Page 17 of Highlander's Rebellious Affair
She moaned again, her hands grasped the bedding on the bed as his kisses moved lower, from her neck to her cleavage and down to the soft mound of her breasts. One hand covered her left breast, while his tongue found her right nipple and he latched on to it, gently sucking and giving her pleasure. He moved on to her second nipple and suckled on it before kissing his way further down her body.
Hope shivered on the bed beneath him. Her moans were constant as he kissed his way down her abdomen to her thighs and then her inner thighs. It was like he worshipped her body, mastered it, and took his time to find every angle and curve that brought her pleasure. Hope moaned and thrashed her head from side to side on the bed when his tongue found its way down to her most sensitive spot and pleasured her.
Her legs vibrated on the bed, and his hands moved to her waist so he could steady her as she started to move her hips to the rhythm he set. Then he replaced his tongue with one finger and sent her over the edge.
When her climax was over, he kissed his way up her body again, this time slowly and took her lips for another kiss. She was panting when he pulled back, and looked at her. Her eyes fluttered open and met with his, and she saw his hunger for her even though he did not pleasure himself.
Ian fell to the bed beside her, and gathered her in his arms, tucking her head into his shoulder, he sucked in a deep breath and then placed a kiss on her forehead. Hope sighed, and closed her eyes, and they fell into a blissful sleep in each other’s arms.
* * *
Ian was awake early, but he did not move from where he lay. Having Hope in his arms like this made him feel complete, so he remained there and enjoyed the feel of her soft, supple body pressing against his.
His hands moved over the curve of her hips and up her waist to the side of her breasts and she sighed. He was shivering with the need to take her as he lay by her side, but he had to put a tight rein on his hunger because he couldn’t take her with the same ferocity of the hunger he felt. He had to be gentle with her when he finally claimed her as his, so last night had been about giving her pleasure.
Ian had enjoyed the light sounds of her moans, and the way her back arched when she had reached her peak. Her lips were slightly parted and he could imagine slipping his tongue in and pleasuring her again. He didn’t think he could get tired of it.
She stirred in her sleep and slowly opened her eyes. A smile spread slowly on her lips and Ian reached out and touched her cheeks with his knuckles. “How do ye feel?” he asked her, and she blushed and buried her face in his chest.
He pulled her closer and patted her hair, gently pushing it away from her face so he could behold her beauty. “I feel alive,” she whispered. “I can’t wait to get out there and journey with ye to Galloway.”
Ian smiled. “If ye are up for it, then we leave tomorrow,” he said and her eyes widened. He laughed when he saw how excited she was, and then slipped out of the bed so he could get dressed. “I will see ye soon,” he said and leaned in to place a brief kiss on her lips. “I have to go train in the fields.”
“All right,” Hope replied and he kissed her again, not willing to leave yet. She sighed and opened her mouth so he could taste her properly and desire rushed through his body again. It took a lot of willpower to pull away from her and pick up his boots. He sat on the chair and slipped into them, then walked to the door and gave her one last look before he walked out of her chamber.
Her scent clung to him as he walked toward his chamber so he could clean up and head out to the fields. He would leave for Galloway with Hope tomorrow because he no intentions of leaving with Lyall.
When Ian got to the fields he saw some Drummond men, practicing, with their chests bare, and he joined them. Ian’s plan was to ride alone, so he could stop by Cawdor and take Orlaith with him to Galloway.
13
It was because he couldn’t get Orlaith’s words out of his head. He considered the possibility of there being truth in what she said.Could she really have been my father’s mistress?
He tried to stir up his memory to see if there was a time anything hinting at such a woman’s existence might have reared its head when he was younger, but he could come up with nothing. His best chance was asking his sister, or his father’s friend and his most trusted man back home in Galloway.
Either way, he had to take Orlaith with him. Ian and Hope set out for Galloway the next day as planned and he made mention of his plan to take Orlaith with them to Galloway. Hope was not only pleased with the plan, but also excited. Having her aunt around might help her settle in better, because she had a family member with her.
As they rode toward Cawdor, he could feel the excitement bouncing off her every time she stole a glance at him behind her. When they got to Cawdor and headed for the mountains, it was already dark.
“It will be best we pass the night here with yer aunt and then ride for Galloway tomorrow,” Ian suggested as they neared Orlaith’s cottage. She nodded, and yawned and he knew she was exhausted. Her shoulders sagged and she was leaning into his chest by the time they got to the cottage, already dozing off.
Ian stopped galloping, and dismounted the horse, then he helped Hope dismount, but he didn’t set her on her feet. He carried her to the foot of the stairs of Orlaith’s cottage and then gently put her down so he could climb the stairs and knock on the door.
After two knocks, the door opened, and Orlaith’s bright eyes widened when she saw him. “Ye came back?” she asked and he nodded. She held the door wider for them, and Ian waited for Hope to walk in before he entered the cottage and closed the door behind him.
“We rode to Drummond. Hope and I told her faither of our weddin’.”
“Laird Drummond is a fierce man; how did he react?” Orlaith asked and Ian looked at Hope. He saw the flash of hurt in her eyes at the mention of her father’s name. Watching the Laird hit his daughter had filled Ian with rage and protectiveness toward Hope. He was glad he had finally gotten her out of the Castle, and now with him, she could be free to live a happy life like she wanted.
He had grown up in a Castle too, but his father had never restricted him or his sister, or stopped them from being free. They rode on the moors any time they liked and as they got older, he had allowed them ride to the village and spend time exploring the vast lands of Galloway.
“He was very angry,” Hope replied Orlaith. “He was madder at the fact that I married Ian than at the fact that I went missin’,” she replied and Orlaith hugged her.
“Ye must be so tired from the ride here, and sleepy too,” Orlaith said and led Hope toward the bed. “I will prepare ye a bath in the inner chamber so ye can clean up and rest,” she offered and then walked away, leaving them alone inside the cottage.
Orlaith had a small kitchen stand outside her cottage where she prepared meals, so while she heated up water outside, Hope sat on the bed, and let out an exhausted sigh. She closed her eyes and rubbed the back of her neck with her hands.
Ian moved to her and slowly pulled her to her feet, then he placed his hands on her shoulder and gently massaged, trying to ease up the knots there.
