really wanted to. But despite the show of toughness, she was
shivering and pale. Colin frowned, knowing that because of him
she’d been forced to stay outside.
    “I had no intention of frightening you.”
    He raised both hands so she could see he was not
armed. She continued to inch toward the steps. Colin could see that
she wasn’t too steady on her feet. He straightened from the wall.
The continuing storm was whistling in through the slits of the
windows.
    “Listen, you rescued me yourself. You know I was
washed ashore. Alone.” He kept his tone gentle. “You’ll surely
catch your death in this weather, dressed in those wet
clothes.”
    Her foot went out from beneath her as she slipped
again on the same damn shells, and Colin closed the distance
between them. Before he could lend a hand to her, though, she
rolled to her side and slashed at him with the dirk.
    “Bloody hell,” he cursed, glancing down at the torn
sleeve of his shirt where the dagger had sliced through. His tone
reflected his rising temper. She’d barely missed cutting his flesh.
“I told you I mean no harm.”
    She was struggling to her feet, but he was through
trying to help her. Taking one quick step, Colin kicked the dagger
out of her hand. The weapon clattered loudly against the stone
wall.
    “But you cannot expect me to take it kindly when
someone steals my dirk and uses it against me.” He grabbed the back
of her dress and yanked her slight frame to her feet. She was as
light and helpless as a rag doll. He turned her around in his arm,
so he could take a better look at her face. She hadn’t spoken a
word. Maybe she didn’t understand what he was saying. “Now let’s
start from the beginning, lass.”
    She kicked him hard on the shin.
    “By the devil!” He tightened his grip on her
shoulder. “I told you…”
    She delivered a glancing jab to his face and tried
to push away from him. Angry now, he twisted one of her arms behind
her and pulled her roughly against his body. The dark eyes were
spitting fire at him, and she looked like she’d bite him if she got
the chance.
    “Now listen, I don’t know what has you so…”
    Her knee connected solidly and viciously with his
groin area. He gasped for breath, and his hands released her.
    As Colin tried to catch his breath, he saw her run
down the steps and heard the door bang open. Suddenly, he’d lost
all interest in going after her. She was a witch, a devil, a
madwoman.
    Nonetheless, she had managed to drag him out of the
water, and he felt a pang of guilt.
    Grimacing with pain, he forced himself upright and
took a step. Limping down the stairs, he spotted the leather cloak
that still hung on a peg. This was the same one she had been
wearing