Not at all pleased to find that she had guessed correctly, Islaen forced herself to relax and asked calmly, “Aye? And when do ye leave?"
"By noon,” he replied, and covertly but carefully watched her, not sure she would take the news very well.
Islaen tried very hard not to get angry. She utilized every trick she knew to stop her temper from rising. None of them worked. With a curse, she shoved Iain away, then sat up to glare at him. Clenching her hands, she fought the urge to strike him.
"I see, and ye thought ye best have a quick toss with the wee wife ere ye go,” she hissed.
Deciding that it was not a good time to think on her beauty as she sat there naked and fuming, Iain met her glare. “Now, dinnae get into a fit,” he began.
"I will show ye a fit."
She tried to push him out of the bed but he was prepared for her move. Try as she would she could not budge him. In frustration she finally hit him. Iain cursed softly and wrestled with her until he got her firmly pinned beneath him.
He supposed she had a right to her anger, and could see that getting her into bed, making love to her, then abruptly leaving was tactless, but he had not expected her to get quite so angry. Hurriedly he searched his mind for the right words to soothe her yet not reveal the real reasons that he had hesitated to make love to her until the moment before he left. Not only did he not really like her to be so angry with him, he did not want to spend what time he had before leaving Caraidland in argument.
"Islaen, t'was not like that. Ye had a bad time when Fraser got hold of ye and needed to heal."
"I have been healed for a while."
"So ye say, but e'en now I can see the remnants of his attack."
"They dinnae hurt."
He eased his hold upon her so that it was more of an embrace than a fettering hold. “Good, for I would hate to think that, by giving into my needs, I hurt you—which is what I have feared. I but reached the point today, kenning that I was to leave, where I was willing to chance it, or, rather, didnae think on it too much. Islaen,” he murmured as he brushed light kisses over her face, “is it wrong for a husband to want to have some loving ere he leaves? I but seek a sweet memory to warm my empty bed at Muircraig. Aye and mayhaps mean to leave ye a wee memory or two."
"Humph, ye mean to sweet talk me out of my anger,” she mumbled as she unsuccessfully fought her rising desires.
"Aye, there is some truth in that but what I said was also true.” He kissed her with a slow greed, then said softly, “I couldnae leave without a taste of this, lass, not when I ken t'will be a while ere ye are near enough to reach for again.” He began to toy with her hardened nipples with his tongue, enjoying the way she moved restlessly against him.
'So dinnae leave or take me with ye,’ she thought a little crossly but bit her lip to hold the words back. She knew it would be a mistake to press him too hard on the matter. For the time being, no matter how it hurt and no matter how it destroyed her attempts to build a good marriage, it was best to open her hands and let him run. Complaints and recriminations would gain her nothing. She was sure of it just as she was fairly sure that they would cost her more than she was willing to pay
Closing her eyes, she decided to luxuriate in the passion they shared. She admitted honestly, but only to herself, that she too did not want him to go off to Muircraig without making love to her. There were too many times already when she ached for his loving.
Wantonly, she lay beneath him, nourishing every kiss and caress, greedily soaking up the pleasure he gave her. However, she jerked compulsively when his lips touched the curls adorning her womanhood. Her shock over such intimacy was brief and she soon arched to his kiss. Soon she was shaking with need and tugged on his hair.
"Please, Iain, please, I dinnae want to go alone,” she rasped softly and cried out with relief and pleasure when he fiercely joined their bodies, taking them both to desire's apex, their cries of release blending in what Islaen thought was the sweetest of harmonies.
When it was time for him to leave she did her best to hide her anger and frustration. She knew she could not force him to stay just as she could not force him to love her. As soon as he was gone, she went back to her chambers and indulged herself in a furious tantrum, finally collapsing across the bed, a little exhausted after venting so many pent-up feelings.
"Is it safe to come in now?"
"Aye, Storm,” she answered with a soft laugh.
Glancing around at the disorder as she entered the room Storm smiled, “Did it feel good?"
"Aye.” Sitting up Islaen looked at the strewn clothes and the rest of the mess she had made. “Aye, it did."
"I know.” Storm sat next to Islaen. “I have usually enjoyed the ones I finally gave into. Well, until I had to pick up."
"Aye, that will take some of the joy out of it. Still, ‘tis better than beating Iain o'er the head with a mallet."
"Mmmm. Husbands find that sort of thing hard to understand.” Storm joined Islaen in laughing.
"'Tis just that I grow so weary of the game but see no end to it. Aye, and undoubtedly t'will soon take a turn for the worse."
"Why do ye say that?"
"I think that, when next he comes home, I must tell him of the child."
