She lost herself in him, drinking in all thedark, mysterious tastes that were his alone.The scent of pineforest clung to his hair.On his breath was a hint of ale.She feltdrunk with the heady taste of him, the musky male scent of him.Herman.For all time, he would own her heart.
As he took the kiss deeper she felt her kneesweaken.Scooping her up, he carried her to his bed and lay heramong the linens, then lay beside her and drew her into the circleof his arms.
His kisses were by turn harsh, then gentle,as he cautioned himself that this, her first time, must be savoredslowly.
Leaning up on one elbow he studied her as shelay beside him.Her hair, glinting red and gold in the firelight,was a splash of color against the white linens.It spilled acrossone breast, then fanned out around her like a silken veil.
He caught the strands, lifting them away fromher neck.He stared, fascinated, as they sifted through hisfingers.With a fingertip he traced her collarbone, the slope ofher shoulders, the curve of her breast.
He lowered himself until his lips couldfollow the trail his fingers blazed and he felt her tremble as hislips closed around her nipple.With his tongue he teased it untilhe heard her little moan of pleasure.
His lips covered hers in a kiss so demanding,she prayed it would never stop.When at last his lips left hers toexplore her body, she felt bereft.She had a need to take and giveuntil she was both filled and drained.Never before had she wantedto open herself to someone.But this man, his touch, his kiss, hadtaken her higher than she had dreamed possible.
His kisses seared a fiery trail across hertiny waist to the smooth, flat skin of her stomach.He chuckled asshe flinched, then ran his hands across the softly rounded flare ofher hips.His touch was so gentle, so easy, Lindsey lay seeped inpleasure, drifting on a cloud of contentment.But when his touchsuddenly moved to her inner thigh, she started to protest.Herwords were swallowed when his mouth covered hers in a savage kiss.And as his touch became more intimate, his mouth sought her breastand his lips closed around her hardened nipple.All she could dowas absorb pleasure after pleasure as his lips and his fingertipscontinued driving her until her body was alive with feeling.
She was no longer shy or afraid.Her head wasthrown back, her body arched for him.As he hesitated above her sheclutched at him, drawing him to her.
“Love me, Jamie.Please love me now.”
Jamie was determined to be gentle.But as heentered her, he forgot everything except his need for this woman.He was kissing her lips, her cheek, her hair.And as he began tomove, she moved with him, matching his incredible strength.
Her lips were avid, and hungry, as they foundhis.He murmured incoherent words of love against her mouth.Hepledged his life, his heart, his soul, and knew that it was notenough.He needed her with a desperation that bordered onmadness.
The taste of her, the scent of her, envelopedhim, filling his mind, his senses.He heard the cry that broke fromher lips as she shuddered and reached the final crest of intensepleasure.Her name was torn from his lips as he followed her highamong the stars.Together they hovered a moment, before explodinginto a million tiny pieces.Then slowly, slowly, they drifted backto earth.
Jamie rolled to his side and drew Lindseyinto the circle of his embrace.With great tenderness he touchedhis lips to the sheen that covered her forehead.
He felt the little tremors that rocked herand lifted her face for his inspection.
“Tears, my lady?”His tone roughened.“I havehurt you.”
“Nay.”She touched a finger to his lips tosilence his fears.“I am just so filled with wonder at what weexperienced.I never dreamed...”She swallowed.“It wasbeautiful.”
“As are you.”He pressed his lips to hertemple.
They lay in silence a moment, feeling theirheartbeats slowly return to normal.
Idly she traced the scars that crisscrossedhis chest and shoulders.“You have been wounded so many times.”
He lay very still, loving the feel of herfingertips on his flesh.“They have all healed.”
“But you are scarred.I wish—” her voicelowered “—I could erase all your scars.”
“You already have,” he said softly.It wasthe truth, he realized.With her he was renewed, refreshed.Withher love he had been reborn.
“This was not supposed to happen,” Lindseymurmured against his throat.
“What was not supposed to happen?”
He lay very still, loving the tiny thread ofcontentment that curled along his spine.She fitted so perfectlyinto his arms.And into his life.She was the missing piece to thispuzzle.With her, he was whole, complete.
“Being loved by you.”Lifting herself on herelbow, she traced the outline of his lips with her finger and gavea laugh when he bit it.
“And why is that?”
She traced his nose, his cheek, his shaggyeyebrow, while he lay steeped in pleasure.Hers was the gentlesttouch he had ever known.While she leaned over him her hair swirledforward, tickling his chest.Already he could feel his passiongrowing, and he marveled at the magic of her touch.
“I heard my mother tell my father aftermy—accident that the Highland lads would be put off by my shatteredleg.”At Lindsey’s words he suddenly felt chilled.For a momenteven his heart forgot to beat.“And she made my father vow that hewould always keep me with him, to atone for the fact that I wouldnever have a husband.”
