Among the Heather (The Highlands, #2)

“H-how could I k-know?” I stuttered in shock.

North’s smile stretched into a sexy, wicked grin. “It’s about a melody I can’t get out of my head.”

I frowned, not understanding at all.

He chuckled. “Aria … your name is Aria.”

And an aria was a song. A melody. Oh my god. I felt my cheeks burn with embarrassment and annoyingly, I was flattered. “Oh.”

“Right. Oh.” He smoldered at me and my heart rate picked up. “So, why did you really come here?”

It took me a minute to answer because I was running the lyrics through my head, and they were definitely about sex with me. Specifically, going down on me.

Arousal flushed through my body like liquid lightning, and when North’s expression turned fierce and alert, I knew he could see my chest heaving with shallow breaths.

He looked at me like he wanted to eat me alive.

That, along with the song, bolstered my confidence. “Let’s do it. Let’s have one night together.”

North’s eyes flared and the muscle in his jaw flexed as he stared at me until I wanted to melt into a puddle of embarrassment.

“Or not.” I shrugged like I didn’t care.

Holding my stare, North bridged the distance between us, and my entire being seemed to hum toward him. My legs trembled so badly I wanted to rest my hands on his shoulders for support. Instead, I tried to stay as composed as possible.

“You sure it’s what you want?”

Insecurity pricked at me. “If you want. I mean, if you don’t, we’re cool.”

“Oh, I want,” he growled, and I felt a rush of tingles between my legs in response. “But I want to know exactly what you’re asking of me.”

The thought of laying myself bare to any man would usually have me running in the opposite direction, but North already knew about the insecurities planted by my exes. “I … I want one night. To … to see … I mean … I just … I want to prove to myself that I’m not a terrible lover. That I can feel attractive and s-sexual again.” My cheeks were on fire.

North’s pupils dilated as he leaned into me, his cologne tickling my senses. “We’re going to prove that to you many, many times tonight.”

I sucked in a breath, excitement and nerves thrashing in my stomach.

“Let’s go.” He nodded toward the stairs.

This was it.

I was really doing this.





We thankfully made it to his room without bumping into anyone, and now I wanted the floor to open up and swallow me. After carefully returning his guitar to its case, North turned around and asked me to take off all my clothes.

Swallowing hard, I hid my hands behind my back so he couldn’t see my fingers nervously threading together. “Uh … maybe we could do this without getting undressed.”

“Fuck no,” he said with casual but forceful resolve. “I want you naked.”

I glanced around the room, looking for a means of escape.

North cursed under his breath and then crossed the room to me, drawing my skittish gaze back. Was he already regretting this?

To my surprise, he clasped my face in his palms and shook his head. “I’d like to skin those bastards alive,” he murmured, and I gathered he was referring to my exes. “How can you be so confident in everything else you do but this? It pisses me off.”

“Maybe we shoul—”

“Don’t.” He caressed my cheek with his thumb and then slowly slid his hands down to rest on my neck. Goose bumps prickled in the wake of his touch as he stroked my throat. There was a gentle dominance in his touch that my body definitely liked. “Don’t say we shouldn’t do this. Not if you want it.”

I swallowed hard, and I knew he felt it beneath his hands. “I do want to. I just …”

North leaned in so close his lips almost touched mine. I shivered as he whispered, “Talk to me.”

Be brave.

Be brave!

“I’m afraid if I get undressed, you …” I suddenly wanted to burst into tears, and that wouldn’t do at all. “I can’t.” I pushed away from him and turned toward the door. “I’m sorry, I can’t do this.”

But North was in front of me, blocking my exit. His expression was patient, worried. “I will get out of your way if that’s what you want. But I don’t think it is.”

“North …”

“Talk to me, Aria. Whatever you say won’t ever leave this room. I promise.”

I would not cry. I rarely cried, and I wasn’t about to start now in front of North Hunter. “I’m a mess. This isn’t sexy. Who wants this? No guy wants this.” I moved to shove past him, but he grabbed hold of my biceps, tugging me close. My tears spilled over with no warning, horrifying me. “Let me go!”

“No, I will not let you go when you’re upset.” He crushed me against him, tucking my head into the crook of his neck. “We don’t have to do anything. Okay? Just don’t cry. I can’t stand seeing you cry.” His voice broke with hoarseness, and the sincerity in his words cut through my embarrassment. My fingers clenched into his T-shirt, and I shuddered against him as I tried to get a handle on my emotions.

I didn’t know how long we stood there, but it was long enough for our breathing to slow. North just held me, running a soothing hand up and down my back until I was calm.

“I’m sorry,” I whispered.

“You’ve nothing to apologize for.”

There was something about being held by him, feeling his powerful arms around me, and not having to look him in the eye that made it a little easier this time to admit, “I’m afraid if I get undressed … that you won’t find me attractive anymore.”

North’s arms tightened around me, but he said nothing.

Oh, God, just saying those words had made me unattractive, hadn’t they? “North?”

“I’m sorry. I’m just talking myself out of hunting down your ex-boyfriends and leaving them without the ability to procreate.” His voice trembled with anger.

I smoothed a hand over his hard chest. “They’re not worth it.”

“You’re worth it.”

Surprised by the intensity of his tone, I lifted my head. His expression was so fierce, fury and longing roiling there for all to see. For me to see. “Christ.” His voice was gravelly as he reached up to cup my face. “You don’t even know how beautiful you are, and it kills me.”

Did he really mean that? I fought against the insidious voice in the back of my mind that told me he was tricking me. That his words were a ruse to lower my guard. I mean, what guy would put himself through this for one night of sex? North was a disgraced actor, desperate to get his life back. Finding a way in with me to get to my father, who was influential enough to help him, made much more sense.

I instantly squirmed with guilt at the thought.

A good guy puts himself through this, another voice fought through my panic. I think he might be a good guy. And if he’s not, what’s the worst that could happen? It’s one night, not a relationship.