She took a step backward. “You told me—more than once—that you hadn’t bedded any other women since we’d met,” Cara began, jumping right to the matter. “Was it because of the wager?”
“I would almost certainly have bedded a maid at the inn when we stayed,” he admitted. “But not the innkeeper. I don’t steal other men’s wives.”
Cara narrowed her eyes at him. She wasn’t married, but she was well on her way to it.
“You’re not married,” he defended. “You’re not even betrothed. You’re intended, which, admittedly, is more attached than I’d prefer, but it is what it is.”
“What about after the inn?”
“After the inn, it was entirely because of you.” His voice, as thick and sweet as honey, caressed her ears. “In fact, when I explained to Cormac that I found it difficult to stay away from you, he suggested I lose the wager and bed someone, just to keep me preoccupied. I couldn’t do it. Couldn’t even attempt it. Already I knew it was you that I wanted.”
“I believe you,” she whispered, though her heart still felt heavier than it ought. “Is that why you wanted me? Because you hadn’t—”
“No,” he interrupted, as though he couldn’t bear to hear her speak it aloud. “That was what Cormac suggested, and what I thought initially, but the more time I spent with you, the more I realized it had nothing to do with the wager—and everything to do with you.”
She nodded. Again, she believed him, sensed the truth in his words. But still, she couldn’t shake the feeling that she’d lost something. “I have one final question.”
“Of course.”
“Is that the only reason you’ve not tried to bed me?” She felt like a foolish girl, not a princess grown, as she uttered the words.
He reached his hands to her again. This time, she took them, letting him pull her into his lap on the edge of the bed. “I tried not to bed you because you weren’t mine, firstly. And mostrecently, because I know that it wasn’t a terribly good experience for you in the past and I wanted you to be ready.”
“I’m ready,” she told him, hoping it was true, hoping this really was as good as it seemed.
Diarmid eyed her skeptically. “Are you certain?”
In response, Cara turned in his arms, pulling his lips to hers as she sat facing him in his lap. They were soft and strong, smooth to the touch yet rough with her own, demanding. Hungry. Cara had missed this closeness with him. She wondered if this wasn’t the very reason he’d felt so distant of late. And if, just maybe, this was the way to remedy it.
As their mouths danced, their hands explored. Diarmid, to her astonishment, managed to get her out of her gown without breaking their kiss. Forced to pull away to remove her shift, he took the opportunity to look at her. His hot gaze drank her in as he ran his teasing fingers down her skin, leaving a trail of fire as they tickled her sensitive peaks.
This time, Cara knew, she could finally return the favor. As his fingers reached lower, igniting that now-familiar fire that craved his touch, Cara brushed her hand over the hard cylinder in his trews. He inhaled sharply, a sound that sent desire coursing through her like a rapid. She didn’t waste any time relieving him of his clothes in return.
Or grabbing a handful of him and making him groan, stroking him as his fingers plunged into her. When she gasped at the glorious feeling, Diarmid shot her that grin. The one that made everything in her melt for him.
Then he tossed her onto the bed, covering her body with his glorious display of muscles. His hand never stopped massaging her as he positioned himself, slowly easing inside of her, giving her plenty of time to grow accustomed to him.
And it was time she needed. Diarmid was massive. At least, compared with Torna, who was her only comparison. She’dhardly been able to feel a thing other than an erratic rubbing sensation. But with Diarmid, she felt everything as she wrapped around him. Everything.
“How does that feel, princess?” he asked, the gravel in his voice making every muscle in her core clench, his hips working languidly to move him inside of her. His mouth kept busy as well, rendering her incapable of replying at all while he tasted her lips, her neck. While his hands squeezed her chest greedily.
The more they moved together, the heavier his breath grew. Cara felt his chest rising and falling, faster and faster against her own. The fire inside her built to an inferno, demanding to be set free. The ache grew unbearable.
She cried out his name again, this time begging him to release her. He reached between them, his thumb once more circling just above where they were joined until she felt herself falling apart—over and over until Cara lost all sense of time and place. Her awareness returned in time for her to hear his delicious groan as he released himself inside of her.
For long moments afterward, her heart beat so fast and so hard she could feel its steady rhythm against her chest. It had not been terrible at all. It had been incredible.
“So?” he asked once they’d caught their breaths. “How do you feel?”
“Wonderful,” Cara whispered. “And tired.”
He laughed, a sensual, tempting sound that would have roused her to action were she not so weary. “Sleep,” he told her, placing a soft kiss on her forehead and laying down beside her.
Cara had been so uncertain over her relationship with Diarmid. Too much was at stake for her to take this chance and have it fall apart. This time it wasn’t only her heart—it was her kingdom, her sister’s security, her family’s reputation.
After that magical night, however, Cara knew she needed to find a way to make it work. They could speak with Sitric andBrian, come to some sort of solution. And she knew that Diarmid would help her ensure her family didn’t lose everything so that she could be with him. He was a good man—the right man, even. And, good Lord, that hadn’t beenanythinglike her experience with Torna. Diarmid had been right about him. He had no idea how to pleasure a woman. She found herself feeling sorry for whatever poor woman had ended up bonded to him.
Cara went to bed, worrying she’d not make it up in time for dawn. Relief descended when she woke and saw that it was still dark, though the sky had turned a shade brighter near the horizon—dawn was coming. And it would be a day of new beginnings. She turned to wake Diarmid so that he had time to ready himself, and perhaps she’d be able to steal some more kisses. Her hands reached for him, grasping at air. The sheets beside her were cold.
