She hissed in a breath at the intense sensation. At the same time, need flashed through her. Unintentionally, she lifted her hips toward him.
"Aye," he whispered, tempting her with more wet strokes. He nudged himself into her, then away.
"More," she said, aching deep inside.
"Are you certain?"
"Aye, Torrin. Please."
"Mmm." He wrapped his arm around her thigh and thrust his hips, embedding himself within her. He moaned deep in his chest, while pleasure, endless need, and the feeling of completeness encompassed her.
More, more, more.
He suckled at her breasts, first one, then the other, as he started moving.
Her arousal heightening, she buried her hands in his hair and arched up to meet his powerful thrusts. Growling, he besieged her body as if he couldn't get enough. Erotic decadence ran rampant through her.
Torrin could hardly believe he was making love to Jessie. Each time felt like an amazing dream, but the pleasure and need for more which consumed him told him 'twas indeed real. Her eagerness was beyond anything he could've imagined. Her pale blue eyes darkened with desire set him off like flame to gunpowder. Her hands in his hair pulled, sometimes painfully, but he didn't care. He wished she'd bite him and leave her mark on him.
He'd thoroughly enjoyed feasting upon her moments ago. Her sweet essence was like strawberries and honey, but twice as addictive. Driving into her tight depths felt like something he'd waited for his whole life.
Digging her nails into his shoulders, she sucked in a hissing breath and arched her neck back. How he loved bringing her to the peak of carnal delight. Watching her, gauging her reactions, he waited until she was on the precipice, her breath held, then he increased his pace with sudden intensity. Muscles deep within her clutched at him, caressed him. Saints! He couldn't endure it. His release blasted through him like a cannon. Fiery, explosive hedonism that burned up his thoughts and rationality. He consumed her mouth as the last waves of pleasure rippled through him.
Damnation, naught had ever felt so good. Not just physically. But for the first time in what seemed like years, he felt true happiness and found himself smiling like a fool. "I've dreamed of this since I first saw you over six months ago," he said, lying beside her.
"Hmm," she said.
"I knew we'd be perfect together."
"I did not know such… intense pleasure was possible," she said in a shy tone, refusing to meet his gaze.
"In truth?"
She shook her head.
"You mean the climax?"
Lifting her gaze, she searched his eyes, then nodded.
He smiled, then compressed his mouth into a line, trying to hide how pleased he was. "Am I to assume MacBain didn't ken how to bring you to climax?"
She shrugged a slim shoulder. "He didn't. At the time, I didn't ken anything about it. I thought that was all there was to it."
Torrin snorted. "I knew he was a daft bastard."
"Indeed. I don't want to think of him anymore."
"Nor do I, for a certainty."
When she stroked her fingers down his chest and abdomen, exploring him, his heart warmed. He wanted to kiss her head to toe. It wasn't simple lust he was feeling now but something much deeper. 'Twas the reason he couldn't get her out of his mind. He had to convince her to marry him; he needed her for a lifetime. She meant more to him than the chiefdom of Clan MacLeod or an heir. Alarm blasted through him. Was he mad? He didn't know. He didn't understand himself. All he knew for certain was he didn't want to live his life without her. He'd never imagined feeling this way. He'd heard of men tossing all aside for a woman, but could never comprehend it. Now he did. Some obsession had overtaken him body, mind and soul.
He wanted to ask her to marry him now, wanted her promise that she would, but fear gnawed at his gut. She might say nay again. He didn't want to ruin this perfect moment. What could he say to convince her?
His one hope was that if he could get her with child, she would agree to marry him. But he didn't care. He'd marry her either way, whether she was barren or could have ten children. And he knew the reason—because he was in love with her. Saints! He'd always thought such emotions daft. He was a chief and a warrior; he was supposed to be too hard to feel such things. But it seemed he had a heart after all. His father hadn't beaten it out of him. All of the battles he'd fought… none of it mattered. A lady had brought him to his knees. A lady he'd give anything and everything to if she would let him.
"Jessie?"
Her fingers stroked leisurely over him. "Aye."
His heart pounding, he kissed her forehead. "I want…" 'Slud, he couldn't think of the right words.
"What?" She stroked her hand over his bare hip.
A potent combination of lust and emotion struck him. He took her hand and laced his fingers through hers. "What do you want… in life? What do you wish for most?"
She tried to pull her hand from his, but he tightened his fingers.
"It matters not," she whispered.
"Aye, it matters. 'Tis the most important thing."
"Peace."
"Indeed, peace is a good thing, but you must want more."
"I don't wish to speak of this, MacLeod. If our tryst is over, mayhap you should go back to your own chamber." Pulling her hand from his, she turned onto her side, away from him.
Hell. He'd known this would happen. Why was she so damned stubborn?
He snuggled up tight against her back, his growing erection against her arse. "Our tryst isn't over," he whispered in her ear. "'Twill never be over." He stroked his hand up over her hip, her waist and cradled her breast in his hand. He teased her nipple and sucked her earlobe into his mouth. "I'm hungry for you, and I'll never get enough."
She arched against him, sliding her hand back into his hair and around his neck. He loved the moments when she let go and fully accepted him, even if it was only physical lust. He would get to her heart one way or another.
Rolling her onto her stomach, he pinned her beneath him.
"What are you doing, MacLeod?"
"I'll show you." He spread her legs and stroked his fingers between, finding her wet.
She gasped and arched up in a most inviting way. Lust surged through him, making him want to rut like a wild stag. But he didn't; he teased that sweet feminine spot.
"So wet," he whispered in her ear.
Moaning, she pushed her derriere against him. He wanted to give her exactly what she was craving, but making her wait appealed more. It wasn't that he wanted to make her beg for it; 'twas only that he wished she wanted everything he did. And mayhap she did, but for some reason, she wouldn't let go and admit it.
"Torrin." Her demanding feminine growl intensified his arousal even more.
"Aye. What is it you want?"
"Take me."
"Mmm." He loved the sound of that but not enough to give in yet. He lightly bit her shoulder, his fingers caressing her. She grew wetter and more swollen by the second. Nor did he want her to experience a climax yet. He wanted her suspended in intense arousal a bit longer. Could he make her addicted to him? Could he make her feel as he did, as if he could never get enough of her? Could he make her lie awake at night, burning… craving as he did?
"I want you now," she gasped, her voice breathy. "Please, Torrin."
Damn, he could no longer resist. He positioned himself and slipped into her, the wet heat taking his sanity. He muttered a curse, held her hips between his palms and gave into the pounding need. Never in his life had lust seared him so profoundly. Her moans and whimpers near drove him mad. He but wanted to please her, fulfill her every desire.
He slid his hand over her mound and stroked that wee bud of pleasure. She cried out, then pressed her face against the pillow, trying to muffle the sound. He grinned, wanting to laugh but at the same time, his release threatened. He ground his teeth, forcing himself to wait. Her body clenched onto him, so tight he thought he might die on the spot. She screamed into the pil
low but he didn't let up. Nay, he made himself wait. Wait, wait… until no more rational thoughts remained in his head. And then an explosion of fire and pleasure consumed him. No thoughts, just ecstasy and heaven… yet hot as hell.
Moments later, Jessie was asleep, but Torrin was too wound up, going over and over all the possibilities in his mind. If he got her with child, she would marry him. 'Twas likely the only way she'd agree to it.
He slept fitfully for a few minutes at a time. At the first light of dawn, a knock sounded at the door. He leapt up but Jessie didn't even stir. He slipped his long shirt over his head, grabbed his plaid, and unbarred the door. Cautiously, he opened it a crack and squinted into the corridor.
The older man outside the door frowned and lifted his lantern, his red and silver hair glinting in the light of the flame. Hell, 'twas Jessie's uncle, Conall. He and his large family had been moved into the castle last night for safety, so Haldane wouldn't take any of them hostage.
"Good morn," Torrin said.
"I thought this was Jessie's chamber," Conall said in a gruff voice, clearly displeased.
"Aye, 'tis." Torrin's face heated, though he had no idea why. Surely, Conall knew that Torrin wished to marry Jessie. "Has something happened?"
"Aye. Aiden's gone."
"Saints," Torrin hissed. "Did he run away?" Or did someone kidnap him. Haldane?
"We know not."
"What is it?" Jessie asked groggily from the bed.
Torrin turned his head, hardly able to see her in the gray dawn light, but kept the door almost closed. "Naught to worry over. Go back to sleep and I'll take care of it."
"Nay. Tell me." She slid to the edge of the bed and grabbed a smock.
"We'll be out in a minute," Torrin told Conall.
The older man gave a brief nod and stepped away.
"Who's out there?"
"Your Uncle Conall."
"Blast," she muttered. "I didn't want him to find us together. What did he say?"
"They can't find Aiden."
"What? Nay!" She hastily jerked on her plaid arisaid and belted it. "Where do they think he is?"
"He didn't say." Torrin belted his own plaid about his waist and straightened it as best he could in the dim dawn light.
She hurried to the door, opened it and stepped into the corridor. Torrin followed.
"Uncle Conall, is Aiden gone?"
"Aye. His bodyguard reported it about a half hour ago. We searched the castle top to bottom."
"Do you think he slipped out to talk to Haldane?"
The corners of Conall's mouth slanted downward within his gray and red beard. "'Tis what some of us fear."
She released an exasperated breath. "The lad is daft! Haldane will use him as a hostage, just as he did me. Or kill him."
"Let's not be so cynical yet," Torrin said. "We'll go out and search for him. Haldane won't kill him right away. Like you said, he'll try to use him for leverage first."
"He thinks that because he and Haldane are brothers, and that they were close until last winter, that Haldane won't hurt him. He is so naïve."
"Aye, that he is," Conall said. "Without doubt, he thinks he can talk some sense into Haldane."
"He doesn't realize how much Haldane has changed. He's turned into a man who is a vicious killer."
Conall nodded, looking disgusted. "Your da is most likely turning in his tomb at the moment."
"I'll help organize a search party." Torrin headed down the corridor.
***
Haldane sat by the fire-pit outside a cave halfway up the side of a mountain, his stomach growling and his mouth watering as he watched the two rabbits roasting on a spit. Thank the saints Gil was gifted with a bow and arrow.
This cave was one of McMurdo's old hideouts and near impossible to get to over rocky, steep terrain. No wonder he'd evaded capture for years. The MacKays would never find them up here.
Haldane arose and paced across the rocky ground. The morning sun was glinting over Ben Hope in the distance and Loch Eriboll lay below, reflecting the blue and gold sky. This was a miserable place. He ground his teeth at having to hide out in these wild mountains. He should already be the MacKay chief. He should be living comfortably in Dunnakeil, sleeping in a featherbed each night, filling his belly with fine foods every day, and sitting by a warm fireplace in winter. 'Twas how he'd grown up and what his mother and father had wanted for him.
"Look who we found!" one of his men called out behind him.
Haldane turned and came face to face with his wee brother. Victory surged through him. Aiden would be an even better hostage than Jessie had been. He couldn't fight worth a damn and everyone in the clan loved him.
"We searched him for weapons and found none," MacDonald said.
Haldane grinned. "What are you doing here, Aiden?"
"I came to talk some sense into you, brother. What the devil do you think you're doing?" His green eyes glinted with ire, making Haldane want to laugh. Even though Aiden was two years older than Haldane, he was still skinny and small, like a lad. And unfortunately, he was as trusting as a child. Haldane felt sorry for him, and experienced a moment of remorse for what he would have to do.
"What I'm supposed to do," Haldane said. "What Mother and Father would've wanted me to do."
"Nay, you're mad. You're the youngest. You were never destined to be chief."
Annoyance twisted through Haldane. "Wee brother, you don't have the stones to be chief. Dirk is an imposter. And Jessie is a woman. I'm the only one left."
Aiden shook his head, his thin sandy hair blowing in the mountain breeze. "Are you still lying to yourself about Dirk? He is Da's oldest son. I remember him very clearly from before he disappeared."
"Nay." Haldane knew good and well Dirk was who he claimed to be, but he loved keeping up the pretense as his ma had always done. Besides, Dirk didn't deserve acknowledgement as a MacKay. "Dirk has to die. He murdered our mother, Aiden! Don't you remember?"
"He didn't murder her. He killed her in self-defense."
"Ha. That mountain of a man felt the need to kill our scrawny old mother in self-defense?"
"She poisoned Isobel and me and almost killed us both!"
"Not intentionally, not in your case anyway."
"Ma tried to have Dirk murdered several times. Don't you remember, she hired McMurdo to shove him off a cliff thirteen years ago?"
Haldane smirked and glanced aside at McMurdo. The man with the long gray hair and scarred, wrinkled face narrowed his black eyes, his menacing gaze moving back and forth between him and Aiden. 'Twas a sore point with him that he hadn't succeeded in a job he'd been paid a thousand pounds to accomplish.
"And 'tis a job he is determined to finish, aye, McMurdo?" Haldane asked.
He gave a brief nod and continued sharpening his sword.
"Nay," Aiden said, his eyes widening. "You're getting McMurdo to kill Dirk?"
"Of course. He's the best man for the job."
Studying Haldane, Aiden shook his head. "You've become just like Ma."
"If you mean canny and brilliant, aye." Haldane smiled. "I'm glad you came to visit me. Now, I can convince Erskine and the guards to open the gates."
"Wrong. They won't do it."
"Then you'll die, too, along with Dirk and anyone else who gets in my way."
"What happened to you, brother? You didn't used to be like this."
"I came to my senses. That's what." Fury rampaged through Haldane's veins. "If you'd had the gall to stand up and be chief as Ma wanted, I wouldn't have been forced to do this. I supported you. I would've helped you. But, nay. You wished to give it all up to Dirk."
"Dirk is the best chief this clan could possibly have. I'm not suited to it and neither are you."
"I'll be as great a chief as Da was."
"You are mad."
"Indeed!" Haldane grinned. "Madness suits me, does it not, McMurdo?"
He nodded.
Fear lit in Aiden's eyes when he watched McMurdo. Haldane
was glad. He knew Aiden didn't fear him. But he should. He didn't want to kill Aiden, but if he was all that stood between Haldane and the chiefdom, he would do it.
In the meantime, he would use him to get inside the gates of Dunnakeil. No way in hell would Erskine, Jessie, and the rest of them allow Aiden to be killed.
"You should give it up, Haldane. You'll never succeed at this."
"There's where you're wrong, wee brother."
"You'll get yourself killed. If you want to live, you should go south and stay there."
Haldane gave a bitter laugh. "I've been south. Dunnakeil is my home and I mean to claim it, no matter the cost."
"'Tis not worth your life."
"Don't worry over me. I'm a big lad now. I can take care of myself." He placed his hand upon Aiden's bony shoulder and guided him toward the fire-pit. The roasted rabbits appeared to be almost done. "Come. Let's break our fast. We have a mission at gloaming."
"What mission?"
Haldane smiled. "You're going to get us into Dunnakeil."
Chapter Ten
"Glad I found you," Torrin told Jessie in an upstairs corridor. "We've looked for Aiden in the stables, the smithy, all the outbuildings and the kirk. No sign of him. The search party is ready to head out."
"I've searched the entire castle for him again, all the places he practices his music," she said, her throat tightening at the thought her wee brother could already be hurt or dead. "'Twas clear to me last night he wanted to talk to Haldane. They've been close their whole lives, and Aiden naively believes his brother wouldn't hurt him. And it could be that he fears Haldane will be killed before he can see him or talk to him again."
Torrin nodded. "I can understand that. I wish I could've talked to Nolan again one last time. It hurts to lose a brother to a life of crime."
"Indeed, it does."
He took her hand and kissed the back. "Don't you worry. We'll find Aiden."
"I'm going with you." Jessie said.
"Nay." Torrin frowned. "If you go, I'll have to protect you instead of searching for Aiden or fighting Haldane."
He was right. Though she knew how to use a dirk, she wasn't a warrior, and she would only be a liability. "Very well. I thank you for putting your own life in danger to help Aiden."
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