Page 44 of A Wife for the Highland Villain
Lily followed her gaze. The sky outside was clear, the stars sharp against the darkness of night. She nodded faintly. “Indeed, it didnae.”
Daisy bobbed her head once more and left.
The chamber fell quiet again. Lily sank back against the pillows, her thoughts restless. The memory of Alasdair’s lips on hers rose like a tide. So did her anger.
Anger at him for leaving her without a word.
Anger at herself for allowing him to touch her, to stir feelings she had long since vowed to bury.
No, that could never happen again. And she would make sure of it.
CHAPTER 14
Alasdair wokeup in his chamber with the image of Lily still fresh in his mind.
Heavens.
He saw her when he closed his eyes and felt her mouth against his. He heard the sound of her breath when he pressed her against the wall, and the memory stirred him at once.
He shifted in the bed with a low groan.
Great. Just Great.
He was already rock hard.Painfullyhard. He squeezed his eyes shut and tried to steady his breathing. It did nothing, and the ache only grew stronger, a weight that demanded immediate release.
He thought of her again. The way she opened her mouth when he brushed his fingers across her lips. The way her body shook when he drew her near. The feel of her curves beneath her nightgown. Her hair spilling loose as though it were meant for his hands alone.
His chest rose higher with each thought, and the ache in his groin throbbed like a blistering wound.
He could not bear it. He rose and walked to the bathing chamber. He exhaled and poured water into the tub, watching the steam fill the air. Then, he stripped out of his clothes and stepped in. At first, the heat calmed him, but soon it made him feel worse.
He was hard again, harder still, and he had to clench his jaw. A low sound tore from his throat. His head fell back, and he closed his eyes.
Lily.
He imagined her in the water with him. Her thighs around him. Her lips parting beneath his. Her breath warm against his ear as she begged him not to stop.
A sharp knock sounded at the door, jolting him out of his thoughts.
His chest heaved, and he cleared his throat, watching the door creak open.
Nathan stepped inside and stopped at once. His eyes met Alasdair’s and dropped to the floor immediately. “Apologies, me Laird.”
“‘Tis fine.”
Nathan nodded. “Me Laird, the elders sent word. They said that they will return this afternoon.”
Alasdair dragged his hands from the water and gripped the rim of the tub. “Could they wait until next week? What if Lily is as busy today as she was yesterday?”
Nathan hesitated, then took a step forward. “May I speak freely, me Laird?”
“Aye. Speak.”
Nathan exhaled. “As ye ken, I worked with yer braither.”
“Aye,” Alasdair muttered. “Jeremiah did ken how to deal with them.”
“He did,” Nathan said. “And he learned quickly. At first, he fought them with anger. He thought strength would silence them. But it didnae. It only emboldened them. These people thrive on pride. They take a man’s fire and use it to turn others against him.”
