Chloe lifted her good hand to his face. Her fingertips grazed his smooth cheek. That did not assuage the burning craving. If anything, it fueled the fire even more. When her fingers landed on his face, he closed his eyes and turned into her hand. He planted a soft kiss in her palm.
As soon as his lips brushed her hand, there was a maddening eruption of need pounding through her, fanning the flames of her desire. It wrapped around her, cocooning her and makingher body ache for his touch. A curious swooping pulled at her innards.
She flattened her palm against his cheek, her hand sliding along the smooth edge of his jaw, tracing the outline of his strength to the indention of his chin. Her body shuddered against his. A little mewl escaped her. She was unable to stop the sound even if she had wanted. The spark had ignited. The embers sizzled.
Now, what was she going to do about it?
She had two choices—nothing or... something. And that something called to her, stirring a curiosity she couldn’t ignore. The thought of wanting someone so fully, so intensely, sent a thrill through her. It tugged at her, daring her to give in.
Thinking of releasing her inhibitions sent a molten wave of hunger moving through her. In all her years, she had never allowed it to overtake her. But what if? What if she did with Malcolm?
“God’s teeth, woman.”
He practically growled the words. Before she had a chance to respond, he lowered his head. The moment his lips met hers, everything inside her unraveled. The fiery chasm opened, consuming her. She was lost to him. Completely and utterly lost to him.
His kiss was gentle at first, but she wanted more. Needed more. She slid her hand through the length of his hair, letting her fingers tangle in the length. Her back arched toward him in a desperate attempt to get closer to him. The rasp of material between them chafed her. She wanted to claw away her dress to bare herself to him. To let him touch her.
He rumbled a response, his chest vibrating against her, his mouth still plundering hers. Finally, she managed to wrap her arms around him, her hands landing on his smooth back,making their way down the length. At his waist, she paused and realized with some surprise, he was naked.
A warm chuckle escaped him. He lifted his head to gaze down at her.
“Och, lass, ye tempt me.”
In his throat, she saw the rapid beat of his pulse. It was an indication he wanted her as much as she wanted him.
“Well, you know what they say about temptation, don’t you?”
He looked intrigued. “And what is that?”
“The only way to get rid of it is to yield to it.”
For once, the Oscar Wilde quote served her well. Thinking it was one thing. Saying it aloud was another and yet, she found she was unable to stop the words from bubbling through her. He stilled against her as indecision flashed across his face. He, like her, was trying to decide if they moved forward.
After all, he was already naked.
Though his lower half was still under the blankets, she was aware of his arousal pressing against her thigh.
That slow, lazy, sexy grin reappeared on his mouth, now damp from kissing her. When he made no move, she took matters into her own hands.
Feeling bold, she lifted her head to nuzzle his neck. His skin was warm and soft with the hint of the lilac soap he used to shave. She liked the way he felt next to her. She liked the way he smelled. She liked he shaved his beardfor her. It was endearing.
In a brazen moment, without thinking, she tasted him. Then she raked her teeth across his skin and nipped. Just enough to get his attention.
She got his attention.
The rumble through his chest was all the response she needed.
His hand fumbled with her skirt, trying to pull it up, but her legs were tangled underneath him. He’d pinned her to the bed. Now, she wanted to wiggle free. She wanted to feel his hot hands on her, touching her, caressing her. She wanted to know what it was like to part her legs and let him slide into her.
In a desperate attempt to move things along at a quicker pace, she nudged his hand away and fisted her skirt, trying to pull it upward. Since she was laying on it, the material was stuck underneath her. She huffed her frustration, which made him chuckle.
He slid his arms around her and rolled. She yipped her surprise as he settled her on top of him. She braced her hands on his strong, muscled chest with that sprinkling of hair. He felt good under her hands, under her body. Glancing down, she saw the blankets were bunched around his waist, but even so, she got a hint of what was underneath. Narrow hips tapered downward, making her imagination run away with her.
Malcolm fisted her skirt in his hands, pushing away the material to reveal her expanse of thigh.
“I cannae say I expected to have ye in my bed so early this morn,” he said with a lopsided grin.
“It wasn’t the plan.”
