Highlander's Beloved 02 - A Highlander's Passion (20 page)

Bryce spent several minutes kissing and whispering words of love to his beloved. He kent her well, kent she was giving serious thought to leaving town. His bear could smell her fear, as he had during the battle with Fauste.

Convince her. Mate her. She’s ours. Our da gave her to us.

Kenzie was partially on top of him, and he untied the straps of her dress and pulled it down so he could look at her naked breasts. His fingertips slowly trailed over her flesh, and her nipples rose to meet his touch. “I have never seen anything so beautiful, sweetheart, except for your shaved pussy. Pull the sheet up to yer waist in case a nurse comes in. Right now I have a need to suck yer nipples while I touch ye and make ye come with me fingers.” He gave what he hoped was his most charming smile. “Maybe ye’d like to touch
me
freshly shaved parts too.” He waggled his eyebrows and she rolled her eyes until he plucked one of her nipples between his thumb and index finger, then gave it a slight pinch.

“How long ago were ye operated on? Twenty-four hours? Thirty? Ye canna be thinking about sex.”

“Och, luv, with ye, I’m always thinking about sex.” There was no turn-on as great as her keening gasp when he drew her nipple into his mouth. Well, except when she threw her head back and cried his name in climax, and she’d do that too before he was done with her. God, his woman was responsive to him.

He pressed her closer to him with one hand, while his other sought her wet heat. Her panties were damp, which nearly drove him mad. “Take them off or I will tear them from ye. Yer choice.”

She looked at him as if he’d lost his mind. “There’s not enough room in this bed to—”

Silk being torn off her ass was a fukin’ turn-on too. His thumb found her clit and circled it while first one finger and then two slipped inside her. He set the pattern he kent she liked before he ran his tongue over her other nipple and drew it into his mouth.

So, she thought she’d leave him, huh? No fukin’ way. Aye, her intentions were somewhat honorable. But it was a man’s job to keep his woman safe, not the other way around. He’d keep her close and well satisfied, fer he loved her with a passion so colossal, he could never describe it. He only kent he needed this calico-eyed woman more than his next breath.

She stiffened in his arms and trembled at the same time. “Come for me, luv. Let me take away some of the tenseness ye feel.” He shifted to her other nipple, kept up the pace with his thumb and fingers, and then scraped his thumbnail over her clit. Sweet heaven, she came apart in his arms, her mouth against his neck as she moaned his name over and over. She panted against his skin and her wetness poured over his fingers like love honey.

He fisted his other hand in her hair and brought her lips to his. “I love ye, Kenzie. I will always love ye.”

“Bry.” She choked a sob and trembled in his arms.

“Dinna cry, luv.” He ached fer her. Needed release to ease his nerves a bit. The shock of Fauste’s strutting onto his family’s estate, big as ye please, and grabbing his woman was something Bryce wouldna soon forget. Nor would he fail to recall the battle waged afterward and seeing the evil wizard’s sword slice Kenzie’s throat. Dear God, he needed to be inside her, if only one feckin’ inch.

“Straddle me, luv. Take the head of me cock into ye and move slowly.”

“Nay, I’ll hurt ye.”

“Spread your legs wide and stay on yer knees so yer weight is off me thigh. I need ye, sweetheart.”

She shifted, carefully lifting her knee over his thigh and sliding it closer to his hips. Wrapping her hand around his cock, she allowed just his tip to enter. “Pull the sheet over us.” He entwined his fingers with hers and laid them on the pillow on either side of his neck. She bit her lower lip as she set a slow pace of coming off and then setting on his bulbous head again. What sweet torture. A man could die like this—one breath and five inches away from heaven. With their gazes locked, they exchanged “I love ye’s” with each small stroke.

He needed more. Wanted more of himself inside her, so he released her hands and cupped her arse, pushing her harder over his cock.

“I’ll hurt ye.”

“Nay. I need this…sweetheart…luv me…me beautiful…calico-eyed darling.” He spoke each endearment in tandem with each thrust as the burning surged down his spine, stung his balls, and shot out in sweet release so strong he imagined bells and alarms went off.

The door to his room flew open and half the medical squad on the floor charged in, shouting orders and pushing a machine. Six pairs of feet froze to the spot.

“Get the bloody hell out! Canna a man have a fukin’ climax without an audience?”

One of the nurses pointed to the monitor. “Yer heart rate, sir.”

“Me heart and all me other body parts are just fine. Now please leave me and me fiancée alone so we can start round two.”

Kenzie slapped his shoulder, her face hot against his neck. “Ye are a heathen, a sex-starved heathen.”

“Out!”

Footsteps scurried, except fer one idiot who weakly proclaimed, “We dinna allow sex here on the surgical floor.”

“Does that mean ye willna try to fook me over when ye send me the bill?”

The door squeaked shut.

Visiting hours were over by the time Kenzie eased the door open to Effie’s room to peek inside. She didna want to waken the old woman if she was sleeping. She barely contained her gasp. Effie wore a platinum blonde wig with short, sexy curls and a ruffled pink bed jacket. Perched on the edge of the bed, holding her hand and stroking it as if it were precious china, was the sleuth’s veterinarian, Earnan Matheson.
Well now, looks like Effie has a male admirer.

“How’s the patient this evening?”

Effie beamed a smile. “Sparrow, come in. Let me see how you’re doing.”

“I should go and let you two ladies talk.” Earnan brought Effie’s hand to his lips and kissed it before turning it over to press a longer kiss to her palm. “I have a lynx to check on yet tonight. Fauste hurt him pretty bad, but he’ll recover. Aye, I’ve got him stitched up proper.”

“We call him Paws, Earnan. He’ll respond better if you call him by that name.”

The old man spared Effie a smile and a wink. “I will, me dear. Whatever ye say.” He stopped in front of Kenzie. “Have ye been to see Bryce? Is he asleep?”

She was afraid to look him in the eyes fer fear he could tell she’d just had three mind-blowing orgasms, so she nodded. “Yes, sir.”

Earnan tugged on the bandage at her neck just enough to get a quick look. “Keep this on fer another twenty-four hours, then take it off so air can get to it. Use vitamin E cream on it three times a day. Some regular doctors pooh-pooh that idea, but I’ve seen how it reduces scarring.”

His cell phone chirped and he answered. “What? Slow down. Slow down, fer heaven’s sake, I canna understand a word ye say. Take a breath and tell me again.” His gaze popped to Kenzie, and one corner of his mouth lifted. “Och, did he now?” He made a fist and coughed into the end of it. “Twice? Bloody hell. Take him off the monitors. He obviously doesna need them. Young men heal faster, especially young men in love.”

The old coot had the nerve to wink at her. Sweet Lord, the call must have been about Bryce and their setting off his monitor alarms—twice.
Dear Lord, let the good Scottish earth open up and swallow me now.

“I think
ʼ
tis time we get the patient out of bed. No walking until tomorrow, but get him out of bed and have him stand fer two minutes every hour. No, I changed me mind on that. If he has the stamina to fook twice in one hour, have him take a few steps, with help of course. I’ll be up directly to sign the change in care orders.”

After slipping his phone back into his belt holder, Earnan smiled full-on at Kenzie. “Child, ye are a miracle worker.” He blew a kiss to Effie. “Sleep well, angel.”

He ambled out and Kenzie took his place on the edge of Effie’s bed. “ ‘Angel’?”

“Don’t you try to change the subject with me. What was that conversation about? Why did he call you a miracle worker?”

“I’ll tell ye after ye answer me question. What’s this about his calling ye ‘angel’?”

Effie waved a hand. “He’s enamored of me. The men just won’t leave me alone. Young. Old. It makes no difference.” She giggled like an excited teenager.

“Och? And how about ye? How do ye feel about him?” She could barely keep from laughing. This was the verra last thing she’d expected.

Effie fluttered her eyes. “Well, I haven’t seen him in a kilt yet. That might be the deciding factor.”

“Och, ye are awful.” This old American was so lovable, with her enthusiastic spirit.

“I know, but I’m so good at it.” Effie winked. Her blisters were healing nicely and she looked refreshed. She patted her wig. “Look what my sweet Creighton bought me at a little wig boutique in Mathe Bay. He calls it my ‘Marilyn Monroe look.’ It certainly made Earnan’s eyes light up.”

“It looks bonnie on ye, so it does. I was just starting to get used to the pink hair, but this almost makes ye look younger.”

Effie’s finger touched the bandage at Kenzie’s neck. “No one will tell me and I’ve been so worried. How many stitches did you need?”

“Nineteen on me neck.” She pointed to her forehead. “There are only four on me forehead. Me head’s too hard to crack open. I had a slight concussion, but the headache is almost gone.”

“The glow on your face tells me Bryce is recuperating nicely.” Effie spared her a mischievous grin. “That’s what that call was about, wasn’t it? Time to fess up to Effie.” She squeezed Kenzie’s hand.

By the time she finished telling Effie the story of the medical staff’s rushing in when Bryce’s monitors went all bonkers over his rise in heart rate, blood pressure, and breathing, Effie’s hand was over her mouth and she was shrieking with laughter. “Oh, sweet Lord! I hope you had your ass covered. It reminds me of the time, back in the seventies, Morris and I took a used Oldsmobile on a trial run. One of those banana boats from the sixties.”

“A ‘banana boat’?”

“Oh, I’m sorry. It’s an old American expression for a big, long, and wide car. While we were on the test run, Morris got frisky.” She glanced off. “Or was it me? Anyhow, I straddled his lap and my skinny ass got stuck between the steering wheel and the bar containing the horn that ran across its middle. Once we realized every stroke he made honked the horn, my heavy-hung Morris told me we had to put the sex on hold until we got home.” Her lower lip pouched out in a pout.

“Thing was, I couldn’t get my ass out from between the top of the big luxury steering wheel and the horn bar, he had me jammed so far in with all his powerful thrusting. I must admit, I had started to get a fondness for the horn, if you catch my drift.” She winked. “Anyway, we had to drive back to the used-car lot like that, my arms tight around his neck and my face buried in his broad shoulder. Two mechanics had to pull me out. Morris was so embarrassed, he bought that old Oldsmobile eighty-eight and referred to it as his ‘pussymobile’ from that day on.”

To Kenzie’s surprise, tears rolled down Effie’s cheeks. “What is it? Are ye in pain?”

“No. I just loved that man so much. Damn him for going before me, for leaving me with nothing but an empty bed and a heart full of memories. I’ve dated a few guys, but for all my teasing, I’ve taken none to bed. I doubt anyone could measure up to my Morris. Lord, how I loved that man.” She reached for a tissue.

“I understand. At least you have a passel of memories to cling to. Ones that make you laugh and cry.” If she left Mathe Bay before the wedding to protect Bryce and his family, she’d have only a few sweet remembrances to carry her through her empty life.

Effie wrapped her cool hand around Kenzie’s. “What are you planning, Sparrow? I can read you pretty good, you know. Do you think going on the run will make Fauste hunt you down and leave Bryce and Colleen alone? That they’ll be safe?
Don’t
do it. You cannot hurt that wonderful man by deserting him. He won’t see it as you taking care of him. He’ll see it as out-and-out rejection.”

She tilted her head and stared at Kenzie. “I don’t think he’d ever get over it. Your acceptance of his duality is more important to him than you can imagine. I’ve watched how he looks at you when he’s in bear mode.” She waved her open hand. “Not in a sexual way, but in an adoring way, like a dog does with its owner. He loves that you accept him for
all
that he is and he accepts you for all that you are, human and Wiccan. You two were meant for each other.”

Kenzie’s chest tightened with both fear and longing. “I fear fer his and Colleen’s safety. Yet I love them so. My mind alternates from staying to leaving. Och, Effie, I’m so confused. When ye love someone as much as I do Bryce and little Colleen, how can ye deliberately put them in harm’s way?”

“If there’s one thing I’ve learned in my short time here in Scotland, it’s that men do the protecting. The Highlands can be harsh, so the men have had to be harsher still to survive. They cherish their land, their children, and their women. Yes, there are a few assholes, and you found one in Duncan. But Bryce? Bryce has a deep need to take care of you and the kids. He’s a family man.”

Kenzie stood and walked around Effie’s room, admiring her flowers. “We’ve been having sex.”

“Well, I should hope so.”

She glanced over her shoulder at Effie. “Unprotected sex.”

“Then give up this crazy idea of leaving him. It’s lunacy. You say you love him.”

“I do. More every day.” Leaving him and Colleen would tear her soul apart. She couldna do it. “Aunt Una is making me bridal outfit. She had a funny gleam in her eye. Claimed she’d gotten a vision of how it should look. I canna wait to see what she makes me. If ever there was a woman confused about what was the right thing to do,
ʼ
tis me.” She lifted opened hands and let them fall. “I canna give him up, not now. Not after all the years I’ve loved him.”

Tears pooled in her eyes so badly she could barely see Effie’s arms open wide fer her. She leaned over the old woman, who held her close, the smell of her baby talcum powder comforting.