Edie choked out a laugh. “That sounds most unpleasant. Why ever would you need to do that?”
He sat back on his heels again and pointedly stared down at his lap. Edie’s gaze followed. When she took in the way he tented the fabric of his kilt, she didn’t know whether to laugh again or blush.
She settled on blushing, if for no other reason than Alec’s impressive erection, even swathed in fabric, hardly seemed like a laughing matter. Exciting, yes—amusing, most definitely not.
He came to his feet with smooth, masculine grace. That naturally brought his erection to her eye level as it bobbed beneath the wool of his kilt. Edie’s fingers twitched with the impulse to take it in her hands, but she decided that such boldness might be a bit much for her, starting out.
“Let’s get the rest of your nightgear off, shall we?” he said. His voice had dropped to a husky rumble that flickered like fire along her nerves. “I can barely see you under all that ridiculous flannel.”
“Mamma’s idea,” Edie said as he began to deftly unbutton and untie her wrapper. “She was convinced we’d freeze to death unless we were bundled in multiple layers. Just be happy I’m not wearing a greatcoat on top of it.”
Alec slipped the wrapper from her arms and wriggled it out from under her bottom. Edie pushed up a bit on her hands to help him.
“The Highlands aren’t exactly the outer reaches of Mongolia, you know,” he said.
“Tell that to my mother.”
“Well, you must be sure to tell Lady Reese that I intend to keep her daughter very warm at night from now on.”
She opened her eyes at him. “Good Lord, I have no intention of telling her any such thing.”
He chuckled as he draped her wrapper over the end of the bed. “Yes, that’s probably wise. Although I must admit that you look quite fetching, even garbed in flannel.”
Edie smiled. Her nightgown might be flannel, but it was also a soft, fine weave trimmed lavishly with lace and silk ribbons. “One can still be warm and fashionable, you know.”
“I’d rather you be warm and naked,” he said, reaching for her.
He cupped one of her breasts, then thumbed the nipple, which was already starting to bead up. When he caught it between two fingers and gently squeezed, she breathed out a moan. His caress caused a delicious sensation deep in her belly and between her thighs.
“Christ, that’s lovely,” he murmured. Her nipple poked stiffly against the soft fabric of her gown. “I can’t wait to get my mouth on you, lass.”
“Um, thank you,” Edie said, trying not to squirm with embarrassment—and excitement.
Alec seemed to be in the mood to take his time, bringing both hands up to stroke and play. Or perhaps he was giving her time to get used to the odd situation, which she appreciated. But the movement of his hands, the way he cupped her, or tweaked her stiff nipples or stroked the sensitive underside of her breasts, fueled a rising impatience. Edie could hardly sit still.
When he pushed her nightgown up to her thighs and spread her legs wide, stepping between them, she couldn’t hold back a squeak. But then his hands came to her breasts again to resume their enticing, tormenting play. When he tugged on both nipples at once, gently rolling them between thumbs and forefingers, Edie groaned and let her head fall back. It was the most delicious sensation, making them ache and burn at the same time.
And now she understood his earlier comment, because she wanted his mouth on her, too, soothing the stiff points with his tongue.
“Alec,” she said, sounding breathy as she collapsed back on her elbows. Honestly, it was a miracle she could stay upright at all, and he’d barely started to touch her.
He followed her over, bracing his fists on either side of her shoulders. His gaze bored into her, hot and avid, and her nerves flickered with anticipation.
“Do you like that, sweet?” he asked in a gravelly voice. “Do you want more?”
“Yes, please,” she whispered back.
She reached up and curled a hand around his neck, bringing him down for a kiss. He answered eagerly, surging between her lips with a bold sweep of his tongue. Edie opened her mouth, tasting him in a gorgeous, wet slide. When she sucked on his tongue, he growled into her mouth and gave her lower lip a little nip. She jerked beneath him, and her sheath grew soft and damp as a gentle ache started to build between her thighs.
For a long, wonderful stream of moments, Alec took her mouth in leisurely, possessive kisses. He didn’t rush, tasting her with deep strokes and little bites soothed by deeper kisses. It was everything she’d dreamed kissing could be. Hot and provocative, wet and deep, skating just on the edge of control. It was earthy and lustful, but also intense and beautiful in a way her mind groped to explain—as if every particle of Alec’s being was focused on giving her as much pleasure as possible.
It felt like he gave rather than took, and it was so different from any kiss she’d ever experienced.
Unbidden, the image of Sir Malcolm Bannister and his slobbering ways sprang into mind. Edie spluttered out a laugh.
Alec pulled back with a jerk. “Edie, what the hell are you laughing at?”
The slightly aggrieved look on his face made her giggle again. “It’s not you, I promise,” she said. “I just thought of something funny.”
His eyes narrowed, an intriguing combination of masculine ire and lust. It made her feel quite wicked. “What?” he demanded.
“I was thinking how well you kiss. You’re not at all like a mastiff slobbering all over me, which is exactly what Sir—”
Alec groaned and let his head drop. “I swear, I’m going to kill Bannister the next time I see him.”
Then his head came up, his gaze fierce and deliciously possessive. Edie practically wriggled with delight. “You’re not jealous, are you?”
“I am madly jealous of any man touching you besides me,” he growled.
This time she did wriggle. “That’s splendid. I must try to make you jealous more often.”
He pulled her upright. “And for that, Miss Impudence, you deserve to be punished.”
That sounded rather fun. “Really? How?”
“First, I’m going to get this bloody thing off you, and then I’m going to have my wicked way with you.”
And so quickly that he left her gasping, Alec had whipped her nightgown from her body, leaving her completely exposed. His gaze flamed as he took a step back, getting a better view.
Edie sat perched on the edge of the mattress, unsure what to do with herself and quite certain that she was blushing a fiery red from head to toe. It wasn’t every day that one sat entirely naked in front of a man, even if it was the man one intended to marry. It took a great deal of courage not to scurry as quickly as possible beneath the bedclothes.
Her hand was, in fact, reaching to pull back the coverlet, but the look on his face stopped her. His high cheekbones had flushed under his tan, and his eyes had gone wide. His chest rose and fell on one, deep breath, and he placed a hand over his heart.
“Christ, lass,” he said in a low, almost reverent voice. “You’ll be the death of me. But I can’t think of a better way to go.”
It seemed an odd, if nice, thing to say. And even though she couldn’t help feeling shy, she had to admit she liked the way he looked at her.
Her courage bolstered by his admiring gaze, she leaned back on her hands. That brought her breasts nicely up and showcased her nipples, now stiff and flushed. Alec’s dark gaze went as hot as pitch.
“Well,” she teased in a husky voice, “aren’t you going to punish me?”
He let out a laugh that sounded more like a groan, then stepped forward. Placing his hands on the inside of her thighs, he pushed her open. Edie’s heart practically jammed up into her throat, but she held still, letting him look his fill.
“You’re the most gorgeous thing I’ve ever seen,” he rumbled as he pushed her a little bit wider. Good Lord, he could see every intimate detail. “So sweet and pink. So pretty.”
&nb
sp; He gently combed his fingers through her fluff. “And your gold curls. I can’t wait to be deep inside you, love, with those curls tickling against my skin.”
Edie’s mouth went dry. She had to lick her lips before she could speak. “Are you going to do that now?”
His gaze came up to her face, his expression so avid that she felt more than a niggling of doubt about what would happen next.
“Not yet. I have to get you ready, first.”
“What does that entail?”
“I’ll show you.” He swooped down and pressed her flat against the bed, with her lower legs dangling off the mattress. He took her hands and placed them to the side of her head, encircling her wrists in a gentle but unbreakable grip.
She was completely at his mercy, laid flat and vulnerable, with his hips wedged between her spread thighs. The wool of his kilt gently abraded her skin and brushed against her most sensitive parts, making them twitch with sensation. She’d never felt anything like it before, not even from her own tentative, secret explorations. It was absolutely delicious.
His wicked smile shot fiery sparks along her nerves.
Still, she wouldn’t let him get the best of her. “Now what?” she asked, trying to sound pert rather than breathless.
“This,” he rumbled. He started at her throat, nipping and licking his way along the underside of her jaw. Shivers raced along her skin, and she couldn’t help jerking against his hold.
“That’s it, love,” he said in a rasping voice as he nuzzled the hollow at the base of her throat. “Move as much as you want. But know that I won’t let you go. You’re completely under my control.”
That sounded both terribly naughty and terribly exciting, and Edie couldn’t help shifting beneath him. That brought her breasts in contact with the coarse hair that dusted his brawny chest, and she let out a gasp. Her nipples, stiff as beads, dragged against him, making her arch up even closer in a desperate attempt to soothe the pleasurable ache.
Alec groaned his approval as he flexed his hips. The fabric of his kilt rasped against her exposed, tender flesh. It both irritated and stimulated, and it fed her growing need, driving her to move.
Edie fought his hold. She couldn’t get close enough, squirming hard to try to assuage the ache in her breasts.
Alec slid down a few inches, kissing and licking his way across the rise of her chest. For a few, torturous minutes, he circled her nipples with his tongue, teasing her as he skillfully built up the restless throb of wanting in her veins.
“Alec,” she finally panted, “I need you to do something.”
What she needed was his mouth and tongue on her breasts—and all over her body. But it seemed rather shocking to voice so forward a request, especially during their first time together.
She did, though, squirm a little for emphasis.
“Oh, my pleasure, love,” he whispered.
Then, his mouth found her nipple. He dragged his tongue over the stiff point, then sucked her in. Edie let out a startled cry. Good God, it felt so delicious that she almost could imagine she’d died and gone to heaven.
He finally let go of her wrist and brought his hand down to her other breast. As he licked and tongued her, driving her wild, his other hand played. Her breasts quivered under his lavish attentions. While he sucked on her, he cupped and squeezed her other breast, lightly flicking her nipple. When she couldn’t take it a second longer, he switched, bringing the sweep of his tongue to soothe the luscious ache.
Instinctively, she hooked her ankles around the backs of his thighs. With a low growl, he brought his pelvis flush to her mound, gently flexing his hips and pushing into the aching bud of her sex. The rasp of his erection through the wool of his kilt made her burn and go soft and slick.
Alec sucked her hard into his mouth at the same time as he pushed against her. Sensation jolted her, and tiny contractions started to ripple out from deep inside. Edie gripped his shoulders and jerked against him, letting out a startled cry.
He eased back with a last tender lick. Then he straightened up to stare down at her, even though he kept one hand curled possessively around her breast.
“Christ,” he said, his voice low and harsh. “You’re so goddamn beautiful. Look at yourself, sweet. Look at us.”
She blinked, startled by his profanity, but she glanced down to take in her body, lying sprawled beneath him. Her thighs were spread wide around him, her golden nest of curls tangled and gleaming with her own moisture. Her breasts quivered from her uneven breathing, and the nipples were wet points, flushed red from his attentions. She looked entirely wanton.
But it was the sight of Alec that made her heart pound—all sensual brawn and ready to ravish her. His gaze was hot, narrow, and devouring. But his touch was so loving as he stroked her breasts that it brought tears to her eyes and a trembling smile to her lips.
“I need to be inside you, Edie,” he whispered. He sounded almost tortured, and she could feel a slight tremble in his hands.
She slid her hands to his forearms, caressing him. “I need that, too.”
He let out a fractured breath. When he started to unfasten his belt, she pushed herself up on her elbows and started to sit up.
“No need to move, love,” Alec said.
She subsided with a frown. “Shouldn’t we get in bed before we, er, you know.”
He flashed a grin as he took off his belt and began to unwind the kilt. “I’m enjoying you like this. I can see everything. Besides, it might be a little easier for you in this position, at least for the first time.”
“Well, you’re the expert,” she said. “I leave myself in your capable hands.”
Edie rather thought it was a good thing that one of them knew what to do, because she was starting to get nervous again, despite the fact that she wanted him as much as he wanted her. And when he finished unwrapping the length of plaid, finally exposing himself, it was a jolt—a big jolt, almost as big as Alec himself. His erection, thrusting up long and thick from its nest of dark hair, was impressive, to say the least.
And just a wee bit terrifying.
Her face must have shown her trepidation, because he swooped down to kiss her. She wrapped her arms around his neck, taking comfort in his strength and warmth.
He nuzzled her lips. “It’ll be fine, I promise. I’ll make sure you’re ready.”
She gave him a tremulous smile. “I trust you, Alasdair Gilbride.”
And she did, down to the marrow of her bones. Finally, they would be together, with no more obstacles standing between them.
He nudged her thighs a fraction wider, and then his hands drifted to the damp nest of curls that concealed her. Gently, so gently, he parted her inner folds and began stroking, slicking his fingertips through her moisture. He circled and played, rubbing her with a soft but steady pressure that coaxed forth a lovely throbbing sensation in the tight knot of her sex.
Edie’s fingers curled into the bedclothes beneath her. Her gaze latched onto Alec, so large and masterful as he loomed over her. She couldn’t even begin to find the words to describe how she felt, what she thought. She only knew that she loved him, and that every instinct urged surrender to that love and to him.
And then she was nothing but sensation and a tight spiral of need. He slid his hands through her inner folds and dipped inside, gently scissoring her open. It burned but also ached, and her need grew. She felt open and ready for him, desperate to be filled.
With a light touch, he flicked his thumb over her tight bud as he buried two fingers inside her. Edie moaned and arched her back, clenching around him. Everything inside seemed to contract and then strain toward release.
“Aye, lass, you’re ready.” Alec’s burr was low and thick.
He leaned over, propping one hand by her shoulder. “Look at me, love. Just keep looking at me.”
Edie reached up to curl her hands around his neck. She smiled, too moved to say anything. He nudged her, and the broad head of his erection penetrated. She felt her eye
s go wide at the burn as he leaned in.
Good heavens, he felt enormous. She sucked in a breath and held it. Alec let out a groan and closed his eyes. He nudged again, sinking in a bit more, then held himself still.
Edie glanced down, unable to help herself. And despite her trepidation and the stinging she felt, her stomach clenched. The sight of Alec standing between her spread legs was so intimate that it brought tears to her eyes.
“Edie, love, am I hurting you?” he asked in a tight voice.
She glanced up. His eyes were open and his features looked almost grim. Perspiration glazed his skin. She shook her head and managed a smile, finding it difficult to speak.
Gently, he smoothed her messy hair from her forehead. “Then why are you crying, sweet lass?”
She reached up to plant a kiss on his chin. “Because I’m so happy. I still can’t believe it all worked out.”
He unleashed a smile that was both smoldering and full of tenderness. It burrowed deep into her heart and took up permanent residence.
“I couldn’t let you go, Edie,” he said. “I can never let you go.”
Since the burn between her legs had started to fade, replaced by an altogether nicer sensation, she gave him a saucy smile. “Well, now that you have me, what do you intend to do about it?”
Nothing could have prepared her for the greedy, demanding kiss that left her breathless and shaking when he finally pulled back. “I’m going to make love to you,” he growled.
He started to move again, slowly pressing forward. With soft commands, he urged her to wrap her legs around his hips, opening her up. Slowly, he parted her, forging all the way. He left her breathless.
“All right?” he murmured.
She nodded. It was better than all right—it was him. And it got even better when he started slowly rocking, pulling out just a bit more each time he withdrew. Then pushing forward, a little deeper. He was so thick, and her passage felt tight and slick as it clung to him. His ragged moan vibrated through her, reflecting her own rising pleasure.
How to Marry a Royal Highlander Page 25
