“Madainn mhath,”I mumble.
“How do you feel?” His giant hand smooths down my stomach, resting between my hip bones.
“Conflicted.” It bursts out of me and I wince at my unintended honesty.
His broad chest shakes with a silent chuckle behind me. “That’s understandable. I have a proposition.”
“Aye?”
“Let it rest for now. Have breakfast with me. We’ll talk about the attack.” The hand on my stomach moves lower, and the bastard chuckles when I squeeze my thighs together. “We’ll let your tasty little pussy heal up.”
I think about it. “All right. But you can’t just grab me whenever you feel like it.”
He shrugs against my back, and his chest hair tickles my skin. “Disappointing, but fair. Let me carry you into the bathroom. Do you want to shower or bathe? My shower has a bench so you can sit down.”
“Shower, please. But I can just put on my boot and go back to-” He’s ignoring me of course, carrying me into his master bath and seating me on the toilet.
“Let me know when you’re finished.” He leaves the room.
“Thank god,” I groan. Last time I was ready to strangle him with a hand towel for just standing there like an eejit.
I should have known better. Wildly Overprotective Dougal is back in fine form when he places me on the shower bench and uses the hand-held shower head to wash me - very thoroughly - from head to toe. Twisting the shower head to create a softer, pulsing flow of warm water, he holds it over my center and I grab his wrist.
Leaning in to kiss me, he whispers, “I promised not to - what did you call it? - grab at ya.’ But this will make you feel better.” His other hand slides in to open my legs a little wider before I make him stop.
The warm water moves softly over my throbbing center and damn him, it does feel better. He slides in behind me on the bench, letting me slump against him while the warmth soothes me.
“I can feel that.”
His deep chuckle is much sexier than it should be, the conceited bastard. “As I’ve said, I can control nearly everything but him. You’ll take me more easily next time.”
“You think there’ll be a next time, do you?” I ask defensively.
“Based on the way you screamed out my name when you came all over my cock, yes.”
“You vain thing,” I sputter, “I didn’t even come last night.”
He puts a finger on my chin, turning my head so I’m forced to look at him. “Do ya’ remember rule two, lass? No lying. Are ya’ looking for another spanking?”
Closing my legs and blocking the showerhead, I glare at him. “No more spanking references! I’m a lady, not some club girl you can throw over your lap whenever ya’ like.”
Turning off the shower, Dougal runs his tongue up my throat, gathering the water drops. “You’re a lady until you’re sprawled across my lap, wife. Then you’re just a wet little girl wanting to be fucked.”
My center is heating up again and I shift uneasily, feeling his cock pressing up against my back. How longisthat thing? It feels like it’s reaching to my shoulder blades.
“I’m done,” I say, “I want to get out now.” Hearing his groan as he stands up is satisfying. Good. Let him suffer.
For the rest of the day, Dougal is as good as his word. No sly looks or filthy remarks. He has me sit in on a phone conference with his brothers and just being there, participating, puts me back on an even keel. I was always present for the Blackwood Clan meetings, seated at my father’s left, I had doubted Dougal would ever allow me to be a part of his family’s business.
“We ran down Isla’s suggestion about finding who could have that much C-4 in stock,” Cormac says, “good idea, that.”
I shove down the warm feeling in my chest.
“Abercrombie steadfastly swore he’s not moved a thimble of the explosives in the last month, but our man inside his shipping operation says Abercrombie went into their vault where they store their most sensitive material two days ago,” Lachlan says. “Who votes for taking that lyin’ prick and getting some answers out of him?”
“Hold up, ya’ bloodthirsty little badger,” Cameron says, “let’s see if Harris can hack into his financial records. He’s told me the more recent the transaction, the easier it is to catch.”
I’m surprised and a little impressed at how well they all work together. They’re obnoxious, of course, but I can see that Cormac listens to them all instead of lording his status as Chieftain over them.
