Marti Talbotts Highlander Series 1 - Anna Rachel u Charlet

across it and the sun was high. She remembered something about cold water, feeling his skin and him putting his cheek next to hers. Then her eyes widened. “I am naked!”
    “It could not be helped.” He was so happy she was not witless, he couldn’t help but smile. After she finally went to sleep, he constantly touched her cheek or watched the plaids move up and down with her breathing to make sure she was alive. Not until he was convinced she would not die, did he turn his attention to feeding her when she woke up.
    “Kevin will kill you for this.”
    “Aye, right after he thanks me. Are you hungry?”
    “Of course I am. I have not eaten in weeks. Where are my clothes ?”
    “You are wearing them, though not in the usual way.”
    Holding the plaid up to her neck, she struggled and finally sat up. “You looked!”
    “I tried not to.”
    She was disgusted. “You tried not to.” She glanced around looking for her long, white shirt. When she didn’t see it, she lifted the plaids and looked around inside. Finally finding it, she yanked it out and glared. “Turn your back.”
    “If it pleases you.” He flipped another fish, moved around to the other side of the fire and turned his back. Bridget came up with a whole new string of hostile things to call him. Pig-headed was his favorite -- arrogant was good, but then she called him a truly insul ting name. She said he was worse than an Englishman. He would remember that and return the favor someday. But then she got quiet and he was tempted to turn around.
    “Blair.”
    “What?”
    “I cannot ...”
    “You cannot what?”
    “I cannot pleat this thing, my arms hurts too much.”
    “Would you like my help?”
    She raised her voice again. “Of course I want your help; you are the only other person here!”
    He moved the fish away from the fire and went to her. She had her plaid around her waist and was holding her belt. Now what was he going to do? He should have watched Kevin do it. Surely, it wasn’t any more complicated than pleating his own, but... He took the belt out of her hand, wrapped it around her waist and tied it. Then he got down on one knee and started tucking the pl eats under the belt one by one.
    She tried hard not to like the nearness of him, but it was a battle she wasn’t sure she could win. She also tried not to look at his wavy blond hair or want to run her fingers through it. She closed her eyes and remembered the feel of his arms around he r and the softness of his kiss.
    He stopped and looked up at her. “Kevin said when Anna has trouble with her plaid, he holds her and kisses her so she will relax.”
    She thought it was a great idea, but she was still mad at him for taking all her clothes off. She narrowed her eyes. “You can forget the holding and kissing part.”
    “Then relax. I have never done this before and your tense muscles are not helping. I will not touch you anymore than I have to.” Blair finished the front, turned her around and tackled the back, but soon he realized he was running out of material, had to pull some of the pleats back out and start over.
    “Where are my shoes?”
    “By the fire.”
    Finally finished, he stood back up. “Let me see your arm. It was bleeding a little the last time I looked.” He examined it and so did she, holding it out a nd looking over her shoulder. “‘ Tis much better. The swelling has gone down. Come, I will feed you.”
    She followed him, sat down near the fire, watched him move a fish closer to her, open it and carefully pull out the bones. Then he cut it into manageable pieces with his dagger. It smelled wonderful. She touched part with her finger, decided it was not too hot and began to eat, careful to pe el the meat off the skin first.

    Blair had just finished his meal when he felt movement in the ground. They were out in the open with no place to hide and riders were coming. She felt it too and started to rise, just as he whistled for his horse , and got to his feet. The horse came quickly, but the riders were coming faster. He swung up on the horse’s back, grabbed Bridget around the waist and pulled her up. But when he glanced back, the riders were wearing Cameron plaids. He closed his eyes and released the breath he was holding.
    It was the first time she had done it, but Bridget turned until her back was against him and put her arms on top of the arm he had around her waist. She felt him tighten his hold just a little as though he approved. She too knew