The Guardian

He worked her nightshift up, anticipating the feel of bare skin. Slowly, he eased it over her hip— ahhhh. Her skin was even softer than he imagined. One more tug on the shift and his shaft rested against her bare buttocks.

“Ye can’t know how good that feels,” he said in a choked whisper. So good, he nearly bit her shoulder. But this was going better than he expected, and he didn’t want to frighten her. So he kissed her shoulder softly, instead, and forced himself not to move against her. She drew in a deep breath that sounded so contented he wondered if he was worrying too much.

He wished he had lit a candle. He wanted to see her, but nothing could get him out of this bed now. It was pleasurable torture to run his hand slowly up and down the curve of her hip. Of its own volition, his hand moved to cup her breast.

Oh Jesu! The heavy softness of her full breast felt glorious in his hand. The nipple hardened and pressed against his palm—and he was a lost man. Blood pounded in his ears. His hunger was urgent, demanding. Now. He needed her under him now.

His resolution to go slow was a lost ship in the raging storm of his lust. All he wanted in this world was to be buried inside her. In an instant, he had her on her back. His hands were on her breasts under her nightgown, and his cock pressed against the inside of her thigh while he kissed her throat.

“Ian! What are ye doing?”

Ach, what was he doing? He dragged himself back from the edge. A virgin. She’s a virgin.

A virgin shouldn’t feel this good beneath him. He took her face in his hands and lowered his mouth to hers. Her kiss was so innocent, it shook him.

“Aw, Sil, ye are a wonder to me,” he said.

He ran his tongue across her bottom lip and heard her draw in her breath. At first she seemed to resist his kisses, but gradually she softened. When he urged her mouth open, she jerked back, startled, but in another moment she softened for him again. When her tongue moved against his he saw a glimpse of the heaven to come. Soon he was drowning in her kisses.

It was all perfect. She was perfect.

He clutched his hands in her hair.

“Don’t be afraid. I’ll be careful. It won’t hurt much,” he whispered in her ear as he inched forward. He gasped when the head of his cock found its goal and touched her sweet center.

“Get off me!” Sileas shouted, and started pounding her fists against his shoulders and chest.

“What? What’s wrong?” She didn’t answer, but she was clawing at him and squirming like a fish, so he rolled off her. “Sil, what did I do?”

She threw off the covers and leaped out of the bed. He caught a glimpse of long legs in the moonlight from the window before she jerked her shift down.

She lit the candle and turned furious eyes on him. “What are ye doing in my bed, Ian MacDonald?”

“It’s my bed, too,” he said, trying to get his brain to work. His cock was so hard it hurt him. He had been so close…

“How dare ye come in here when I’m fast asleep and think ye can have your way with me.”

“You’re my wife,” Ian said. “That means I can have my way with ye.”

“So I’m your wife now, am I? Ye didn’t think so before.” She folded her arms beneath her breasts, and his throat went dry.

“I… I’ve decided to accept the situation,” he said, his eyes and thoughts on her breasts. The skin of his palms tingled with the memory of the feel of them in his hands. “I’m ready to take ye for my wife now. Quite ready.”

“Are ye now? And what has made ye come to this decision after all this time?”

She was tapping her foot, not a good sign. Ach, Sil even had pretty ankles…

“Ian!” she said to get his attention. “I asked what made ye decide ye wanted to be married to me. I thought I ‘disgusted’ ye.”

He swung his legs over the side of the bed and gave her a slow look up and down.

“Ye don’t disgust me now,” he said, his voice thick. “And I don’t disgust you either, judging from the way ye were kissing me.” He couldn’t help grinning when he said it, which was probably a mistake.

“I was asleep!” She had her hands on her hips now, and her foot was tapping furiously.

“Maybe ye were at first,” he said, finding he was enjoying teasing her, “but I don’t believe ye were sleeping when ye kissed me back.”

“I thought I was dreaming,” she snapped. “I didn’t know what I was doing.”

“For not knowing, ye were doing fine,” he said, grinning at her. “Verra fine indeed.”

Her cheeks flushed, and she looked prettier still. He grabbed a handful of her voluminous nightshift and pulled her closer.

“I know ye heard me say some unfortunate words about ye before I left, and I’m sorry I hurt your feelings. But I find ye appealing now.” He dropped his gaze to the lovely, rounded breasts just inches from his face. “Verra appealing.”

When he looked up, her eyes were boring holes into him. He couldn’t think for the life of him what he was saying wrong now. What woman didn’t like to hear a compliment?

“What you’re saying is that ye want to take me to bed,” she said.