Page 37 of A Plaid Case of Loving Ye
His eyelid lowered, and when he looked away, his expression was blank once more. “Aye. That’s what healers do. Come along, Relic, let’s change yer nappy and get ye settled for a nap.”
Nicola wasn’t certain what she’d done wrong, but ‘twas impossible to deny her words had hurt him. He made short work of repacking the horses.
He handed Relic to her. “Hold him for a moment, would ye? Just in the crook of yer arm—aye, like that.” Then he swung up into the saddle and reached down toward her.
But when she tried to pass him the sleepy bairn, he shook his head. “Both of ye, Nicola.”
Confused, she placed her hand in his…and sucked in a startled gasp as she seemed to go flying through the air. One moment she was standing on the ground, and then he was settling her in his lap, arranging her gown to drape across the horse’s withers.
The bairn was tucked safely between them, and her arms and shoulders ached less with him supporting the weight. But…
She wassitting on his lap.
Just like last night.
Nay, no’ just like last night. If ye wanted to repeatthat, ye’d need to straddle him.
The way she was feeling right now, she wasn’t up for straddling anything. But…just being this close to him, to his heat, was making her heart race. His scent alone was enough to make her want to nuzzle against him. And when he wrapped his arm around her back to hold the reins, she nearly whimpered.
She wanted him. Wanted to behis.
“Nicola.” There was laughter in his murmur, but she refused to lift her gaze higher than his chin. “Ye’re blushing brightly enough to match yer hair.”
Her breaths were coming faster and faster, but when he placed his hand on her knee, she stopped breathing altogether.
“Relax, love. I ken ye’re sore and tired. Just rest while wee Relic rests. I’ll take care of ye.”
I’ll take care of ye.
Her entire life, Nicola had taken care of others. She was a healer; ‘twas her calling in life. And the thought of taking care of one other person forever sounded exhausting.
But…Ramsay was taking care ofher.
And as Relic made a small noise in his sleep and she cautiously allowed her cheek to rest against Ramsay’s shoulder, she came to an interesting conclusion:
Taking care of one person because ye care about them, is worth it if they care enough about ye to take care of ye in return.
‘Twas convoluted and confusing, and mayhap ‘twould make more sense after a nap.
It didn’t. She woke with drool running down her chin, and when she wiped it, Relic began to stir.
Ramsay was courteous and made no more references to their time together, but held her for the rest of the afternoon. That night, they stayed in a crofter’s barn, where the man’s wife referred to Nicola as “Lady McIlvain” and insisted they take a special sleeping basket her youngest bairn had outgrown.
‘Twas a strange sensation, to fall asleep in a man’s arms, and even stranger to wake in them.
She lay on her side, her head resting on his bicep, her arms encircling the basket the crofter’s wife had gifted them. Inside the flexible sides, Relic was swaddled, happily sucking on two of his fingers, his little lips making the cutest noises.
And Ramsay’s arm was around her waist. In fact, in the moments after she woke, she felt him flex and then stretch, which brought her rear end into contact with his front. And now, thanks to their history, she was absolutely aware of what that thick hardness was which slid along the cleft of her arse.
Just the thought of it being so close set her core aching. Mayhap she was still woozy from sleep, but a rush of liquid heat to her soft and secret places made her moan under her breath and arch her back to press against him once more.
He cursed and rolled away as if she’d burned him, which woke her right up, and to her chagrin, she realized onecouldn’tdie of embarrassment.
Damnation.
Now she was going to have to spend the day carrying on a conversation with him, while she knewheknew she was desperately wanton for him.
Ye lifted yer skirts and climbed atop his cock and rode him hard and fast, with the paltry excuse of it being medically necessary. ‘Tis likely he already kens ye’re desperately wanton.
