He was about to turn and leave when the light grew brighter. The door opened, and Moira stepped out. She stopped suddenly at the sight of him.
“I…” His words failed him.
“I amnae hiding,” she assured him. “I headed back to the keep with Grace an hour ago, but ye had not returned. There was nothing for me to do there, so I returned to do a little bit more cleaning. There is still some to do before the cottage is habitable.”
“I wanted to speak with ye. ’Tis been an overwhelming day for ye. If ye want to sleep alone—”
“No.”
At the emphasis of her refusal, his eyes widened, and he raised his eyebrows. “No?”
“I mean to say that I plan to uphold my promise to spend my nights with ye until I beget yer heir.”
Stepping closer to her, he took her free hand and ran his fingers over her knuckles. “’Tis all right to look forward to tonight, Moira. I most certainly am, and I promise ye pleasure.”
“Then is there a reason that we are still out here discussing it?”
Chuckling, he dropped her hand. “Go on to my chambers. Ye may take some time to get ready for bed. I would like to examine the cottage myself and take note of the structural changes that are needed. Ye may be cleaning for nothing. I can already see that we need to patch the roof.”
“All right.” She hesitated for a moment before she handed him the lantern. “I’ll have enough moonlight to get back, but ye willnae be able to see anything inside the cottage without it.”
After he accepted it, she hurried down the path. The truth was that he wasn’t all that interested in the cottage, but he wanted to give her some time before he joined her.
Now, with the lantern, he might as well get some work done.
Work that would inevitably take Moira away from him.
Miriam’s cottage always gave him pause. He had visited when she requested. She’d always see spirits that provided advice which she would pass on to him, and he would listen patiently. Most times, it was good advice, but he didn’t believe that it came from good spirits.
Miriam was simply a wise woman, but there was still something about this place.
After her death, no one had wanted to move in. Why Grace thought this would be appropriate for Moira, Connor would never know, but at least it wasn’t far from the keep.
It was a sacrifice, but if it made Moira happy, he would make it work.
11
Should she wear her night shift? Should she be naked? Under the covers? Over the covers?
How exactly did one seduce her husband?
Not that Moira thought Connor needed seducing. He looked almost terrifyingly focused as he was striding up the path.
Yet, he was giving her time to prepare. Or stress. It mostly felt like he’d given her time to stress.
After wandering around the chambers in her nightshift, she finally peeled it off and sat in the bed, bringing the covers up to her neck. There was a small fire going to keep the room warm, so it wasn’t the chill that had her shivering.
No, it was anticipation.
It was probably only several minutes before the door finally swung open, but it felt like days. Squeaking in excitement, she pulled the blanket tighter around herself.
Connor paused. “Ye are scared,” he said softly. “Moira, we doonae have to do this tonight.”
“What!” Before he could run, she threw the covers aside and scrambled off the bed. “Nay, I am ready.”
Swearing loudly, Connor quickly shut the door and stared at her. “Moira.”
She waited for him to say more, but he just continued to stare. Finally, he stepped forward, snagged the quilt from the back of the chair by the fireplace, and wrapped her up in it. “Ye are absolutely stunning,” he said in a low voice, his eyes dark with lust. “But this is yer first time, and ‘twould be best if we took it slow.”
“Slow?” Just being this close to him made her want to scream with need. She wanted to feel the way she did before when he touched her. That flush of pleasure. That release.
“Aye.” Brushing her hair behind her shoulder, he quietly kissed her on her forehead. “And seeing ye naked doesnae make me want to take this slow.”
“Perhaps I doonae want to take this slowly either,” she said boldly.
“Ah, Moira. I will make ye a deal. Tonight, ye let me take charge, and then at a later date, I will let ye be in charge.”
She frowned. “That sounds awfully vague.”
“In this, ye will trust me,” he said firmly before he lowered his head and kissed her. Although she opened eagerly for him, he kept the kiss maddeningly slow as he applied more pressure until her body was pressed up against him.
Their body was keeping the quilt up, so she let her hands move up the hard contours of his body up to his chest. She wanted him as naked as her.
Breaking the kiss, he turned her around and let the quilt drop. Moving her hair aside, he kissed her neck and let her hands settle on her hips.
“Connor.” It was a half moan, half plea. As much as she liked his hands on her, she wanted his hands on other parts of her.
“Lass, I love how smooth yer skin is,” he groaned. “Soft. Supple. I may require ye to be naked all night long.”
“I have no argument against that.” Leaning against him, she closed her eyes. “But perhaps ye could be naked as well.”
“All in good time.” As he pulled her closer, she felt the evidence of his own desire pressing against her lower back.
“So yer plan is to simply torture me?” she gasped.
“No, my sweet. I plan to give ye exactly what ye need right now. The torture will be all mine.” His hands moved up to her breasts, and his thumbs rolled over her nipples until she was wet and aching.
On instinct, she moved her hips, undulating against him, until he hissed in her ear and reached between her legs. “Ye always did have to do things yer way,” he growled, and then he strummed her most sensitive spot. It took only a few strokes before a tidal wave unleashed in her body, and she shuddered against him.
“Feel better?” he murmured.
“Doonae tease,” she said embarrassed at how easily she fell apart in his arms. “I imagined this going differently. I was going to pose on the bed, and ye were going to ravage me.”
Connor growled. “Why don’t ye show me exactly how you were going to pose on the bed?”
“Pose? I believe my body has become liquid.”
“Oh, not yet, my love.” Slowly, he walked her to the bed, and she fell forward and crawled to the pillow. After she flipped over, she watched as he started to undo the buttons of his shirt. “But when I am done with ye tonight, there willnae be any strength left in yer body, and ye will sleep, curled around my body, knowing that I was the one who made ye feel like this.”
His words brought her body back to life, and her heart hammered against her chest as she watched him undress.
He was magnificent. Strength. Power. It seemed almost impossible that so much could be packaged into one man.
“Moira, ’tis already taking most of my strength to control myself, but if ye keep looking at me like that, I fear that control will snap. I thought yer first release would make ye more comfortable.”
“I am never comfortable around ye,” she admitted. “And I cannae help the way I look at ye. Ye are beautiful.”
Slowly, he joined her on the bed and covered her body with his. As his weight settled on top of her, she automatically reached for him, but he cuffed her wrists and placed them above her head. “No touching, and if ye doonae comply, I will have to restrain ye.”
Sucking in her lower lip, she wiggled under him and watched in fascination as his eyes darkened. “Sorry,” she whispered. “I do want to touch.”
“Later. When I am inside ye, ye can touch all ye like.”
Inside her. Yes. She wanted that. “Then get on with it!”
Laughing, he leaned down and touched his forehead to hers. “First ye want to seduce me and t
hen ye tell me to get on with it. Ye are sending mixed messages.”
“Connor!” she all but shouted in frustration.
He kissed her, and it was anything but the soft kiss that he’d given her before. No, this was urgent, demanding, and when he settled his body on top of hers, she felt his manhood between her legs. More than anything, she wanted to touch him, but she kept her hands fisted in the pillow, mindful not to touch, while his mouth commanded hers.
“I need ye wet.” He trailed his kisses down her throat. “Yer body soft and ready.” They moved further down to her chest.
Her breath caught in her throat as his lips skimmed over her nipples. Curling her toes, she wondered at the pleasure shooting through her body. How could it so quickly want again?
“And I want to find out just what ye like,” he said huskily before he licked a nipple in his mouth and gently suckled. Arching her back, she moaned.
“Ye like that?” he teased and moved his mouth down. As his tongue dipped into her belly button, her body quivered. “And that?”
His hands curved around her hips as he moved down and kissed her thighs. “Later, I am going to taste ye.”
“Taste me?” she asked weakly.
Looking up, Connor smiled wickedly. “Aye. Doonae worry. Ye will like it. But right now, I am nearly out of my mind for want of ye.”
He slipped a finger inside of her and stroked. One first, and then he added another. With each thrust, she moved her hips, wanting him to go deeper, wanting that friction a little harder.
“Connor...” She couldn’t do as he asked. Pushing herself, she reached for him. His shoulder. His arm. She didn’t care. She just needed to touch him. “Connor, please.”
“So wet. For me.” Then a little aggressively, he was back over her and burrowing her into the bed, his mouth fused with hers. “Wet for me because ye are mine.”
His erection pressed against her entrance, and she widened her legs to welcome him. He nudged, slowly, carefully, and entered her.
With a gasp, she stilled and stared up at him. “Easy, lass,” he whispered. “It may be uncomfortable at first, and I have no wish to cause ye any pain.”
Slowly, he pulsed, shifted, and pushed. Inch by inch, he filled her. It was uncomfortable. A strange sensation as she stretched, but he was careful.
And then, with a groan, he pushed. “Moira, ye are so warm and tight.”
“Connor…”
“Give me a minute. Give yerself a minute.”
Silently, she waited, and discomfort eased. Moving her legs, she tested the sensations, and they both moaned a little as she moved again. Purposefully.
“Aye, lass. I have ye.” Pulling out, he pushed in again, and there was only pleasure. A slow spiral of beautiful and delicious pleasure.
“More,” she demanded. “More!”
Then, there were no words. As they moved together, she learned. She molded herself to his body, wrapped her arms around him, and surrendered herself fully to the movements that made them one.
Connor. Her first and only love.
Naked and open under him, she felt vulnerable to everything. To the seduction of his body, the power in his touch, the need in his eyes. As they kissed and caressed, she lulled herself into believing that they could be what they once were. This could be the marriage that she had always hoped for.
Sweat coated her skin, but she clung to him, refusing to let go of the dream, refusing to let go of him. “Wait, Connor. Too soon. Too soon!”
“Let go, Moira. I promise ye that ye can have me all night. Just let go, darling. I need to feel ye. Please.”
As if she could stop the break in the crescendo of pleasure building up inside of her. As she snapped, and flooded, she muffled her scream by burying her head in his shoulder.
He rode her through her orgasm until he anchored himself to her, while he moaned her name.
12
The dawn came all too soon. A cold chill hit his back, but his front was nice and warm from the body curled up next to him.
A body that had managed to tug most of the covers to her side of the bed.
“Small price to pay,” he whispered to himself as he slowly pushed her hair out of her face. Moira was still deep in the throes of sleep, her chest rising and falling peacefully. He wanted to kiss her awake and fill his hands once again with her flesh, but they’d been up for most of the night exploring each other. She’d need her sleep.
Still, he stole a few precious moments staring at her. When he’d first laid eyes on her, he’d been bowled over by her. Now, she was older, harder, but she still stole his breath.
Last night had been unlike anything he had ever experienced. They fit together so naturally. She was eager, passionate, and he’d done anything and everything to hear those soft moans.
Just thinking about it had him hardening again.
Growling, he slowly forced himself away from her and out of the bed. He’d get dressed and get some fresh wood for the fire so when she did wake, it wouldn’t have to be to a cold chamber.
“Now that is a sight to wake up to,” she said huskily from behind him. Sleep clung to her voice, but when he turned, her eyes were open, and there was a seductive smile curled over her face.
“Ye should be sleeping.” Dressing quickly, he sat on the edge of the bed and let his hand linger on her hip. “I will make sure that the servants and my sister doesnae bother ye.”
Yawning, she sat up in the bed. The sheet fell from her body, and he groaned as her perfect breasts appeared. “Ah, my sweet. Ye are too tempting for words, but I know ye must be sore.”
“Aye, but ’tis not so bad that I wouldnae say no if ye climbed back in this bed.”
“Nights only,” he reminded her, and his heart dropped when a shadow fell over her expression. He wasn’t trying to push her away but just remind her of what she wanted. “And I wouldnae hurt ye, Moira. Promise me that ye will rest today.”
“I cannae make that promise. I am strangely energized.” Clutching at the blanket, she covered herself again. “I am to spend the day with Helena so I can help out around the keep.”
“Are ye all right with that? We hadnae spoken about that. Helena will be more than happy to continue her duties.”
“No.” Moira shook her head. “I ran the Hamilton keep for years. ’Tis not as large as here, but it willnae be any trouble. The cottage is close. Unless ye doonae want me to spend so much time in the keep?”
“Ye are the mistress now. Ye may go where ye please.” Leaning down, he kissed her forehead. “I have some things that I need to look after this morning, but I will start on the cottage this afternoon. It looks like the roof needs replacing, and the soil in the back needs to be turned. The furniture will need replacing. Are ye willing to wait?”
“Aye. I cannae explain it, but the cottage feels like a good fit. Like I need to be there.”
He needed her to be with him, but he swallowed his disappointment and nodded. “Then I will see ye tonight. I’d like to dine privately with ye for dinner. Will that be all right?”
“Oh, aye!” She nodded happily. “I didnae spend much time at the communal meals, so a private dinner will be nice.”
He made a mental note to give her a chance to bow out of the communal events so she would feel more comfortable. Then, with one last lingering look, he abandoned his warm bed and the luscious wife inside for the chill of the Highland morning and work that was piling up for him.
By the time he made it to Miriam’s cottage, he was aching and in desperate need of a bath. The day’s work had taken far longer than he had expected, but he’d promised Moira that he’d start work on the cottage, and he wouldn’t break his promise.
“Laird.” Lorna, one of the inhabitants of the neighboring cottage, was waiting for him. “She said that ye would return today.”
“Who said that? Moira? Grace?” Connor asked. He wasn’t in the mood for conversation but Lorna and her husband Alistair were one of the clan elders, and they deserved his
respect.
“Of course not. The spirits that still haunt the cottage,” Lorna said pleasantly.
Wonderful. Not her too. “I wasn’t aware that ye could also see the dead,” he said a little grumpily as he set his tools down.
“They are lonely now that Miriam is gone, so they come to talk to me now,” she said airily. “I regret that I could not be there for yer wedding, Connor. My back aches something fierce if I travel too far, but I hear that ye are installing yer wife here. That isnae what a laird is supposed to do with his wife.”
“I made certain promises to make Moira my wife,” Connor said shortly. “This cottage makes her happy.”
“Ye still feel guilt for what ye did.” Her voice was soft and her eyes filled with compassion. “Has she not forgiven ye?”
“Forgiven me? Aye, but trust me? Nay. I doonae believe I will ever have that, but here, she will be safe and happy. I can give that to her, but first, I have to fix up this cottage.” He looked at her pointedly, trying to convey that he did not have time for conversation.
“Send yer lovely wife to me in the morning. And yer sister as well. I would like to break my fast with some female company.”
With one hand on her skirt and the other on her walking stick, she walked away relatively quickly for someone with a back problem.
“I am the laird,” he muttered to himself. “I am the one who commands others.”
Shaking his head, he entered the cottage to move the broken furniture aside. As he bent down to grab the table, a small breeze flowed through the cottage.
Turning to close the door, he stilled.
The door was closed. As was the window.
Air shifted around him and he breathed it in. Suddenly, he felt strangely calm and peaceful.
The odd moment didn’t last long before the door banged open and Nathair and Clyde stormed in. “What are ye doing just standing there? I thought ye were working on the roof?”
“I was moving the furniture out. ’Tis going to make quite a mess when we get started.”
Highlander's Moonlight Seduction (Scottish Medieval Historical Romance) Page 8
