A Highlander for Christmas (9 page)

When Callum turned his mount around to face her again, her sword slipped from her fingers. He glanced at it, then lifted his eyes to hers. “Are ye injured?”

She blinked as if emerging from a daze. Her breath still came heavy enough to part her lips.

“Are ye hurt?” he demanded again.

She shook her head nae. “Are you?” Her gaze slipped to his thigh. “My deepest apologies for wounding you. I did not know who you were, or—”

“Are ye Duncan Campbell’s niece?” he interrupted.

She either didn’t hear him or chose to ignore his query. “I must find Amish and John. They are old and—”

“Woman,” he cut her off again, this time his voice hard enough to make her blink. “Are ye Argyll’s niece?” When she nodded, his expression went hard. “Where is he?”

She looked around at the fallen, presenting him with the delicacy of her profile. “I had hoped he was here. But he must have run off with one of my sheep.”

A hint of amusement crossed Callum’s expression before he angled his head and barked out another order to the four men around her. “Brodie, check the keep with Angus and Jamie. If ye find Argyll, bring him oot to me.”

“Who are you, that I may properly thank you for aiding me?”

Callum’s gaze swung back to her. For an unsettling instant he lost all ability to reason, save that he knew he would be content to look at her for however many days he had left on the Earth. ’Twas not fear that made her bonny eyes appear so big, but reverence. Admiration from a Campbell! Since he had never saved the life of one before, he was not prepared for her awe. He shifted again, feeling damned uncomfortable and blaming her for it.

“I am Callum MacGregor.” Best to get it over with sooner rather than later, though a part of him regretted having to watch that veneration turn to hatred when he spoke his name aloud. He was not disappointed. Her face paled to such a milky white he thought she might faint dead away and tumble from her horse.

His eyes were usually very quick, and on any other day Callum MacGregor would never have missed an enemy reaching for a weapon. But for a moment her beauty made him forget about fighting and hatred and blood. A moment was all it took for her to slip her hand beneath her belt and retrieve the small dagger she had hidden there.

The glimmer of surprise that sparked Callum’s eyes belied his cold, impassive voice. “Ye have courage to point yer dagger at me.” She swung, and he moved in a blur of speed, yanking her from her horse to his. Pressing her chest to his, he closed his arms around her, pinning her dagger securely behind her back. “Ye insult the laird of the clan MacGregor with such a meager weapon, lass.”

“Let me go, vermin!” she hurled at him and spent the remainder of her energy kicking and wriggling, trying to free herself. “Let me go if you be a man, and let me fight you with my sword.”

Callum glanced at Graham, mirroring the commander’s expression of admiration at her furious promise. She was a fiery, braw lass, something all Highlanders valued.

But she was a Campbell.

“Is Argyll in the keep?” Callum asked her, barely straining a muscle against her attempts to be free of him.

“I told you I don’t know where he is, but when you find him, take him to hell with you!”

Aye, now this was more like the reaction he expected from a Campbell. She was no more innocent than the rest. “Graham, get me some rope. The wench tires me.”

Her fight came to an abrupt halt. She glared up at him with the promise of retribution frosting her eyes. “Will you prove yourself naught but a savage by raping me?”

Briefly, his gaze fell to her lips, then drifted over the rest of her body in a leisurely inspection of her feminine aspects, as if he were considering it. “Woman, I am much more than a savage.”

Her nostrils flared. “I would cut off your—”

Over her shoulder, Callum saw one of her uncle’s men exit from behind the house, cocked bow in hand. He had no time to shield her as the arrow whistled toward them and penetrated her right shoulder, just above her breast. Though it happened within the space of a breath, he watched it pierce her perfect form, watched the breathtaking spark of life grow dull in her eyes. As Graham raced toward the guardsman, Callum’s eyes met hers again when she realized she’d been hit.

“Och, hell.” Her breath was a ragged whisper, sweet against his chin. “That was likely meant for you.”

Lord of Desire

Lord of Temptation

Lord of Seduction

Laird of the Mist

A Highlander Never Surrenders

Ravished by a Highlander

Seduced by a Highlander

Tamed by a Highlander

Conquered by a Highlander

“Top Pick! 4½ stars! Scottish romance at its best: captivating, tender and sensual with characters readers care about. Definitely a keeper”

—
RT Book Reviews
on
Conquered by a Highlander

“Rich, evocative historical detail and enthralling characters fill the pages of this fast-paced tale.”

—
Publishers Weekly
(starred review) on
Conquered by a Highlander

“A winning mix of fascinating history and lush romance…Readers will be captivated by the meticulously accurate historical details…and Connor and Mairi’s searing passion.”

—
Publishers Weekly
(starred review) on
Tamed by a Highlander

“Top Pick! This fast-paced tale of political intrigue populated by sensual characters with deeply rooted senses of honor and loyalty is spellbinding…Top-notch Highland romance!”

—
RT Book Reviews
on
Tamed by a Highlander

“[A] must read…Paula Quinn weaves romance, suspense, and history into a story that unleashes a smoldering desire within the heart of the reader. A breathtaking romance full of history and heart-melting Highlanders.”

—NightOwlReviews.com on
Tamed by a Highlander

“
Seduced by a Highlander
is sparkling, sexy, and seductive! I couldn’t put it down! Paula Quinn is a rising star!”

—Karen Hawkins,
New York Times
bestselling author on
Seduced by a Highlander

“Scottish romance at its very best! Deliciously romantic and sensual, Paula Quinn captures the heart of the Highlands in a tender, passionate romance that you won’t be able to put down.”

—Monica McCarty,
New York Times
bestselling author on
Seduced by a Highlander

“Five Stars! Reviewer’s Recommended Award Winner! Paula Quinn went above and beyond my expectations…With a hero to make a heart sigh and a heroine who can match the hero wit to wit, this story is one I highly recommend adding to your bookshelf.”

—CoffeeTimeRomance.com on
Seduced by a Highlander

“Deftly combines historical fact and powerful romance…Quinn’s seamless prose and passionate storytelling will leave readers hungry for future installments.”

—
Publishers Weekly
(starred review) on
Ravished by a Highlander

“4½ stars! Top Pick! An amazing love story where characters’ deep emotions and sense of honor for their countrymen will enchant readers.”

—
RT Book Reviews
on
Ravished by a Highlander

After a fire consumes the Ellis family fortune, the beautiful and resourceful Miranda finds herself faced with an impossible dilemma: enter a life of petty crime or watch her family succumb to poverty. But once her fiancé learns of her descent into danger—and of the strange, new powers she’s discovered—saving her family may come at the high price of her heart.

When Lord Benjamin Archer’s one chance for redemption is destroyed by corrupt London antiquarian Hector Ellis, he vows to take what Ellis values most—his daughter Miranda. Forced to hide his face behind masks, Archer travels the world hoping to escape the curse that plagues him so that he can finally claim his prize.

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But life has a funny way of giving you exactly what you need when you least expect it. For two new friends enter his life rather unceremoniously when Bell saves them from drowning while they’re drunk. And they encourage Bell to meet Laura, a beautiful, sensual blonde who’s desperately trying to get control of her rebellious but beloved stepson. She needs help controlling that hellion of a boy and Bell decides to offer up his services. But the last thing Bell wants is to get involved with a woman. After one look at her, will it be that simple?

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A devoted spy in service to the Crown, Alex Knight takes his duties very seriously. His latest assignment—to ensure that the incorrigible Fiona remain safely at school—turns out to be far more of a challenge than he expected. After matching wits with the fiery Scottish beauty, he learns that the greatest danger of all…begins with a kiss.

And don’t miss Forever’s e-original anthology, SMALL TOWN CHRISTMAS

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All Ethan Miller wants for Christmas is to celebrate in Bramble, Texas, with family and friends. But when his childhood neighbor, Samantha Henderson, comes home for the holiday, Ethan realizes that the girl next door could be the girl of his dreams.