He removed the other with the same attention to detail and Leila was certain they would then savor the bath.Instead, Fergus eased atop her, his shoulders between her knees, and caught her hands in his own.He laced their fingers together, smiled with such purpose that Leila wondered at his intent, then bent to kiss in that most intimate spot.
She gasped in pleasure and surprise.
He chuckled, then caressed her with his tongue.He teased her, moving so slowly that Leila feared she would die of anticipation.The furs were soft beneath her, Fergus was warm and strong atop her, and the pleasure he conjured from deep within her was more intoxicating thaneau-de-vie.She heard herself moan in pleasure as she never had before, but he was relentless in his assault.He coaxed her passion steadily, making her want him more with every passing moment, ensuring that she murmured incoherently and clutched at his hands.But two nights in his bed and she was convinced that no man ever would love her with such diligence as Fergus.
She cried out his name when the pleasure erupted, locking her legs around him and holding his hands so tightly that her nails dug into his flesh.Her heart was racing as if she had run a league, but Fergus smiled down at her, evidently as satisfied as she was.
“You cannot have thought all day of doing that,” she charged and he laughed.
“You think not?”He kissed one of her palms then placed her hand upon his shoulder.He did the same with the other, easing himself atop her so slowly that she smiled in anticipation.
“You thought of this, perhaps,” she teased, then gasped as he eased inside her.
“I thought of both,” Fergus admitted.He wiped his mouth, then bent to kiss her ear, carefully holding his weight above her.“I thought of my lady wife crying out my name as she found her pleasure,” he whispered.“And I schemed how I might best convince her to do as much.”
“Your plan succeeded, and did so very well.”
Fergus shook his head, slowly moving deeper.Leila arched her back to welcome him.“I think it a scheme that should be tested again to prove its merit,” he rumbled and she laughed despite herself.
“How many times?”
“A dozen,” he said, looking into her eyes.He looked content and confident, his eyes gleaming.Leila thought of a predator making his claim and was more than glad to be the object of his affections and attentions.
She shook her head.“That will not be sufficient to gauge its reliability,” she said solemnly and was rewarded by the flash of his smile.
“Nightly?”
“Perhaps daily, as well.”
He chuckled, then moved so deliberately within her that she gasped in pleasure.Her reaction clearly pleased him for he repeated his movement and Leila allowed herself to moan.“I love that sound, Leila,” he said, his voice turning rough.“I vow to make you moan nightly for the duration of our handfast.”
Leila ignored the mention of the end of their time together and smiled at him instead.Indeed, she made good progress at capturing his attention and in this moment, could only hope for the best.“And what if I seek a similar sound from you?”
“It would only be gracious to allow you the opportunity,” he acknowledged.
Leila laughed.She rose against him and urged him to his back, straddling him as she sat atop him.She smiled at him as she reached down to caress him, then moved with exquisite slowness.She managed three strokes before Fergus closed his eyes and moaned, the sound seeming to come from the depths of his soul.
Then he seized her waist, urging her to move more quickly.She leaned over him, liking how his strength rubbed against her, and caught his face in her hands.She captured his mouth beneath her own and kissed him, showing the same enthusiasm as he in their recent kisses.Fergus growled with pleasure, and Leila felt her own passion rising again.She felt the beat of his heart against her own and the heat emanating from his skin.She kissed him as if she might never have another chance to do as much, nearly devouring him as he drove her to the height of pleasure again.
They cried out in unison as Leila found her release.She realized that she was shaking in the wake of the tumult they had summoned.
Fergus exhaled unsteadily and held her close, his heart thundering beneath her cheek and his fingers threaded into her hair.Leila felt treasured and cherished, and could scarce draw a breath that all seemed to come aright so soon.
“Welcome home, Fergus,” she whispered, and he chuckled.
“Aye, this is home,” he said with satisfaction.He kissed her temple, then stood, lifting her into his arms as he abandoned the bed.“And now, that bath seems a most welcome notion.”
“I fear it has cooled,” Leila said.
Fergus held her against his chest, and stepped over the lip of the tub with ease.“It is perfect,” he said, then lowered himself and Leila into the water.She ended up seated in his lap, the water around their shoulders.A little of it did slosh over the side of the tub, but Fergus did not seem to care.He smiled down into her eyes as he claimed the cloth and the soap, then kissed her once again before they set to washing each other.
Leila was thrilled that unlike the night before, her husband did not turn away once he had had his satisfaction.Indeed, Fergus gave her his undivided attention and she could desire naught more.
“And now the tale,” Fergus invited, when they were nestled together in the great bed.He was clean and tired and warm.His wife was curled beside him and his belly was full.He had not known such contentment in a long time.
“Where were we?”Leila asked.
He pressed a kiss to Leila’s temple.“Shahzenan had looked out of his window to see the queen enter the garden with her ladies to take their pleasure.The queen had clapped her hands and they had cast off their veils.”He gave her a look.“And he was astonished...”
