Page 79 of Highlander’s Forbidden Fruit

“What do ye mean?” she asked, plucking at a stray thread on her sheets.

“I ken ye’d rather John had come back instead of me,” he said. “I’d have much rather it was so as well.”

“Nae!” Evanna cried out, her body propelling forward of its own accord, and holding his hands within her own. Was this the torture that Aleck was suffering from? Did he not know how much she loved him? She’d rather death came to her before it even touched him. “Ye must nae say things like these. John…” she choked on his name. “Only I am to blame for his death, nae one else.”

“Yer nae to blame,” Aleck coaxed, rubbing his rough fingers across her delicate knuckles.

“I challenged Vano,” Evanna began to breathe heavily, the constriction in her chest getting bigger and bigger. “I ruined his plans. I drove him away. It was all me. John didnae exchange two words with the man, but he’s dead.”

“He was nae supposed to die,” Aleck growled, closing his eyes as if trying not to see something horrible. “John could defend himself against a hundred Vano’s. The wicked man ran himself through John’s sword just to get close enough to wound him.”

Evanna stared open-mouthed. “He killed himself to exact revenge?”

“Aye. He was a madman,” Aleck said. “Ye and I couldnae have known he would take such drastic measures.” The way Aleck spoke, the intense doubt in his eyes, made Evanna think he was trying to convince himself more than he was trying to absolve Evanna.

“John didnae deserve this. He didnae deserve an ignoble death at the hands of a villain, and he didnae deserve an unfaithful betrothed.” Tears began to fall in earnest, and Evanna made no attempt to stop them. She hadn’t cried once since Aleck had walked the horses into the yard.

“Ye were nae betrothed to him when we confessed to each other,” Aleck held her shoulders in his firm grip. “Yer nae guilty of infidelity.”

“My heart yearns for ye,” she said through trembling lips. “Body and soul, I only love ye. Even when ye both were away I only worried for ye. I have betrayed John in more ways than one. Even now,” she lifted her hands to trace the lines on Aleck’s forehead, “I want only ye.”

Aleck turned his face into her palms and kissed her wrist. Heat trickled down her arm. She should have taken her arm away, but she was like a moth to a flame. They needed each other more than ever before. A storm had descended on their lives and the comfort and safe harbor they searched for was in each other.

The urgency that had possessed them the first time was replaced by a new intensity. They were hurting and they sought a balm for their fevered souls in each other’s embrace. A single tear fell from Evanna’s eye when Aleck kissed her. His lips were tender, loving, forgiving. She rejoiced in the warmth of his hands as they lowered her back onto the pillows.

He towered over her, and she marveled at his strength, at the rippling muscles on his limbs. She sighed and let her hands slip behind his neck, her other hand caressing between his legs till she felt him come alive in her palm.

Aleck groaned in her ear. Evanna arched her back, her night shift slipping off her shoulders. Aleck cupped her breasts, imitating her ministrations on his member. Evanna whimpered. Her nipples hardened and thrilled with pleasure. She bit her lips to keep from crying out as Aleck took one taut nipple in his mouth, his hands sliding up her legs and a finger slipping inside the wet warmth of her womanhood.

Waves of pleasure rocked her. Her hips rocked against his fingers. She pulled his head up to kiss him, releasing her moans against his tongue.

“I need ye, Aleck,” she pleaded.

Caressing her cheek, he removed his hand from between her legs and replaced it with his phallus. It pressed against her leg, hot, hard, and throbbing. He guided it with his hands until he found her sweet dripping honey.

Evanna clung to him as he finally entered her. “Ah!” she cried.

He plunged deeper and held himself there. They were united; they were one. He looked deep into her eyes, caressed the strands of hair that framed her face, and kissed her gently on the tip of her nose. Evanna had never been so admired or adored.

Then he began to move, gently, slowly, till Evanna was writhing beneath him, her hardened nipples grazing against his broad chest with every thrust. Shocks of pleasure tremored from her breasts and from her womanhood, both converging in the pit of her stomach where a storm was building.

He was alive, and he still loved her. That was all she needed. God had given her more than she deserved.

Hips moving in time with his thrusts, she took him in deeper, her back arching. Aleck slid his arms under the small of her back and lifted her hips, his pace increasing. He slammed within her, again and again, faster, deeper. His tongue explored the inside of her mouth, swallowing her cries and moans.

Evanna’s body tensed. Her head spun. She was being driven mad. Each thrust wound her up in more knots until she was a tight ball. They clung to each other desperately. Aleck’s hand held her tight as he thrust faster taking her to the edge.

Then he pushed inside her once more and released warmth inside her.

She came undone.

They lay there panting, their breath mingling as they kissed each other tenderly, their bodies entwined like two hands.

After a while, Aleck dressed, and Evanna straightened her clothes.

“I love ye,” he said and kissed her head. “Ye have naught to be sorry for. Ashton will tell ye so.”

“Ashton?”