“That it has.” He put his arm around her shoulders and tugged her closer as he sipped his cider. “But we beat them. That is something to celebrate.”
“They tried to burn your house down.”
“Actually, we were not sure how the fire started at first. Duncan feared it might have been him because one of his shots went in the house. Could have knocked something over. But I saw the man in the tree shoot a fire arrow at it.”
“There was nothing that had a spark. Not in the dining room where the fire began.”
“I know. And we calculated that his shot would have gone in the kitchen. Window busted there. So that man got close enough and had the time to shoot in the fire. I will tell Duncan though as he was unsettled by the possibility.”
“It is ruined in there.”
“Nay, Matthew says the table just needs to be sanded down a bit and redone and it will be good as new. Carpet is a loss but Robbie says he can weave another. Shame though as ye had just scrubbed the whole place down.”
Emily gave a watery laugh. “I know and I am ashamed to admit I was so cross and cursing as I put out the fire. Muttering away about all the work I had done and it was a silly thing to fret over when you and your brothers were facing an army.”
“Nay. It is sometimes the small things that can really get to a person in such times. When I was keeping the boys safe during the attack that took my parents all I could think on was that they were trying to burn our stuff and what would I do for clothes. Knew it was a stupid fool thing to fret over but I think that happens because ye dinnae really want to think on the real cause of the anger and fear ye feel.”
“Yes. That is probably true. After all, the real cause will be waiting for you to face it when you step out.”
“What I saw was that my parents had died in each other’s arms.”
“That is both sad and lovely.”
He laughed but it was not a happy sound. “I ken it. Do ye think he will quit now?” Iain hoped she would say no because he did not want to have to explain why he thought this would go on until the man was dead.
“No. It will never stop until Albert is dead in the ground.”
He tightened his arm around her shoulders. “Good that ye see that. I ken ye have said something similar before but was worried ye had talked yourself into changing your mind.”
Emily sat up and stared at him. “No. I feel a bit sick when I say it, as it is such a horrible thing to want, but I know this will only end when Albert is dead. He will never give up.”
Iain finished his cider, then stood up, pulling her to her feet as well. Wrapping an arm around her shoulders he took her inside and placed their cups on the kitchen counter. He held her hand and peered out into the hallway. He could hear his brothers all gathered in the parlor so he went quickly to the stairs and dragged Emily up them. She hesitated a moment when he led her to his door.
“I saw Neddy going with Mrs. O’Neal’s children. Did he come back?” he asked in a whisper.
“No, but all your brothers are right downstairs,” she replied in a voice as soft as his.
“And willnae come in my room. Nay without warning.”
He opened his door, tugged her inside, and with a last peek down the hallway, shut the door and latched it. Emily stood looking at him. She looked nervous and he smiled gently as he walked up to her and tugged her into his arms.
“Alone at last,” he murmured, and was pleased to hear her laugh softly. “I have a craving to prove we both survived. Understand?”
“Yes. I have a craving to forget it all for a time. Is that wrong?”
“Nay, love. It is not so different from what I seek.”
He kissed her. Emily curled her arms around his neck and held on tight. She had the fleeting thought that he could not understand what he did to her with his kiss and she did not want him to. Then all the power would be in his hands and that did not seem fair. Then he slid his hand down her back and pressed her even closer to him. She felt his hardness and decided the power was in her hands as well. Emboldened by that realization she began to undo his shirt.
She smoothed her hands over his chest once she had opened his shirt, reveling in the strength and heat beneath her fingers. When he released her mouth to kiss her neck, she tilted her head to give him better access and trembled slightly from the strength of the feelings he stirred within her. Emily became so lost to the way he made her feel she did not even twitch as he undid her gown. She even tugged her own arms free of the sleeves as he tugged the gown down.
Iain tried not to tear anything as he carefully undressed her. Her touch on his skin was making him desperate, however. When he got her stripped down to her shift he pushed her toward the bed until she sat down on the edge. He quickly shed his boots and then knelt to deal with her shoes. Unable to stop himself he ran his hands over her slender legs every chance he got only to discover, to his delight, that Emily was extremely sensitive to such a touch. As he undid her garters and tugged off her stockings, he kissed each newly bared patch of skin. The soft sounds of pleasure escaping her were music to his ears.
Once he had her stripped to only her shift, he stood up and began to shed his own clothes. The way Emily watched him, her eyes wide yet still warmed with passion, made him hesitate a moment before taking off his drawers. Emily was still new to this intimacy and he did not wish to shock her out of her state of desire. Then Iain shrugged and removed them, tossing them to the side. The way she stared at his groin made him a little uneasy until she reached out and stroked him.
He yanked off her shift and gently pushed her down onto the bed. “Nay, love, ye cannae do that. Nay now. I am a desperate man.”
“Oh? That makes you desperate?” she asked as she wrapped her arms around his neck.
