Page 37 of The Irresistible Warrior
“A hasty poke, but no less satisfying,” he whispered near her ear.
“You’ll make sure of that?” she teased, though he didn’t have to since her body rippled with passion from his kiss and nibbles alone.
He lifted his head, his brow narrowed and his eyes heated blue. “Always, wife. Always.”
She shuddered at the intensity of his response as she joined his hands in shoving their garments out of the way. And she barely spread her legs when he swiftly entered her.
She welcomed him with a gasp of pleasure as if he had been gone too long from her and his return stole her breath. He belonged there inside her, moving with strength and a rhythm that commanded yet gave more than he demanded.
Her passion had her responding in kind, commanding in her own way, letting him know she wanted all the pleasure he could give her, all the pleasure they could share. It felt so incredibly good that Aura was glad her husband set a rhythm that allowed them to linger and their passion to build slowly, until…
There was no waiting, passion took command, turned the rhythm fast, the thrusts harder until Aura shattered, exploding with pleasure. She bit down on her lower lip when she would have preferred to scream out Declan’s name, but she feared her cries of pleasure would echo throughout the village.
Declan contained his groan as well as he emptied into her, leaving a part of himself with her, always with her.
He rolled off her onto his back, though he took hold of her hand. He turned his head toward her and smiled. “Your bottom lip looks like it took a hard blow.”
Her fingers went to feel it, and she cringed. “I couldn’t very well let the whole village hear my cries of pleasure.”
“Why not?” he asked with feigned ignorance, then chuckled. “At least they would know I’m working hard at making sure the clan will have an heir to lead them.”
Aura gasped and her hand went to her stomach and her eyes to the lone shelf where only a couple of crocks sat, not having time to completely settle into her work cottage.
“I should have taken something to prevent that until your problem could be solved.”
He turned on his side. “What does it matter? We are wed and will stay wed and it is only natural that a bairn would follow.” His brow scrunched. “Unless… like never thinking you would marry, you never gave thought to having bairns?”
Her smile spread wide. “Nay, not at all. I loved having siblings and I, out of the three of us, was the one who insisted would have the most bairns.”
“I can make that happen,” he said with a wicked smiled, “with your help, of course.”
Her smile turned soft. “I have known moments of happiness and contentment, but here now with you, wed, knowing we have more days ahead to share, fills me with a happiness I never thought possible.”
He kissed her cheek. “That makes two of us. Never had I thought to find a woman I could not only love deeply but that I could find such rich happiness with.”
Aura turned to rest against him, and they lay enjoying the quiet moment together.
A knock at the door broke the quiet, firm and insistent.
Aura sat up as Declan swung his legs off the bed and crossed the room, pulling the door open. Hamish stood there, his expression tight, worry shadowing his eyes.
“You’re needed at the keep,” he said, his voice low. His gaze moving between them before adding, “Both of you.”
Declan’s shoulders tensed. “What’s wrong?”
Hamish hesitated, then stepped inside as if to be certain no one else could overhear. “Cleric William from Donchill Abbey is here. He says he’s come to wed you.”
The air in the room seemed to still. Declan shook his head. “That’s impossible. The cleric was already here. We are wed.”
Hamish met his gaze evenly. “Cleric William claims Donchill Abbey received my request for a cleric, and no other, and he was sent here by Abbott Bennet.”
Declan’s brow furrowed, confusion giving way to something darker. “If not a cleric… then who?”
Aura’s breath caught. The answer slid from her lips in a whisper, chilling the room.
“A warlock.”
CHAPTER 17
