“Why are ye here, lass?”
Lorelei smiled at him. “Why do you think?”
“I…” He shook his head. “What I want to think is what I shouldnotbe thinking.”
“But maybe I am thinking the same thing.” Her smile widened. “Instead of talking in riddles, though, let me just say it.” The smile faltered a bit. “Before I lose my courage.”
“Courage? For what?”
She drew a shaky breath. “I want you to make love to me. I do not want to wait.”
Those words made him immediately hard. There was nothing he wanted more than to carry her to his bed and do just that. But first he needed to ask, “Because of tomorrow? Ye fear I may be killed?”
She shook her head quickly, but he’d seen the hesitation in her eyes. “Lass. I am nae going to die.”
“But it is aduel. How can you be sure?”
He smiled. “Because I got to choose the weapons. I chose swords, not pistols.” He put a finger on her chin and tilted it up. “I am a Highlander. I happen to be verra good with a sword.”
That caused another wobbly smile. “You are sure?”
“Aye.” And, as much as he wanted to carry on, he took another step back. “So if ye want to wait for a proper bedding on our wedding night—”
“I donot.” She advanced a step and then hesitated. “Unless…do you wish to wait? I—”
He didn’t let her finish the sentence before he covered her mouth with his. Bending slightly, he scooped her up and carried her to the bed, laying her gently down before sitting beside her.
“I doona think I have ever removed a man’s clothing before except my own.” He reached for the shirt and began tugging it out from the breeches. “But it does seem a simpler task…”
He eased the laces until the shirt was undone and he could push it off her shoulders to expose her breasts. He let his fingers trail across her collarbone before slipping down to palm the luscious mounds, kneading lightly until she moaned. When he flicked his thumbs over her erect nipples, she shuddered and he bent low, kissing her again, nibbling her neck as his mouth trailed downward. He swirled his tongue around an areola, causing her to mewl softly and then he took her fully in his mouth and suckled. Her back arched in response.
He didn’t think he’d ever had a woman respond so completely to him. Knowing that he could evoke that reaction—and thatshehad chosenhim—only kindled his own feelings. He felt fiercely protective of her and inanely possessive at the same time. She washis. Now and forever. His cock grew painfully hard at the thought of spending the rest of his life with her in his bed. If he weren’t careful, he would be spending himself like a green lad, and he was still fully dressed. He lifted his head and looked into her eyes.
“Do ye want me naked, lass?”
…
Do I want him naked?She could barely think, but she was sure of that. “Yes!” Dear Lord! How he made her feel. “Yes, yes,yes!”
He grinned and eased himself off the bed and went to lock the door. Turning around, he strolled back to her, pulling his shirt over his head as he did. She inhaled sharply as she took in the wide expanse of his shoulders, the bulging muscles in his arms and his tight, rippled stomach. He could have been chiseled from stone. Then her eyes traveled lower as his hands undid the fall of his breeches. For a moment, his hands lingered there as he watched her. She looked up at him. Was he toying with her? An odd little quiver began low in her belly, and she licked her lips. His eyes widened and darkened and before she could scarce count to three—if she were counting—the pants had dropped and he stood before her in all his naked glory, his member thick and strong as it jutted out from a nest of inky curls. Lorelei swallowed hard, wondering howthatwould fit inside her.
He must have noticed her sudden nervousness, for he kicked off his boots and lay down beside her, pulling her against him. “Doona fash,mo ghaol, mo chridhe.”
“What does that mean?”
“My love, my heart.”
Hislove, hisheart. Lorelei suddenly realized that her desire for him was more than just physical… He cared about her. He had always been there for her, even when she didn’t think she wanted his protection. Her heart warmed to the idea that this was what love was about. This…and then, her rational thoughts slipped away once more as he brought his mouth down on hers.
He first kissed her top lip, then her bottom one. He drew back, kissing her chin and throat, letting his tongue trace a path to her breasts, taking the nipple of one in his mouth while he gently squeezed the other.
“Ummm,” she managed. “You could do that forever.”
“But there is more,” he murmured as he slid a hand down to undo her breeches. “I want to explore all of ye.”
Before she could even think what he meant, she felt cool air flow over her body and realized he had switched positions, tugged down her breeches, and taken them off in one fell swoop. Feeling suddenly exposed—and oddly shy—she pressed her knees together.
“Doona fash,” he said again as his hands gently pried her legs apart and he shifted between them. He picked up a foot and let his tongue slide along her arch before draping it over his shoulder. Then he did the same with the other, leaving her totally open to him. She felt completely vulnerable yet strangely safe. This was Alasdair. He began kissing her thigh, close to her knee, and moving toward that juncture that was beginning to pulsate.
