With his lips pressed firmly to her chest, Caden wrapped his arms under her bottom and lifted her, before kneeling and laying her down on the soft blanket in front of the fire.
She was panting as he continued kissing down her body. Her fingers threaded through his long, dark locks. A sharp gasp of pleasure escaped her lips as he buried his head between her legs. She particularly enjoyed the feel of his lips on her thighs.
Every feeling was new, and she was ripe with pleasure. The moment his tongue touched her most intimate place, she forgot how to breathe. Loud moans spilled past her lips with every stroke, and his grip on her thighs hardened. He sucked and licked like a man starved. When she looked up to see what exactly he was doing to her, he picked up his pace, and she threw her head back with a gasp. He growled –actually growled—on her skin, and the sound tipped her over the edge. Pleasure crashed over her, making her toes curl.
Caden grinned against her sex as she shivered from the aftershocks.
Once the room had stopped spinning, Ava looked down to see him kiss her belly button.
She smiled shyly. “I didnae expect this to be so pleasurable.”
A blush bloomed in her cheeks, which made her hot all over again.
Caden rested his head on her belly, his chest heaving with quick breaths. She wondered…
“Will… Me Laird, will our… duty feel like this, too?” she asked hesitantly.
Caden made a soft noise in the back of his throat and pushed himself up, his arms flexing under his sleeves. He stood and helped her to her feet. “When ye put it that way, probably nae.”
Something had shifted in the air—a change in temperature or pressure, Ava was not sure—but it felt wrong.
Caden picked up his clothes from the floor. With stiff hands, he helped her get dressed. A sense of finality washed over her as he tied the tartan.
He did not meet her eyes as he said, “Excuse me, wife. I must go.”
He turned to leave without any further explanation.
Ava felt as if the floor fell out from under her feet. Anger welled within her, and she held onto it like a lifeline.
“Caden, notdaenae ye dare walk away from me,” she said firmly.
He drew to a halt and slowly turned to look at her.
“It isnae fair. Ye’re distancing yerself from me after we just didthat? Ye shouldnae confuse me like that!” she protested, hurt filling her voice.
“I owe ye nothing,” he said coolly.
“Is this what married couples do, then?” She crossed her arms over her chest to keep herself from shaking. The room felt cold, despite the fire in the grate.
“Do what, lass?” Caden tilted his head mockingly.
“Daenae pull that with me, me Laird,” Ava shot back, glaring daggers at him. “Be straightforward with me. What is wrong?”
She could not understand, and sheneededhim to explain.
Caden stared at her for a long moment. She raised an eyebrow to show she was going to wait as long as it took.
“I cannae give ye what ye’re looking for, lass,” he said flatly.
“I’m nae looking for anything. As yer wife, I demand that ye tell me what’s wrong. That cannae mean nothin’ to ye.” She pointed to the blanket, flushing.
Caden released a slow breath through his nose. “Finlay may have told ye that a fire broke out in the castle three years ago.”
Her brow creased in confusion. Why was he talking about that? A vague memory flashed through her mind, and she nodded slowly.
“It wasnae an accident. Joanna, the fool that she was, set it ablaze with the aim to kill herself and Nathan,” Caden gritted out.
Ava’s blood ran cold. “What?”
