Hunting for a Highlander (Highland Brides)

by Lynsay Sands

  Geordie growled into her mouth when she plucked at them. Apparently taking that as encouragement, Dwyn concentrated there, toying with them until they hardened and grew as hers did when he did it to her. He was caught by surprise when she suddenly pushed at his chest. Unprepared for it, Geordie found himself rolled to his back on the bed. Before he could roll her back, she was kneeling beside him, leaning over him to claim one nipple with her mouth, and he sucked in a startled breath as her teeth grazed the oddly sensitive tip before she drew it into her mouth to suckle.

  “Ah, God, lass,” Geordie growled, peering at Dwyn’s body as she licked and nipped at his nipples. She was on her knees, bent over him, her hair a pale gold curtain, shielding her from his view so that he had to lift it away to see her breasts dangling above his stomach.

  Smiling, he released the curtain of hair, and reached under to find her breasts. Geordie smiled when she moaned around his nipple as he fondled and caressed her breasts. His smile died though when one of her hands found his erection and squeezed him with interest.

  Growling, he caught her by the upper arms and dragged her up his body, so that she lay half on top of him, her hair drifting around their faces as he claimed her mouth in a searing kiss.

  She was breathless and panting when he ended the kiss, but despite that asked with concern, “Did I hurt ye, m’laird?”

  “Nay,” he assured her, before rolling her onto her back again. This time he covered her fully. Holding his upper body off of her with his arms, he watched her face and ground himself against her, pleased when she gasped and let her legs open to cuddle him. He slid against her again, his cock gliding against her moist heat and making him grit his teeth.

  Damn, he was hard as a poker, and wanted her more than he’d wanted any woman in his life. But he couldn’t take her yet. Geordie was determined to give her as much pleasure as possible before he breached her. The tips of his fingers had pressed against her maid’s veil as he’d pleasured her with his hand. Georgie had even pushed against it twice, but it hadn’t broken, and he didn’t know if it was because he hadn’t pushed far enough in, or it was thick enough that it would take some force to break through. But he hadn’t wanted to cause her pain just then, so he’d kept from further testing the situation. However, either way, Geordie suspected she wouldn’t enjoy the breaching, and he wanted to make sure she enjoyed the before part as much as possible before getting to that. He wanted her to want him again, not fear the marriage bed, so he ground against her again, groaning with her as his cock slid over her.

  “Geordie, please,” Dwyn gasped, wrapping her legs around his hips and shifting against him. “I need—”

  “Soon, lass,” he growled, grinding against her again.

  “But I want— Let me taste ye,” she begged now, clutching at his arms. “Let me make ye want me like I want you.”

  Geordie froze at her words, tempted by them. The image they made rear up in his mind almost had him forgetting his good intentions and thrusting into her, but at the last moment, he pulled back, and then pushed away and slithered down her body to get his erection as far from her opening as possible. He didn’t pause until his head was between her legs, and then he pressed her thighs farther apart to open her to his gaze, and ducked his head to press his mouth to her.

  A smiled eased the grim expression on Geordie’s face when she cried out and jerked under the first touch, and then he set to work, sucking on the soft folds guarding the jewel beneath, and then licking and sucking the hardening nub before thrusting his tongue where he wanted to put his cock. He didn’t dally and enjoy it this time as he had in the orchard. This was purely to send her over the edge, and he quickly worked her into a frenzy and then added a finger to the mix. The moment she cried out and began to convulse, he raised himself up to kneel between her legs, caught her by the hips, lifted her and drove home.

  Dear God in heaven, Geordie thought, sure he’d found paradise. She was so hot, and tight, her inner muscles squeezing him as her body shuddered with her orgasm. Dwyn hadn’t even seemed to notice the tearing, though he’d felt the brief resistance before her veil gave way to him. Now he released her hips and fell forward, catching his upper body with his hands on either side of her shoulders, and bent to claim her mouth and silence her insensate babbling. Dwyn went briefly still, but when he eased himself back out of her and drove back in, she moaned into his mouth and began to kiss him back. When he did it again, she wrapped her arms and legs around him, her fingers clawing at his back and heels pushing at his arse and urging him on.

  That’s when Geordie gave up trying to be slow and gentle and began to thrust as he wished, pounding into her, his balls slapping against her, and a growl building in his throat as her body squeezed and milked him. When Dwyn came again, her inner muscles clamped down on him so hard he nearly came too, but Geordie managed to hold himself back by slowing his motions until her muscles eased. He didn’t let himself go until she cried out into his mouth again as she found her third orgasm. Then he stiffened against her and broke their kiss, his head rising and her name slipping from his lips on a groan as he poured himself into her.

  It was only as Geordie collapsed on top of her and then quickly rolled to the side, taking her with him, that he recalled his intention not to spill his seed in her. A frown claiming his lips, Geordie closed his eyes unhappily as he realized he’d failed Dwyn there.

  “I do no’ think we should marry, m’laird.”

  Geordie’s eyes blinked open with amazement.

  “No’ until—” she began.

  “Are ye mad, woman?” he interrupted with shock. “We are married. There’s no thinking we should or no’.”

  “What?” She lifted her head to peer at him with surprise. “Nay, we just—”

  “I asked ye to marry me. Ye said aye. And I bedded ye. We’re handfasted. As good as married in the eyes of the law,” he pointed out grimly.

  “Aye, I said aye first,” she agreed, “but then I said nay.”

  Geordie narrowed his eyes. “We are handfasted, Dwyn. And the contracts are drawn up. We are wed by law already, and the wedding for the church is tomorrow.”

  “What?” she gasped, pulling away to gape at him.

  Geordie stared at her with a combination of bewilderment and anger. For God’s sake, there were six women in the keep who would have been glad to marry him, and he picked the one who looked horrified at the prospect.

  “But we canno’ be, Geordie,” she protested unhappily. “Ye do no’ ken what ye’re getting into, m’laird. Ye should ha’e been warned. Did me da tell ye what is happening at Innes ere he got ye to sign the contract? Nay, o’ course he did no’,” she answered herself before he could, and then added, “I’m sure ye can use that to get out o’ marrying me do ye wish it.”

  Geordie stared at her miserable face, and sighed heavily with both weariness and relief as he realized that it was not that she didn’t wish to marry him, but that she was sure he wouldn’t want to once he knew . . . whatever the hell it was her father hadn’t told him, he thought grimly. He hadn’t a clue what that was, but supposed he’d better find out so that he could soothe her fears in that regard.

  Easing her away from his chest, Geordie shifted himself up to sit with his back against the headboard, then caught Dwyn’s upper arms and dragged her up to rest against his chest. Peering down then, he stared at her beautiful breasts, sighed as he felt his cock stir and pressed her head to his chest before grabbing some of her hair and shifting it to cover as much of her body as he could.

  “There,” he growled, once he couldn’t see her curvy little body and get distracted. “Now, tell me what ’tis ye’re so worried about.”

  “’Tis the Brodies,” she said, raising her head to look up at him anxiously.

  “Brodies,” he muttered with a frown as the name tugged at a memory string in his mind. Nodding as it came back to him, Geordie said, “Ye mentioned them the first morning in the tree. They want to add Innes to their holdings, ye
said.”

  “Aye,” Dwyn breathed woefully.

  Geordie almost smiled then. This was no problem at all, he thought, and tightened his arms around her in a hug as he said, “Well, lass, they canno’ have it. Innes is yers, and ye’re mine now. So Brodie is out o’ luck.”

  She appeared surprised by his words. “Surely Innes becomes yours once we marry?”

  “We are married,” he growled. “And nay, it remains with you. I had it put in the contract. That way, should I die first, ye decide whether to marry again and canno’ be forced to it by yer father or anyone else.”

  “But what if I die first?” she asked with a frown.

  Geordie shrugged with unconcern, and then scowled as the thought sank in. Dwyn die? Leave him? And she could if his seed took and she got with child and died while trying to birth his son or daughter. Cursing, he leapt off the bed, and then turned to pick her up by the waist and swing her out in front of him so she dangled above the floor. He then began to lift her quickly up and down.

  “M-m’l-laird,” she protested, grabbing at his arms. “W-what are y-ye d-doing?”

  “Trying to shake me seed out o’ ye,” he muttered, continuing to jostle her up and down. “I meant to withdraw ere I spilled into ye, but forgot. Well, I did no’ exactly forget, I just did no’ even think on it. Ye felt so damned good and I— Ow!” he barked, nearly dropping her when she suddenly slapped at his face. Catching her before her feet hit the floor, he scowled at her. “What was that for?”

  Dwyn scowled right back. “Because ye’re obviously hysterical or lost yer mind,” she explained, and ordered, “Put me down.”

  “I canno’. Ye’re no’ supposed to stand with yer feet—”

  “On the bed,” she said with exasperation.

  “Fine.” Geordie heaved the word out on an irritated breath, and turned to set her on the bed, grousing, “But I’ve no’ lost me mind or gone hysterical, and if ye die on the birthing bed because ye would no’ let me shake me seed out o’ ye, I’ll never forgive ye.” His eyes narrowed when she rolled her eyes at that. “Lass—”

  “Ye canno’ shake the seed out o’ me,” Dwyn assured him with exasperation, interrupting what would have been a fine lecture on the merits of respecting a husband and not rolling her eyes and such. But then she frowned and added, “At least, I do no’ think ye can.” She considered it briefly, and then shook her head. “Nay. Surely ’tis no’ possible or there would be no bastards in the world. Women would just do some jumping after being bedded and . . .” She shrugged.

  Supposing that was true, Geordie bent and scooped her up into his arms.

  “What are ye doing now?” she asked with concern as he started across the room with her.

  “I’m taking ye to the table. Lovin’ ye’s made me hungry,” he muttered, and then paused as he reached the table and realized he could not set her in her seat. Her unbandaged feet would be in the rushes then. Shrugging, he set her on the table instead, and moved around her to look over what was left on the tray.

  “M’laird,” she said, twisting her upper body around to frown at him. “We have to talk about the Brodies.”

  “There’s nothing to talk about, lass. We’re married. Brodie canno’ marry ye, and he canno’ have Innes.”

  “Da did tell ye?” she asked with surprise.

  Geordie shrugged, and started picking through the meat, shifting the top pieces that had dried out and selecting the still-moist pieces underneath. Turning, he offered her one, and when she took it, he said, “Yer father said Brodie has been trying to force a marriage for the last couple years.”

  “The last four years,” she said grimly. “Ever since he learned my betrothed had died.”

  “I thought ye said yer betrothed died seven years ago?” he said, turning to peer at her in question.

  “He did,” she murmured. “But Brodie did no’ ken who I was betrothed to, and only found out four years ago that he had passed.” Dwyn grimaced. “The minute he knew, he began pestering Da about marrying me. His own wife died the year before that, and he tried to convince Da it would be a good idea to marry the two lands. But Brodie is a brutal bastard—he once beat his wife right in front o’ us while we were visiting. It was the last time we visited,” she added grimly.

  When Geordie scowled at the mention of the abuse, she sighed and continued, “Brodie seemed to let it go when Da said no that first time, but then he showed up at Innes again a couple months later bringing it up again, and then a month after that. This last year though, he’s been coming by more and more frequently and becoming more and more determined until he started coming by every week. And then he . . .”

  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.