Kenna’s brows rose and she laughed. “So here you sit.”
Mari couldn’t help but laugh as well. “Under normal circumstances I wouldn’t mind spending time with him in bed, but this has been beyond trying. I hope Abagail agrees to let him up and about when she comes to check on him. I’ll not survive another day of his restlessness.”
Kenna frowned. “Oh, dear. I’m afraid Abagail was called away to the village. Thomas Hardy broke his arm.”
Mari covered her face with her hands and bent over, muttering a prayer for sanity mingled with a few curses.
“I’ll call the nurse to watch the boys, and I’ll tend to him myself,” Kenna offered.
“I hate to take you away from your rest. You get so little time to yourself.”
“I’ll be fine. Especially since you’ll owe me.” With a wink, Kenna left the room, and Mari followed after.
When they entered Cam’s chamber, they found him sneaking back into bed.
“What is this?” Mari scolded. “You’re supposed to be abed.”
“Marian, I swear, if you don’t let me up, I’ll draw my sword and finish the job the damned McCurdy muddled.”
She knew he was serious when he used her given name rather than his shorter version.
“Kenna is here to take a look.” Mari pulled back the bandage so her sister could see how much he’d healed. The wound was clean and dry. No swelling or inflammation.
Kenna nodded. “These stitches can be removed. But you’ll still need to mind your ribs. Don’t do too much.”
“I won’t.”
Mari refrained from rolling her eyes. The man would agree to anything just to be freed from his prison.
To her surprise, he didn’t go running from the room as soon as Kenna finished and left them to get back to her children. Instead, he carefully washed himself with Mari’s help, then reached for her.
“I’m sorry I’ve been so irritable. It’s just that I’ve wanted ye and could do nothing about it.”
“I understand. It’s no fun being injured.” There had been many times she’d been unable to get out of bed after the duke showed his displeasure.
Cam’s hands rested on her waist as he bent slightly and kissed her, once, twice, then deepened it into a real kiss. She felt the tug on her dress as he fumbled around to unfasten her gown.
“What are you doing?” she asked in alarm. He didn’t answer, instead making his intentions clear with a kiss on her neck. “Kenna just said you weren’t to do too much.”
“Aye, and I agreed. I’m not planning to do too much.” He smiled devilishly, and she placed her hands on his bare chest high enough not to touch his wound or his still-healing ribs. “I plan to do just enough,” he assured her as he took her mouth in a deep kiss.
…
Cam had been miserable all the days he was confined to bed. He knew his wife wouldn’t lie with him until he was all better. Her nursing, touching, and leaning over him had driven him wild with unrelenting lust. Now that he was able to move a bit without the tug of the stitches, he was ready to make up for the days they’d lost.
“You can’t possibly think to—”
“Och, I’m thinking it. I’ve been thinking it for the past week or more.” He rested a palm on her breast, feeling her nipple harden and her breath catch. “I’m done thinking, Mari. I plan to do something about it.”
She didn’t bark at him to be cautious of his wounds. Instead, she stood on tiptoe and nipped at his jaw when he was out of reach. The quickness with which she’d changed tactics made him smile. His wife had missed his touch as well.
“You promise we’ll stop if you have any pain,” she said, relenting.
“The only thing causing me pain at the moment is my cock, the way it aches for wanting ye.” He hadn’t redressed from his wash, so his cock lurched against her, proving his words true.
“I did vow to nurse you back to health,” she teased, taking him in hand.
“Aye. You did.”
“I know you are in a hurry to get out of bed, but do you think I could coax you back into it?”
He nodded and sat on the edge of the bed as she knelt before him. He hadn’t planned on this, but when her warm mouth took him in, he groaned and let her go about it.
He leaned back but readjusted when his shoulder protested at supporting his weight. He repositioned himself and watched her as she took to her task heartily. He didn’t want to spend so quickly, so he looked away from the sight of her mouth on him. He might not be back to fighting form, but he was a prideful husband who wanted to see to his wife’s pleasure.
“Stop,” he ordered, and she did so quickly, a look of concern on her pretty face.
“Don’t worry. I’m not harmed.” He was quick to allay her worries. “I want to see ye take your desire. Sit on me so I can watch you.”
He inched back onto the bed until he was lying across it. He stroked himself as he watched her disrobe and crawl atop him. She was a glorious sight.
“Go slow,” he said when she was fully seated. “I don’t want it to be over too soon. I’ve waited so long for this.”
With his good arm, he kneaded her breasts and tugged her nipples until she was gasping and rocking against him faster than he wished. He could tell she was close, so instead of bidding her to slow, he used his thumb to hasten her release, then followed her with his own, pushing up into her, not minding the slight burn in his chest from the action.
The pain was easily forgotten as his release poured out of him.
His wife slumped beside him, and he pulled her close, kissing her hair and her lips.
“That was what I wanted,” he said contentedly, not able to move.
“So, all I had to do to get you to stay in bed was ride you a bit?” she asked in a naughty tone.
“Aye. You’ve found my weakness, lass, but I can’t be sorry for it. Any time you want me to stay in bed, you know your power.”
“Shall we stay here awhile, then?”
“I just need a quick rest, then I plan to show you how well I’ve recovered, thanks to your caring touch.”
They chose to take their meal in their room so he could continue to show her how fully his health had improved.
There would be time enough to leave his bed tomorrow.
Chapter Twenty-Six
After two days of staying in bed with Cam as he proved his stamina, Mari walked to the village with Abagail to check in on a woman who’d given birth the night before.