Timeless

Chapter Thirteen

Chapter 13

Ri woke the next morning feeling warmer and more safe than she could ever remember feeling in her life. She wasn't quite surprised when she opened her eyes and found herself held tightly to Shaw's chest. But she was inexplicitly angry that, as close as they were, as naked as they both were, she couldn't bring herself to pull away. So much so that, an hour later, when Shaw finally stirred and opened his eyes, she was glaring furiously up at him, still pressed firmly against him.

"Lass?" He seemed relieved, but Ri was gratified to see a tinge of weariness in his eyes. "What's wrong?"

"Why are you cuddling me?" She arched a brow.

"Ye swam, I still doona ken how but ye did, all the way from the ship tae the beach, against the current, and in freezing cold water. Ye were near frozen solid, passed out in my arms, and wouldna stop shivering. Ye needed heat. Twas the quickest way tae provide it." Shaw's weariness eased, replaced by amusement. He held her closer, and Ri grit her teeth to suppress a moan. Sexual heat pooled in her abdomen, had been building, she assumed, throughout the night due to the closeness of their nude bodies.

"I ran into some trouble. My escape plan backfired, I had to improvise. Sorry about your . . . Uncle, I guess." Since she didn't seem to want to stop him, she tried distraction.

"Better he than ye." Shaw nuzzled her cheek and neck, making no attempt to hide his relief. "Ye'll tell me about that later. For now," he slung her leg over his hip, pressing against her as he shifted their position so that he was stretched over her, braced so that he didn't crush her. "I've wanted ye e'er since I first saw ye. Actually, e'er since I first saw ye fight, tae be honest."

"Ah, yes, because nothing says sexy like a girl doused in the blood of her enemies," Ri cleared her throat. Swallowed hard when Shaw chuckled, making his abdomen, and various attached parts she'd prefer not to speculate on, move in an . . . interesting way.

"Aye, tae an extent. But mostly twas yer spirit, yer grace and yer wit. Twas nay something I'd e'er seen afore. Ye were . . . different, than anything I'd e'er kenned."

"Even when I threatened to maim you if you ever touched me? Which, by the way . . ." Ri arched a brow, indicating their entangled limbs.

"Worth it," Shaw kissed her, thoroughly. She could feel his heart thudding with hers they were pressed so tightly together, blah, blah, blah and all of that other romantic crap. Honestly, Ri really wasn't paying attention. She was just . . . floating. Enjoying the warm fuzzies and tingles the contact caused and the complete emptiness that accompanied her being lost in the moment. And (as much as she hated fluff like that, she had to admit it was true) in him.

"I'll nay take ye unless ye want me tae." Shaw assured her when they came up for air. "But I'm verra much hoping ye'll put me out of my misery soon." He pressed closer and Ri couldn't stop herself from arching up into him. She let out a gasp, but managed to bite back another moan. Shaw kissed her collarbone and the hollow of her throat, then twisted them around until he lay on his back, Ri straddling his hips. "Yer in control, Ri. As always." His smirk said that wasn't quite true, but he wasn't lying either.

This was new for Ri. She had experience with arousal, she'd touched male genitalia ("Oh for gods' sakes, penis! Can't even think the word," she thought, chastising herself), but other than that . . . She'd fought hard, through everything she'd been through, to hold on to her virginity. She wasn't saving herself for marriage, but she was determined to choose when and where she lost it, and to whom. Shaw was definitely a contender. The only contender, really. And Ri was seriously considering awarding him the prize.