Page 41 of Hunting for a Highlander (Highland Brides 8)

Swallowing, she lowered her head again, and admitted, “He caught me outside walking the shore the one day, a month and a half ago, and tried to . . . force the issue.”

Geordie stiffened. He understood exactly what she meant by force the issue. Brodie had tried to rape her to force a wedding. Rage coursed through him at the thought of anyone touching his Dwyn.

“He would have succeeded too if Angus and Barra hadn’t been there,” she said grimly, and explained, “My hounds had chased off into the woods after a rabbit just minutes before he arrived, but heard me scream and came back. They got in a couple of good bites before I called them off.” She lowered her head unhappily. “He was bleeding and furious when he climbed back up on his horse, and he said he would marry me. One way or another he’d have Innes and me, and when he did he’d make me pay for what me dogs had done to him.”

Shaking her head, she raised her gaze to his. “He was raving mad, Geordie, and even foaming at the mouth with it. He’ll no’ let Innes, or the opportunity to punish me, go so easily. Once he hears I am married, I think he’ll attack Innes. That is what ye’re in for do ye marry me.”

Sighing, Geordie set down the meat he hadn’t taken even a bite of, and moved over to step between her legs and wrap his arms around her. Pressing her head to his chest, he kissed the top of her hair, and said, “Dwyn . . . we are married. Why do ye think yer sisters were moved to another room and I was allowed to help ye with yer bath?”

She pulled back sharply and stared up at him. “Da knows we’re . . . ?”

“They all know,” he assured her. “We were supposed to marry at the feast that was planned for tonight. Then ye got sick and it had to be delayed.” He grimaced. “I only agreed to the delay because we were no’ sure ye’d be up to standing for the ceremony after being so sick. But I knew when I went below after we woke up that since we slept all day today, we’d most like be awake well into the night. And I knew I would no’ be able to resist ye. So, I told them while I was below that I was handfasting with ye tonight and we’d have the ceremony tomorrow.” He kissed her nose. “Yer da agreed.”

“Oh,” Dwyn breathed, looking surprised.

“So,” Geordie said now. “Even if ye still do no’ agree we’re handfasted, I plan to marry ye all o’er again tomorrow in front o’ the priest, me family and witnesses.”

“But what about Brodie?” she asked with a frown.

Geordie caught her face in his hands and tipped it up so their gazes met. “I’m no’ afraid o’ Brodie, lass. And you should no’ be either. Remember, you and Innes now have eight powerful clans at yer back. Brodie would be a fool to attack.”

He started to lower his head to kiss her then, but she stopped him with a hand to his chest.

“I ken ye think ’twill be all right, Geordie, but there’s something wrong with the man. The things he was saying when he attacked me . . .” Her mouth tightened. “There’s something wrong in his head. He’ll no’ fight fair and come straight at us.”

“Lass,” he began soothingly, but Dwyn shook her head.

“Nay, Geordie, ye need to listen. He was twisted in the head ere the dogs attacked him, but surely it will be worse now. Ye need to ken what Angus and Barra did. They—”

“Hush,” he murmured, placing a finger over her mouth. “Ye have me now. All will be well. I promise.” He sealed that vow with a kiss.

For the first time, Dwyn didn’t respond at once to the caress and he could almost hear the worry chasing around in her head. Displeased that anyone could come between them, Geordie redoubled his efforts to gain a response from her. Thrusting his tongue into her mouth, he found her breasts and began to caress and palm and fondle them.

Much to his relief, Dwyn finally moaned and began to kiss him back. The moment she did, Geordie released one breast to snake his hand down between her legs and begin stoking the fire there. Dwyn immediately gasped into his mouth, and reached down to clutch his hand, pushing it tighter against herself. But she broke their kiss and threw her head back on a cry when he slid a finger into her.

Recalling that she was newly breached, and unsure if that cry was one of pleasure or pain, Geordie frowned and stilled his hand to ask in a concerned growl, “Are ye sore, lass?”

“Nay,” Dwyn groaned, shifting her hips and digging her nails impatiently into his hand. “Do no’ stop, Geordie.”

“Good,” he breathed with relief, and began to caress her again, his eyes sliding over her full round breasts and the tight nipples pointing up at him as she leaned back on one arm, her back arching upward. Bending, he nipped lightly at one sweet bud, and said, “Because I’ve a mind to take ye like a dog takes his mate, lass. I want ye on yer hands and knees, with me behind ye so I can nip at yer neck, tangle me hands in yer hair and—” His words died, choked off in his throat when her hand suddenly released his and instead grabbed his cock, to squeeze lightly.

Dwyn didn’t stroke him. He doubted she knew to do that, but she squeezed and growled, “Then do it, husband.”

A smile slid over Geordie’s lips as he realized she’d called him husband, but then she squeezed him more firmly, and added, “I’m aching and need ye.”

“Christ, woman,” he growled, retrieving his hand from between her legs, and knocking her hand away from his erection before slipping both hands under her behind and lifting her off the table. “Thank God I met ye before Rory or Alick did.”

“It would no’ have mattered,” Dwyn assured him, wrapping her legs around his hips, and tightening them until he was rubbing against her with every step as he started to walk back to the bed.

“How do ye ken? Ye might have fallen for one o’ them,” he said, hoping she’d assure him otherwise. And she did.

“Nay,” she said firmly. “I do no’ look at them and want to see their pillicock.”

Laughter bursting from his lips, Geordie tumbled onto the bed with her, and then raised his head to watch her face as he entered her. Dwyn groaned, her body stretching under his, head going back and eyes closing, only to open again when he remained planted deep inside her, but not moving. When she raised wide, questioning eyes to him, he smiled and said, “Oddly enough, wife. Neither do I.”

Dwyn blinked, slow to realize that he was talking about not wanting to see his brothers’ pillicocks when he looked at them, and then she burst out laughing too. Smiling, Geordie began to move then, his gaze sliding over his wee wife as he thrust into her. She was right where he’d wanted her, naked and laughing in his bed. His wife. Damn. All was right with the world.

Dwyn ran one hand lightly down Geordie’s chest, watching his face for any reaction. A sigh slid from the depths of her body when she got none. He had fallen fast asleep the moment he’d finished loving her the second time after carrying her to the bed from the table. Or was it the third? She wondered over that briefly, but wasn’t sure. All she knew was that he’d fallen dead asleep and she was lying here wide awake and restless. But he did look tired, she thought guiltily. Perhaps it took more out of the man to mate. Mayhap he poured all his energy into the woman along with his seed, and that was why she was so energetic while he was sleeping like the dead.

---