Page 16 of A Kilted Marriage of Convenience

CHAPTERNINE

While the two of them had been speaking, Ciara had expected Aidan to have dressed. He had not. He hadn’t even wrapped himself with a towel. When she felt him step up behind her and touch her waist, she could hardly believe it.

When she turned, she came face to face with his bare, barreled chest. His body glistened in the firelight, giving his skin a glow that for some foolish reason made her want to taste him. Her heart began to beat faster, and despite her better judgment, she looked down.

Aidan was as naked as the day he was born. Even more shocking, his loins were close to her hand. It was the first time she had ever seen between a man’s thighs, and her face flushed instantly at the sight of his manhood.

Good Lord, have mercy!

She gasped and hopped backward. Of course, fate was a cruel mistress, and she stumbled into the desk by the door, and the whole thing started to come down behind her. The world seemed to slow down as she fell, and she could see Aidan’s eyes widen in surprise.

Quickly, he reached down to catch her. Her eyes moved to look at his hand, but instead she saw him, in full glory, as he took a step toward her. She withdrew her hand immediately, and she fell. The table toppled over. The documents that had been on it came down on her head, followed by a vase of flowers.

Aidan moved quickly enough to catch the vase before it shattered on her face, but not quickly enough to keep its contents from spilling over her. She spluttered as the dirty water splashed over her face and hair.

Both she and Aidan started where they were in shock for a moment, but then he recovered, immediately beginning to laugh at her.

“My goodness, are ye alright? I dinnae think I have ever met a walking disaster such as ye!” He laughed and lifted the table back with one hand, placing the vase back on top.

Ciara sat up and began picking the petals out of her hair.

Ye may die now, Ciara. Just walk over to the window and jump off, ye fool! How could ye be so stupid! Why are ye so clumsy? Och, the shame! That is twice now!

She wanted the ground to open up like a whale’s mouth and just swallow her. Hearing stifled snickers, she looked up to find Aidan standing over her, covering his mouth to hide his laughter. It was all his fault, and yet he was mocking her! Even worse, her face burned because he continued to dangle himself in front of her, completely unabashed.

“Ye… ye… how could ye be so shameless?! I am a lady! Cover yerself this instant!”

She tried to sound serious and angry, but her voice was shaking too much. She struggled to her feet and picked up the documents that had scattered. Luckily, most of them were still dry. She dropped them on his desk.

She had never met anyone as wild as this laird. She was out of her depth just like when she had been dragged around by the sea. Although this time, what she felt instead of fear, despite herself, was a sense of thrill.

Aidan looked down at her, still laughing. “Why should I? Shameless, ye say? And why should I feel shame? I feel nae shame in my own nakedness. In fact, I am proud of it. I see nae reason why ye should feel shame forme,” he said, folding his arms across his chest. “I am in the comfort of my own chambers, a place ye barged into without invitation. I dinnae think shame applies to me here.”

Ciara groaned and slapped her forehead with the last of her strength, which was evident from her tired movements. “Just… dae something about yer nakedness for the sake of decency, since ye are in the company of another.”

He paused for a second and tapped his chin as though considering it. Ciara held her breath. A part of her expected him to say ‘nay’ and simply continue their discussion naked.

However, he said, “Alright.”

Her eyes widened hopefully, but they quickly narrowed again when she saw that he was reaching for his shirt first. Not his kilt. He must have known which part of him she wished he would cover up. No matter how embarrassed she felt, now that she had seen him, Ciara was completely unable to stop herself from looking.

His thighs were thick and muscular, filled with raw power. It made her shudder. She had never been able to look so closely at any man, not to mention a naked one. She watched in amazement as the muscles under his skin rolled as he put his shirt on. She wondered what this feeling of wanting to taste him was called. It was like hunger, but a different kind of craving.

A pulsing feeling sprouted somewhere in her lower belly and tingles began to make their way up from the bottom of her spine. She wanted to do things to this man… it was pure instinct and desire.

He must have been aware that she was watching him, and he seemed to enjoy it as he took his sweet time getting his shirt on.

When his hands finally went for his kilt, Ciara was not sure if her sigh had been due to relief or disappointment. Finally done putting on his clothes, Aidan walked toward her, moving slowly like a beast approaching its prey. He touched his thumb to her lips again, brushing it over her soft skin.

“Did ye enjoy the view?” he asked teasingly.

His question made her face flush, as he made sure she was staring right into his intense gray eyes as he spoke. His eyes… they were hot and soft. They were so hot that she could feel her skin burning every time his gaze fell anywhere on her body.

“God, ye are beautiful,” he murmured, so low that she barely caught it.

She did catch it, and a small sound of need escaped her lips. Aidan’s eyes widened slightly at that, and he cursed, his voice taking on a note that made her legs weak. She shuddered when his arm moved around her waist and his hand cupped her face.

The next second, his lips descended on hers.

It was a tentative kiss. Light, testing the limits they could go. Ciara was not about to stop him. She was hungry for more. All it took was one bite of his lower lip to get him going, and then Aidan was kissing her in earnest.