As everyone finished eating, Camden glanced at his new wife and he was upset that she had not eaten anything. He wondered if she was too repulsed by him to stomach any food. They had a long journey ahead of them and Camden knew she would need her strength. The laird did not want to be weighed down by the burden of a woman. The men were already going to have to ride slower than normal because of her.
The king loudly commanded his steward to show the newly married couple to their room. Olivia felt as though everyone were watching them and she was certain she heard several giggles coming from some of the women. Camden was definitely handsome but Olivia had no interest in sharing a bed with him. The nuns taught Olivia what would occur on her wedding night and she was not looking forward to the unpleasant chore.
As the door to their room shut behind them, Olivia stood by the hearth unsure of what to do next. She knew what her duties as a wife included but no one had asked her if she wanted to be his wife. Camden took the draped plaid from his left shoulder and then lifted the tunic over his head, placing it on the chair beside the bed. He took off his knee-high deerskin boots and then dropped the plaid from his waist just as Olivia had turned to speak to her new husband.
Olivia’s mouth dropped open while she continued to stare at the fully nude man in front of her. His body was sculpted to perfection and his deeply tanned skin was glowing from the fire light in the room. Camden’s golden shoulder length hair made his squared jaw seem even more powerful and his eyes had a hint of humor. Olivia continued to gape at her husband and then she suddenly had the urge to touch the small dip in the center of his chin.
The look on her face made Camden want to smile but he did not want to embarrass the girl on their first night. He wanted to put her mind at ease for surely she was nervous about the marriage bed. Camden knew she was not a common wench that would warm his bed and he needed to treat her with respect. He thought maybe someday he would even care for the woman but for now, he was exceedingly grateful for receiving her land.
“Young wife, you can come to bed and sleep. I will not touch you tonight. You will need your rest for the hard journey we have ahead of us,” Camden said calmly.
“I am not so young. I have just turned nineteen years,” she said quickly and then realized that sounded very childish.
Camden smiled. “Aye, you are but an old woman, forgive me. You are also not as shy as I thought maybe you would be.”
“I am afraid if you think that I am like all the other timid English women you will probably be disappointed. Having a husband is a new experience for me but I assure you I am not a fearful woman,” she boasted.
“Then come, lay by my side and sleep with me tonight. We must rest for tomorrow.”
Olivia was grateful that he did not want to touch her tonight but then she wondered if maybe the sight of her did not please him enough. Camden pulled back the covers and climbed into the large ornately carved bed. There were sheer drapes all around it and the covers looked delicately soft and inviting. She tried her hardest not to look at his bare flesh but it was a sharp contrast against the white linens.
She walked over to the large bed and climbed into it next to Camden. Olivia had a difficult time getting comfortable with the large dress still on her body. She was not used to this style of dress, let alone this much fabric. Camden was a bit annoyed that the woman was so shy that she could not even change into a sleeping gown.
“I have told you that I won’t touch you tonight. Your virginity is safe. Take that gown off before sleeping, it is taking up the entire bed, wife.”
The more he harassed her about being shy, the less shy she became. His opinion of her being a weakling was irritating Olivia beyond her limits.
“I am not worried about my precious virginity,” she said harshly, “I just don’t know how to get this damn dress off.”
Camden was instantly shocked at his new wife’s sudden outburst. Maybe she was not shy at all.
“Would you like some help? I don’t know much about taking these dresses off either but I’m sure I can figure it out,” he grinned.
Olivia sat up and threw her legs over the side of the bed with her back towards Camden.
“Well certainly a man with your looks must have a great deal of knowledge on how to take a woman’s dress off,” she said, sounding almost jealous.
“And what looks might that be? Do you find yourself attracted to me wife?” He said softly as he moved close behind her and started to untie the corset of her dress.
“Actually, I find you rather large and I wonder if it hinders your abilities as a warrior for surely you couldn’t be very agile.”
As Olivia was finishing her sentence, Camden leapt from the bed to stand in front of her and then he quickly pushed her shoulders back on the bed and covered her body with his. Their mouths were an inch apart and the tips of their noses touched. The laird looked deeply into her beautiful eyes and stared for what felt like eternity.
“Never question my abilities as a warrior, wife,” he ordered.
Olivia was shaken to the core by the heat of his bare skin as it radiated through her dress. She was suddenly aware of his perfect masculine body and she could not help but touch his smooth skin. She became fascinated by the ripples of his muscles and envisioned of how strong he must be. Olivia had grown up watching men battle but they always wore armor or at least clothes. She was certain none of the English men looked like this underneath their tunics.
The more his new wife touched him, the less control he had. Camden wondered if she knew the light touch of her fingertips was driving him mad. He quickly moved off of her before he broke his promise and took full advantage of their marriage union. Why was she affecting him this way? The laird had been with women before but now he felt a need to protect her as if she were a fragile gift he had been given.
Olivia stood and tried to remove the dress from her body. She was successful in the first layer and then was stuck with the second. Camden watched with amusement and wondered why she did not know how to remove her own dress. Certainly she had done it many times and he thought maybe she was just trying to stall coming to bed.
“Do all English women have such a difficult time getting out of their dresses?” He asked.
“Do all Highland warriors find enjoyment in their wife’s problems?” She said not answering his question but giving him one of her own.
Camden laughed out loud and the rich sound of his laughter sent chills through Olivia’s body. Maybe she would always make him laugh because she found great pleasure in the sound. He left the bed, walked close to her and made her lift her arms. He reached to the floor and pulled her entire dress up and completely over her head. Olivia stood in only her chemise and then started to take the pins from her hair. She hated having it pulled back because it always made her head ache. Camden sat on the edge of the bed and watched as she moved her body with elegance.
“You don’t seem to be very shy with me any longer.”
She looked at Camden and his statement seemed so ridiculous. He was the one fully nude in front of her and he was concerned about her being shy. Olivia smiled at him and through the firelight of the hearth, Camden saw the face of an angel. He was grateful he was sitting for surely his knees would have had gone weak.
“I am far more comfortable in only this shift than in that silly dress. I grew up in a convent and never wore fancy dresses like that. That dress doesn’t even belong to me and I only wore it because the king asked me too.”
“I assumed because you were a countess that you always had fine clothing and jewels,” he said as he continued to watch her.
Camden could see her feminine shape that was visible through the thin chemise. He watched the swell of her breasts rise and fall with every breath and he struggled to control his senses. The laird moved back against the pillows and pulled the covers over himself so she could not see how the sight of her body was affecting his own.
“I am sorry I have no fine clothing but we do have famil
y jewels. If you wanted a dowry you should have spoken with my brother before we wed.”
“I received the dowry I wanted,” he said flatly as the thought of the land and the Sinclairs brought him back to reality.
“Of course, you got the precious land that you wanted. Well I am grateful someone benefited from this marriage,” she blurted out.
“I take it you did not come willingly to this marriage.”
Olivia finally had all the pins out of her hair and she ran her fingers through it as she looked towards the man she was about to share a bed with.
“I only knew I was to be married just minutes before it happened.”
She noticed her husband staring at her and Olivia wondered if he was disappointed in her appearance. This was the first time in her life that she wished to be petite and dainty like the other women. The new bride felt as if she were being examined with his stare so she quickly climbed into the bed.
“The marriage had to be quick for reasons beyond my control. I am sorry that you are dissatisfied with our arrangement,” he said.
“I never said I was dissatisfied but I never thought I would even marry let alone have it happen so quickly.”
“Why?”
“Why what? She asked.
“Why did you think you would not marry? You are a beautiful royal countess. I should think that would make you every man’s prize,” Camden said sincerely.
“I don’t want to be any man’s prize. I never wanted any of the things that most girls wanted when they grew up.”
The woman was truly a puzzle to him and he found her words to be intriguing. Camden was not use to talking to a woman much less wanting to hear more of what she had to say. How much would she tell him and how much should he tell her, he wondered. Olivia was glad that he thought she was beautiful. She had a peculiar need inside to please him for some reason.
“We have a long ride ahead of us tomorrow. You must get some sleep wife,” Camden said as he rolled close to her and pulled her gently next to him.
His arm draped across her small waist and Olivia felt his chest against her back as it moved with each breath he took. The size of him surrounding her made it seem like she was in a cocoon of protection. His body was bursting with heat and she welcomed his warmth in the chilly night air. Olivia was restless laying so close to him and she wondered if he was sleeping yet. Maybe they would always sleep together so intimately, she thought.
“Are you going to move like this through the entire night?” He asked her curtly.
“I am sorry but I am not used to having a giant man in my bed.”
“Well get used to it quickly and stop fidgeting.”
“If anyone is rightfully allowed to be angry here it is I,” she insisted.
“I am not angry. Just go to sleep,” he ordered.
“Of course you are angry and I have done nothing wrong.”
“Alright I am angry. Every time you move, it makes that thin little slip you are wearing move further up your bare thighs. The more I feel your silky skin, the more it drives me mad with want to take you and make you mine. If I do that, then I will not be a man of my word because I promised not to touch you tonight. Unless you are willing to give yourself to me freely and take that shift off so I can explore every inch of your body with my mouth, I suggest you lie still and go to sleep.”
Chapter Four
Olivia did not move a muscle, in fact, she was afraid to even breathe. His pure honesty was shocking to her but she was grateful he explained why he was so agitated. Somewhere deep inside she was satisfied knowing that her new husband desired her physically. Olivia knew other men did and they seemed so shallow to want to court her just for her appearance. She actually admired Camden for the sensible act of marrying to gain the land he wanted. The countess was curious though as to why he valued this property so greatly.
“Do you find me pleasant to look at?” Olivia asked him.
Camden sighed into the dark. “Yes, please go to sleep.”
“Are you pleased you married me, other than for the land of course?” She persisted.
“I hardly know you well enough to answer that question,” he said honestly.
Olivia moved again and her exposed thighs pressed against his heated body. If she had known the power she held over him right now, she would have definitely taken advantage of it. Camden moved his mouth the nape of her neck and slowly began to kiss the soft skin. Olivia exhaled deeply and his touch sent chills down through her body. What was he doing to her and more importantly, she wanted to know why he was doing it.
“Why are you kissing me like that?”
“Because you keep moving against me and I want you to experience just a moment of what it would be like if you gave yourself to me willingly,” he whispered into her ear.
“I know what is expected of me in the marriage bed. I was taught what my duties are as a wife from the nuns at the abbey. I will not stop you if you wish to perform the act.”
Camden smiled against her skin finding his new wife’s comments humorous.
“I have told you already unless you come freely to me, I will not take you tonight,” he said as he continued kissing Olivia’s neck.
The laird then started moving his thumb so it brushed underneath her breasts. Her chemise was completely pulled up around her waist now and Camden knew he was to the point of no return. He needed to hear her say the words. He needed her to want him as much he wanted her.
She turned to face him. “What should I call you? You only call me wife and I am not sure if it because you are supposed to or perhaps you just don’t remember my name.”
“Olivia, you talk too much,” he smiled.
Camden brought his mouth to hers and tenderly kissed her lips. He was gentle as first, but when he heard a soft moan escape from her mouth, Camden swept his tongue inside to taste her. Olivia had never expected a kiss to be like this and she now never wanted it to end. As he continued to move his mouth against hers, the young countess started to feel a burning down below and an ache that needed to be fulfilled.
“Tell me that you want this Olivia,” he whispered against her neck while he let his hands explore her body.
“I am not sure what it is that I want but there is a need and I…,” she said breathlessly before he stopped her with another kiss.
Camden had never felt this way before and he was losing control way too quickly. He pulled the chemise over her head and dropped it to the floor. He moved back from her slightly and looked at her lean muscular body in the firelight.
“My God you are perfection.”
He realized his bride had great strength from the way her body was toned and the muscles curved. Her breasts were flawlessly beautiful and as he brought his mouth to her nipple, Olivia clutched his hair with her hands. She did not know that husbands did such things to their wives. Camden could feel her moving restlessly against him and he knew she was burning inside.
“Olivia, you must want me freely or I will stop this now,” he said as he looked into her eyes and saw the passion burning there for him.
“Please, do not stop this wonderful torture,” she whispered.
Camden understood what she meant and he knew she was ready. His large body perfectly covered hers and in one swift movement, he joined them together forever. Olivia cried out with pleasure not knowing that what he was doing could feel any better than it already had. Camden waited to move again because he was afraid of hurting her.
“Olivia, are you alright? Did I hurt you?”
She was confused and frustrated thinking he would stop now when she wanted so much more.
“Is it over? Camden please do not stop. I need…,” she did not even finish her sentence before he knew what she needed.
The warrior found her mouth as he began moving slowly, making a gentle rhythm against her body. Olivia clung to him with every ounce of strength she had trying to understand this new passion and desire. When she started matching his thrusts with her own, he knew she wa
s yearning for more. It was almost too much for him and Camden felt helpless as this woman blurred all his senses. Together their bodies each found the release they were craving and Camden collapsed against Olivia’s quivering body.
Neither could move as they tried to regain their composure. Without saying a word, Camden finally looked into her bright green eyes and then kissed her mouth fully again. He rolled to her side pulling her close and then fell asleep within minutes. Olivia on the other hand, was wide-awake.
The new bride laid there wondering what had just happened to her. The nuns had never said anything about a woman finding pleasure in the marriage bed and she feared that maybe it was a sin. Olivia also worried that this man made her lose her self-control so quickly. In those minutes of bliss, she was vulnerable and when someone’s emotions were exposed, it made them weak. The countess had vowed long ago that she would never be weak.
It was early the next morning when Camden woke Olivia by kissing her mouth softly. She opened her eyes and saw him standing over her already fully dressed. He moved back and smiled at his new wife when he saw the startled expression on her face.
“It is time for us to leave. My men are waiting outside the city walls for us,” he said.
“You do understand that I wasn’t prepared to go straight to Scotland with you. I will stay here and ready my things. I can have my brother’s guard escort me there,” Olivia said while sitting up and pulling the sheets to cover her bare skin.
Before last night, Camden would have thought that sounded like the perfect plan except now he did not want her to leave his sight. He was already trying to decide what to do with her while he fought the McKay clan but for now, she would stay with him until that time, for he had a deep need to care for her safety.
Highland Vengeance Page 5
