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He continued to kiss up and down her body as he used his fingers to pleasure her, sucking on her nipples, gently nibbling the soft skin that was dusted with freckles. And then he kissed her. Their tongues danced, and for a moment, it served to suffocate her breath and moans. Her body arched as she felt something vibrate in her molten core, and it squeaked out of her as his finger pressed against this hidden, secret sweet spot that had been inside her all along.

Maeve shuddered, and her arms splayed out limply around her as he took his fingers away. Heat radiated from her body, and she gazed at him through blurred vision, taking in every inch of him. The defined muscles trailed down, covered in thick hair that narrowed to a point, and beyond this was his manhood. She groaned a little as she saw it before suddenly drawn to it. It was as though the act of getting married had awakened something inside her that she could not escape, something that was mature and sensual, an erotic instinct that was nothing girlish at all.

Within moments her hand was clamped around his thickness, feeling the power imbued within him. His skin was tight, and the veins rippled underneath her fingers like great rivers. The tip was smooth, and by all rights, she should have been disgusted by it, should have recoiled from its sight, but instead, she was intrigued and indulged and in love with every part of him.

What she was more in love with were the roaring moans of pleasure that rolled out of him with every stroke of him. She learned how to bend her wrist and stroke him and tease him to make him seethe with passion. She could see the tension on his face, and she could feel the heat increase in the air, and it was all because of her.

No longer did she have to worry if she was worthy of him or able to be a good wife. The proof was in his hardness, in his arousal, in the twisting expression of delight that danced in his eyes, and in the way he held her. The passion of his kiss drenched her in this glorious haze, and all she wanted was to descend into this inferno and never rise at all.

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Gowan gazed down at his beloved, knowing that he would never see a more beautiful sight. This was his wife, so perfect in every way. The curves of her body stirred his heart. The softness of her skin was inviting. The damp heat between her thighs was enticing. She was young, supple, beautiful, and she was his. He touched her and could feel her respond. Every sweet moan was music. Every sharp gasp was alluring. He wanted to bury himself in her, to throw himself into every part of her because she was wondrous. She was a miracle.

Almost losing her had only increased his love for her, and now that they were finally in bed together, he did not wish to waste any moment. He looked down at her hand curled around his erection, loving the sight of her hand rising and falling, drawing the skin up and down, pulling his pleasure asunder. He placed his hand on her hip and kissed her again, hoping that she could feel his intent. Her body arched as he curled one arm underneath her, cradling her and making her bend under him. He shifted his position, drawn to her. She gasped as she felt his tip touch her, and then her nails dug into his flesh as he thrust into her.

The pleasure burst in his mind, heat radiating through every pore of his body. She shuddered underneath him and melted, tilting her head to the side. Soft curls fell against her cheek, and her body became flushed with passionate breaths. He shifted his hips, moving them to the secret rhythm only known by lovers, pressing his head against hers, breathing in her gasps. His own breaths were fervent and heated and shot out of him, punching the air. His grip upon her tightened, not wanting to let her go, not wanting to do anything but love her.

He lost himself in her and in the moment. He could feel the sheer force rushing through him in a torrent, as though the entire ocean was held within his heart. Every kiss was scorching. Every touch was a caress of fire, as though the candles that burned around them were dripping wax onto their flesh and had passed the fire onto them. The air was hot and thick, and with every thrust, he felt as though he was going to bring the keep crumbling down into rubble. The bed creaked under him, and the world spun while his wife shrieked with exquisite delight in his ear, tempting him, tormenting him, making him feel more powerful than he had ever felt before.

He felt the rush of sensations within him, all hot and molten, and he knew he could not stop it. She was trembling underneath him, looking so beautiful. He locked eyes with her and drank all of her feminine beauty in as he felt the tense knot unwind inside him and then lash out as sudden and brutal as a crack of a whip. Within moments his mind was gone, and his body soon followed as he was completely and utterly drained of anything that made sense to him.

He groaned and shuddered as he emptied himself, and then he rolled away. Sweat glistened on his body, and shadows danced upon his flesh. Maeve nuzzled up to him. Their chests heaved, and they were silent as they caught their breath. It was delirious and dreamy, and this tense edge of love had added to the pleasure in such a raw way.

He was at her mercy, under her spell, for none had ever caused him to feel like this before. None had ever been able to take him to such heights and make him feel like a king.

* * *

It took a while before they were able to speak.

“I’m glad tae see nerves didnae overwhelm ye this time,” Gowan said, tilting his head down to look at her. Maeve looked up and cocked an eyebrow, wearing a coy smile. Locks of hair were matted to her forehead.

“I was nae gaeing tae let anything stop me the second time. It was bad enough that our first night hae been interrupted. Our marriage haes begun in earnest now,” she said, running a hand along his broad chest, idly playing with the wiry hair that sprouted from his flesh or tracing the lines of scars that had been etched upon his body. “I hae tae admit that I was nervous. I was nae sure I would be good enough for ye.”

As soon as the words were out of her mouth, he placed a hand under her chin and looked her directly in the eyes. “Ye are perfect, lass. There is nobody who haes made me feel like ye dae. Ye are the only woman who could be my wife,” he said, and this seemed to reassure her. They kissed gently again and pressed their foreheads together. Their breaths swirled and became one. She reached up and caressed his cheek, holding him against her. They took joy in being together. The week apart had had more of an effect on either of them than he had foreseen. His hand fell to her waist, and he squeezed her gently, enjoying the gentle smile that appeared on his face.

“Sae, what’s all this about being worried about me? Hae yer fears been allayed now that we hae slept taegether?” she asked.

The smile fell from Gowan’s face, and he seemed troubled again. Being with her had made it easy to forget about their troubles, but his mind was still clouded by what Ewan had told him.

“I’m still nae sure that this was some illness,” he said. “If it was, then why did nobody else get ill?”

“I dinnae know. These things strike out of nowhere. We should be rejoicing in the fact that I hae survived. I would hae hated the thought of ye becoming a widower on yer wedding night,” she said.

“I still dinnae think the danger haes passed, lass,” he said, and proceeded to tell her about the story Ewan had told him. “I’m worried that someone in yer inner circle is trying tae take the clan from me. It would nae be the first time a man haes been annoyed that a woman is in a position of power. All I’m saying is that ye need tae be careful,” Gowan said.

“But I hae no enemies. I hae nobody that wants tae take the clan from me.”

“Really? Is there nobody? Is there nobody who might be jealous of ye? Or perhaps it’s nae even that they want the clan. Maybe they’re jealous that ye married me rather than them?”

Maeve laughed at this. “Every man haes always known that I was gaeing tae marry someone outside of the clan, someone from another noble family. I dinnae think anyone haes ever let themselves fall in love with me because they know it would hae only left them heartbroken.”

“Sae then, the Lairdship? There’s nobody that haes shown any ambition?”

At this, Maeve sighed and lifted her gaze to the ceiling, watching the shadows dance. “There is only one man who was upset when I was made the Lady of the clan, and that was my uncle. But after his initial outburst, he haes shown nothing but support for me, and by all accounts, he was just as worried as anyone when I was ill.”

“Worried about ye? Or worried that ye would wake up?” Gowan said in a surly tone.

Maeve glared at him. “That is my family ye are talking about. I would be careful about who ye take liberties with,” she said.