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Their lips were fire, and they scorched each other with every kiss. Ruairi’s deft fingers were used to untying ropes, so the thread of her dress was easy for him to undo. It slipped away naturally, leaving her naked in front of him. He gazed at her as though she was imbued with all the beauty of the ocean. Candlelight flickered against her bare skin, illuminating the soft curves of her femininity. A nagging doubt tickled the back of her mind. Her father and Cal would be so disappointed in her for doing this, but she had always lived life by doing what she thought was right, and there was nothing that felt more right, more natural, than sharing this intimacy with Ruairi. They had shared so much together, and to starve themselves of their bodies, of this affection, was too much to bear.

She dragged her fingertips down the middle of his body, and her lips parted as she delved into the heat between his legs. It was hard and aching, only matched by the ache within her own molten core. His hand cupped the base of her neck, his breath hot and heavy, grunting as he gave in to his instincts, and yet there was still a barrier they would not pass. A trail of kisses was left down the hollow of her throat and her collarbone as he kissed her breasts. She arched her neck back and felt as though she was floating. Her body moved as though it had a mind of its own, and she wondered if there was more truth about Ruairi’s spirits than she first realized, for it felt as though she was possessed by something greater than herself.

Her skin danced and tingled as her hands wrapped around him, making her feel so small and tiny compared to him. He was her giant, hard and masculine and huge. Closing her eyes, she let her hand linger against his thigh and then grazed his manhood, feeling her heart clench as her touch lingered against the rivers of his veins. He groaned as she curled her hand around him and fell to a natural rhythm of stroking, buoyed by the tremors of his grunted arousal. He shifted her body as well. Fire tickled her as his hands swept across her burning thighs and then rested against her damp arousal. A deep river flowed, dark and sweet, coming from a part of her that was newly unlocked. She had caught been caught in a storm before, and the sensations were much the same. The world twisted and churned. She lost all sense of direction, and her mind was hazy, but there was no fear to be found here, only desire.

As she clutched Ruairi’s manhood, feeling the rough thatch of auburn hair spread around him like a thicket, his fingers worked their way through her damp web. She squirmed as he touched her as she had never been touched before, and she knew that whatever happened, she would always have this memory. She loved that he was the first man to touch her in this way, that she could share with him something that would be kept secret from the world.

Lilting moans burst from her lips as her body arched in response to his touch. Now it was as though the storm was inside her, the tumultuous waves thrashing as though a beast had risen up. Her mind was an abyss, and this time, all she wanted was to sink into this dark desire. Her body yearned for more, wanted to pull him on top of her and feel herself creak under the weight of him, mounting her like the storm had mounted the ship. But he had already made it plain he was not willing to sully her reputation like that, and she would not allow him to be seen as a man who would rob a woman of her virtue.

He was better than that.

So she contented herself with the rolling rhythm of pleasure that rippled within her. She dragged a hand down his taut back as his breaths became frantic and frenzied. They held each other closely, pressing their foreheads tightly against each other so the sweat mingled and mixed, their breaths becoming one, their hearts thumping to the same rhythm. They were intimately connected, and she could feel the tide rising and rising until it crashed through her, making her eyelids flutter and a stream of ecstasy pour out. She shuddered, shocked by the intensity of the sensation, and with her own orgasm came a clench of her hand, and suddenly she felt tremors bursting from Ruairi’s body. Within an instant, she could feel his heat and a part of the world’s mystery had been revealed to her.

With heaving breath, they kissed again and sank into the sheets. They had created a beautiful mess, and somehow she knew that no other man could make her feel this way. No other man could touch her like that. The air simmered with the afterglow of their passion. The heat raged within as they shared a brief kiss.

“Ruairi,” she began, but he cut her off by placing a finger on her mouth. He shook his head as he moved the mighty bulk of his body into a sitting position.

“Dinnae say anything ye might regret, lass. I think fondly of ye, but ye know yer da would never allow me tae be yer husband. There’s no sense in dreaming of a life we cannae hae. It’s best if I leave now. I…I dinnae know if yer virtue will stay intact if I stay the night, and I wouldnae want people tae think the worst of ye.”

He pulled himself away from her and got dressed. Kenna searched her mind for anything she might say that would get him to stay, but somehow she knew nothing would work. He gathered himself and then left her alone with the flickering candlelight. Her body still thrummed with the echo of pleasure, and the air crackled with heat. She buried herself into the pillow because it still smelled of him, and she became drunk on his musky scent. At the same time, she cursed her fate, for she wanted to marry the man she loved, not someone her father perceived to give him the best prospects. Now she wished that she and Ruairi had turned their backs on the world and settled in a small village in France. But at the time, she hadn’t realized she loved him.

Now she was afraid it was too late. Was this all she would have from him, the whisper of a life that could have been? One night didn’t seem enough. An empty bed wasn’t enough, and she knew that no matter who became her husband, she would always think of Ruairi before them. He was the one who had saved her. He was the one who had captured her heart, and she wasn’t willing to give it to anyone else.

Eventually, she fell asleep, wishing that her life could be different.