Page 28 of Scot of Desire
“Aye,” she said again, nodding. “Was it nae ye and me braither who wanted me tae act a part?” She was challenging him again,her chin lifted high. That sign of strength wasn’t helping. He was picturing kissing the curve of that neck, beneath that perfect chin as he pulled loose the belt of that dressing gown. “I acted the part. I went riding with him, aye.”
“Ye shouldnae go alone with him.” He continued to pursue her around the bath. They ended up both moving faster. “It is nae safe, Ilyssa.”
“Aye, and ye ken what’s safe fer me, dae ye? Ye have a say in what I dae or where I go? Ye are nae me braither, Bran.”
“Believe me, I bloody ken I’m nae.” His gaze shot down her body again. He couldn’t help it. His mind was mad now.
He saw the two of them in his mind’s eye in this bath together. He saw her straddling him, her legs on either side of his hips as he reached down and slipped his fingers inside of her. He could picture the way she would arch her back and moan his name perfectly. He could practically hear now the way she would say it.
“What does that look mean?” She moved faster around the bath. “Bran, what does that look mean?”
“Nothing.” He tore his gaze back to her face. “Just dinnae go riding with him alone again. Yer braither has a plan tae get ye out of this. Fer now, let that play out and dinnae go anywhere alone with Cillian.”
“Why nae? Are ye jealous?”
“What if I am?” His sudden declaration made them both stop. They halted on either side of the bath, staring at one another, both gripping to the rim of the bath.
Bran watched as her full lips fell open wide in shock and color flooded her cheeks.
I shouldnae have said that.
He wished he could claw back the words from the air, stuff them into his mouth and pretend it had never happened, but they had erupted from him uncontrollably.
What dae I dae now?
“Bran…” she whispered, her voice suddenly delicate and quiet. “When ye say jealous…” She closed and parted her lips, clearly uncertain how to finish the sentence.
“Well, we are down the rabbit hole now,” he muttered, more to himself than to her. He rubbed the brow of his nose, closing his eyes tight as the question that drove him wild with jealousy suddenly broke from his lips. “Have ye let him touch ye?”
“Bran!” she declared in outrage and moved around the bath again. Only this time, she seemed to be the one pursuing him, racing after him, as they moved the other way. “How can ye ask me that? How can ye even think –”
“I need tae ken.” He waved his arm madly, as if somehow, it explained everything. “Has he touched ye?”
“Of course, he bloody hasnae,” she said wildly. “Dae ye think I have thought of letting any other man touch me after what ye and I… I mean, what ye…” She waved between them, her feet coming to a stop once more.
They halted, now having swapped positions around the bath.
She is thinking of last night. The way we had nearly kissed.
She covered her face with her hands, hiding from him.
“After what we…?” He pushed her on, desperate to hear the words.
“After what we nearly did.” She lowered her hands and spoke in a rush. “Ye think I could fantasize about letting any other man kiss me? Other than ye?” She gestured toward him.
All walls are down between us now, arenae they?
Bran’s heart thundered in his chest. There was nothing left to be said. All his fears of rejection melted away as he saw the way she was looking at him. Everything had changed.
He moved around the bathtub and this time, to his great relief, Ilyssa made no intimation to move away from him.
“Ilyssa –”
“Bran. Please,” she begged. He heard the plea, certain he knew what it was for.
He took hold of her waist at once, practically encircling it with his fingers, then crashed his lips against her own in a kiss.
Ilyssa was nearly knocked backward by the strength of Bran’s kiss. The knowledge that he was at last kissing her, and the skill he showed, were driving her wild. She was backed up to the edge of the bathtub as their bodies began molding together.
