“I want this day with you,” she demanded. “A few hours with no one to stop us. No one to tell me what sort of man I should wed.” She stared hard at him, and a dark blush covered her cheeks. “I want to feel the way you made me feel a few days ago when you touched me.”
She was playing with the fire of his lust, and God only knew where it would end. Callum stared at her, letting her see how badly he wanted her. Taking his hands, she brought them to the back of her gown.
“Help me take this off,” she murmured. After he loosened the laces, she raised her arms. As he removed each layer, he saw the gooseflesh cover her skin.
When she stood in her chemise, he paused, not knowing how far she wanted to go. “Leave it for now,” she answered. “Teach me to swim, and then . . . “ Her words trailed off, her shyness overcoming her.
He wasn’t about to let his mind ponder what she meant by those words. Instead, he removed his tunic and took her into the water. The waves moved against her, and she clung to him for balance.
“It’s c-c-colder than the lake, isn’t it?”
When they reached a depth that was just above her waist, he lifted her up, stretching her on her stomach. She struggled against the waves, but tried again to swim. With her hair dipping below the water, she fought, churning her arms and kicking her legs. He released her without warning, and as she continued to move, she suspended herself in the water. It wasn’t smooth or particularly strong, but she did manage to swim.
“Look!” she cried out to him. “I’m not sinking.”
He gave a slight smile, moving into a different position that forced her to swim to him. When at last he stopped, she moved her arms and kicked until she caught his waist and stood up. “It wasn’t so bad this time. At least I remembered to move my arms and legs.” Her teeth chattered, but he warmed her in his embrace. A breathless smile lit up her face as her arms came around him.
She was shivering, but when he pointed to the water, asking if she wanted to swim again, she shook her head.
“I want you to help me get warm,” she whispered.
Her body pressed against him, and he wondered if she knew what she was asking. The waves sloshed against them, but he guided her out of the water. Sand caked their legs, and she shivered, holding on to him.
Callum led her back to the fire, adding more driftwood to increase the heat. He took her discarded cloak and spread it out before the fire, gesturing for her to sit upon it. Marguerite ignored him, standing before the flames with her hands outstretched. Her expression had gone distant, as though she were lost in thought.
What did she need from him?
She turned to look at him, a question in her eyes. In that moment, he saw the uncertainty in her face, mingled with fear. He met her gaze with unyielding strength. No matter what happened, he would remain at her side. She was the woman who had risked everything to save his life, the woman who had brought him back from the brink of madness. The woman he would die for.
And then she stared straight at him, her hands lifting her chemise away until she stood naked before him, wearing nothing except the glass pendant.
Chapter Nine
Marguerite could feel the hunger in his eyes, the desire for her. A thousand voices were crying out within her head, warning her not to do this. She was promised to another man, and she had no right to betray her intended husband.
But the idea of letting a stranger claim her virginity felt so wrong. Callum was the man who held her heart, and she wanted to be with him. If her new husband learned she was not a virgin, he might cast her out. Or refuse to marry her, if she revealed it.
It was a way out of the betrothal.
The idea of surrendering to Callum, letting him become her lover, was a dangerous move, one that could destroy both of them. But if her efforts failed and she could not avoid the marriage to the earl, at least she could give this part of herself to Callum. He would never hurt her, and it was something they could share together.
“You should remove the rest of your clothes,” she murmured. “Let them dry by the fire.”
He moved before her, and she saw his eyes lingering upon her bare skin, drinking in the sight. Though she felt awkward revealing everything to him, she made no move to cover herself. She watched as Callum removed his own clothing, and when he stood naked before her, she was struck by the power of his body, the fierce lines of heavy muscle and skin. As an archer, his arms were lean and strong. She ached to touch him, to discover how to bring him the same pleasure he’d given her.
Callum hadn’t made any attempt to come near her, and she realized he was waiting for her to grant permission. She took his palms and laid them upon her breasts. His hands filled up with her, cupping the smooth weight of them. The warmth of his touch sent another shiver through her. His thumbs moved across her nipples, and they hardened beneath the caress.
She hardly felt the cool air of the wind, for she was transfixed by him. His dark hair fell over his shoulders and down his back. There was nothing tame about him, like a wild creature who wanted to possess her.
Marguerite rested her hands upon his pectoral muscles, exploring the hard flesh, watching the way his face transformed. He did the same to her, fingering her erect nipples and stroking her breasts. Then he lowered her to the cloak, resting upon his side as he made her comfortable.
His eyes turned dark, wicked, as he took her hands and lifted them above her head. He locked them in place, while he bent his mouth to taste the bud of her nipple. A surge of need echoed between her legs, causing moisture at her intimate place. She felt the hard length of him against her thigh and wondered what it would be like to take him inside her.
He released her wet nipples and took the glass pendant, rubbing the smooth shape upon her erect tips. The sensation was foreign and he used it, along with his tongue, to torment her further.
His mouth and tongue suckled hard, drawing a deep response inside her. Marguerite reached for his shaft, curling her fingers around his length. His breathing quickened, and he lifted his mouth from her breast, watching her as she explored his manhood. He covered her hand, showing her how to move against him in a rhythm.
She was startled when he grew larger in her hand, and fierce pleasure transformed his face. Abruptly, he pulled away from her, and she felt the cool breeze of the wind upon her skin. His mouth moved down to her thighs, above the sand, tasting and teasing her. With his fingers, he touched the intimate slit between her legs. She trembled when he slid a finger inside her, lazily stroking the wetness.
