Fraser 01 - Highland Legacy (14 page)

Connor cursed, peeled Jenna’s hand from his arm, and sprang to his feet. “Cailin, wait!” he shouted, but she did not stop, nor did she turn around. He cursed again. What was wrong with him? Mayhap Alasdair was right and she had addled his brains. There was a time when the attention and ministrations of a beautiful lass like Jenna would have been welcome. Now all he wanted to do was to find Cailin, and explain.

“Things happen for a reason,” Simon said. “Let the lass be, Connor.”

“What do you know about such things?” Marion snapped at her husband, then turned to Connor. “Dinna just stand there, lad, go after her.”

“If you’ll please excuse me.” Connor bowed toward Elizabeth and Robert, then left the dais, unaware Jenna followed on his heels. When they reached the hallway, she grabbed Connor’s right arm, halting his advancement.

“Connor, wait. Dinna make a fool of yourself. She is not for you.”

He spun around to face her. “If you dinna let go of me, I’ll not be held responsible for my actions.” He twisted his arm to break free of her grasp, but she tightened her grip.

“I’m counting on it, m’lord. Do with me what you will. I know you want me.” She pressed her supple body against his chest and ground her hips against his thigh. “You know we’re meant to be together. Make love with me, Connor.” Her hand slid down his chest and across his belly, her fingers brushing his groin. “I’ve forgiven your dalliance with that little whore, and now that you’re rid of her, we are free to wed.”

Connor cursed and took a step backward. “I have no interest in courting you now or in the future and have never done anything to make you think otherwise. I have no intention of marrying you. The sooner you understand that, the better.”

Anger flashed in her blue eyes, and she dug her nails into the flesh on his arm. “A few moments ago, you asked for my hand. Father even gave his blessing. How could you deny me now? Why would you lead me on?”

“I have never led you on, and I dinna ask for your hand. You’re the one who spoke of courting and marriage, not I. Your father is a good man, and I have the utmost respect for him. Because of that, I dinna want to slight him by showing you any disrespect. You’re a bonny lass, and you deserve much better than a man like me.” He went for the gentle, subtle approach. Let her down easy, and hope she would get the hint.

Jenna’s scowl softened, and she closed the gap between them. “You jest with me, Connor. You’re exactly the kind of man I want.” Before he could offer a rebuttal, Jenna stood on her tiptoes, pressed her mouth to his, and slid her tongue along the pursed seam of his lips. “Come now, I know you can do better than that,” she scolded when he did not respond to her bold advances.

Connor grabbed Jenna’s wrists, and held her at arm’s length. “Enough! You have pushed me past my limit, woman.” He glanced up to see Cailin watching them, and immediately wondered how much of the conversation she had heard. What was she thinking? He had his answer when she turned and ran from the castle.

His patience spent, Connor shoved Jenna out of the way. “Go back to the great hall, lass. You’ve done enough damage for one night. I just hope that she’ll listen to reason.”

Jenna clung to his arm in an attempt to stop him from leaving. “You cannot possibly choose her over me. I have so much more to offer. She is a fugitive, and when the English find her, she will hang by the neck until she is dead.”

“Hold your
weist
.” Connor raised his balled fist in the air. He had never struck a woman, but it took every ounce of willpower not to hit Jenna. She had pushed him past his limit and perhaps ruined his chances with Cailin. “I have no interest in you or your wanton offer, and never will. Be gone with you, or I will not restrain my anger in future.” No longer concerned about offending her, he broke free of Jenna’s grasp and raced after the woman he loved. Setting things straight was all that mattered, and damn the consequences.

He found Cailin atop the castle parapet. A heavy rain was falling, and her clothes were drenched. Shivering, she stood with her arms wrapped around herself, staring into the darkness.

“Cailin,” he softly spoke her name to alert her of his presence, while being careful not to startle her.

“Don’t come near me!” Cailin held her hand up in his direction. “Go back to Jenna, and leave me alone.”

“Please come inside, Cailin. We need to talk.”

“I have nothing to say to you. Please go.”

Connor sucked in a sharp breath and froze in his tracks when her foot slipped on the slick stones.

She grasped the wall for support. “Dinna come any closer,” she cautioned.

“All right. I’ll keep my distance, but you need to hear me out. There has been a grave mistake.”

“I have made mistakes, too. Trusting you was the biggest one of all. You took me to your bed knowing Jenna awaited your return. I was a fool to believe you might actually have feelings for me.”

“You’re wrong. I do have feelings for you, and need you to believe me when I say that I’ve never been interested in Jenna. In the past, I’ve tolerated her behavior out of respect for Robert and her father, but I’ve told her it must stop.”

“That is not how it appeared when I saw you together in the hallway, and it is certainly not what Jenna thinks. A person would have to be blind not to notice the way she looks at you and touches you. Dinna lie to me, Connor. I saw you kiss her.”

“You must listen to me. I dinna kiss her, she kissed me. As far as the way she touches me—” Before she knew what he was about, Connor closed the gap between them, grasped her wrist, and pulled her into his arms. “There is only one woman I want to touch me in that way.”

Cailin struggled to break free and pounded her fists on his chest, but he tightened his embrace. “If what you say is true, why do you allow her to touch you in that manner? Why did you ask the king to annul our marriage?”

“Out of respect for her father. Jenna, well, Jenna likes to get what she wants, and I dare not cause a scene in front of her father. Robert annulled the marriage because he thought it was what we both wanted...I thought it was what I wanted. But we were both wrong.”

“I do not believe you. The day we met, you told me you never planned to marry, and you made it very clear you planned to have the marriage repudiated.”

“I have very strong feelings for you,
liuadhe
, but I have sworn an oath to Robert, to fight for Scotland’s freedom. Each time I enter a battle, there’s no guarantee that I’ll return. I dinna want to leave behind a wife to mourn my passing.”

“No one asked you to shirk your duty. I understand how important your honor is, and that you have dedicated your life to the cause. If I knew you cared for me, even a little, I would wait for you as long as it took.”

Her words touched his heart and melted the last of his resolve. Connor lowered his head, and his mouth crashed down on hers in a hungry kiss. Her lips parted, and his tongue slid past her teeth, sampling the sweet mysteries of her mouth. She tasted of salty tears, mint, and surrender. He closed his eyes, allowing the scent of lavender soap, mixed with her sweet fragrance, to fill his senses. He tightened his embrace and plundered her mouth.

“Why in the name of Saint Stephen are you standing the rain? Come in before you both catch your death of cold.” Simon stepped out from the shadows with Robert at his side.

Startled by the intrusion, Connor released his hold on Cailin and took a step back.

“I have made arrangements for the lass, but I refuse to discuss them in the pouring rain.” Robert turned and entered the castle. Simon, Connor, and Cailin followed.

Robert shook the water from his tunic, and addressed Cailin. “At first light, Cameron will escort you to St. Agnes Priory. There you will remain sequestered until the English are banished from Scottish soil and your name cleared of all charges.”

“The same priory in which my cousin Mary resides?” Connor asked.

Simon nodded. “It is far enough away from the English border, and I know Father Paul will grant her sanctuary. Your cousin will be there to lend her support.”

Connor slid his arm around Cailin’s waist and pulled her against his side. While he hated the thought of being separated, he knew the English would not give up their search until they’d recaptured her and made her stand trial. If she stayed at Kildrummy Castle, it would not take long for the word to get out, and Borden would come for her. Despite his feelings for Cailin, he had to honor his word to Robert and join his fellow patriots in Perth. Once he was gone, there would be no one to protect her. Mary was more like a sister than a cousin. Knowing Cailin would have someone he loved and trusted to lean on provided some consolation.

Connor tightened his embrace and tucked her head beneath his chin. “It is only temporary. Once I return from Perth, I will come for you.”

Cailin nodded her agreement, but she said nothing.

“It is settled. Now that we’ve dealt with this matter, I have other things that require my attention.” Robert turned to leave.

“Wait!” Connor called out. “I have one more request.” A request he never thought he’d make.

“And what might that be?” Robert crossed his arms over his chest and tapped his toe impatiently.

“If Lady Cailin agrees, I would see us handfasted.”

“What are you saying?” Cailin gasped. Her eyes widened, searching his eyes for answers.

“I wish to give us time to test the strength of our relationship, and if I should die in battle, it cannot be said that what has gone on between us was indecent or immoral. If a child should result from our joining, he will have my name, and no one will call him a bastard. After a year, if you wish your freedom, I will not contest the decision.” He sucked in a sharp breath and waited for her reply. “Do you agree, lass?”

Robert raked his fingers through his hair and shook his head. “Correct me if I am wrong, Connor, but did you not request an annulment and then ask my niece for her hand?”

“Those were Jenna’s words, not mine. Your niece is a beguiling woman and will make a fine wife for the right man. But, I am not that man.” Connor tightened his hold on Cailin. “The annulment was a mistake, but a handfast will serve us better. I dinna want to embarrass you, Jenna, or Nigel in front of the clan, so I had planned to speak to you after the meal.”

Robert scraped his hand across his chin and shook his head. “I must admit, I am disappointed. Jenna is a spirited lass and needs a husband who can keep her on a tight rein. Nigel will not be pleased, but while he hates to admit it, he is also aware that Jenna is impetuous and headstrong. I will do what I can to smooth things over.” He looked at Cailin. “What do you say, lass? Do you agree to a handfast?”

Cailin hesitated for a moment, then smiled up at Connor. “Aye. I would be honored, m’lord.”

Before she had a chance to change her mind, he scooped her up in his arms and carried her past Simon and Robert. “I trust you’ll see to the papers concerning our agreement. I’ll sign them in the morning.”

Cailin marveled at the way Connor climbed the steep stone steps two at a time. She huddled against the hard broad plane of his chest, desperately clinging to the hope that a handfast was not a mistake. Soaked through to the skin and chilled to the bone, she shivered in his arms, her teeth chattering. She snuggled closer, searching for the heat and security only his embrace could provide.

He strode with purpose down the narrow hallway. “We need to get you out of these wet clothes and do something to warm you.” He paused outside her chamber, shifted her weight in his arms, and kicked the door open. The massive oaken slab yielded to the powerful blow and slammed against the wall with a thunderous crash. He stepped into the chamber, using his elbow to close the door, and carried her like a precious cargo across the room.

It wasn’t until they reached the hearth that he let her slide down the front of his body—one torturous inch at a time. Her heart beat wildly. She burned with erotic heat, ached with urgent need, and wished they could stay wrapped in each other’s arms forever. When he released her, an unbearable sense of loss washed over her.

Connor added more wood and peat to the fire. He stirred the smoldering embers until they burst into flames. “That should warm things in a hurry.”

Things are already heating up nicely, she thought when he grabbed the hem of his sodden shirt and tugged it over his head. Sun-bronzed skin glistened in the firelight, every sculpted ridge of muscle highlighted. Water dripped from his hair in rivulets that ran down his chest, collecting in the coarse dark curls. He wiped his tunic over his head and across his upper torso before tossing it on a chair by the hearth.

Her gaze traveled south. Wet trews clung to his slender hips, outlining the bulge of his arousal and powerful thighs. He was magnificent, and the sight of him standing before her like a virile Norse God took her breath away. Was this real, or a dream? If it was a dream, she wanted to sleep for an eternity.

Her breath caught and her pulse kicked up a notch, the way it always did when she looked at him. When he closed the gap between them and began to unlace the bodice of her gown, all uncertainty faded into oblivion.

“You need to shed these wet things.” His husky voice was thick with passion.

Her hands covered his, halting his action. “I’ll do it.” But her cold fingers trembled nervously, and she could not manage the task.

“You’re a
thrawn
lass, and much too independent. Something we’ll need to address.” He grasped the ribbons on the bodice of her gown and continued where he had left off.

“You can try, m’lord, but those who know me say I’m as stubborn and tenacious as they come. Mayhap, you should have considered that before you asked for the handfast,” she replied in a playful tone.

“Och, aye, I have given your temerity a lot of thought, and it only made me more determined to tame you, lass.” His dark eyes remained locked with hers as he finished with the laces, and then slowly peeled the wet gown from her shoulders.

Stripped naked to the waist, she shivered as the cool air touched her damp skin. Her nipples tightened into taut peaks, and she longed to feel his hot moist breath on her skin as he suckled and teased the aching buds. He smelled of wind and rain, of spice, and the potent masculine musk of his arousal—the combination of scents, intoxicating.

Jenna’s face flashed before her eyes and brought her crashing back to reality.
How could he want me when Jenna is so beautiful, has a voluptuous figure, and so much to offer him?
Lowering her gaze, she wrapped her arms around herself and took a step back.

“What is it,
liuadhe
? Why do you pull away and cover yourself?” He slid two fingers beneath her chin and lifted until their eyes met.

Cailin peeked out from beneath her lashes. “I—I’m sorry.” It made no sense for her to feel self conscious. He’d already seen her naked, and they had made love more than once, but she hadn’t known about Jenna.

“You’re sorry about what?”

“I’m not as pretty or as buxom as Jenna. Nor am I the niece of a king.”

He grasped her wrists, gently unfolded her arms, and held them out to the side. “Never hide from me,
liuadhe
. You are the most beautiful woman I have ever laid eyes on. No one fires my blood or stirs my desire the way you do.” He pulled her into his embrace, lowered his head, and captured her lips.

The taste of wine and spices made her swoon. Her lips softened and parted, welcoming his sweet invasion. His teeth tugged at her lower lip, while his tongue stroked with an intimate rhythm that drove her beyond thought and reason. Her head spun with uncertainty, yet her body quickened with desire, every nerve alive and on fire.

Skillful hands closed over her breasts, caressing, and kneading. He rolled the aching tips between his fingers, while his mouth devoured hers, swallowing her tiny whimpers and sobs of pleasure. When his lips traveled along her jaw to the sensitive spot beneath her earlobe, she dropped her head back and moaned aloud.

“Never doubt your beauty, or feel you are unworthy,” he whispered in her ear. “You’re perfect, and you’re mine.” A possessive growl rolled in the back of his throat as he dipped his head and drew one of her aching nipples into his mouth.

His breath was warm and moist against her skin, his tongue branding everywhere it touched. When he dragged a nipple between his teeth and his fingers deftly fondled the other, she arched her back to give him better access. The sensation bordered on pain, but was so exquisite that she wanted more. He licked, suckled, and nibbled without mercy. The throbbing between her thighs intensified until she thought she might perish from need.

He raised his head and smiled. “I think this one needs attention, too.” His mouth closed over the neglected nipple, and she swooned. He feasted on her breasts while his hands tugged at the sodden gown still draped around her hips. It slid away easily, and he helped her to step out of it without breaking the intimate contact.

While one hand continued to fondle and tease her breasts, the other trailed down her ribcage and across her stomach, coming to rest in the nest of curls at the apex of her thighs. She gasped from both shock and pleasure. When he sought out the burning bud of her arousal, she opened to him and offered herself for the taking.

He slid his finger along the slick swollen folds, and then dipped it inside. “Och, lass, you are so hot and wet, ready for loving. Your nectar flows like honey.”

Connor lifted her, and she wrapped her legs around his waist. As he ground his hips against hers, she could feel the rock hard proof of his desire straining against the confines of his wet trews. She dropped her head, burying her face in the strong curve of his neck, and let out a soft sigh. Her body was on fire and wept with desire. It cried out to be touched, relieved of its tension. May the Almighty forgive her brazenness, but she wanted this man inside her, and she wanted him now.

“I want you, too,” he moaned in her ear, as if he knew her thoughts. “I could take you here and now, but I want to savor this night.” He carried her toward the bed and gently laid her upon the down-filled mattress. After stripping off his trews in record time, he tossed them on the floor and joined her.

He curled his tongue across his upper lip, while his burning gaze took in every inch and curve of her body. “You’re too exquisite for words.”

She sucked in a sharp breath when he slid his hand between her thighs and eased them apart. “Please, take me, and end this torture.” She writhed and sobbed with pleasure when his fingers brushed across her throbbing heat.

“Soon,
liuadhe
. I want this to be a night we will both remember.”

Her body tensed with excitement and anticipation. Something wild and primitive bubbled up from deep within her core. Something she could not explain, and had no desire to stop. Bombarded by intense sensations, heat flared and desire awakened. She reached for him without reservation. “I want to join with you,” she muttered on a strangled sigh.

He released a feral growl and pulled her into his arms. “Your wish is my command.”

In one swift move, Cailin found herself buried beneath him, pressed into the mattress as he captured her mouth in a ravenous kiss. His hands roamed her body, fondling bare nipples, caressing fevered flesh, and taking intimate liberties, but it wasn’t enough. She wanted more. Her arms wrapped around his neck, and she moaned in his ear. “Take me, now.”

“In good time,
leannan
.”

Her hands slid across his broad shoulder, over his chest, and the flatness of his belly. The sensual trail continued until she finally reached his rock hard shaft. She explored his arousal with a feather light touch, and his body jerked.

A feral growl escaped his lips. He grasped her wrist and pulled her hand away. Rising up on one elbow, he gazed into her eyes. “My body craves release, and if you touch me again, this may be over before either of us wishes. I promise you will be well rewarded.” He nuzzled her neck. “First, I want to taste you fully.”

He nipped at her bare shoulder, sending a shockwave of desire rippling through her entire body. His lips left a searing trail of kisses across her shoulder and the swell of her breast. When his mouth closed over her nipple, she moaned with pleasure. He gently kneaded and fondled the other breast as he suckled and teased. Again, she reached for his shaft, but he grasped her wrist.

“Be patient,
liuadhe
. I have so much more to show you.” He kissed his way down her rib cage, across her belly.

That’s easy for you to say. I want you now!
Her mind screamed out like a wanton harlot. Her body hummed with desire and cried out for release. There couldn’t possibly be more.

She was wrong.

“Let me look at you.” He nudged her thighs farther apart, and then gently separated the folds of her heat. “So beautiful. Like a delicate pink flower waiting to be picked.” His finger slowly circled the bud of her arousal in a way that made her squirm beneath his touch. Caught up in the intensity of the moment, Cailin couldn’t find her voice. Before she could protest, his head dipped between her thighs, and he drew the folds between his teeth, carrying her away on a title wave of unbridled passion.

The languorous circling of his tongue made her writhe with delight. As his ministrations increased, so did the pulsing between her thighs. She moved restlessly beneath his lips. When he lifted her legs and placed them on his shoulders, her hips softened, and sexual energy reached a fevered peak. Wild with urgent need, she grasped his head and let her legs fall to the sides, giving him full access.

He slid one finger into her aching heat, followed by another, creating fullness and pressure so intense that her toes curled from the divine pleasure of it. As he pumped his fingers in and out, he kept the same rhythm with his tongue, lapping hungrily, moving faster, and stroking until she neared the precipice of release.

Delirious with passion, she began to pant. Her body tensed and her legs quivered. He must have known she was close to edge because he quickened the pace with his fingers, stoking the fire that raged inside. He suckled at the pearl of ecstasy, his tongue still working its magic. She had never been possessed in such a physical way, the endless barrage of pleasure and excitement almost too much to bear. It was as though he had completely forgotten his own need and focused solely on hers. Her body ablaze, she mindlessly thrashed beneath his touch in her quest for the apogee of pleasure, and sweet release.

Tendrils of desire unfurled, and her body began to quake. She shouted out his name, but he did not stop his sensual assault. The erotic heat burned low in her belly, and beyond, working its way to the surface with each slide of his fingers, each lap of his tongue. Consumed by a firestorm of emotion and sensation so sharp she couldn’t breathe, he brought her to completion.

But it didn’t end there. The sweet agony seemed to go on forever. Wave after wave of pure pleasure racked her body, and Connor refused to release her from the exquisite torture. Not until the last ripples of ecstasy ceased and her body relaxed, did he raise his head.

“I cannot hold back any longer.” He pressed a kiss to the skin on her inner thigh, and then raised himself over her like a mighty beast.

When the tip of his shaft pressed against the wetness of her heat, she trembled with excitement. She shifted her bottom, then with one quick thrust, he entered her on the most intimate level.

They moaned in unison as he settled between her thighs and began to rock his hips. Unlike their first joining, there was no pain, only pleasure, and a sublime sensation of completion. She could feel every inch of his swollen member and savored the stretch and fullness. The musky scent of her climax mingled with the unmistakable scent of his arousal. Every thought and sensation centered on the joining of their bodies and the sublime pleasure that lay ahead.

He could never get enough of her. Heaven only knew he had tried to resist her charms, had done his utmost to deny the lust that fired his blood and made him ache with primordial need. He’d lost the battle before it began.

He buried his face in her hair. Like potent mead, her intoxicating scent boggled his mind and addled his senses. He raised his sweat-soaked frame, withdrew his shaft, then plunged in to the hilt. She moaned in delight. Her arms wrapped around his neck and she pulled him close, while the muscles of her heat contracted around him and drew him deeper.

Cailin was not trained in the ways that brought pleasure to men, but instinctively knew what drove him wild. She moved beneath him, matching his rhythm stroke for stroke. A ravenous heat ripped through his body, consuming everything in its path. His rapid breathing grew heavy, and his heart hammered against his chest. His vision blurred, gut clenched, and the fire in his groin intensified with each stroke. Her hands slid down his back, her touch pure sizzle. When she slid her hands over his bottom and pulled him into the cradle of her thighs, Connor knew the end was near. He buried himself, and they moved in unison.

He ached for release, and longed to spill his seed, but first, he wanted to see her fulfilled once more. Connor slid his hand between their bodies, found her pearl of pleasure, and began to stroke it lightly. Her body arched, and she bucked beneath his touch. Her muscles tensed, and her thighs began to quiver. His mouth came down on hers, their breaths and moans mingling. Without breaking his rhythm, he continued to thrust into her with unbridled passion.

The tempo between them reached a fevered pitch. Cailin’s body convulsed. She dropped her head back and rolled it from side to side. The feminine muscles tightened around his cock to the point of pain—a pain so exquisite and mind-blowing that he rode the wave of her release, thrust one more time, and plummeted over the precipice in an earth-shattering climax of his own. A mighty battle cry sprang from his lips as he spilled his seed and collapsed on top of her.

Concerned that his weight was too much for her to bear, he rolled to his back without breaking their connection. She raised her head and smiled at him. A smile that not only melted his heart, but one that made his manhood spring to life once again.

She straddled him and wiggled her bottom. When she tried to move, his hands grasped her hips and held her in place. “Are you never sated?”

“I can never get enough of you. Do with me as you will, lass, but keep in mind we have the whole night ahead of us.”

“I pray you will keep your word, and make this a night I will not soon forget.” Cailin lowered her head and captured his lips with a brief, but passionate, kiss.

Connor brushed away the tangled curls that hung around her face. “I give you my word.” He wrapped his arms around her shoulders, pulled her toward him, and kissed her soundly.

He honored his promise and gave her a night of memories that may have to satisfy them both for a very long time—mayhap forever. They made love three more times before collapsing in exhaustion. When sleep finally threatened to claim them both, he cursed beneath his breath. In a few hours, the sun would rise, and she would leave Kildrummy Castle. She would go into hiding, and he would rejoin the cause. While he knew it was for best, the thought of never seeing her again did nothing to ease the ache in his heart.