Highlander’s Wicked Temptation: A Steamy Scottish Historical Romance Novel

by Maddie MacKenna

  “M’Lady?” The sound of the seamstress’s voice pulled her out of her day dream and she opened her eyes realizing she was not alone. “Are ye all right? Ye’re lookin’ a bit flushed? Is the dress too tight?”

  Not nearly as tight as Jude’s hands on me.

  “It’s fine,” Cleopatra said smiling.

  “Are ye sure? I can loosen it up a bit in the front if ye need me to.”

  “No,” Cleo said as she looked in the mirror and noticed how perfectly round the dress made her breasts. She didn’t look like a girl anymore, wearing a corset that flattened her chest, but a woman with plump breasts that she hoped Jude would be pleased to see.

  “Then I shall take me leave,” the seamstress said with a grin.

  “Thank you,” Cleo said as the woman opened the door.

  “Well, daenae ye look like the angel ye are?” Paige said, nearly knocking over the seamstress as she stepped into the room.

  “Thank you, Paige,” Cleopatra said with a smile stretching from ear to ear.

  “Nay time to dawdle, dinner is bein’ served soon and there is someone special waitin’ for ye downstairs.”

  “Do you think he’ll like this dress?”

  “Aye, he’ll like it,” Paige said as she bowed.

  Cleopatra stole one last glimpse of herself in the mirror and couldn’t help but think she was like one of the damsels she had read about in her books. Keeping her head high, she moved slowly to the door pushing aside everything else that wanted to clutter her mind.

  It’s only supposed to be dinner. Nothing more, but I hope we will have a chance to be alone. I can only imagine what Jude will do when he sees me now. Perhaps the accident was planned. How cheeky would that be? I wouldn’t put it past him if he did damage my dress on purpose.

  As Cleopatra made her way down the steps, she found herself longing for Jude more and more. Everything in her being screamed for her to remain with Jude. Everything about him intrigued her.

  He was kind and thoughtful. She had never once heard him raise his voice to Hugh and he was grateful to his servants. Yet what really got under her skin was his ability to kiss her with such passion that he made the world spin. Although Jude was the only man she had really known besides the servants in her father’s house and she had no one to compare him to, still she was smitten.

  “Ye’re a sight to behold,” Jude said as she noticed him waiting for her at the bottom of the steps. Cleopatra noticed Jude’s eyes drifting down from her face and stopping at her bosom. She felt wanted by him.

  “You can thank your seamstress for that,” Cleopatra said as she took his hand.

  “I must say, I daenae think I’ve ever seen a woman as enchantin’ as ye. The seamstress definitely kens how to bring out yer beauty,” Jude said as Cleo caught him gazing at her breasts.

  Her heart fluttered as she squeezed his hand a bit tighter. All she could think about was how he made her feel in the library. Her face flushed from the heat rising in her as Jude’s lips curled up. It was as if he could read her thoughts and knew where they had roamed to.

  As they walked through the main entrance to the sitting room, Cleopatra felt as if every eye fell on her. She knew it was the fabric of her dress that made her feel as if she were naked. But with Jude’s longing gazes on her, she didn’t mind it at all. If anything, she wanted Jude to want her.

  “Why is everyone staring?” Cleopatra asked as she felt a lump forming in her throat. She wasn’t one to be the center of attention, yet here, with Jude she was.

  “They are just admirin’ yer beauty,” Jude said flashing his crooked little grin that sent her heart fluttering. “Daenae think of them. It is only ye and me tonight.”

  As they walked into the sitting room, Cleopatra noticed how the room had changed. It was brighter now with all the candles lit and the aroma of roasted chicken swirled about the room causing her stomach to growl. She hadn’t realized just how hungry she was until that very moment.

  The plates were organized and spaced accordingly, giving Jude and Cleopatra just enough space between them to eat, but weren’t so far apart that she wouldn’t be able to hear him.

  “I take it Hugh will not be joining us tonight?” Cleopatra asked as Jude pulled out her chair for her to sit. She nodded to the extra setting across from her.

  “I dinnae ken if that was what ye wanted, I had hoped we might be able to revisit the library at some point,” Jude said with a wink.

  So, he did know where my thought had drifted off to. Or perhaps his shifted there too. Oh, he does smell good and is so handsome. A lady could easily get swept away by his charms and charisma.

  “But if ye did, he is more than welcome to come down. I had thought tonight would just be us though.”

  “I see,” Cleopatra said as she lowered herself down into the chair. Jude quickly moved to his seat and sat.

  Looking at the roasted chicken in the center of the table and the tall silver goblets, Cleopatra smiled. She had never dined in such luxury before. Placing the napkin on her lap, she noticed a servant rushing to fill her goblet up with a red liquid that smelled sweet and fruity.

  “Have ye thought about me proposal?” Jude asked as he began eating the roasted chicken that was served. Cleopatra knew the question was bound to come up, she just wasn’t expecting it to happen so soon.

  “I have,” she said as she nibbled on the bread roll.

  “And? Pray tell, what is yer decision?”

  “I’d like to stay,” she said glancing to Jude before quickly filling her mouth full of food to keep her intentions hidden. They sat in silence a moment, both considering the weight of her decision. She nibbled the food on her plate, stealing glimpses of him as they ate. Slowly, his face beamed as he scooted closer to the table.

  “Are ye certain?”

  “Truth is,” Cleopatra said as she felt her throat tighten with excitement and a hint of anxiety for being so forthright. “I’ve grown fond of Hugh. He is kind just like his father.”

  Jude stared at her with a smirk on his lips as he leaned in closer to her. “Is that the only reason ye’re stayin’?”

  Cleopatra sucked her breath in quickly as Jude’s hand grabbed her thigh. Immediately her eyes shifted to the servants standing around the room wondering if any of them saw Jude’s hand on her.

  “Perhaps there is another reason,” she said as Jude inched his hand up her thigh.

  “And pray tell what is that reason?” Jude asked. She couldn’t think straight. All she could pay attention to was how much higher Jude’s hand was drifting up her leg. “Because if me actions earlier were nae clear of me intentions, I can make it clearer for ye.”

  Gasping for air, Cleo lost her voice. She found her body aching for him. She licked her parched lips hoping to find her voice, but as Jude began bunching the fabric of her dress to her thigh, she lost her train of thought completely.

  “I’m sorry,” she panted trying to keep her voice steady. “What did you ask me?”

  Jude’s grin stretched as he scooted closer to her. “Ye were tellin’ me all the reasons ye wanted to stay.”

  “Oh,” Cleopatra said nodding absentmindedly. “Well, hmmm… Hugh seems to be a wonderful boy.”

  “Aye, ye said that,” he said tilting his head as she felt his fingertips against her bare thigh. A cool draft kissed her legs making her shiver. There was a spark that flashed across Jude’s face as she clutched at the tablecloth.

  “You have something to do with it too,” she finally managed to say.

  “Do I now?” Jude asked as Cleopatra swallowed hard. Inching ever deeper between her inner thighs, she allowed her eyes to flutter closed. It took all she had to concentrate on sitting upright and not letting a single moan escape her lips.

  “Ye’re lookin’ a bit flushed,” Jude said. “Perhaps a stroll in the moonlight will help?”

  “Yes,” Cleo said as her eyes popped open. Her heart raced as Jude pulled his hand slowly away from her.

  “Shall w
e?” Throwing his napkin down on the table, he stood and extended his hand to her. She took it without hesitation.

  As she slipped her hand into Jude’s hands, she felt butterflies in her stomach. He led her out of the sitting room and through the double doors. The stars twinkled high above their heads as the moon drifted over the stone wall that surrounded the gardens. Sweet smells drifted to Cleopatra as Jude brought her to the stone bench.

  “This is a beautiful place,” Cleopatra said as she looked at all the lovely flowers surrounding them. Each flower seemed to have a silver tint to them due to the light of the moon. Jude slipped down beside her and took her hand into his.

  “Ye’re beautiful,” he said as Cleopatra’s heart pounded in her chest and Jude’s fingers traced the lines in her knuckles before he drew her hand to his lips. She paused a moment, allowing him to linger a bit before her passion consumed her. Jude flashed a crooked grin and she couldn’t resist him any longer.

  Curling her arm around his neck, she drew him closer refusing to let him go. She had read about such things in books, but never thought they could ever happen to her.

  To her surprise, she felt his hands slip from her face and drift down her neck. His fingertips tickled her until they reached her chest. She knew the dress would draw his attention to her plump breasts now that they weren’t flatted by the tighter corset she had been wearing before.

  “I never really liked these things,” Jude said as he slipped his finger into the knot that held her corset together. Tugging on the loop, the string slipped allowing Cleopatra’s breast the escape they longed for. But even with her corset loosened, she felt the air growing thinner by the minute.

  “Jude,” Cleopatra gasped as Jude’s fingers continued traveling down to her torso and eventually ended on her legs.

  “Do ye want me to stop?” he asked as he inched her skirt higher. She shook her head as she pulled in quick ragged breaths.

  Although she had no clue what he was doing, she trusted him. After all, he had led her through the wilderness and back to his home. He had showed her nothing but kindness and respect. Two qualities she knew he wouldn’t toss aside now that they were completely alone.

  Licking her lips, she kept her eyes on him as he glanced down to her breasts that appeared crushed in the corset she wore. As her skirt rose from her ankle to her calf, the chilly night air swirled around her legs. Cleopatra shivered a bit as Jude’s lips curled at the corners.

  He leaned closer to her. His hot breath seemed to sear her neck with every breath he took. Her grip on him only tightened as she felt his fingers on her inner thighs.

  Cleopatra began chewing on her lower lip as the anticipation consumed her. She was in new territory now. Though she didn’t want him to stop, she wondered what this meant for him.

  “Relax a bit,” he said as his teeth grazed her earlobes. Cleopatra tried to let her body go limp as she felt his fingertips grazed over the soft bulb of skin between her legs.

  “Aye, that’s it,” Jude said rubbing the most tender part of her body. Cleopatra’s lips parted the moment she felt his fingers open her.

  “Oh my,” she said breathlessly. Jude’s soft moan as he laid his head on her shoulder confused her.

  How is it that he is touching the very core of my being?

  “Do ye ken how warm this feels?” he asked as his pushed a bit deeper into Cleopatra’s body. Her grip tightened as her lips clamped shut. There was an unexplainable pressure that rose from between her legs that only seemed to let up the longer he remained still.

  “What are you doing to me?” she asked as she tried to force the words to come out of her. Her ears rang as Jude lifted his head up.

  “Do ye nae like it?” he asked holding his hand in place. By the look in his eyes, he wasn’t going to release her just yet. The gleam that she noticed was one of testing.

  Cleopatra didn’t know what to think at first. Her mind raced as her body adjusted to his fingers in her. Slowly, he pulled out and she realized quickly that was not what she wanted. Her hand darted to his hoping to keep him in place.

  “Please,” she panted, “don’t move.”

  A crooked grin stretched across Jude’s lips as he slipped his finger back into her body.

  “I love the way ye feel,” he said. “And I want more of ye.”

  “More?” she asked, befuddled by what else he could possibly get from her. Slowly, Jude shifted his free hand to hers and pulled her hand to his crotch. Her eyes widened to feel the massive bulge in his pants that she hadn’t noticed before.

  “Ye must ken I’ve wanted ye since I laid eyes on ye,” Jude said. “In the cottage by yer faither’s house, with yer hair wild and free. Even on the moors after the attack. Ye were like a siren that teased me inner desires.”

  “Jude,” Cleopatra moaned as his fingers slipped out a bit before going right back into her.

  “But the way ye look now,” he said breathing almost as heavily as she was. “At dinner when our hands met. That spark, it shot right through me and ye must ken how much I need ye.” Jude squeezed Cleopatra’s hand that cupped his manhood. She found herself gulping air as the bulge throbbed in her hand relentlessly.

  “I do,” she answered as her head bobbed. Swallowing hard to keep her mouth from drying out, she stared at him.

  Her eyes widened as his hand shifted off hers and began to unfasten his trews. Slipping off the bench, Cleo dropped to her knees. Although she wasn’t certain what he was presenting to her, she knew in the depths of her being she wanted it. As Jude entangled his fingers into her hair, he lured her to his crotch. Instinctively, Cleopatra closed her eyes.

  “Open yer mouth,” Jude whispered. “I want to feel yer lips around me.”

  Keeping her eyes closed, Cleopatra did as she was told and opened her mouth. Before she could ask why, Jude lowered her head down to meet his manhood. Instinctively Cleopatra knew what she had to do and began tracing her tongue around the small crown that was presented to her.

  By the way Jude moaned she knew she must have been doing something right. She found a great satisfaction in pleasing him and tried to take more of him.

  “Aye, that’s it,” Jude said as she felt his hand pressing on her head. “Can ye take more?”

  Trying to please him as much as possible, Cleopatra allowed him to slip further down her throat. She was surprised by how her body reacted to him. Every moan only made her want to go further, every sound that escaped his lips made her yearn for more.

  “Can I have ye?” he asked as she popped him from her tight lips and stared up at him. “Please,” he begged.

  A simple nod was all she gave him but it was like an explosion. Jude eased her away from him and let her rest on her back on the soft, lush grass. She stared up at him, heart pounding as he dropped his trews to his ankles. There was nothing but fire in his eyes as he moved between her legs.

  Pulling in a deep breath, she waited for him to settle between her legs and stared up at the sparkling stars high above their heads.

  Oh my. Oh my.

  Before Cleopatra could say a word, she felt pressure between her legs. Instantly she shifted her attention to Jude. He stared down at her as his fingers grazed over her cheek. She curled her arms around him holding him tight as he slipped deeper inside of her.

  “Are ye all right?” he asked as he moved slow and steady, allowing her body to mold to his before inching ever deeper into her. She nodded as her nails clawed at his back.

  “Ye feel so amazin’,” he gasped, “as if ye were made for me.”

  There was no doubt Cleopatra felt the same. Though she had never had a man before, Jude’s body seemed to fit her. Slowly the pressure eased and she found the pleasure lurking behind the pain. It didn’t take her long to adjust to Jude. When he moved, she moved trying to keep him connected to her for as long as she could.

  “Please don’t stop. Whatever you’re doing to me, I don’t ever want it to end.”

  “It doesnae have to,” Jude said
as he kissed her neck. “Ye daenae have to go anywhere. Ye can stay with me.”

  “I want that,” Cleopatra said between her gulps of air. “I want you.”

  Their bodies molded and became fused together as the moon drifted over head. Cleopatra realized that all the colors around them popped and seemed to become brighter and more intense. Even the musky aroma that reminded her of the moors that seeped off Jude was stronger. She held onto him, praying that he would never separate from her.

  “I cannae make this last forever,” Jude said, “although I wish I could.”

  “Please, just a bit longer,” Cleopatra pleaded, “I need you.”