Page 77 of The Cruel Highlander's Bride
He was still kissing and sucking on her neck, but he wanted her mouth. Even as she made a sound of protest, he removed one hand from her breast and brought it to her chin, gently tilting her head towards him.
When their gazes met, hers glassy and unfocused, he surged forward and kissed her. He let out an involuntary groan when their lips met. Nothing felt better than his wife’s lips against his.
For long moments, they stayed like that, their lips locked together, tongues caressing, but Ciara was squirming against him. Her kisses were getting more desperate, searching, wanting.
Pulling back from their kiss, he took a second to admire her thoroughly kissed lips, before directing her to lean back against his chest once more.
He brought his hands back under the water to her strong thighs. Regular horse riding had made them firm, and he gripped a handful. Using those hands, he spread her legs slowly, to give her time to stop this if she wanted, but she just spread for him.
Starting with soft, teasing touches, he stroked her inner thighs, not yet touching her where she wanted him, but getting closer with each stroke.
When she let out a pained “Please,” he finally brought his fingers to her center and the other hand back to her breast.
As much as he wanted to drag this out, his wife had other ideas. With each movement, she was chasing more, bucking her hips against his hand. Her soft moans grew louder until he was forced to take the hand on her chest and bring it to her mouth, muffling her cries.
“When we get home, I want to hear every sound ye make, wife, but nae here. They dinnae get to hear ye,” he whispered in her ear, nipping the shell.
Her only response was a muffled whimper against his palm.
Her pleasure came fast and hard, her back arching as she mumbled his name against his palm.
“That’s it,” he groaned, pressing more kisses to her neck.
When Ciara rode out the last wave of pleasure, she slumped back against his chest, spent. He lowered his hand from her mouth slowly, instead rubbing soft circles on her arm. A content sigh slipped past her lips, and Magnus smiled against her hair.
The gentle touches lulled his wife to sleep, and he stayed there with her until the water turned cold and their skin pruned. He watched the soft rise and fall of her chest and soaked in her presence.
“Let’s get ye to bed, lass,” he said softly, rousing her the slightest bit so he could slip out from behind her and grab towels.
He scooped her out of the tub with one hand under her knees and the other behind her back, and then dried her off. She protested weakly, but her exhaustion overtook her, and she let him carry her back to their bed for the night.
With a kiss on her forehead, he laid her down on the bed, sliding in right behind her.
“Goodnight,” she mumbled sleepily.
“Goodnight, lass,” Magnus replied, a smile on his face as he fell asleep curled around his wife.
29
“Iken ye’re awake,” Ciara whispered the next morning, her voice groggy.
One of Magnus’s hands was low on her back and moving lower, even as he feigned sleep.
She awoke draped over his chest, the hairs there tickling her cheek. She knew this was not how they fell asleep, but sometime in the night, she must have climbed on top of him. A hint of embarrassment rushed through her at that realization, but she didn’t have the energy or the desire to move.
Truthfully, there was nowhere else she’d rather be.
“I dinnae ken what ye’re talkin’ about,” came Magnus’s gravelly reply.
Ciara laughed but let his hand continue its exploration. Her body stirred under his touch, already wanting more from him. Besides, it seemed a shame that they hadn’t taken advantage of their small bed last night.
She had been so tired from the day in the village yesterday that after their time together in the bath, she’d fallen asleep almost immediately. Despite the small bed, she had slept soundly the whole night, soaking in the warmth of the massive man beside and then under her.
She also imagined it was difficult to feel anything other than total relaxation after a bath like that…
Truly, after their night together and the pleasure he’d brought her, there was no chance for anything other than a peaceful sleep.
“How are ye feelin’ today, lass?” the Laird asked, even as he continued to stroke her skin.
