But he knew better than to expect that.
When Margaret slid her arms around him from behind, his heart nearly stopped in his chest. Did this mean what he hoped it did? He was afraid to move for fear she would stop.
Her hair spilled over his shoulder and onto his chest as she leaned over him. He closed his eyes to concentrate on the delicious sensation. When he felt her breath on the side of his neck, his every muscle tensed with anticipation. Then her lips grazed his skin, sending a shock of desire coursing through his body.
He turned on the stool, pulled her onto his lap, and looked into her eyes, willing her to answer the question burning in his blood.
“I want us to make love,” she said.
He did not ask her why, did not want to know it was because of the terrible events of this day. Did not want to know that she felt sorry for him or wanted to comfort him. He needed her so desperately that it did not matter why she would have him, just that she would.
“You’re certain this time?” he asked.
“Aye,” she said. “I want this. I wantyou.”
That was all he needed to hear. He crushed his mouth against hers. Margaret was bound to leave him. It may not be tomorrow or the next day or the day after that, but she would go.
But tonight, she was his.
And he was going to make damned sure she did not forget him.
###
The shadow of death had passed too close to them both for Margaret to ignore Una’s advice—and her own desire. Tonight, she would not let fear hold her back. Tonight, she would let down her defenses. Tonight, she would risk pain and sorrow to take all the pleasure and passion Finn could give her.
She wanted to drown in his kisses, to hear his harsh breaths in her ear, to feel his heart beat wildly beneath her hand. For once, she would hold nothing back. She would embrace life and love and give herself fully.
After that first scorching kiss, she expected the mindless rush and torrent of passion like the last time, but Finn surprised her by pulling back.
“I’m going to be slow and thorough this time,” Finn said with a wicked gleam in his eye that sent her pulse racing. “But first, to make up for torturing me the night we arrived at Dunrobin when ye took your bath, I want to watch you undress.”
Margaret thought he was teasing her to allay any fears she still harbored, until he stood back and leaned against the bed with his arms crossed.
She took a deep breath. Time to embrace life fully. Sitting on the stool, she removed her shoes, but when she started to pull off her stockings, he interrupted her.
“Slowly,” he said.
Her breath hitched at the heat in his eyes as she rolled down one stocking and then the other. When she stood and he walked toward her, her whole body tingled in anticipation. Instead of wrapping his arms around her, however, he stepped behind her and undid her gown, sending shivers along her skin with his fingers. She felt his warm breath and then his soft lips on the side of her neck, and she leaned back against him.
When he reached around and cupped her breasts, she became acutely aware of her nipples pressing against his palms, his strained breathing in her ear, and the length of his manhood pressed against her backside. Surely, he would carry her to the bed now. His body was more than ready. But Finn surprised her again and returned to the side of the bed.
“Now the gown,” he said.
Swallowing hard, Margaret slowly eased the gown off her shoulders and down over her breasts, and then past her hips until it fell to the floor around her feet in a soft swish. She was standing in just her shift now.
“Take it off,” Finn said in a strained voice.
When she slipped one strap down and heard his sharp intake of breath, she felt a sudden surge of feminine power. Finn’s reaction made her feel sensuous, desirable. She let the other strap fall and then inched the shift down to almost her nipples. They were peaked and sensitive to the brush of the thin fabric, and she gave the shift another tug to fully reveal her breasts.
When she looked up, the air around Finn seemed to vibrate with the force of his desire, and that gave her the courage to let the shift drop to the floor.
“Jesu, Mary, and Joseph.” The heat of Finn’s gaze burned her skin as it traveled over her from head to toe and back again.
He shed his own clothes with remarkable speed.Oh my, he was a beautiful man—and fully erect—but he barely gave her time for a proper look before he enfolded her in his arms and the torrent of passion she expected. But then he changed the pace and gave her a long and languorous kiss. Beneath that kiss, she felt the power of his lust held in check and wondered what on earth he was waiting for.
Then he lifted her onto the bed and began to show her. She’d never had anyone show her such tenderness. He kissed and caressed up and down her body, as if he wanted to know and claim every inch of her. Then he paused to flick and circle her nipple with his tongue, while he tortured her with his magic fingers between her legs, drawing moans from her throat and causing an aching need low in her belly.
When he stopped, she wanted to weep, but she was distracted by his kisses down to her belly.
