Page 74 of Highlander Lord Of Vengeance

“In everyone’s eyes we are and tonight the only eyes that matter, are yours and mine. But if it eases your worries—” He took her hand in his.

She pulled it away. “If we are to claim vows, I want it done the proper way for all to see and know we chose this. I do not want to take any chance of someone claiming it invalid and separating us.”

“That will never happen,” he said so fiercely that it caused Esme to step away from him.

Ryland reached out slowly, his arm going around her waist to ease her toward him. “I am not Torrance, but I am fierce and will remain so with anyone who attempts to take you from me. I love you, Esme. Trust me, I will never hurt you.”

She leaned into him. “It is going to take time for me not to hear or see Torrance in you, especially since the façade must continue.”

“But not when we’re alone. When we are alone, we can love freely.”

“I am not sure I know how to do that since with Torrance coupling was a duty,” she said.

“With me it will never be a duty. You will realize soon enough that making love is something we both want, enjoy, and cherish.”

“That sounds quite pleasant.”

He smiled. “It is more than quite pleasant, and I can assure you that once you realize it, you will pester me to make love to you often.”

She chuckled. “Are you bragging about your prowess in bed, my lord?”

“I could but I’d rather show you.”

The way he attempted to ease her worry with a light teasing nature, so far removed from Torrance’s cruelty, that it touched her heart.

He brushed his lips over hers. “Let me love you, Esme.”

She returned his faint kiss. “Aye, Ryland, I want you to love me.”

He went to remove her garments again and her hand stilled him again.

“Trust me,” he whispered. “We make new memories tonight.”

His remark startled her. He was right. They needed to make their own memories, and her hand fell off his, and he gently disrobed her.

CHAPTER 21

Esme shivered once she was naked even though the heat from the hearth caressed her body. She couldn’t help but feel vulnerable, never having recalled ever being completely naked and certainly not in front of anyone. But then her attention was caught by how easily Ryland shed his garments in front of her. There was no hesitation in his movements, no doubt in his eyes, and for some reason that eased her worry.

When he stood naked, he immediately reached out and drew her slowly against him. She shivered again when their flesh touched, she was so shocked by how warm he felt. Her nipples tightened against his chest and when his hand caressed along her back down to her backside to give it a gentle squeeze, she felt herself grow damp between her legs.

“I love the feel of you,” he whispered close to her ear.

Tingles ran through her from his warm breath faintly brushing her cheek. And she felt an overpowering need to touch him, but Torrance always warned her she was not to touch him without permission, but he wasn’t Torrance. Cautiously, as if she expected to be admonished, she let her hand roam over his back.

Warm, smooth, hard muscles that felt good to the touch and she smiled when she felt him shiver.

“Let’s explore,” he said and scooped her up in his arms and carried her to the bed in the alcove behind the curtain.

He laid her down, drew the curtain aside so the fire’s heat could reach them, then joined her lying on his side next to her. “We will get to know each other. I want to see and touch every part of you, and I want you to know you can do the same to me when you’re ready, when you feel comfortable doing so.”

He kissed her, needing no response, knowing she was unsure yet willing to make new memories. And he intended to make a lot of new memories with her.

His kiss was tender, loving, purposeful, and Esme loved it, loved how he did what he could to make her feel comfortable, desirable, loved. She had never felt that before now. His hand began to roam over her body, his touch light as a feather, but it was when his mouth settled on her nipple that her passion struck hard and fast. And when he finished with one, he tasted the other and by then she was moaning with pleasure. And his hand? Good, Lord, he worked magic with his hand. He roamed and caressed intimate places she had never touched, having been told to touch herself was sinful. But his touch was anything but sinful… it was amazing.

The desire to touch him had her shifting and realizing what she intended to do, Ryland moved, freeing her hand to slip down and settle on his manhood, and her unexpected but welcome touch elicited a moan from him.

Her hand froze where it was. “I hurt you.”

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