He seized her by the wrist, reveling in the feel of his tartan ribbon still bound there. “Elizabeth,” he said again, and the sound was as much a plea as he dared.
He wanted to command her to leave the room, but, in truth, deep down he sensed that this woman’s affection was exactly what could save him… not only tonight, but for all time.
As he stood there, basking in the promise of her gaze, he was like a drowning man reaching for a line…
There needn’t be any words spoken…
Not now.
Elizabeth had never been more certain of anything in all her life.
Gone was the effort of pretense. Her woman’s heart reveled in the feel of his strong hand closed about her wrist. Her nipples pebbled against her gown, fully revealed by the water that had splashed upon her chemise. His gaze was drawn there, as well, and he, too, swallowed, the hunger in his gaze making her feel… empowered.
“Am I not your wife?” she asked softly, sensually, sensing the moment could turn as he attempted to compose himself.
“You are.”
“Then make it so, in truth.”
He swallowed again, visibly, the apple in his throat bobbing. “Art certain?”
Elizabeth nodded with certainty, and then, if she had second thoughts they fled as he drew her into the tub, soaking her chemise to the flesh. She gasped in surprise, hardly having anticipated this—not quite this. He sat as he embraced her, cradling her in his arms as his lips unerringly found her mouth. Hungrily, they explored her, suckling and lapping in turn, coaxing her to open for him…
Suddenly famished for something more than food, Callum held his wife close, reveling in the feel of her in his arms.
She stiffened, though only for a moment, as she settled over his lap, no doubt feeling the heat of his manhood rising to seek her mons—silky, sweet and wet.
He groaned with desire, the sound no longer tortured but ravenous. Her body was like a bounty laid before a wasting man, and he was not strong enough to deny her.
“Elizabeth,” he said, once more, if only because honor compelled him. “If we do this now, there will be no turning back. You’ll be my wife, in truth.”
She smiled mischievously, and he wondered why. Was she already deflowered? Had she come to him with another man’s seed in her womb? It wasn’t unheard of and she was far too bold to be a virgin, but still…
His hand found and sought the lips he craved. Without warning, he slid a finger between her slick folds, and then once inside, he found the barrier he sought, and stopped, only slightly surprised. She was a virgin—a virgin with intelligence and passion. He could see the fire burning in her beautiful blue eyes… undisguised desire with an unbridled honesty to reveal it.
What was more, she knew, as he knew, that a willing consummation of this union meant they would be bound hereafter… so be it.
She moaned softly as his finger continued to explore, and, finally, she sagged into his arms as Callum deepened his kiss, mimicking with his tongue the rhythm he longed to show her elsewhere, knowing in his heart that she was everything he needed.
If, in fact, he’d lost his faith, this woman would restore it—no doubt she had already done so, judging by the lift of his spirit.
He didn’t know if the water would make her first time easier, but he was so hard he didn’t want to wait. And besides, when they were through, he would bathe her himself, reveal and worship every inch of her body…
Chapter 10
This wasn’t precisely how Elizabeth thought it might go—never had she imagined he would take her right here in the tub. And yet, there was nothing about their union that felt wrong. Somehow, every touch of his hands on her body felt oh, so right. When he found her most private place, and boldly touched her woman’s flower, she sagged against him, reveling in the hardness she encountered beneath her, and greedy in a way she had never anticipated. Her body seemed to have a hunger and will of its own, instinctively knowing what it should seek…
She repositioned herself fully over his searing erection, thrilling over the feel of it as it also seemed to find a life of its own, slipping and seeking between them until it found the hollow it sought, nestling itself hotly between her thighs.
“Ye’re mine,” he said, as though he couldn’t believe it. “Mine, mine, mine…”
And then his arms enfolded her greedily, his hands pulling and tugging at her wet chemise, only to give up when he found it irrevocably stuck to her flesh—all the more so with every pass of his soaking hands. The flimsy material melded against Elizabeth’s skin.
His gaze clouding with passion, he abandoned the garment, and so did she as his hands fell to both sides of her hips, lifting her ever so gently in order to settle her more conveniently over his arousal, and then, she gasped with new delight at the feel of his shaft pressing slowly, but firmly into her body… claiming her once and for all. Her heart hammered against her ribs in anticipation, and she knew the instant he encountered her maidenhead. Only when it seemed he might hesitate, she wouldn’t allow it. She sank down over him, taking him fully into her body, crying out over the thickness of him inside her.
“Oh, my!” she said, and he grinned.
“Ach, lass, I’ll have my hands full with you.”
Elizabeth smiled because, indeed, he would.
Indeed, he would.
His fingers dug into her waist, clutching her desperately as he rocked against her, until she thought she would die with pleasure.
Oh, my…
This wasn’t at all like Mrs. Grace had warned.
She had thought there must be pain, but no, indeed, there was none. There was only pleasure so intense she thought she might weep.
She adored the way his broad chest felt beneath her palms, loved the way his body melted into her own, loved the way he was looking at her right now…
They moved together in the tub, slowly at first, dancing a primal dance, hands exploring, mouths entwined, tongues exploring…
God’s truth, this was not how Callum had anticipated the holiday might go. It was hardly the way he’d anticipated returning home—with a new wife en tow. And yet, suddenly, in that instant, he knew in his heart that everything would be all right…
I would be a good year, indeed.
He vowed to honor his pledge—to give this woman no reason to leave him, ever, because he suddenly, without any doubt understood that without her he couldn’t be whole.
It had been so long since he’d lain with a woman that he came too quickly, giving her his seed, and then, because he knew instinctively that she didn’t understand what had happened, he rose from the tub lifting up his beautiful wife to carry her to the bed.
Once there, he made love to her, still hard as stone though he shouldn’t be, and he was stunned to discover that, even as he stroked and teased her to fruition, he hardened again. And this time, when he felt her body shudder with release, he covered her mouth with his own, greedy for the taste of her, and jealous enough not to want anyone else to overhear her cries of pleasure.
“Oh, my,” she said again, breathlessly, and he grinned down at her, reluctant to separate even still. He couldn’t stop, not yet, still sensitive with pleasure though he lifted himself enough so he could fill his eyes with her beauty. And when she smiled at him, her eyes so full of promise he came once more, the culmination so intensely pleasurable that he lifted his head back and stifled a primal howl.