The Highland Curse (Scottish Strife Series Book 2)

by Dana D'Angelo

  Duncan shifted, fitting her body more firmly against his taunt frame. All the while the energy inside of her body swirled, the electric currents building, growing with each passing second.

  Their eyes met, and she knew instinctively that the shock and longing she saw there were reflected in her own gaze. There was no doubt that this kiss would be different from the one she experienced earlier.

  “Och, lass, I want ye,” he said, his breathing becoming harsh.

  She ran her fingers through the fine hairs at his nape, while an innate yearning began to grow at her center. “I want ye too,” she said, her voice barely a whisper. She knew that she shouldn’t have confessed this, but it was the truth. He invoked something inside her, something that only he could satisfy. Eventually her father and his advisor would choose a husband for her. But for now, she would indulge in what she wanted. No one had to know. Afterward, her father could marry her off to any old, decrepit laird, and she would do her duty without protest.

  “Are ye certain about this?” A glint appeared in his depths, and he searched her eyes as if to discern any form of resistance.

  “Aye,” she said, nodding. “I’m certain.”

  He searched her one last time, and when he was satisfied with what he saw there, he let out a loud, satisfied groan. Lifting her easily by the hips, he turned her so that she straddled him.

  Duncan slid his hands slowly along her legs, pushing at the material of her gown. “Raise your arms,” he commanded softly.

  She did as he instructed. Then in one smooth motion, he pulled the thin material over her head.

  Tossing the fabric aside, he ran his callused palms along her shoulder, sending a trail of fire to skim across her flesh. His hands circled to her front, cupping her breasts as if he was testing their weight.

  “Lovely,” he breathed. Duncan brushed aside the hair at the side of her face, exposing her neck. “Sae perfect.”

  He bent his head and stuck out his tongue. Flattening it along the sensitive part of her neck, he dragged it across her feverish skin. A rush of air escaped from her lips as she unconsciously tilted her head to the side. As if he knew the motion affected her, he lingered his scorching lips on the tender spot until a small purr rumbled at the back of her throat.

  Suddenly he raised his knees, lifting her small frame. The abrupt movement unbalanced her, and she fell forward, bracing her hands on his shoulders. Putting one hand to support her back, he used the other hand to gently cradle her breast. Then leaning forward, his molten tongue seared the bared tit, circling tightly over her nipple and causing it to pucker. Just when she thought that she couldn’t handle more of the exquisite torture, he opened his mouth and sucked hard on the straining nub. An unrecognizable whimper burst from her as she threw her head back, lost in pure rapture.

  His lips unexpectedly left then, while the cool air from the cave brushed over her chest. She started to make a sound of protest, when another gasp escaped as his burning mouth found her other breast. Her fingers dug into his shoulders in attempt to prevent her control from falling apart. But it was no use. The sensation spiraled within her, permeating her entire body, and leaving her wet and wanting.

  Unable to take more of the sweet agony, she reached blindly for him.

  “Duncan,” she said.

  He groaned at the sound of his name, and seemed ensnared by the same urgency that held Adrina captive. Lacing his fingers through her hair, he brought her head down. As soon as their lips touched, a fiery explosion tore through her center, momentarily making her pause. Whether or not he felt it as well, he didn’t show it. With single-minded focus, his tongue continued to trace along the seam of her lips, coaxing them apart. And when she opened up to him, he eagerly plunged into her as if he waited for this moment all his life.

  Duncan broke away from her long enough to pull off his leine, and to lay it down on the ground.

  The fire cast soft shadows over his tawny skin, enhancing the display of muscles that cut along his shoulders, chest and abdomen. He sucked in his breath when she reached over to skim her palm across his taut ridges. Continuing with her exploration of his chiseled contours, she marveled at his strength, his breathtaking masculinity. Her eyes trailed lower, and when she took in his impressive arousal, her mouth went dry.

  “Ye are sae big,” she said in wonder.

  “’Tis because of ye.” His gaze narrowed as he watched her tongue dart across her lips.

  Then without another word, he dropped his knees to the ground. The motion caused her to slide down his thighs, fitting her abruptly against him. The sudden contact elicited smoldering flames at her core. With nothing between them, he hauled her closer until she felt the velvety steel of his rod. Adrina closed her eyes and instinctively arched her back. Just as the titillating heat rolled over her, a fine layer of perspiration formed on her skin. His strong arms wrapped around her hips, and drew her back for another searing, soul-wrenching kiss.

  The cavern echoed with pants and groans, and she wasn’t certain whether the noises were coming from herself or from Duncan. But it didn’t matter. Pleasure washed over her, and she wanted more.

  Then without warning, he tore his lips away from her. “’Tis a mistake,” he said, his voice strained. “Ye are a virgin and —”

  “Nay, dinnae stop, Duncan,” she said, holding his gaze even though her heart pounded in her rib cage. She was uncertain about what would happen next, but she knew irrevocably that she wanted, needed to experience the sizzling passion that he offered. Duncan had given her a small taste of what was possible, and now her desire was fully roused. If she passed on this chance, she might never have another opportunity to satisfy her curiosity, or her want.

  He rolled her over until she was lying on the shirt that he had spread on the ground. “Och, lass, this is madness,” he murmured, covering his mouth with hers. Reaching between them, he grabbed his shaft, and lightly probed the damp folds of her sex.

  “It will hurt a bit,” he warned, his voice hoarse and his face flushed. Sweat beaded on his forehead as if he was using all his willpower to restrain himself. “But it will be over quickly.” His hand lifted to caress her cheek, as if he was apologizing in advance for the pain that he would inflict.

  Before Adrina could ask him to explain further, he thrust his hips forward, breaking past her maidenly resistance. At the unexpected move, her mouth dropped open and a sharp cry escaped.

  Duncan held still while his hands framed the sides of her face. “I’m sorry that I couldnae spare ye the pain, lass,” he said, his voice ringing with regret. “I’ll make it up tae ye — I promise.”

  A few seconds later, she discovered that the ache dulled. “It only hurt a little,” she admitted.

  “Guid,” he said, releasing a breath of relief as he sat up. Without breaking contact, he gathered her up in his arms, and positioned her until she straddled him once again. Then taking hold of her hips, he moved to enter her. Adrina braced herself for more pain, but he easily slipped inside. When he was fully sheathed, he guided her movements, gently lifting her up and then down his long shaft. And with each downward stroke, she felt herself stretching to accommodate his rigid mass. The pain had completely subsided, and she reveled in the wondrous feeling of having him deep inside her.

  As he continued to steer her movements, she could sense him observing her, even though her eyes were closed. But she was impatient to control her own motion. Drawing on an ancient instinct that was as familiar and exciting as the highland reel, she opened her legs further to take in the breadth of his hips.

  Adrina wrapped her arms around his strong shoulders, leveraging herself as she slid slowly along his hot, solid mass. He leaned back on his hands, allowing her to take control. A sense of womanly power swept over her. She bent down and nipped his lower lip. Then taking from his example, she dipped inside his mouth, her tongue tangling, dueling with his. All the while small, desperate sounds emerged from the base of her throat. Suddenly he wasn’t close enough, and
she wanted him deeper, so deep that he touched her soul. All her thoughts left her, and her body took over. Moving faster, she rocked her body against his. Her breathing became shallow and quick. And all the while, the pressure inside her core built up and up. Then an uncontrollable force took hold, compelling the delicate muscles inside her to ripple and quiver.

  She let loose a broken cry, and collapsed against his hard chest. Her body had turned to mush while her heart continued to race. But little by little, her heart returned to its normal state, although she remained on the edge of euphoria. Now she knew the reason why women since the beginning of time reveled in the act of love-making.

  “’Tis my turn,” Duncan said, breaking through her introspection. Then before she could acknowledge his words, he unleashed a torrent of suppressed passion. He stared at the rocky ceiling, his gaze appearing distant as he struggled to maintain his control.

  Letting out a long, drawn out groan, he surged his hips upward while he pulled her down. He held her still while he drove into her, his movements becoming faster, more frenetic. And with each rocking thrust, she felt him thickening, expanding inside of her.

  Then his body abruptly tensed, as if his masculine control was about to crack.

  “Nay,” he said, cursing. “Nae now.”

  But it was too late.

  Even though he tried to contain his natural urge, his iron will snapped. A raw, guttural groan echoed in the cave just as his throbbing rod jerked, spilling its seed into her.

  With their bodies still joined, he wrapped his powerful arms around her, tightening his hold as if he never wanted to let her go. Her own arms twined around his neck, and she rested her head on his chest, listening to the sturdy, rhythmic beating of his heart. No visions or voices disturbed her, and she permitted herself to melt further into his solid, protective embrace.

  ***

  Adrina’s angelic face was pillowed against her hands while her breath came out soft and even. It was with regret that Duncan had to clothe her. He preferred to keep her naked, so he could continue to enjoy the view of her luscious body even while she slept. But alas, they had run out of dry material to feed the fire, and the small warmth that remained wasn’t enough to cut out the night chill. He had retrieved his plaid and covered them both. Once the fire burned out completely, they would at least have body heat to share.

  Reaching over, he brushed aside a lock of hair that fell across her flawless skin. Then as an afterthought, he lifted the fragrant strand to his nose and breathed in the sweet, aromatic smell that was uniquely Adrina. She appeared so delicate and innocent. But she was no longer a virgin, he knew. Duncan shifted uncomfortably with the knowledge that he was to blame for this state. He wasn’t proud of the loss of his self-control. It wasn’t as if he had a shortage of women to bed. Those women were experienced, and would have gladly tumbled with him if he asked them. In all his life, he had never taken a virgin to bed, yet with Adrina he couldn’t understand why he was powerless to resist her. And the unrestrained passion that she displayed boggled his mind. When their bodies joined in the dimly lit cavern, he felt a fierce, unfamiliar joy spreading through him like wildfire. Never had he experienced this with any woman. Simply recalling what occurred a mere hour ago made him harden again.

  He shifted to his side, and watched the shadows jump and shudder across the rocky walls. There was no way that he could fall asleep in this aroused state.

  Adrina turned in her sleep so that she lay on her back. The faint glow from the fire danced over her oval visage, accentuating her delicate features. She was a pretty lass, although there were other lassies more beautiful than her. Yet despite all that, Adrina seemed more captivating somehow. The alluring, ethereal beauty she possessed was rooted in something that was beyond the obvious, and the more time he spent with her, the more he became drawn to her. Perhaps she really was a fae princess who had come to tempt him away from civilization. If this was the case, then she would have no difficulty in luring him…

  Duncan curled his lips, and he made a low sound of disgust. What was happening to him? He wasn’t normally prone to the ridiculous. Perhaps he had spent too long listening to his younger sister’s stories.

  A soft murmur escaped from Adrina, and he tilted his head to look down at her. A frown creased his brow when he saw the sweat that beaded her forehead. Her serene expression had changed into one of pain and distress. Her head thrashed back and forth as if she battled with some inner demon.

  A sharp, distressed note burst from her lips.

  “Adrina.” He placed his hand on her slender shoulders, shaking her lightly. “Wake up, lass.”

  When she opened her large, luminous eyes, she appeared disoriented, as if she was still lost in her nightmare. When at last she fixed her gaze upon him, her fingers reached over and dug into his forearm.

  “Duncan?”

  “Aye,” he said, prying her cold hand loose, and holding it in his palms for warmth. “Ye were dreaming.”

  “’Twas terrible,” she whispered, her fingers squeezing his hand as if she needed something to anchor her to the physical world. She sat up and gathered the plaid to her shoulders. “My parents were standing at the gallows…”

  Duncan looked at her, waiting for her to explain further, but a haunted look appeared on her countenance and she became mute. It was obvious that she wasn’t going to say anything more. There was more to her terror, he realized. But what was it?

  CHAPTER 12

  With her eyes still closed, Adrina snuggled closer to her heat source. But when that heat source moved, her eyelids flew open. It took her a moment to realize where she was. Almost immediately she saw that she was nestled against Duncan’s side.

  His scent wrapped around her as she realized that his plaid covered her like a blanket. Glancing down, she was relieved to discover that she and Duncan were dressed in their underclothes. Sometime during the night he must have put her back in the shift, and covered her with the plaid so that she wouldn’t be chilled. Her heart softened at his thoughtfulness. He was a considerate, sympathetic man, although he took pains to hide these traits, and only showed his tough exterior.

  He was different from the men she knew back home. Finally she was able to admit to herself that he wasn’t as hateful as she first believed. Her heart quickened as she thought about the large man lying beside her. In the dim light that streamed through the cave opening, she could make out his features. Raising herself up on her elbow, she took a closer look at him. In his sleep he seemed almost boyish — far from the cynical, calculating man that she had come to know. She was fascinated by him, and wanted to know everything about him. There was something that had hardened him. She was sure of it. He appeared to have a polite, relaxed charm that set the opposite sex aflutter, but there was something dark and restrained about him, something that made him keep everyone at an arm’s length. Was it the wars that he fought, or was it the woman that he had lost that made him this way?

  But he had shown no restraint last night, she thought as a blush rose to her cheeks. While her thoughts drifted to the previous evening, two realizations hit her as abruptly as if large stones were tossed at her head. She was no longer a virgin, and she felt no remorse over losing her innocence. For some strange reason, she felt a sense of liberation. Her true destiny was unknown, since that knowledge wasn’t revealed to her. However she was certain of one thing — she had experienced pleasure and passion on her own terms. And she had made love to the man of her choice. Neither her father nor Fingal could take any of that away from her.

  Adrina traced the outline of Duncan’s rugged face with her eyes. His eyelids were closed and his dark lashes lay across his cheek. The fine lines that had surrounded the corners of his eyes were gone. His mouth was opened slightly, and his breathing came out in a deep and steady rhythm. At his jaw line dark stubble grew, and she longed to run her fingers across the rough surface, and memorize the contours of his masculine visage. It was almost sinful how braw this Highlander was.
r />   But an unexpected heaviness settled over her heart. In all respects, she had used him to satisfy her curiosity, and on his part, she was only a small diversion. Her hand clenched at the plaid. It was a bad idea to become attached to this Highlander, but she knew that it was already too late. Perhaps there was one more day of travel. And once he brought her to her home, he would leave, and forget that she existed. Her father would then find a husband for her, and she would never again experience the happiness she had found in Duncan’s arms. The brooding thoughts over her hopeless prospects overwhelmed her, and she needed to get away from Duncan before she burst into tears. She shifted slowly away from Duncan. Careful not to make any sound, she slipped out of the cave.

  As soon as Adrina made it outside, she heard the thunderous roar of rushing water, and she momentarily forgot about her dilemma. When they arrived at the cave last night, the sound of the waterfall was masked by the heavy downpour. It appeared that they were now closer to the fall than she thought.

  Taking a deep breath, she noticed that the air that surrounded her was surprisingly mild and balmy, while the smell of rain and damp earth lingered in the air. It appeared more like mid-summer rather than autumn. She looked up and saw that the sky was still a soft pink. Turning around to glance back into the hollow, she saw that there was no movement from within. There was enough time for her to wash up, and return to the cavern before Duncan noticed that she went missing. She followed the thunderous sound to the back of the shelter. And as she rounded the bend, she paused at the rocky ledge. Looking at the steep gully, she took a moment to absorb the stunning beauty.

  Above the noise of rushing water, she could hear the sweet trill and whistle of a yellowhammer perched somewhere in a nearby birch tree branch. While the sun was starting to rise, its rays had yet to touch the loch. Meanwhile a soft mist hovered over the waterway, slowly drifting across the surface, alternately obscuring and then revealing the alder and rowan trees that grew on the opposite end of the bank. It felt as if she had somehow stumbled upon a fairy haven.