Duncan’s whole being shuddered with both ecstasy and agonizing self-restraint as the swol en head of his desire reached only partway into Amelia’s fiery dampness. He wanted to push hard, fast,allthe way in, to drench himself completely in her silky heat, but the rupture of her maidenhead—along with the sharp cutting of her fingernails into his back—caused him to holdstill.
She clung to his shoulders. He lay unmoving, suppressing the pounding forces in his head, while he gave her a moment to grow accustomed to the penetration. A tearspilledacross her temple.
“The pain won’t last,” he said, kissing her on the mouth.
“It’s fine.”
He looked into her eyes. “Aye, it is, lass. It’s more than fine.”
He trembled when he tried to breathe and had to take a moment to recover his capacities. Mere seconds wasallit required before the pulsing in his loins began again. He pushed forward another inch, withdrew, then slowly thrust in again, steady and deep, until at last he stretched her enough to reach her womb.
She let out asmallcry. He began to move careful y and gently inside her.
“I didn’t want to hurt you,” he whispered. “It’llfeel better soon.”
“It feels better already. It feels…”
He buried his face in her hair and whispered huskily,
“What, lass?tellme how it feels. I need to know.”
She relaxed as he moved within.“Exciting.”
It was a good thing, because he was quite sure he couldn’t hold off much longer. There was a storm brewing inside him, and he wanted to thrust into her like a rammingbull. He wanted to hear her moan with rapture and delight, and feel her pulse around him as he climaxed mightily inside.
She parted her legs wider and raised her hips to move in harmony with each of his deep, finely tuned penetrations.
Together they bucked and squeezed, seeking pleasures they had both been denying since the moment they first struggled against each other on that rainy field at dawn. There was violence in his movements now, but nothing else about it was the same, for she had final y yielded to him.
Suddenly, with a passionate jolt, Amelia cupped his buttocks and tensed beneath him. Her hips thrust forward savagely, and she gasped. He felt the quick pulsation of her interior, which squeezed around his rigid passions.
Their open mouths collided, and she twirled her tongue around his. Without further hesitation, he gave in to the heaving pleasures flooding through him, arched his body upward, then pumped into her with a potent gush of release that left him drained.
Hecollapsedon top of her and waited for the rhythm of his body to return to normal while struggling to make sense of this strange joy, when not so long ago his world had been reduced to rubble and he’d given up on any hope of restoration.
He felt stronger tonight, yet at the same time he wanted to be gentle. Perhaps it was true. Perhaps his cruelty could be tempered.
Herolledoff Amelia and lay on his side, facing her in the dim light. She curled up beside him.
“You belong to me, now,” he said. “No other manshallever have you.”
“Yes,” she replied in a cool, somewhat distant voice that quavered with uncertainty. “I am yours. And I confess, I am not sorry. It makes no sense. I hated you not long ago. You hated me, too, when I ran from you. Is this some kind of madness? Did you do something to me?”
“Aye, I did, lass. And I’llbe doing it again as soon as you’rewilling.”
She laughed, and for a while they lay quietly in the dim light, running their fingertips lightly across each other’s bodies; then Duncan rose from the bed and crossed the room. Amelia leaned up on an elbow to admire his glorious nude form, gleaming with perspiration. He picked up a brass snuffer and put out the candles he had brought with him.
It was suddenly dark in the crimson bedchamber. Amelia held out her arm.
“I think I amwillingnow,” she said.
“As am I.” He returned to the bed and climbed in.
They slept very little that night.
Fort William, the following day, late afternoonHis Grace, the Duke of Winslowe, was enjoying a fine glass of brandy in his private chamber when a young soldier knocked on the door and entered with a letter, which he delivered to the duke on a shiny silver salver.
His Grace swept the letter off the plate, dismissed the man, then broke the seal and unfolded it. He squinted irritably, huffed in frustration, then searched his pockets for his spectacles, stuck them on his bulbous nose, and began to read.
