The longer he remained still, the more the stiffness slid away from her body. Like ice melting, droplet by droplet, he felt her resistance beginning to soften.
‘I hated feeling so powerless,’ she admitted. ‘They spoke of ransoming me, but in truth, if you hadn’t come, they would have hurt me.’
A hard edge of fury sharpened inside him at the thought of anyone harming his wife. He wished he could turn back the hours so she had never been taken at all.
‘Did you know them?’ It seemed strange that only three men would be so far away from their clansmen.
‘I think they recognised me. There were some MacDonnells who travelled through Eiloch last spring. My father made certain I was kept away from them.’ Her face grew pained. ‘Now I understand why.’ She took a deep breath and added, ‘They were tracking me, once they saw your men. They believed you or my father would pay a ransom for me.’ She slid her arms around him, her hands upon his back. The unexpected touch was a welcome warmth he hadn’t expected.
Rhys kept her in his embrace for several moments, waiting to see if she would say more. When she didn’t, he asked, ‘Did I frighten you when I killed them?’ When he had seen the bearded man holding her down with her bodice torn open, he’d struck the killing blow without voicing a single question. Only afterwards did he realise that he’d likely terrified his wife into silence.
Her breathing was even, but her hand stroked a light pattern over his skin. ‘No. I was glad you killed him.’
She moved her face to rest against his heart, her lips brushing against the rapid beating. Heat roared over him, scalding him with unbridled desire. His body hardened, and when she pressed her hips against his, he bit back a groan.
‘I was never more glad to see you in all my life,’ she murmured. ‘I prayed you would find me.’ She took an unsteady breath and added, ‘Though I ken that I didn’t deserve it. I have not been much of a wife to you.’
He understood how difficult it must have been for her to admit it, but he would not blame her for it. ‘I was not the man you wanted. And neither of us was given a choice in this marriage.’
‘No.’ She seemed to be struggling for the right words to say. He breathed in the scent of her hair and she answered it by embracing him tightly. ‘But we could...start again.’
Her hands moved up his chest to his throat, where she wound her arms around his neck. She lifted her leg over his, and the action made her shift rise nearly to her waist. Rhys was still wearing his braies, but his erection strained at the wool.
God above, Lianna was driving him into madness.
And when she lifted her mouth to his, she murmured, ‘Hold me, Rhys. Help me to face my fears and forget about them.’
He needed no other invitation. He kissed her gently, reassuring her with his mouth. She leaned in closer, and he drew his hands down to her hips, sliding the shift up until she helped him remove it. He discarded the remainder of his own clothing until they were naked in the darkness.
Her soft curves pressed against his body, tempting him to touch her. Lianna lay upon her side, and the touch of her cool skin upon his evoked a surge of need.
‘Do you remember the night you first came to me?’ she whispered.
‘It has been burned into my mind for weeks.’ He drew his hand down her hair, over her bare back, tracing the curve of her bottom.
‘Pretend that you are still that Highlander,’ she whispered. ‘And that none of the rest happened.’
He understood that she needed him to push back the harsh memories, replacing them with better ones. ‘I am still your Highlander,’ he said, switching into Gaelic. Though his words were not as strong, he murmured endearments to her. Telling her how brave she had been, how beautiful she was now.
Lianna put her arms around him again, and it pressed her bare breasts against his torso. ‘Touch me the way you did on that first night we were together.’
His blood coursed through his veins with a wildness barely controlled. When she lifted her mouth to his, he fought to maintain command. She kissed him with the innocence of a maiden, but her body held its own invitation. He slid his tongue into her mouth, and she shuddered, delicately touching it with her own. The erotic kiss wove a spell between them, and he felt her skin growing warmer, prickling as she responded to him. He caressed her hip, moving his palm over the lean, long legs. Then he drew his mouth down her throat, feeling her arch against him as he caught a sensitive place.
On that first night, she had seduced him, but now he intended to tempt this woman beyond reason. He craved her body and wanted her to know exactly what she had been missing these past nights.
He learned the edges and curves of her, then captured her nipple with his mouth. She let out a gasp, but he soothed her, swirling his tongue over the hardened tip.
‘It feels good when you do that,’ she said softly. He rewarded her honesty by suckling her nipple, and she moaned in response.
He moved his attention to her other breast and at the same moment reached between her legs. She was wet, and when he pressed his thumb against her centre, she dug her fingernails into his shoulder.
‘Rhys,’ she gasped.
He locked his gaze with hers. ‘I am your husband now. You are mine, Lianna.’ He emphasised his words by circling the hardened nub of her flesh with his thumb. She was trembling at his touch, but she did not deny him.
Then he brought her hand to his hardened shaft. ‘And I am yours.’
She seemed slightly afraid, but she curled her hand around him, sliding it upward. Then she squeezed him gently and the erotic sensation forced a sharp intake of breath. Her thumb grazed the thick head, and he caught her wrist.
‘Did I hurt you?’
‘No.’ But he was shaken by how her single touch had nearly driven him to spill his release. This woman held a power over him that he had never anticipated—and he could not allow it. ‘But I want to touch you more.’
He guided her hand away, still shaken by her simple caress. He distracted himself by suckling against her nipple, sliding a single finger inside her depths. She was wet, and he found that arousing her was sharpening his own pleasure. He found that she was far more sensitive when he stroked the hooded flesh, and she could not stop herself from leaning into him.
‘And what of this?’ he asked against her breast. ‘Do you want more? Or should I stop?’
When he stilled his hand, she cried out, moving her fingers towards his. ‘No, don’t stop. Please.’
She grew reckless, panting as he kept up the rhythmic caresses. He kept two fingers deeply inside her while he continued to circle. She was moving her hips against him, arching and trembling. Her breasts were erect, her body slick with perspiration as she strained against him.
He slowed his strokes, but kept the pressure steady. Lianna cried out, holding his mouth to her breast, when suddenly she quaked within his arms, trembling as she came apart. It was like a wave that pulsed through her, and as she rode out the release, he gave in to his own needs. He positioned himself at her wet entrance, and when she lifted her knees, he sheathed himself deep inside in one fluid motion. She arched her hips, and he felt the wild trembling of another release crashing over her, squeezing him as he thrust.
‘Rhys, I need you,’ she blurted out. ‘Please.’
He lost himself in her, no longer able to keep himself under control. All the weeks of yearning for this woman had wound him into a tight ball, and now he had no choice but to thrust inside her. Though he tried to be careful, there was something about Lianna that challenged him. Her brown eyes stared into his, demanding that he surrender.
‘I don’t want to ever think about those men again. I want only you.’
Her words were an invisible caress, making him rock hard within her body. And when he penetrated her, over and over, she raised her hips, seizing him and pulling him deeper.
No longer was she the careful, calm wife. Instead, she gave in to her wild urges, digging her fingernails into his back. He drove harder, and she bit back a scream as he ground against her. It was a savage lovemaking, but he could not stop himself any more than he could have stopped a thunderstorm.
He felt her body spasm against his, and she let out a keening noise as her body milked his shaft. She drove him into madness, wrapping her legs around his waist as he pumped, and when she kissed him, he lost control.
His body erupted within hers, and he clung to her, riding the tide as the wave knocked him asunder. Her body accepted his seed, bowing beneath him as he thrust a few more times. And when he collapsed atop her, his heart was pounding as if he’d run a thousand miles.
And for a night in Lianna MacKinnon’s arms, he would do just that.
* * *
Lianna was sore for the next two days, and she felt her cheeks burning, though she tried to pretend as if nothing were different. Yet, the men knew that everything had changed between herself and Rhys.
She told herself that it did not matter. She was his wife now and was expected to bear him children. How else could she do so unless she shared his bed?
But her conscience chided her that she was enjoying him far too much. He had even stopped to set up camp early last night, and his men sent her teasing smiles when she served them meals. Her own kinsmen were cooler in their demeanour, making her feel as if she had surrendered too easily.
They were drawing closer to Eiloch now, and the thought made her nervous. Would her people come to accept Rhys? Would they understand that she’d had no choice but to wed him? And what would her father think of it?
She rode alongside Rhys, her gaze fixed upon the crofters’ homes and the condition of the fortress. Her mind made detailed notes about the broken fences and the homes in need of repair. She memorised the faces of the thin children and the elderly. And when she passed by the house of Iona, she smiled to see the swollen pregnancy at her friend’s waist. Despite all the changes in her own life, there was still the familiarity of home. And now that she had married Rhys, they would bring prosperity back.
Her husband kept his voice low and remarked in the Norman tongue, ‘They do not seem pleased to see us.’
‘That will change, thanks to the supplies you’ve brought.’ She had been overjoyed to learn that he had not forgotten his bargain when their travelling party intercepted the rest of the men. Her own belongings were there, along with four other wagons Rhys had ordered, by way of a bridal present.
He slowed the gait of his horse and caught her hand, stroking her fingers. ‘You did not ask for a true bride price, Lianna. Only food for your people.’
‘I need nothing for myself.’ Her cheeks warmed when she saw the undisguised hatred upon the faces of her people. They eyed her as if she were holding hands with a monster.
‘Even so, there is another gift I will give you tonight,’ he murmured. ‘Perhaps you will wear it for me.’
She didn’t ken what she should say, except to nod. ‘If you wish.’
‘And you may plan the wedding you wanted,’ he said. ‘Whatever feast you wish, whatever you desire for the celebration, you shall have.’
A softness slid over her face at the thought. She wanted to begin anew with her people, offering them a reason to celebrate. Despite her brother’s death, they would survive this winter and perhaps learn to accept Rhys and his men.
Warrick hung back with the rest of the soldiers, and she decided to find a place for the Normans to stay together. The young man had remained stoic throughout the journey, but she owed him a favour for rescuing her.
She realised that Rhys was waiting for an answer regarding the wedding, and she said, ‘I will begin the preparations on the morrow.’ He seemed to relax at that.
Their marriage had improved somewhat, but she still felt awkward during the daylight hours. It always seemed as if others stared at them, and only when she was alone in her husband’s arms, did the boundaries disappear. Sometimes it felt as if she were living two lives—one as his wife, and the other as a chief’s daughter and a Scot.
When they reached her father’s house, Rhys dismounted and helped her from her own horse. She was eager to see Alastair once again, to embrace him and share the news.
But after a kinsman led her to his room, she was dismayed to see her father lying in bed, his pallor grey and cool.
‘Father,’ she called out, hurrying to his side. She picked up his hand and was relieved to find that he was still alive. But he was not at all well.
Alastair managed a wan smile. ‘So, you’ve returned. I wish I could have been at your betrothal, Lianna.’
‘It was witnessed by several dozen men,’ Rhys said. ‘All went well, and we spoke our wedding vows a fortnight ago.’
She noted the slight flare of disappointment in his eyes. ‘I had no choice, Father. Lord Montbrooke would not allow us to leave until we were wedded. But Rhys promised me that we would have another wedding here with our clan and with you.’ She squeezed his hand. ‘You must promise me that you’ll get better. I want you to be there.’
‘Nothing would please me more, my wee lass,’ he said quietly. ‘I have missed you.’
She warmed to his words. ‘Don’t worry, Father. I will set everything to rights at Eiloch.’
‘I ken that you will.’ He reached up to her cheek and said quietly, ‘You look different than before. If I am not mistaken, this marriage has changed you.’
She couldn’t stop the blush upon her cheeks. It had indeed changed her, but perhaps it was because she now believed that Rhys had never intended to kill her brother. It had been Sían’s choice to fight a battle he could not win.
‘I am well,’ was all she could say.
‘Good.’ Alastair leaned back against his pillow. ‘Go and do as you will, while I rest my eyes. I will see you at the evening meal.’
She leaned down to kiss his cheek before stepping back with Rhys and leaving her father alone. Inside the large gathering space, she saw that the rushes had not been changed. Upon the floor were scattered bones and refuse. It was almost as if the people had abandoned Eiloch, leaving it to decay. A flare of annoyance caught her, but she would not allow this neglect to continue.
‘You look ready to declare war, my wife,’ Rhys said against her ear.
‘And so I am. They have not carried out their duties when I was away.’ She would speak with Orna and find out why tasks had been left undone.
‘I will speak with Alastair about it and find out why,’ he offered. ‘One of my men can oversee the clansmen, if necessary.’
She bristled at the idea of a Norman soldier telling her people what to do. It would not go well at all. ‘Let it be, for now. I will visit with each of the crofters and learn what has happened while I was away.’ Her mind was spinning off with all the duties left to her.
‘And then you’ll report back to me all that you have learned.’
When he put it in those words, it sounded as if she were spying on his behalf. Lianna hesitated and answered, ‘I will tell you what repairs need to be made and what the needs of my people are.’ She had no intention of creating problems where there were none.
Rhys seemed to sense her reticence and slid his palm against the small of her back. Leaning in, he murmured, ‘And during the noontide meal, you’ll ride to the dolmen, won’t you?’
A ghost of a smile tugged at her mouth. ‘I do not ken if that’s possible until I have finished my duties. But perhaps later.’
‘You might find a Highlander waiting for you,’ he said against her mouth.
A flare of heat rose between her legs, and her cheeks flushed. ‘I—I need to go, Rhys.’
He seemed to understand his effect on her. ‘Find out what has happened, and I will hear from the others. My men can help with distributing the food at a later time.’
She nodded. ‘Will you have our men organise the grain stores into forty portions?’ she asked. ‘We need to begin dividing the supplies.’
‘In a few days, perhaps. For now, I want to inspect your defences and make changes where they are needed.’
Once again, she felt a sudden uneasiness. She knew these people better than Rhys. And though she had anticipated that Rhys would take the leadership role, she did not want it to feel like a conquest.
‘Do not make too many changes, too soon,’ she cautioned. ‘They may not listen to your orders.’
His expression darkened. In a cool voice, he said, ‘They will listen and obey every command I give. Or they will find themselves without a home. I will not tolerate rebellion here.’
She stiffened at that, not knowing how to respond. If he began issuing orders, her people might rise up in anger. ‘They are already afraid. We must tread carefully so they accept you and your men.’
He sent her an incredulous look. ‘Fear is no reason to abandon necessary tasks. They must work together and not neglect their responsibilities.’
She knew that, but she worried about how the people would respond to Rhys. He was not the chief of this clan. Now that Sían was gone and her father was ill, the tasks should fall upon her shoulders, for she fully understood what was needed. She wanted his permission to make decisions on behalf of the clan.
‘Will you let me help you?’ she asked quietly. Some of his tension dissipated when she kept her tone soft.
He hesitated as if he didn’t want to surrender dominion to her. But she waited, giving him time to think it over while he led her towards a corner of the room. A few of the MacKinnons stared at them, but Rhys ignored their hostility.
‘Go and find out what has happened while we were away,’ he relented. ‘But keep a guard with you at all times.’ His hands moved around her waist, and she felt self-conscious with her kinsmen watching them.
Rhys kissed her in front of them, making it clear that she was his wife in truth. Although she had come to enjoy his affection, at this moment it felt like a mark of ownership. She could feel the silent fury of the MacKinnon clansmen, though she tried to ignore it.
Forbidden Night with the Highlander Page 14
