Words. He needed to find words. He needed to be sensible. The girl wasn’t in a good place. He couldn’t take advantage of her vulnerability. He was bloody well going to be honourable if it damn well killed him.
“Rainne. You’re upset. This isn’t the best time. You’re not thinking straight.”
She looked up at him with such undisguised need it almost made him crumble.
“I mean...” He stumbled over his words, feeling foolish that his will was weak where this woman was concerned. “I mean, I want to.” Great. Now he sounded like he was twelve. Any other time and he would have told her exactly what he wanted to do to that glorious body of hers—in filthy, lust-filled detail. But this wasn’t the time.
He took another breath. “You don’t know what you’re doing right now.”
Rainne raised an eyebrow, which made her look sexy and cute, then reached down grabbed the bottom of her T-shirt and pulled it over her head.
Suddenly it was hard to breathe. He had to remind himself to suck in air. Her full breasts were cupped by the sexiest pale pink bra he’d ever seen. It made him want to suck her nipples through the lace. His eyes dawdled over the curve of her hip, to the flare of her thigh. Her mound was covered in more pink lace. A tiny, delicate triangle of the stuff that would rip with the barest tug. His fingers twitched to tug. To expose her to his gaze and touch. To get rid of the thin barrier between him and paradise.
Slowly, she turned her back to him, lifted her rainbow-coloured hair and waited for him to unclasp her bra. For a moment, Alastair was frozen to the spot. The woman was wearing a thong. The soft curves of her voluptuous rear were exposed for his pleasure. And it was definitely his pleasure to see them.
She glanced at him over her shoulder as though to prod him into action. No patience, his Rainbow. Couldn’t a man appreciate the feast laid in front of him? Apparently not. He stepped forward, trailed his fingertips from the base of her skull, down her spine, to the clasp of her bra. It gave way under his touch, springing away from her back, leaving her bare to him.
She shook the lingerie off, let her long hair fall down her bare back almost to her hips and slowly turned towards him. Alastair let out a gasp at the beauty in front of him. Soft, firm breasts, creamy skin and dark pink nipples that were tight, hard and ready to be touched. She stood there, waiting as he looked his fill, completely at ease with being naked around him—as she should be. Because if Alastair got his way, she’d never wear clothes again.
He looked up into her warm eyes and opened his mouth, ready to ask again if she was sure about this. Rainne stopped his question with a nod that made him smile. He wasn’t a saint. He didn’t have the willpower of Hercules. He’d asked enough. Now he was going to take.
He pulled his jumper up over his head and threw it behind him, unconcerned about where it landed. His T-shirt and jeans followed.
“Come on, Rainne.” He held out his hand. “I’ve been dreaming about getting you into bed. I don’t want to waste a minute.”
Rainne smiled and put her hand in his.
Alastair had planned his seduction of Rainbow Benson in detail. And it had all gone to hell when she’d turned up on his doorstep with tears in her eyes. He wanted her with a desperation that bordered on insanity.
He held her hand tightly as he led her onto his bed. He was nervous. How stupid was that? He’d wanted this woman since she’d first set foot in Invertary seven months earlier. He’d pursued her with relentlessness and patience. And now that she was here, where he wanted her most, he felt his hands shake with the pressure of the moment. He wanted this to be perfect for her. He wanted her to know this wasn’t just sex for him. He had plans for Rainne. Long-term plans. And yeah, he knew she thought he couldn’t possibly know what he wanted, because he was younger than she was. But he did. And tonight he was going to prove it to her.
Rainne lay flat in the middle of his double bed, her hair spread out over his pillow, a tiny smile curving the corner of her lips. She was a feast and he was a starving man. His eyes slowly roamed down her luscious body.
“I don’t know where to start,” he murmured.
Rainne shot upright, her arm covering her breasts. What the hell?
“I’m so sorry, Alastair,” she said, her eyes wide with worry. “I didn’t mean to push you. I thought you’d done this before.”
Alastair couldn’t help the laughter that burst out of him. “Aye, I’ve done this before. Not as much as I would have liked, but I think I can muddle through.” He took her hand and moved her arm from his breasts. Because they belonged to him now and he wanted access. “I meant there’s so much I want to do to you that I don’t know what to choose first.”
“Oh.” Her shoulders sagged. Her smile was dazzling. “How about starting with a kiss?”
Her eyes went to his lips at her suggestion, and she licked hers in reflex. Alastair groaned, knelt in front of her, cupped her face with his hands and brushed his lips over hers. Soft. Delicious. Mine. He pressed her lips harder, asking for access, and she opened her mouth willingly for him. Soft hands curled around his hips as he deepened the kiss. She tasted of grape juice and sherbet, which made him smile.
A small moan escaped her as her fingers tightened on his hips, her nails biting into her skin. He kissed her long, hard, relentlessly. Wanting to consume her. To tie her to him in ways that would make it impossible for her to leave. She turned liquid against him, and Alastair felt his muscles tense in response. Slowly, he lowered her back onto the bed. He lay beside her, one arm arched over her head to tangle in her hair, the other caressing her throat.
“Alastair,” she whispered.
He smiled before continuing their kiss. His hand slid over her collarbone to the curve of her breast. His heart rate spiked at the feel of her softness in his hand. She fit him perfectly, just enough to overflow. So incredibly soft. Except for that nipple, which was peaked and hard and demanding attention.
So he gave it some. He left her lips, red and swollen, to capture the puckered bud with his teeth. Rainne gasped and arched off the bed. Alastair held her breast where he wanted it as he tongued and sucked the rosy peak. Her fingers wound through his hair, tugging it tight. She gasped his name as he flicked his tongue.
“Mmm,” he rumbled against the sensitive bud. “Delicious. Need more.”
He turned his attention to her other breast, as his hand continued to caress and torture the one he’d already sensitised.
“Oh.” It was long groan.
He looked up her body to see her head thrown back and her mouth open as she panted. Perfection. With one last tug at her nipple, he moved down her body, kissing his way. He swirled his tongue around her belly button and tugged at the piercing he found there. A silver hoop with a tiny star attached.
“Pretty,” he told her, and smiled when she only moaned in reply.
The urge to rip off her lace underwear was too overwhelming to resist, so he hooked his thumbs under the delicate straps at her hips and pulled. They ripped free with ease.
“Alastair!” Rainne looked down at him, and he could have sworn he’d never seen anything so awe-inspiring. Her cheeks were rosy pink; her lips were full, wet and red. Her blue eyes were heavy-lidded with desire. She was a goddess. And she was here. With him.
“I’ll replace them.” He yanked the underwear out of the way.
He crawled up her body to kiss her, holding himself up on his arms as he pillaged and plundered. Her leg wrapped around his hip, reminding him that he’d stupidly kept his underwear on. He fell to her side, continuing to kiss her while he pulled his underwear over his hips and kicked them free. Better.
Nails dragged up his spine as Rainne tried to get closer. They were going to get closer, all right. He kissed a trail away from her addictive lips, down her throat to her shoulder. The heel of her foot dug into the back of his leg as she tried to manoeuvre him into the position she wanted him to be. He’d get there. In his own time. The last thing he needed was to live up to her expectati
on of twenty-year-old men. This was going to last, damn it.
“Please, Alastair.” She ground against him.
His lips captured her nipple again as he worked his way lower. Just one taste before he gave her what she wanted. Just one taste. He pushed her thighs wide as she grasped the duvet, curling her fingers tight in the cotton. So beautiful. And all his. Alastair leaned over and licked his way through her wet centre. She bucked and groaned as he nipped and licked and sucked.
“I need, I need...”
He knew exactly what she needed. He took her clit in between his lips and sucked hard. She arched up in one curve of beautiful tension as she gasped his name.
“That’s it, Rainbow,” he told her as he gave her one last kiss. “You are so bloody beautiful.”
He nabbed a condom from his bedside drawer and covered himself while he watched Rainne gasp for air. Her eyes were closed, her lips were parted and her pale skin shone with exertion. This was the way she should always look. Fresh from orgasm, sated and boneless.
With a satisfied smile, he worked his way between her legs and pressed into her. Her eyes shot open to look at him.
“Oh,” she said on a gasp.
“Aye,” he agreed.
Her hips rose to meet him; her legs curved around his thighs. Her hands clung to his biceps.
He leaned forward and kissed her as he eased into her. Had anything ever felt more perfect? He didn’t think so.
“I love you, Rainbow,” he said against her lips.
And then he moved his hips. His back tingled. His thighs clenched. Sweat ran down his spine. He stared down into the face of the woman he loved, her mouth open in ecstasy and her hair wild about her, and his control snapped. He groaned her name as he emptied himself into her and felt her clench around him.
“Alastair, Alastair, Alastair...” she chanted against his throat.
With great effort, he fell to her side, wrapped his arm around her and pulled her to him. Where she belonged. Where she would always stay.
Because he was never letting her go.
♦♦♦
Inside the tiny bathroom, Rainne splashed icy cold water on her overheated cheeks. She shook at the thought of their kiss. He was lying if he thought it was a mistake. Big coward. It meant something and she wasn’t going to hide from it, even if he did.
She squared her shoulders, held her head high and stepped out of the bathroom to confront him. It was time to sort out a few things. To be honest with one another.
Or at least it would have been if she hadn’t found Alastair fast asleep beside the fire. With a sigh, she crossed the space between them and brushed his hair off his forehead. He didn’t have a fever. She felt his pulse and it seemed fine. It was probably just exhaustion from his injuries and dealing with the cold.
She debated whether to wake him.
“Alastair?” she whispered.
But he didn’t stir. He was well and truly out of it. She knew the sleep would help. She bit her lip as she studied him. What if it wasn’t sleep? What if he’d slipped into unconsciousness? Should she try harder to wake him? What if his injuries were worse than he’d led her to believe? She wanted to wail with the frustration of not knowing what to do.
With a disgruntled sigh, she let her eyes fall on the faint outline of an old light switch by the door and cocked her head. Could it be? Maybe. Heart quickening, she hurried over to the panel and let out a whoop of joy. It was an old-style intercom system, connecting the guardhouse with the castle. An old intercom system that ran on the same basis as landlines. The power needed to operate a system like this was really low and usually came straight from the phone company, rather than locally—another piece of random information she’d picked up in the communes over the years. She thought it came from a guy who loved to protest against British Telecom. She mentally kicked her own backside. Like it mattered where her knowledge came from. All that mattered was seeing if the thing still worked. For all she knew they’d ripped out the cables when they renovated the castle.
Please, please let it still work.
She flicked the switch labelled “all rooms” and sent out what she hoped was a message that could be heard throughout the castle.
“Is anybody there?” she said. “It’s Rainne here.”
She looked over at Alastair, but even the sound of her voice didn’t make him stir. Her stomach cramped with worry. She took a shaky breath and tried again.
“This is Rainne. We’re holed up in the guardhouse. Can anybody hear me?”
11
* Lake *
Even a power cut hadn’t managed to stop the bachelor party from hell. When the lights went out and the men cheered, Dougal had proudly announced he had a generator and told them not to worry—which made them boo. A minute later the lights had clicked back on and they got to watch as the Magic Mike wannabes started gyrating on Betty for the fourth time.
“Please, God, make it end!” Mitch shouted at the ceiling.
“Don’t stop,” Betty told the strippers. “If the power goes out again, I’ll hum a tune, and you boys carry on. If it gets too dark, I’ll feel my way.”
“I’m going to be sick,” Matt announced.
“Did you eat the prawns?” Josh asked.
“No, I watched Betty get a lap dance.”
“Oh yeah, that.”
“Don’t worry, boys,” Dougal boomed to a room full of men who were far from worried. “I have a backup generator. If this one fails, the backup will kick in. Nothing will stop this party.”
“I’m totally okay with something stopping this party,” Josh told the owner of the pub, who thought he was joking and laughed. Josh turned a miserable face to Mitch. “Do you think the women are okay? We don’t have a generator at the castle.”
“Yeah,” Mitch said. “You have about a million candles in every room and the heating is gas. The women will be fine. They’ll love the drama.”
“I hope so,” Josh said.
“Magenta’s there,” Harry told Josh. “She’s a caving expert; she’s used to the dark. She’ll look out for them.”
As one, the men turned to stare at Harry.
“What?” he said. “I was helping. I’m reassuring the guy. Magenta’s got this. She likes the dark. Nobody needs to worry.”
“She likes the dark because she’s a freaking vampire,” Flynn muttered.
“I’m telling her you said that. She is so going to kick your backside again.” Harry seemed pleased at the thought.
Callum leaned towards Lake. “I think I’m going to pass on the partnership offer.” He looked around the room, and if Lake hadn’t known the guy so well he wouldn’t have spotted the signs that he felt out of his depth. “I’m not cut out for this.”
Lake cocked an eyebrow at him. If he had something else to say he’d better spit it out. Lake wasn’t going to make it easy for him. Callum rubbed the scar on his chin. Lake remembered the exact moment he’d gotten it. A stray piece of shrapnel on a shitty job in Iraq. The operation had been a total screw-up from beginning to end, and they’d been lucky to get out with their lives.
“I don’t do social,” Callum said at last.
“No. You don’t. You’re a miserable, antisocial son of a bitch.”
Callum frowned at him. “Last time I checked, so were you.”
“I got over the fear. Found out socialising wouldn’t kill me after all.”
“Are you saying I’m a coward?”
Lake cocked an eyebrow at him. If the shoe fits...
Callum’s jaw clenched briefly. “This isn’t socialising. This isn’t normal. Everybody’s talking about their feelings and shit. The singer guy can’t shut up about his wife. And he says you’re part of a club that eats together once a week. Like you do this kind of crap regularly. Does that sound normal to you?” He shuddered. It was slight, but Lake noticed. “I don’t know what’s going on here. Maybe you sit around painting each other’s nails when you’re bored, but all this touchy-feely crap makes me
want to vomit.”
“Don’t hold back, Callum, tell me how you really feel.”
“I don’t think I can work with your boy, Harry, either.” His shoulders were still tense, as though it was physically impossible for the man to relax. And it probably was. They’d both spent a huge chunk of their lives on constant alert. It was a hard habit to break.
“Harry’s the best in the business. He has governments crawling all over themselves to get him to work for them.”
“He’s wearing a Doctor Who T-shirt.”
Lake’s lips twitched. “His dress sense has nothing to do with his ability.”
“He called me dude. Twice.”
Lake couldn’t help the grin that broke out. The startled expression on Callum’s face made him smile even wider. Yeah, he smiled now. A lot. Well, a lot for him. It shocked the life out of anybody he’d known before he’d moved to the Highlands. Life in Invertary had changed him. Kirsty had changed him. In fact, some might even go so far as to say he’d mellowed.
“You won’t be working with Harry,” Lake reminded his friend. “You’ll be heading up the London end of the business. You get to work with Harry’s operations manager instead.”
Yeah, and Lake would love to be a fly on the wall for that encounter.
Callum must have seen something in Lake’s expression, because he became instantly suspicious. “What’s wrong with the guy?”
Here Comes the Rainne Again Page 8
