Page 37 of Bride of the Beastly Laird

But still he cautioned. “What if ye became with child? What would the laird have tae say if ye were bearing a babe? He is ruthless enough tae take both yer life and that of yer babe.”

She lay back, breathing deeply, her legs slightly apart like a wild spirit of the loch who had come to land.

With a moan he rolled onto his back beside her. “Ye cannae ken, Dahlia, what it means tae me tae be here with ye like this. I’ve dreamed of nothing else fer four years than tae take ye in me arms and make love tae ye. I’ve nae looked at another lassie since I first saw ye.”

She sat up suddenly. “Four years?” Her voice trailed off in confusion.

“Aye. Four long years.”

Seizing his arm, she gazed deep into his green-gold eyes, searching for something there that would guide her thoughts. “Are ye saying ye saw me first four years ago?”

He nodded.

“Then if ye first saw me four years ago, when I was held prisoner by James Mackinnon, ye must have been at the castle also.”

She toyed with a lock of hair falling over his face, her fingers tracing the scar across his chest. “I hated the guards and I hated everyone at Castle Mackinnon. Except fer…”

He studied her, saying nothing. “Ye were Black-Mask.” She blinked tears away. “The one person who showed me any kindness. A man who risked his life fer me. And…” she focused her attention on the scar, “a courageous man who took a grave wound across his chest while he was doing his best tae rescue me.”

He nodded thoughtfully.

“Why did ye nae say something?”

“Our lives are complicated enough. I didnae wish ye tae feel a sense of obligation tae me. I wanted tae earn yer good regard without burdening ye with gratitude.”

She lay down, her hair spread around her in a silvery cascade. “I want ye, Arran. And there’s nae a hint of gratitude in me wanting. I want the kisses and the handling and ye inside me.”

He leaned over her chuckling. “How can I refuse ye when it’s all I’ve been dreaming about fer so long?” He lowered his mouth to hers and was lost in the taste of her and her rose petal scent.

“Now I want ye tae dae that thing ye dae tae me nipples.”

“Happy tae oblige.” He leaned in, cupping her rosy-tipped breasts, taking the puckered nub in his mouth.

“Och, aye.” She cried out, her head thrashing amongst the bracken. “When ye dae that tae me I feel it here.” She took his had in hers and placed it between her thighs.

He groaned, stroking her plump mound, noting the slickness of the pale hair curling there. She was wet and ready for him, her nether-lips swollen, her hips moving under his hand.

With her nipple in his mouth offering him succor, he slid his fingers lower, opening her damp folds to his intrusion.

She cried out as his finger entered her, his thumb working her little hard bud, and he slid a second finger inside her.

“Dear God in heaven, and all the saints.” She moaned loudly as he lowered his mouth from her nipple to the place between her thighs. “I didnae ken it could feel like this.”

Now she was pumping her hips against his mouth as his tongue laved her, and small incoherent cries issued from her lips. Her eyes were closed and it was not long before he could see she was close to her climax.

Her legs bent, she reached up to seize him by the shoulders, her fingernails raking his back as she spasmed again and again. He felt her inside muscles gripping his fingers as he rode her hips with his hand while she cried his name, head thrown back, eyes tightly closed.

As the storm slowly settled, Arran gritted his teeth against his own overarching need for her. When she opened her eyes, she regarded him with something like wonder.

She snuggled her head onto his shoulder. “I had nay idea,” she said in a small voice.

“Och lass. There are many delights yet tae come fer us both. But what we must dae is find a way out of our predicament. Before we can be safe together, I must find me maither.”

He stroked strands of her silvery hair.

“What I’ve been engaged in fer some time now is secretly meeting with farmers and peasants who work the area around the castle. Someone must know where she’s being held and I intend tae find her.”

“But now ye’ve been tasked with guarding me, so ye’ll nae have time enough to roam the countryside in search of her.”

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