Highlander's Rebellious Love (24 page)

He eased his mouth away from hers and whispered, “I have ached to taste every inch of you.”

“Do I get to do the same to you?” she asked with a wicked smile.

“Most definitely,” he said and settled his mouth over her nipple, his teeth catching hold to tease it.

Patience was soon lost in a haze of pleasure, his tongue and lips doing unspeakably wonderful things to her. She did not want him to stop; she wanted him to go on forever. And when he paused, she urged him to continue. It was when his tongue settled on the tiny nub between her legs and sent a rush of tingles through her that she begged him not to stop. And when she felt as if she was about to explode and have those tingles rain down upon her, she still begged him not to stop.

When he did stop, she was ready to beg him again, but then he got to his knees, grabbed her backside and pressed his bulging manhood between her legs and slipped slowly into her.

Patience proved she was nothing like her name when she pleaded, “Hurry, I cannot wait any longer.”

“Either can I,” Hunter said, surprising himself, since he feared he would not be able to stop himself from climaxing, something he had never had a problem doing. He had always been able to hold back and bring a woman pleasure more than once, then come at will. Not so with his wife. His need to climax was much too strong. He would never be able to stop it.

He eased into her, not wanting to cause her any pain. She arched up, forcing him further into her and that proved his undoing.

He drove into her deep and hard and she cried out. He almost stopped, thinking he had hurt her when he realized her cries were passionate ones. He rode her hard and fast, knowing they both wanted and needed it.

Her cries of pleasure increased with his rhythm and try as he might he could not contain the climax that hovered all to near. He would come soon and he would be damned if he would come before her. He kept up his furious rhythm, but reached to tease the little nub he had so enjoyed feasting on. She tossed her head back and screamed out his name as she burst in climax.

He could hold back no more, he joined her, tossing his head back and groaning at the intense pleasure that gripped him like never before and seemed to go on forever.

Patience felt as if her body had been shocked in the most pleasurable way and when she thought it had ebbed, she felt it build again. She screamed out, “Do not stop!”

Hunter was pleased that she would climax again, and he teased her nub once again to bring her as much pleasure as possible.

Patience let out another scream, thinking the sensation much too satisfying and she would surely die from such exquisite pleasure, and she would not care.

Hunter did not ease out of her until he was sure she was spent, then he gently turned her on her side and slipped behind her so that they could fit on the bed together. He wrapped his arm around her and tucked his leg over hers, drawing her snug against him.

Patience sighed, then laughed softly. “You have definitely proven your prowess.”

“Nowhere near, have I proven my prowess.”

Her soft laughter drifted over her shoulder and brushed his face like a soft kiss. “Then I very much look forward to you doing so.”

“I shall not disappoint you, wife,” he boasted playfully.

She wiggled her way around to face him. “I do not believe you will ever disappoint me, husband.”

He tucked a soft strand of hair behind her ear, then ran his finger along her jaw to faintly trace over her lips. “You have my word on that.” He kissed her softly.

She shivered from his touch, his kiss, and the slight chill that filled the room.

“A moment,” he said and gave the tip of her nose a quick kiss before getting out of bed and hurried to break another chair and add the pieces to the fire. He returned and pulled the blanket at the end of the bed up and over Patience and climbed beneath to take her in his arms once again.

Patience never felt so content and never felt so lucky then at that moment. Though her marriage had been forged out of necessity, her husband loved her. And she did not quite understand how she had managed to fall in love with him, but she had. She was not yet ready to confide her love to him, though she could not say why. Perhaps she felt it was because she had no right to feel such joy when her sister suffered at the hands of the Dark Dragon.

What right did she have to be happy when Heather was being held prisoner? It was not fair that she and Emma had found love. Heather should have been the first, but she truly had been. She had been barely ten and four years when her heart had been broken, never to heal again.

“You are quiet, troubling thoughts?” Hunter asked, running his hand soothingly down her arm.

“Haunting ones that are better left unspoken for now.” Patience was glad he did not insist that she confide in him. He was a patient one.

Hunter confirmed it when he said, “When you are ready.”

They lay quiet for a few minutes before Patience asked, “Do you truly love me?”

He slipped his hand under her chin to raise it so that her eyes met his when he said, “I would not say it if I did not mean it.”

Her brow scrunched in question. “How?”

“That is an age-old question that has no answer. I could not tell you how it happened, when, or where. I only know that I felt myself falling in love with you and there was nothing I could do to stop it, nor would I if I could have. I quite like being in love with my wife and I wait for the day she discovers that she loves me.”

“So sure, are you?”

He turned a playful grin on her. “How could she not love me? I have fine features and I am an excellent lover and I do not dictate to her,” —his humorous grin faded— “unless it is to keep her from harm.”

Patience saw it as an apology of sorts for ordering her into the cottage, which had her asking, “Did you learn anything from Bruin, like how he knew we were here?”

“He was quite willing to talk, after I convinced him it would be wise of him to do so. Greer had him and Leith join the mercenaries with strict orders that you and I were to be left to him and Leith to deal with. They rode ahead and laid in wait for the mercenaries to attack when they saw your troop divide. They followed us. Leith feared entering the woods because of the charms in the trees, and it took time for Bruin to convince him, the fear of what Greer would do to him if he failed their mission being greater than the fear of the evil woods.”

“So, Greer wants us both dead now?”

“He wants no child of mine laying a future claim to McLaud land.”

“But how now then does he intend to start a war between our clans?”

“Bruin and Leith were to claim that they watched us fight and that we both succumbed to our wounds, you slicing my throat before dying. Make no mistake, Patience, my brother is intent on making certain a war is started between our clans. He is hungry for power and wealth. He has been planning this since before my father died, and he will see it done.”

“You know there is only one way to stop him.”

Hunter nodded. “My brother must die.”

Chapter Twenty-two

“This is good,” Hunter said, scooping up the greens along with the broth with one of the large shells that Elspet had kept for such a purpose.

Patience sipped from the wooden bowl before saying, “The one and only thing I have ever cooked.” After placing the bowl on the table in front of her, she hoisted her naked legs up on the chair to sit cross-legged. She tucked the long shirt over her legs as best she could to keep the chill off them. She was glad she had not discarded the shirt torn by the arrow that had left her with a shoulder wound, well-healed now.

Hunter had done the same, finding a dry shirt among his meager belongings, though she had to admit she preferred looking at his naked chest. Actually, she preferred him entirely naked, but it was better they were at least partially covered or else she might just be after him to...

She pushed the thought of begging him to make love to her out of her head. She did not beg, though she certainly had sounded as if she had when he had made love to her.

“Do you stitch?” he asked with the hint of a tease in his blue eyes.

“Wounds. I stitch wounds and I do a good job of it,” —she shook her head— “Embroidery not so much. I was forbidden to sew with my sisters, both banning me from the chore. Though, Heather was the one who saw to it that both Emma and I learned how to stitch a wound. And my warriors are pleased that she did, though they would much prefer to have Emma tend them since her hands are more skilled and tender with a needle.”

“It appears that you and your sisters are accomplished women. I am impressed and proud to be part of such a knowledgeable family.”

“Much is due to Heather. The day our mum passed, she took her place and she was barely six years. I do not think that my da realizes how much Heather sacrificed for us all. She cared for me and Emma like only a loving mum could. I remember one day, when I was about ten years, I came upon Heather several times throughout the day busy with chores and after having watched her, I realized that she had more duties to tend to than the whole of our servants combined. There was not a moment of rest for her. And in the evening, she would spend time with Emma and me, tending to our needs and listening to our complaints. And it was not only Emma and me who brought our complaints to her or needed soothing. The clan sought her out often and she settled disputes, leaving Father to believe that since so little of his clan complained to him that he was a wise laird.”

Her heart grew heavy with memories of her sister.

Hunter reached out taking hold of her hand. “We will bring Heather home.”

“I know, but I worry if she will be the kind and loving sister I once knew.” She shook her head, chasing away the troubling thought.

Seeing how much it had upset his wife, Hunter moved the conversation away from the subject. “I look forward to seeing my new home.”

Patience smiled and began telling him all about it.

Hunter stretched out of his chair two hours later and went to the door and opened it. A fine mist of rain was all that was left of the thunderstorm.

“Elspet will not stop me from hunting, I will go find us supper before it grows dark.” He turned around to Patience. “Keep the door latched and a weapon close.”

“Do you think there are others who know where we are?” she asked, slipping off her chair and walking over to him. His arm went around her waist as it always did, though this time she drifted close to rest against him of her own accord. She loved the way his strong arm settled around her, possessively and lovingly, and she loved the way the gentle whiff of his natural scent wrapped around her and sent her body tingling.

“There are few as foolish as Bruin and Leith to enter woods believed to be touched by evil. Besides, the mercenaries were given orders to leave our fate to the two fools. They will not bother to see if it was done, that will be Greer’s problem.”

“What of ghost warriors?” she asked uneasy that he was going off on his own when she had been protecting him since leaving his home.

Hunter kissed her gently. “You worry for my safety, wife?”

“I do, husband,” she said with a curt nod, then kissed him not so gently.

He rested his brow to hers when the kiss ended. “I do not think I will ever get enough of you,
mo chridhe
.”

“I was thinking the same of you,” she admitted. “I have this need for you that never fades, it only grows stronger.” She took a deep breath. “I had hoped that through the years I would come to care for you. Never had I thought to feel so much so soon.”

“Love is sneaky.”

“Love is... far different than I ever imagined.”

A crack of thunder startled them both.

“I best see to getting us supper before the rain starts again,” Hunter said and reluctantly stepped away from her to dress quickly and was out the door just as quickly, making sure to remind her once again to latch the door behind him.

Patience braced her back against the door after doing as her husband reminded, and smiled. He was not even there with her and he brought a smile to her face. She chased her smile away and shook her head. She was not some young lassie falling in love with a lad. She was a woman and a warrior one at that, and she had a mission to accomplish and foes who wished her and her husband dead.

This was no time to fancy herself in love and lose all sense and reason, which she had seen too many young lassies do. She had to keep her wits about her and not be caught off guard. But with her thoughts her only company, they wandered off on their own, constantly settling on Hunter. She finally realized the futility of fighting against it and let her mind have its way. And for the first time since her sister had been abducted, she felt her worries fade and a smile linger on her face.

~~~

Hunter found her on the bed, lying on her side sleeping. Her bare backside was partially exposed and with her knees bent up to her waist, the tempting view turned him rock hard. He shook his head and hurried to set the rabbit he had caught and cleaned to cook on the spit in the fireplace. With more hasty steps, he grabbed a bucket, went outside, and filled it with rainwater from the rain barrel, then quickly scrubbed his hands.

The rain had started again just as he had returned to the cottage, though not as badly as before. Once inside, he slipped out of his clothes, placed them by the hearth to dry, and went to join his wife in bed.

He had not been able to get her off his mind since leaving the cottage, and damn if it had not been difficult leaving her. All he wanted to do was spend the rest of the day with her, preferably naked in bed. And it appeared that he was about to get his way.

He snuggled against her, pressing his manhood against her warm nest that grew moist with each gentle stroke. He ran his hand up under her shirt to cup her breast. He stilled as a yawn took hold of him.

She pressed herself back against him, wiggling until she fit to him perfectly and sighed contentedly.

He had thought she had woken, but when he heard a gentle snore he realized she was asleep. The ride here had been a hard one, and then there was the bruising she had taken fighting off Bruin and Leith, and the most pleasant, though still strenuous part of the day, making love. She had every right to be tired.