Callum was still mulling that over when he entered his bedchamber. Simon was right. He teased Bethoc about fretting too much but he overthought everything. Maybe there were things that you just could not think out clearly no matter how hard you tried. Emotions got in the way.
He walked over to the bed and began to shed his clothes. Looking at a sleeping Bethoc he had an answer to the question Simon said was the only one he had to ask. He wanted her to stay with him. He could not think of a future without her by his side.
After taking a moment to wash up, he slid into bed and pulled her into his arms. This was where she belonged. It was the one thing he had no doubt about. He had not even looked at a woman since he had met her. He suddenly recalled an incident with Payton as they walked the streets of the town and he caught the man looking at a pretty, buxom lass walking past them. When he had reminded the man he had Kirstie and should not be looking, Payton had laughed and said a man cannot help appreciating the scenery, that the proof of his love for Kirstie was that he only looked, never touched or even tried to.
It made sense even then. He had not even looked at the moment because he was still completely caught up in what he had with Bethoc, and in trying to decide exactly what that was. Callum idly promised himself to remember that moment with Payton later, when he did catch himself enjoying the scenery. It was not wise to do so if one’s woman was close at hand.
He kissed the top of her head and began to lightly explore her body with his hands. The night shift was an irritant but he did not yet dare to remove it. If she woke now, he would, but he was hesitant to do so too abruptly. They had had a long day and she was undoubtedly exhausted.
* * *
Bethoc woke to the thrill of warm hands sliding beneath her night shift. Even before she was fully awake she knew it was Callum. The smell of an old oak tree wrapped around her. She sleepily lifted her arms to wrap them around his neck and pull him close. If she was only going to have one more night with him she did not wish to waste it sleeping. She had a few daring ideas of what she wanted to do and wanted to be certain to have the time to do them.
“Recovered from all that riding?” he asked as he eased her night shift over her head.
“Aye. The hot bath helped.”
“Sorry I woke you.”
“Nay, ye are not.”
Hearing the laughter in her words, he grinned. “Nay, I am not. Ye did look sweet sleeping there.”
“Sweet?” He pulled her close and Bethoc reveled in the touch of their skin, the warmth of his body sinking into hers.
“Peaceful then.” He sighed with pleasure when she gently pushed him onto his back and sprawled on top of him. “Sweetly peaceful and, aye, I did feel a tiny touch of guilt for disturbing ye.” He ran his hands up and down her back as she teased him with small, soft kisses.
Then he kissed her, lost for the moment in the hot sweetness of it. When it ended she moved her kisses to his neck and he murmured his delight. It was not until he realized she was not stopping there that he became tense with anticipation. She kissed her way down his chest, pausing now and then to give him a little nip and soothe the sting of it with her tongue.
Bethoc was not certain about what she was doing but did feel sure she would know if she erred. After all the times he had kissed her so intimately she had to believe he would like it in return. As she kissed his strong thighs, taking the occasional little bite and laving the spot with her tongue, she slipped her hand over to his erection and lightly, slowly stroked it. His groan and the faint jerk of his body told her he liked that.
When she finally kissed him there, his whole body tensed beneath her. Afraid she had made a mistake, that it was one of those things considered fine for a man to do but not a woman, she lifted her head to say something. He curled his fingers in her hair and gently pushed her head back down. Bethoc took that as a sign of welcome and went back to driving him wild with her tongue.
Then she took him into her mouth and he cried out. The sound was one of pleasure and welcome so she continued, pleased that she had found something that gave him such delight. It amazed her that, as she roused his passion, her own grew and she knew she could not continue the play for long.
Callum was both surprised and delighted at Bethoc’s boldness. He gritted his teeth and tried to enjoy what she was doing for as long as he could. It was a hard battle and he was only able to enjoy her intimate attentions for a little while before he dragged her up his body and then joined them. As she rode him he grasped her breasts to squeeze and stroke. When he lifted his head to kiss them, he felt her tighten around him and let go of his own control to go over the edge with her.
Their cries blended and then Bethoc collapsed in his arms. For a while they just held each other, panting softly as they struggled to catch their breath. Callum had never felt so replete. He knew he would not find such a feeling with any other woman.
“Ah, Bethoc, I really think I might love ye.”
The moment he heard his own words, he softly cursed. That was not what he had meant to say. He was not surprised when she got off him quickly and stared down at him with an expression that was a strange mixture of delight and aggravation.It had been a totally ignorant thing to say.
“Yethinkyemightlove me?” While her heart was pounding with hope and happiness, her mind said it was not what she needed.
“That was foolish,” he muttered, and ran his hands through his hair. “I meant to say I think I love ye.”
“Why are ye e’en saying it if ye arenae sure?”
“Because I dinnae want ye to leave me.”
Bethoc stared at him. She was now disappointed yet not crushed or heartbroken. What she had, she decided, was a man who did not know what he felt. She could not stop herself from thinking that he did love her but just did not feel certain. Not only did it sound vain to think it, but she knew she might be grasping at false hope but could not shake the feeling.
“Love is nay a maybe, Callum. Ye either do or ye don’t. I love ye and have nay a doubt about it.” She pushed against his chest when he tried to take her into his arms. “Why is it that ye think ye might love me?”
“Weel, I look into the future and ye are always there. Each thing I plan, I wonder how it will suit ye.” He frowned for he had never listed the reasons before and was not sure how to say what needed saying. “I dinnae look at another woman,” he said, and wondered why she was not delighted by that.
“Weel, that is verra nice but doesnae mean ye love me, really. Ye have been a wee bit busy of late and nae in a place where women have been plentiful. And, to be honest, I dinnae think it will last. Wheesht, nae sure I would want it to because then I couldnae look at a mon and when ye have ones like Payton and Connor about, a woman would have to be on her deathbed to nae look at them and e’en then they would probably try.”
