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But instead, there was nothing. She strained her ears to try and listen for him, but it was as though he had disappeared entirely.

Fear pricked at her mind, and she suddenly realized that she was in the forest alone with all the darkness encroaching around her. Moira’s throat ran dry, and she crept out from behind the tree, glancing around the glade, worried that Niall might have left her. Would he actually have done that? No, it didn’t seem possible, and yet there was no trace of him.

She peered at the ground, wishing that she was a hunter so she could figure out his tracks, but the ground all looked the same to her. She shook her head and frowned, and just as she was about to call out to him, she felt a presence rush by, and then two hands grabbed her and pinned her against the trunk of a tree.

“Found ye,” Niall said, smirking, his face inches from hers. Moira could have slapped him, but she was relieved that it was he who found her.

“I thought ye were some spirit!” she cried, her heart still racing.

“There’s no spirits out here. There’s nobody but us,” Niall said, his voice lowering to a soft burr. Moira’s chest heaved with exhilaration at the thought of being so close to him.

Her mind grew hazy as he leaned in and whispered something sweet and secret in her ear before his lips pressed against her neck in a soft kiss that elicited a crackling feeling. Something twitched deep inside her, and Niall lowered his hands, lifting up her skirt. The sweet heat turned into a blazing inferno, and a smile adorned her face as pleasure beckoned.

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Moira arched her neck back as Niall kissed it. She closed her eyes and let the pleasure wash over her. It seemed strange to be doing this in a place other than a bedchamber, where these kinds of things should have been hidden away and kept secret, and yet it also felt freeing to be out in nature, to expose their flesh and be in their natural state.

Not that Moira’s thoughts were on anything like this, for her mind was preoccupied with the overwhelming sensations that coursed through her body. Niall’s hands drifted down and started playing with her beneath her skirt. She welcomed the touch. He kissed her hard, keeping her pinned against the tree.

The rough bark pressed into her back, but she didn’t care. Gripped with fervent desire, Niall pulled her top down and kissed her chest and small, round breasts. She gasped as his teeth nipped against her skin, pain and pleasure blurring into one amazing thrill.

Moira thought she would be better prepared for the sensations this second time, but they still shocked her in their intensity. Sweat prickled her temples and trickled down her cheeks. She kissed Niall hard.

Their every movement was fueled by the force of their emotion. Their low, grunting gasps filled the glade, breaking the peace of nature. Niall’s fingers worked their magic inside her, and Moira’s eyes rolled into the back of her head.

As it turned out, that was just the beginning. Niall sank to his knees. He still kept her skirt hoisted up, and his head disappeared underneath. Then, Moira felt a wondrous sensation trembling between her legs. His tongue lapped and licked and teased, and his lips kissed the damp wetness, stirring more deep feelings within her. It felt as though a storm whirled inside her, as though she was completely at the mercy of these sensations.

Her body was alive in a way it had never been before and the pulsing, throbbing feelings grew and grew until they exploded out of her and left her dazed and delirious.

Her mouth hung open as she looked down at him; he pulled his head away and glanced up at her. She found herself eager to do the same to him. Beckoning for him to rise, she turned him around and mirrored his movements, pulling his clothes away as she sank to her knees. She wrapped her hand around his manhood, daunted by the size. She held the shaft in her fingers and then leaned forward, lightly pressing her lips against the hot, taut skin before letting it sink deeper into her mouth.

She watched the tremors of pleasure ripple upon his face as she brought her head back and forth, letting her saliva drip over him. Scorching heat filled her mouth, and she knew that she would never be able to get enough of him.

She rested one hand against his thigh as she made love to him with her mouth. He groaned and grunted, and how she loved his appreciation. His body tensed and she could feel something ready to storm out. He pulled her head away and wanted her to rise again. She obeyed his wishes, submitting to his strength. With a primal growl, he pinned her against the tree again, hooking her legs up so they wrapped around his waist. Then she felt him inside her.

Trapped between him and the tree was possibly the sweetest place to be. She clung to him tightly while his hips moved in a fast and frantic motion, as though he couldn’t contain himself any longer. He kissed her and buried himself against the nape of her neck as he made love to her. She welcomed it all, squealing loudly as the vibrant sensations burst inside her.

Panting, they pressed their heads against each other and took a few moments to steady themselves. Then, they laughed. Niall extricated himself, and the skirt dropped down Moira’s legs again. She staggered down and her knees almost buckled. It would take her a little while to gather her strength. The same seemed to be true for Niall, who leaned against the tree and breathed deeply. Moira wiped sweat from her brow, and they shared a secret smile again.

As the delirious feelings dissipated, Moira started to feel self-conscious about having made love in the forest, although she wasn’t sure why she should feel that way since what she and Niall shared was natural and beautiful. It was even more than that; it was sacred. And yet she still worried about the spirits. Had they seen her? Had they judged her?

She didn’t voice these thoughts to Niall, of course, because she knew he would just scoff and say that she had been spending too much time with Isobel. But after what happened with Jamie, nothing was certain any longer.

“That’s just about the best game I’ve ever played,” Niall said once he had gathered himself. Moira laughed and hugged him, kissing him lightly.

“Well, I’m sure we can play it again, as often as ye like,” she said. They shared an embrace and looked into each other’s eyes.

Niall smiled and nodded. “Thank ye for this, Moira. It definitely helped take my mind off things.”

“I’m glad. The last thing I want is tae see ye sink intae misery. Things will get better, Niall. We’ll find a way tae help Jamie, and if he is as strong as ye say he is, he’ll be able tae fight back against the illness. It’ll pass soon, I’m sure of it.”

“I hope ye are right,” he said, and then looked around, as though he was only just starting to notice that the light was fading more dramatically. “We should head back tae the keep. I dinnae want tae be gone tae long in case anything changes.”

“I understand,” Moira said. They linked hands and strolled back to the castle, sharing teasing laughs and secret whispers. Niall kept hold of the trinket she made and placed it in his pocket. Moira hoped that the spirits wouldn’t think he had stolen an offering to them. Grizel had said that rowan wood would protect them from the spirits, but if they became truly vengeful, Moira didn’t know how powerful a shield that would prove to be.

They were giggling like naughty children as they emerged from the forest. Niall was in a much better mood than when they had left, and Moira was glad that she could have this effect on him. She was going to have to be strong for him for as long as Jamie’s illness lasted, and she vowed to be everything he needed. It was a little strange how quickly she had adapted to welcoming someone else into her heart.

For a long time now, she had assumed she would end up alone, but she actually liked caring about someone and being cared for in return. Opening her heart to Niall was rewarding in so many ways, and she realized how wrong she was to ever think that she could have been happy merely being an aunt. Being with Niall showed her that she was capable of more.