Page 35 of Sadie's Highlander (Highland Protector 1)

Her foot nearly slipping off the step, Sadie fluttered her fingers against her flaming décolleté.Lord have mercy, I’m on fire. I bet I’m as red as a beet.A quick glance downward confirmed her fears. Her olive-toned skin wasn’t red, but she’d definitely taken on a telltale glow.

“Allow me to help ye.” Alec gallantly took her hand in his and steadied her as she stepped up into the coach.

“Thank you,” Sadie murmured as she settled into the seat and arranged her skirts so there was room for Alec to join her. Her heart pounded out a breathtaking rhythm, whether from the excitement and romance of her first carriage ride or from the certainty that this evening was sure to be one she’d never forget, she didn’t know. Either way, she could hardly catch her breath.Maybe my kirtle’s tied too tight.She wiggled her fingers under the hem of the snug garment and sucked in a lung-expanding breath. Nope. It wasn’t the kirtle. She was high on erotic adrenaline and fantasy overload.

Alec reached across her and pulled the shades down over the windows as he rapped his knuckles against the ceiling of the carriage. When they lurched forward, he nodded first to Esme and then his mother before pulling the shades down on his side of the carriage as well. He leaned back, slid his hand under Sadie’s, and lifted it to his lips. “By coach, we’re nearly an hour’s ride from the castle. If ye’ll recall, the path is narrow, and safety demands we travel verra slowly.”

“An hour?” Sadie snuggled closer, mesmerized by Alec’s lips nibbling a suggestive trail across her palm. “Whatever shall we do to pass the time?”

Moving to her mouth, Alec sucked and nibbled at her bottom lip while his fingers danced a fiery teasing pattern across the bare mounds of her bosoms straining to be free of her dress. His breath was warm against her throat as his tastings moved even lower. “I’m certain we shall think of something to do. Yer fine dress framin’ yer beauty has given me many ideas.” He rained kisses across her collarbone, softly groaning as he nuzzled his face deeper into her cleavage.

Sadie found herself sliding down in the seat until both her feet were comfortably cushioned on the opposite bench. She cradled Alec to her bosoms, arching into his delightful mouth as he slid one hand behind her back and tugged free the laces of her kirtle. The front of her costume obliged by loosening and shifting down to her waist. The chilly air kissed her flesh, puckering her already hardened nipples even tighter.

“Such sweet delights,” Alec murmured as he cupped her breast closer and sucked her nipple deep and hard.

Blissful tingles shot through her with every pull of his mouth. The carriage rocked back and forth, making her ache for more. Sadie slid her hand beneath Alec’s kilt, a surge of hot wetness between her thighs insisting that she hurry. A breathless groan escaped her as she wrapped her fingers around his rock-hard erection and stroked him in time with the sway of the coach.

“I want to taste you,” she whispered, shifting out from under Alec’s mouth and burrowing through the bunched-up material between them to lick her way around the ridge of his engorged head. “And then I want to ride you,” she added right before she took his shaft into her mouth as far as it would go.

Alec groaned, straightening his long legs as much as he could as he stretched across the carriage. He braced his feet on the opposite seat and splayed a hand against each of the walls. “Do as ye will, m’love. Do as ye will.”

Crouching between his bent legs, Sadie squeezed Alec’s ass cheek with one hand as she pumped him with the other. Sucking and licking up and down his shaft in time with her strokes, she shuddered and nearly came herself each time Alec bucked or groaned.

“I can’t wait any longer,” she gasped. Shoving the sagging kirtle out of the way, Sadie slid her fingers along the inside of her skirt’s waistband until she found the cleverly hidden pocket that had been the perfect size for a condom packet. She ripped it open and smoothed it down over Alec’s more-than-ready cock. Climbing up him until her knees were resting on the bench on either side of him, she looped her hands through the straps hanging from the back wall, then smiled down at Alec. “I don’t know what these are here for, but they’re perfect for what I’ve got in mind.”

Alec grinned up at her as he slid his hands up her thighs. He squeezed her ass in both hands, then lunged upward at the same time that he pulled her down, impaling her in the best possible way. “Ride me, love. Ride me hard.”

Hanging on tight to the leather straps, Sadie rocked and swayed, driving his cock even deeper. “Son of a bitch,” she gasped as the ride grew slicker and hotter with her freely flowing juices. The carriage bumped and shuddered across a rough patch of road. “Oh my God,” Sadie groaned as wave after wave of her orgasm crashed across her like a stormy tide.

Alec shouted something in a language that Sadie didn’t understand, but judging from the way he was hanging on and pumping inside her, she had a pretty good idea that he’d just unleashed a damn fine orgasm of his own. He shuddered one last time, then blew out a gasping breath as he shifted backward to a seated position on the bench, one arm tight around Sadie, pulling her with him and keeping himself well buried inside her. He nuzzled his face into her neck, kissing and panting against her throat. “I firmly believe we should wear these period clothes at all times. Do ye agree?”

A giggle escaped Sadie as she cuddled tight against his chest and softly kissed the salty-sweet skin of his neck. “They’re definitely easy access. Those Scots knew what they were doing back in those days.”

She purred out a happy sigh. Was there anything better than spending the after-orgasm glow lying on top of your man’s chest and feeling him still hot and heavy inside you? Drowsy and contented with deliciously satisfied exhaustion, Sadie vaguely noticed the motion of the carriage slowing. She didn’t rouse from Alec’s embrace nor bother opening her eyes. If the carriage was slowing, they’d probably reached the part of the path that was extremely narrow. That also meant their final destination wasn’t very much farther—fifteen or twenty minutes, tops.

“I guess we need to think about getting dressed so we don’t shock your brother.” She didn’t really want to move. Maybe Alec would have an alternate plan. After all, the man excelled in creativity.

His arms tightened around her and his honeyed voice rumbled with an even more seductive tone. “Ramsay will park the carriage in the bailey, unhook the horses, and see that they’re fed and stabled. Then he’ll go find Hamish in the owlery.” Alec kissed the top of her head. “We can stay in the carriage all night if ye like, but I believe ye might enjoy a tour of the castle—and some of the comforts to be found inside it,” he added in a deep, throaty whisper. “Who’s t’say? We might even give ye a few more ideas for those lovely scenes ye owe yer sister.”

Sadie sat upright and wiggled her dress back up in place. Holding the bodice tight against her bosoms, she leaned forward a bit and turned. “Tie me up, would you?” Then a fit of giggles escaped the fingers she clamped across her mouth.

Pulling the laces of her kirtle tight and tying them with a gentle jerk, Alec completely failed at glaring at her with a mock-stern expression. “And would ye mind tellin’ me what ye find so amusing?”

“Nothing. I’m just a bit giddy from the afterglow, I guess.” Alec obviously hadn’t read some of the books she’d enjoyed and had no idea about the double connotation of “tie me up.” Fodder for another evening, perhaps? Sadie pecked a kiss to the end of his nose, then reluctantly dismounted and slid to the bench.

The carriage came to a halt with a creaking groan and the cheerful rattling of the horses’ bridles and reins. A solid thud hit the door, then Ramsay shouted from the other side, “Make yerselves decent whilst I unhook the horses and see to their feed. Then I’ll be off and ye can carry on with the enjoyin’ of yer evenin’.” His rumbling chuckle sounded a bit farther away when he called out, “Although if ye enjoy yerselves verra much more, I’ll surely be meetin’ a wee niece or nephew by springtime.”

Sadie pressed both hands to her flaming cheeks and whispered, “Do you think he heard us? I thought the creaks and rattling from the coach would camouflage any…uhm…noises.”

Alec smiled and raked his fingers back through his hair, then shook out the folds of his kilt. “Ramsay has the hearing of a wolf. I guarantee he heard us.” He leaned forward, tucked a knuckle under her chin, then lifted her face to his. “And I also guarantee that I dinna give a sweet damn if all North Carolina heard us.”

“Me neither,” Sadie murmured as she wrapped her arms around Alec’s neck and leaned back, pulling him over with her. “How about if we make a little more noise until it’s time to go inside?” No matter how many times or how hard she’d come, just the sight of Alec made her hungry for more.

“A fine idea, lass,” Alec rumbled as he shoved her skirts back up around her waist and knelt between her knees. “A fine idea, indeed.”

Chapter 18

He’d have to remember to properly thank Ramsay once they returned home. Whilst Alec and Sadie were otherwise occupied in the confines of the coach, Ramsay had ensured that the main dining room, the kitchen, and several of the bedrooms had healthy fires roaring in their hearths. His thoughtful brother had also taken the time to unload the carriage and neatly stack all the necessities they’d packed on one of the long trestle tables that sat at the back wall of the chieftain’s meeting room.

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