A pulsing need sprang to lifebetween her thighs and shot a sharp ache up into her abdomen. Before she knewwhat had happened, he’d unlaced her gown and the front of it was draping open.He pulled her chemise down, and his mouth, hot and seeking, found her breast.His hands cupped her bottom and hoisted her up, closer to his mouth while hesuckledin long, heady draws. Every sense she possessed sparked to life and screamedfor more.
She could not get close enough tohim, or maybe it was that she could not get him close enough to her. She wantedto feel all of him against her, bare flesh to bare flesh. She wanted to beconsumed, and as that thought occurred, it ceded to another. She needed relief.
“You’re torturing me,”shewhisperedhoarsely to the top of his wet head as he flickedhis tongue over her bud, then took it into his mouth. A moan wrenched frombetween her clenched teeth, and he chuckled.
“Aye. I’m torturing ye because ye needto experience the pleasure ye can only find when the pain of the yearning findsrelease.”
“I don’t understand,”shemurmured,running her hands up the rippling muscles of his bare back to grip his cordedshoulders.
He lifted his head and grinned. Herbreath caught at how happy he looked. She’d made him happy, if only for amoment.
“Ye’ll understand soon enough,” hereplied.
Before she could even order herfrenzied thoughts to form a clear reply, he had slipped off the last of hisclothing and tugged her gown and chemise off. She shivered when the cold airhit her damp skin, but he settled her onto her back on the blanket and his bodycame close to warm her. His hands traced over her knees, sliding down towardtheinside of her thighsto part them.
She tensed as she stared up at thesky, suddenly afraid once more, but she refused to show it. She didn’t want himto be disappointed.
“Marion,” he murmured as he appliedlight pressure toher inner thighsuntil she allowed them to be opened all the way. “Dunnae be afraid. I vow to yeI will go slow and begentle.”
She curled her fingers into thecool grass. “I’m not afraid of you. I’m only afraid you’ll find me lacking.”
Suddenly, he was looming over herwith his hands oneither sideof her upper arms, his body hovering above hers, his face directly over hers.He looked down at her. His hair had come out of the twine that tied it back,and it hung down thesidesof his face. “I willnever compare ye to Catriona. Ye are as different as winter and summer.”
“Which am I?”
“Does it matter? Each time has apurpose, aye?”
She nodded.
“I want to do things to ye, Marion.Fierce things. Things I would nae have dared with—” He stopped with a curse.“Will ye trust me?”
She already did. God help her. Hehad her trust completely in this moment. She hoped he didn’t prove her foolishto have given it so easily. “I trust you.”
“I’ll nae take that lightly. I vowit.” He leaned forward, brushed his lips to hers, and then feathered kissesdown the center of her chest, over her belly, and to the juncture between herthighs. When his fingers parted her and his lips found her sensitive spot, shegasped and drew her thighs together. She would have squeezed his head betweenher legs, but he pressed her thighs back apart as his tongue tortured hersweetly.
She’d never experienced anything sosinfully wonderful as the slide of his tongue against her tender flesh.Coherent thought left her, and soon she was moaning, thrashing, and begging himto end the pleasurable torture. And he ended it in a way that left her feelingas if she had been filled with vigor and then drained. There was nothing leftin her. Not a speck of ability to move. But she knew instinctually they werenot done.
When he came up to hover over her, helifted her bottom off the ground, and in the next second she felt his hardstaff pressing against something inside her. She started to ask him to wait,but her words were lost in another gasp as he eased into her and broke throughwhatever barrier was there. He stilled, filling her completely, and she wassuddenly nervous about his size.
“This hurts,” she murmured, tearsstinging at her eyes.
“I’ll nae move until ye say,”hereplied,his voice gravelly, as if he too were in pain.
Tears trickled out of her eyes, andshe sniffed. He leaned down and kissed the left and then the right sides of hertemples, taking her tears into his mouth. That gesture, that simple display ofwanting totake awayher pain, restored herfaith and destroyed her fear.
“Will it feel better if I let youmove?”
“Aye. I think so.” The strain ofwaiting vibrated in his voice. “I think it will feel verra good, but if it doesnae and ye want me to stop, I will.”
“You vow it?”
“Marion,” he growled. “I’d ratherdie than hurt ye.”
Her heart ached with his sweetwords. “You may move.”
He didn’t say a word, but she feltthe tension in his still body spring loose as if he’d barely held it incontrol. He began to move then, and within seconds, his words proved true. Itfelt very good, indeed. So good that after a few more minutes she was demandinghe move faster and harder as the pressure of before, that pulsing ache,blossomed to life again and demanded satisfaction.
He went slowly, though, moving inlanguid, almost careful strokes, until she growled her dissatisfaction andclawed at his back. “I’m not glass underneath you, Iain. You will not break me.Quit holding back.”
