Her hands came up to trail softly down his back, making him shiver with pleasure.
“The very same thing you do to me, I expect.” She leaned close to his ear, trembling, her breath hot on his skin. “Take me.Please Ceann.I belong to you now, no other. Never anyone but you.”
He looked at her. Her blue eyes were dark with passion, with wanting him.Mine. How could shenotbe mine? I found her. I claim her. Enough of being honorable.I want this, I need this like my next breath.
His hands came up to cup her face. Her eyes closed, and her lips parted on a soft sigh.“You are so very beautiful,mo mhùirnìn.”
He bent to kiss her, and then he lost all control. When at last his mind gave his body free rein, it took all that it craved. He had all of their clothing off in no time, and leaned her back, covering her with his body and driving into her almost at once, filled with an elemental need. Thenext thing he knew, they were lying on the sheep skin in front of the hearth, their naked bodies melded together.
He smiled ruefully and rolled onto his side, taking her with him. Reaching up, he brushed a lock of hair from her cheek and tucked it behind her ear, studying her face. “I’m sorry, I lost control again. Did I hurt you?”
“No, you didn’t hurt me. And I rather like it when you lose control. You should do so more often.”
He smiled wickedly at her. “It’s difficult for me to give up my much vaunted control, lass, but for you, I might sometimes make an exception.”
Her answering smile cut him to the quick, lighting up her whole face, and he found himself wanting more than anything to have her smile at him like that always. He wanted her in his arms like this always. No other woman had ever made him feel like this, made him need her so badly, made him feel so alive. If only things were different, if he could offer her everything she deserved…
He was distracted from his thoughts by the feel of her lips as she placed little kisses along his neck, and her hand skimmed the muscles of his chest, pausing to rub a thumb over his nipple. He groaned deep in his throat, already wanting her again, reaching for her, even though he had just left her moments ago.
“What do youdoto me…”
Chapter 14
Ceann forced himself to sit at his desk in the study; there was much that needed his attention, from correspondence with neighboring clans and requests for aid, to disputes between tenant farmers over livestock and grain prices. He sighed. This was his least favorite part of being laird. He much preferred to be wielding a sword, or even repairing a cottage. Anything but sitting at a desk studying ledgers.
There was a knock at the door, and Ethan walked in before he could open his mouth to answer. Ceann shot him an annoyed look. “Come in, Ethan.” Ethan ignored him and sat down in the chair opposite the desk. “If you put your boots on my desk again, I’ll bloody your nose.”
“I’ve just come from the village, Ceann. Old Mrs. Ferguson needs a new roof on her cottage. It was leaking into the hearth with the last rain and putting out the fire.”
“You came here to tell me about Mrs. Ferguson’s roof? Why are you bothering me when you can take care of it yourself?Can you not see I’m busy? Damn it Ethan!” He slammed his fist down on the desk, making the ink bottle jump and threaten to fall over. Ethan reached out and steadied it with a sigh.
“Are you going to tell me what’s bothering you, then? I mean besides the usual lot.”
“There’s nothing bothering me”, Ceann bit out.
“Oh. Well in that case, I’ll tell Mrs. Ferguson you’ll see to fixing her roof right away.” He made to stand up and leave, but hesitated just a moment: he knew his friend all too well.
Ceann pushed his hands through his hair, groaned, and then said quietly, “I took her.”
Ethan sat back down, raising an eyebrow.“Ella?”
“Aye. She was a maid. I ruined her.”
“She was willing?” Ethan asked hesitantly.
“Aye! Of course she was willing, what kind of man do you think I am? But I was still wrong to take her, when I have no intention of keeping her. Damn it, I don’t even know who her kin are. I could have just started a bloody war, for all I know.”
“I don’t think it will come to war.” Ethan struggled to keep his lips from turning up in a smile. “I don’t see the problem, Ceann. The lass was willing, and there won’t be any uh… consequences to come later, aye?”
Ceann turned his gaze to the window. “No, no consequences.”There would be no bairn… there would never be a bairn.
“Then I wouldn’t worry so. Why don’t you just enjoy yourself for once? After all, the harm is already done, as you say.” Ethan stood and gave him a fatherly pat on the shoulder before he went to the door, calling over his shoulder, “I’ll go see to Mrs. Ferguson’s roof, then. I can see you’re busy.”
***
Ceann practiced in the yard, his sword clashing against his opponent’s, his muscles straining hard as he worked, a glistening sheen of sweat covering his skin. With a roar he swung a wide arc and knocked Gregors’s blade to the side, while at the same time sweeping his legs from under him and knocking him flat on his back.Ceann stood over him, the tip of his sword pressed to the other man’s chest. “Yield, man.”
Gregor grinned up at him. “Yield? I let you win!”
