***
David watched her face for signs of alarm as he pressed his lips to her palm. Despite what she said, he did not believe for a moment that she trusted him enough to tell him if he frightened her. He cursed himself for falling on her like an animal earlier. He would not forget himself again.
Besides being a betraying weasel and a royal arse-licker, Blackadder had been an utter fool when it came to this lass. Alison was as sweet and delicate as a ripe peach, and Blackadder had trod on her like a loose bull in the garden. David was determined not to make the same mistake. Though he wanted her past bearing, he must first persuade her that she had nothing to fear from him—at least not in bed.
He had a choice to make. If she were a virgin bride, it would be necessary to show blood on the sheets as proof that they were irrevocably wed. But she was a widow, and no man who looked at her would believe David had waited.
His gaze fell to her parted red lips, and his entire body ached with need. Lord above, he wanted her more than any lass he had ever wanted before. But he was a man who had learned to look beyond his immediate wants, to be patient and plan his moves carefully to gain the larger goal, to attain the greater success.
His cock was painfully hard, and he wanted her hand around it. Or better yet, to thrust it deep inside her. Instead, he drew in a deep breath and accepted that he would not have everything he wanted from her just yet.
“We’ll not consummate our marriage this night,” he said, his gaze fixed on hers, “but I shall make ye mine.”
“I don’t understand,” she stammered.
“Ye will, lass,” he said. “Ye will.”
CHAPTER 14
“I’m going to take my time,” Wedderburn said. “Ye will enjoy it.”
That sounded like a command. Did he really think she would take pleasure in this just because he ordered her to? The man’s arrogance was boundless.
He tugged on the tie at the top of her shift until the bow came loose and the shift fell open, revealing a narrow V of skin down the middle of her chest. He leaned over and blew on the bare skin in the gap, a surprisingly pleasant sensation that sent a shiver of awareness through her. When his lips followed, making a soft, tantalizing trail between her breasts, she began to suspect his arrogance was justified.
“You’re seducing me now?” she asked.
“Aye,” he said with a smile in his voice.
He continued pressing light kisses between her breasts, while running his hand up and down her side. His fingers brushed the side of her breast, and she waited, not breathing, for him to do it again. The next time, he covered her breast with his hand, and his breathing changed. She suspected this signaled that the gentle seduction was over.
Instead, he rubbed his thumb over her nipple, sending darts of pleasure through her. When she felt moist heat on her breast through her shift, she lifted her head and saw that his mouth had replaced his hand.Heavens. She let her head fall back. Whatever he was doing felt good.
When he stopped, she stifled a groan.
“Let’s slip this off,” he said, inching the hem of her nightgown up her thigh.
Her breathing grew shallow as his hand slid up her bare thigh, then hitched when he gripped her hip. He eased his hold at once and cast a worried glance at her face. What he saw there must have reassured him. She caught the satisfied glint in his eye before he pulled her up and gave her a long, lingering kiss.
The kiss distracter her, and the next thing she knew he’d pulled her shift over her head and she was naked. She saw him swallow hard as he stared at her. Without uttering a word, he eased her onto her back.
When she reached for the bedclothes to cover herself, he gripped her wrist and shook his head. She felt awkward as his eyes traveled slowly over her nakedness. But when his gaze returned to hers, the heat in his burned her embarrassment away like mist under the hot sun.
“Ach, you’re perfect,” he breathed.
He shuddered, and she sensed he was fighting a battle with himself. Wild, confusing emotions ran through her. Without knowing what she wanted from him, she reached out to him and said his name.
“David.”
He groaned and pressed her into the bed, bracing his weight on his elbows, and his mouth was on hers, hot and demanding, as if he wanted to devour her. He was holding her so tightly she could barely breathe. These kisses were not like the ones before, but hungry, open-mouthed kisses, full of darkness and danger.
She never wanted him to stop.
He broke away and abruptly rolled off her. Her skin prickled as the cold air hit it.
She starred up at the ceiling, too stunned to move, and waited for him to start shouting at her. She had no idea what she had done wrong.
***
