“‘Tishis fault that ye are here. If he hadnae gone to that battle and been capturedby the English, ye would ne’er have been found by me.”
Itsuddenly occurred to her that if she had not found him, he would be dead. Itwas a chilling thought. She could tell by the look that briefly darkened hisfine eyes that he was well aware of this. She could also tell that it would notsoften his need to seek revenge.
Totry to win his love was clearly a lost hope. She should wrench herself free ofhis light hold, leave the room, and stay out of his reach until his kinsmencame to ransom him. A heavy sigh that held both pleasure and resignationescaped her as Ruari pressed a fuller kiss upon her mouth. She curled herfingers into his thick hair and pressed her lips against his, silently askingfor one of the deep kisses that could set her blood on fire. Knowing how dismalher chances were of finding a lover or a husband, she simply could not turnaside the delights he offered her. This could well be her only chance oftasting them.
“Ifye mean to hold fast to your chastity, lass, ye had best flee the room now,” hewarned, his voice hoarse with desire.
Sorchalifted her head to look at him, sitting up slightly on his body. The lines ofhis face had tautened, and his cheeks were lightly flushed. There was a darkcompelling look in his eyes that pulled strongly at some need deep within her.She hopped off the bed, smiling to herself when he tensed, began to protest,and clearly bit back the words. He was being gallant, and it was costing himdearly. That gesture only strengthened her decision. She reached the door,latched it to insure there were no interruptions, then turned back to face him.
Ruarifelt the frustration that had begun to knot his body swept away by a flood ofsearing desire. A simple “aye” would not have carried the power of her eloquentgesture. He slowly sat up as she tugged the leather tie from her hair and shookher thick chestnut waves loose around her slim shoulders. Ruari was sure thathe had never ached so badly for a woman in his life. Nor had he ever seenanything so simply and quietly sensuous. It took all of his willpower not toleap from the bed, sweep her up into his arms, and toss her onto the bed. Hewanted her to walk to him, to willingly enter his arms. He wanted there to beabsolutely no doubt that she would take him as her lover.
Heclenched his hands into tight fists as she walked toward him. Although he feltshe was strong and sure of her decision, he did not wish to make any suddenmoves that could cause her to falter. There was not much time left before hewas ransomed and returned to Gartmhor, a few nights at best. He wanted to spendevery one of those waning hours wrapped in the soft heat of her passion.
Fleetinglyhe thought about his claims that the trouble between them, due to her holdinghim as a prisoner for ransom, and their passion for each other were twoseparate things. That was not exactly the truth. Although his anger and needfor revenge did not dim his passion for her, it did influence what may or maynot develop between them beyond the desire pushing them into each other’s arms.He did not envision himself wanting more from her than sweet passion, forSorcha Hay was definitely not what he sought in a wife, but he knew that anyemotional softening he might start to feel for her would come up hard againstthe anger, stung pride, and need for vengeance that so often knotted hisinnards.
Sorchastopped by the edge of the bed, her legs almost touching his. Ruari realizedshe had misread his silence and lack of movement. There was a ghost ofuncertainty in her dark eyes. He reached out and took her small hands in his.
“Your‘aye’ was verra eloquent, lass, but are ye certain of it?” he was astonished tohear himself ask. “I offer ye only passion, no more.”
“Iken it,” she replied, blushing faintly. “Have I asked more of ye?”
“Nay,but most weelborn virgins would.”
“Weel,Sir Kerr, I believe ye have been at Dunweare long enough to ken that I am notlike most weelborn virgins.” She smiled faintly when he laughed. “I am nochild, either. I am twenty, far past marrying age in many minds. I believe I amof an age to ken what I want, what I am willing to risk and the price I maywell pay for my actions. Aye, and I think I have the wit to ken it, too.”
Hetugged her closer. “Aye, sweeting, I sometimes think ye have the wit to kenmore than ye ought to. Howbeit, I asked if ye were certain, despite all myinstincts screaming at me to hold my tongue and grasp what ye offer, becausethere is no turning back once the deed is done. I donotwish to rousemyself from the sated stupor of heartily spent passion only to find an outragedmaiden or her kinsmen demanding I do things I have ne’er promised to do. I amin no position to deal with all of that nonsense.”
“Ah,I see. Ye fear ye may find yourself trapped, a prisoner of an arrangement yecannae be ransomed out of.”
Sorchawished he would cease talking and get on with making love to her. Hisinsinuation that she might try to trick him into marriage was insulting. Thedesire that had driven her to latch the door was being nibbled away by anincreasing irritation. When his eyes narrowed and he lightly tightened his gripon her, she suspected he had guessed at her growing annoyance.
“Nay,I cannae believe ye capable of such cunning,” he said as he pulled her into hisarms and tugged her down onto the bed. “I think we have talked enough.”
“Yenearly talked too much.”
Hegrinned, and Sorcha felt her heart skip in her chest. The man was irresistiblewhen he smiled so freely. It made it easy to believe that they could be lovers,that their passion could remain separate from all else that stood between them.She desperately wanted that to be so. Although she had little hope that hispassion could turn to a deep, abiding love for her, she wanted it to be honestand unfettered. She wanted no suspicions or resentments to cloud it.
Slowly,gently, he traced the fine lines of her small face with kisses as he unlacedher gown. Despite the heat flowing through her veins, Sorcha blushed faintly ashe eased her gown off of her body and she lay in his arms wearing only herchemise. She fleetingly wished she had taken the time to put on more clothesbefore rushing off to thwart his escape. A few more articles of clothing wouldhave given her passion time to become so strong that it would push aside allremnants of her modesty.
Ruarismoothed his hands over her slim arms. “Ye blush most prettily, m’lady.”
“Ishould burn with the high color of modesty.” She found talking difficult, herthoughts scattered by his touch as he caressed her side, his lightly callusedfingers brushing the sides of her hips as he inched her chemise up her body.
“Nay,I want ye to burn with a far different emotion.”
Shewas unable to answer for he covered her mouth with his. With a sigh ofsurrender, she opened her mouth at the first proddings of his tongue. Soenflamed was she by the hungry, almost demanding, kiss, she barely noticed himfinish removing her chemise. When her skin touched his, she shuddered, the heatof his flesh entering her veins with a dizzying swiftness. A flicker ofawareness returned when he neatly turned so that she was swept beneath him. Sheslowly opened her eyes when she felt him staring at her. Her instinctiveattempt to cover her nakedness was quickly halted as he gently but firmlygrasped her by the wrists and pinned her arms to the bed.
“Didye think we would do our loving in the darkness or with our eyes closed?” heasked, his voice thick and hoarse as he touched a kiss to the gentle swell ofeach small breast.
“Nay,but I didnae think I would be the only one who would be naked.” The tartnessshe tried to put into her words was severely dimmed by the rich huskiness ofher voice.
Ruarigrinned, sat up straddling her body, and swiftly removed his braies. Sorchaknew he was studying her closely, but she was unconcerned. All of her attentionwas centered upon his fully exposed form. Although the sight of his erectmanhood made her a little uneasy, she found him beautiful. His skin was smooth,dark, inviting. When she had seen his body before, he had been wounded and inneed of her help. That had tempered her interest. Now, despite the raw scarsdecorating his skin, she looked her fill and allowed the desire she felt runfreely through her. With an unsteady hand, she reached out and traced the scaron his abdomen with her fingers.
“Stillrough and a poor sight, I fear,” he murmured.
“Iwas just thinking that ye must have a mightily thick hide.” She smiled a littleas she finally met his heated gaze, and he briefly grinned back.
Ruarieased his body down on hers. She shuddered and felt him echo her trembling.Sorcha was just thinking that nothing had ever felt so fine when he cupped herbreast in his hand and brushed his thumb over the hardened tip. She gasped fromthe strength of the pleasure that tore through her and clutched at his broadshoulders. He kissed her, and she readily matched the hunger he revealed. Shethreaded her fingers into his thick hair and tentatively met the thrust of histongue with her own. The low, deep groan he gave swept away her uncertainty,and her kiss grew bolder.
