He shut the door behind them. She wondered what he would do. Should she climb onto the bed, or should they talk first? Baile led her over to the bed and turned her around to face the bed. He untied her dress, her corset and her underthings. She shivered in the cold, but Baile worked quickly. He turned her to face him and admired her body. He picked her up and put her on the bed. Before joining her, he removed his shirt and kilt. His eyes glinted in the firelight. When he crawled across the bed to her, she could hardly wait. Instead of ravishing her right away, he pulled her into an embrace.
“How do ye feel?” he asked her. She could feel every inch of his body against hers. Heavenly.
“Happy,” she answered.
An intense desire to pull him on top of her surfaced. She ran her fingers up and down the sides of his chest. He shivered in response. He grabbed her hand and gently put it above her head, holding it there while he spoke. “Now, ah was trying to be all romantic and talk to ye before ah went and did that, but if ye keep it up ah won’t be able to stop myself. And then ye lose yer romance.” The smile was mischievous.
She leaned up to him and nibbled down the length of his jaw. He growled and pulled back. The devious look on his face meant he was teasing her.
“Yer skipping all the sweet parts and just jumping ahead to the sexy parts. Let me romance ye, woman.”
She responded by taking her free hand and reaching down between them and rubbing his already erect shaft with her hand.
He moaned in response. “So that’s how ye want it, huh?” He took her arm and put it above her head near her other. He kissed her neck, her chest and down her stomach. When he released her hands, she ran them up and down his body. She wanted him more than she ever wanted anyone.
“Take me, Baile.”
He pulled her towards him, thrusting himself into her and both cried out. He kissed her, passionately. She moaned, already close to climax. She reached hers before he did. After she shuddered around him, he reached down, rubbing her while continuing to move inside of her. She felt her pleasure mounting again. “Ye feel that?” Baile growled in her ear. His voice was rough and deep. He thrust himself deeper inside her.
She felt him swell. “Finish again with me, love,” he cried desperately.
Pleasure tore through her and she climaxed again just as his pleasure erupted. He moaned and shuddered. She curled around him, pulsating with the intense feeling. “Ah love ye.” Baile whispered simply.
He pulled her naked body back against his and wrapped his arm around her waist. They fell asleep. Mazey was never more safe or loved.
Epilogue
The fire roared in the hearth. Mazey sat in a chair, working on another blanket while Desmond played on the floor next to Siusan. The keep was quiet. Winter was long and harsh. Nights were cold, but with Baile in her bed, it didn’t seem so bad.
“When can we go see the flowers?” Siusan whined.
Mazey laughed. “When there are flowers to see.”
“Isn’t it spring yet?”
“Almost,” Mazey replied. Truth be told spring should have already come, but it was running late this year.
A knock sounded at the door. Gilla entered with one of her children in tow. “Baile asked me to take the children to play and get them to bed.”
Gilla assisted Mazey with the children now. It gave her time to be with her children and more flexibility to bring them with her. “Siusan needs a snack before bed, but ah just fed Desmond.”
She took them without another word. Mazey continued to work on the blanket. What did Baile have planned? He walked in a few minutes later with a basket.
“Its too cold to go outside.” If he held a basket, that usually meant a picnic, but it was late and she could still see her breath outside.
Baile grinned at her. “It’s not for outside.”
He threw a blanket on the ground of the study, in front of the fireplace. The basket was full of snacks and whiskey.
“What’s all this?” He was spontaneous, but usually had a reason for doing things out of the ordinary.
He passed her a cup with whiskey in it and held his up to her. “This is a celebration.”
The cryptic explanation didn’t help. “Of what?”
He pulled her into an embrace, cup still raised. “It has been two years today since ye came to the keep in search of something more. Two years since ye found courage in the worst situation possible. Ah want to celebrate yer bravery. Ye changed yer life, but ye also changed mine.”
They drank and Baile set their cups on the table. He kissed her cheek, her lips. “Ah’ve been more happy the past two years than ah ever have. Ah love having ye in my life.”
