“Just relax, mo chridhe. Let me do all the work.” He kissed her, his fingers continuing his assault, then he moved his lips to her breast and suckled deeply.
“Ach!” Her moan was soft as she moved her head back and forth, pressing against his hand.
“That’s it, lass. Enjoy it.”
Eventually, she collapsed against the mattress, her whole body shaking from the deep breaths she took. She opened her eyes. “Is that it?”
Evan’s bark of laughter bounced off the walls. “Nay, mo chridhe. ’Tis my turn.”
He moved over her, opening her legs with a nudge of his knees. “This will feel strange at first and maybe hurt a bit because it’s yer first time. But have no fear; the pain won’t last long.”
He eased into her, the heat and moistness from her release making the way easier. It took all his years of experience to keep from plunging into her warmth. He closed his eyes and gritted his teeth. Inch by inch, he moved forward.
He stopped and opened his eyes. Katie licked her lips and he groaned. He could wait no longer. Resting his head near her ear, he whispered, “I’m so sorry, lass.” With one quick thrust he was completely inside her.
Her quick breath was all that told him she’d felt him break through her maidenhead. She was moist, warm, and soft. He stopped for a minute to allow her to adjust to him. When she nodded, silently telling him all was well, he wiped the lone tear that trickled down her cheek. “’Twill be all pleasure from now on. I promise.”
Evan began moving, kenning he was not going to last long. Not with this woman under him, having already seen her pleasure and wanting her for so long.
His movements grew quicker as Katie began to move with him. She hooked her leg over his and picked up his rhythm.
“Ach. I’m afraid I’m not going to last long.” The words were barely out of his mouth when he surged forward and spilled his seed into her, pulling her close. “Tha thu agam a-nis.” Ye are mine now.
Chapter Nineteen
“I shall find a priest when we return to the castle.”
Katie looked over at Evan where he lay nestled against her. It was early morning, and they’d spent the night wrapped in each other’s warmth, their naked bodies keeping the cold and dampness away.
She was not a stupid woman, and she knew why he said what he did, but before she commented on what his statement meant, she needed to clarify. “Why?”
He looked down at her and brushed an errant curl from her cheek. “To marry.”
“Ah.” Katie disentanged herself from his body, sat up, and leaned against the wall behind the mattress, bringing the worn blanket with her to cover her breasts. “I guess ye think it’s the gentlemanly thing to do.”
“Aye.” He studied her for a minute and then shifted onto his side, resting his head on his propped-up hand. “Ye seem a bit…I dinnae ken, surprised? Or unhappy?”
Katie shook her head and tucked the strands of hair covering her eyes behind her ear. She wanted a clear view of his face when they had this conversation. Of course, being a gentleman, Evan would offer marriage, but the complications from such an arrangement were many. “I’m not so sure that’s the wisest thing to do.”
His reaction was swift and direct. He sat up and gripped her arms, positioning her so they were face-to-face. “’Tis the only thing to do. When ye gave yerself to me, ’twas with the understanding that I would not take yer virginity and then abandon ye with the consequences.”
“Is that so? I dinnae remember having that conversation.”
While she appreciated his concern for her reputation, she didn’t want to be someone’s life-long sacrifice for one night of pleasure. “Can I ask ye a question?”
He gave her a curt nod.
“If we hadn’t done…this”—she waved her hand between them—“would ye be offering marriage?”
Evan dropped his hands and sat back against the wall, his eyes closed. Just about the time she was ready to hop up and dress, kenning the answer would have been nay, he spoke.
“Aye.” He opened one eye and looked at her. “Aye.” His grin grew as he studied her. “’Tis something I’ve been wrestling with for days, lass.”
She didn’t want to call the man a liar to his face, but truth be known, she had a hard time believing, with all the contention between them, that he honestly wished to marry her.
“Yer looking like ye think I’m not being truthful. I desire ye, lass. I have almost from the first time I came upon ye and that broken-down wagon on the road. Aside from that, ye are easy to look at, smart, caring, and kind. Ye are loyal to yer clansmen and are a goodly mother to yer brother—although much too protective of the lad.”
She opened her mouth at his last comment, but he held up his hand. “Aside from yer stubbornness and unrelenting need to run everything, I think ye would make a fine wife.”
Katie huffed and tugged on the blanket. Enough of the blanket fell from Evan that the evidence of his desire waved in the morning light.
Her eyes grew wide.
He grinned.
She blushed.
He reached out to tug her toward him.
She pulled back.
“We have things to discuss.” Katie raised her chin and flipped the blanket back over Evan’s lap.
He sighed. “What’s to discuss, lass? We will leave here shortly. When we arrive at the castle, I will send for a priest, and it will be done.”
“’Twill not be done. I see no reason to rush into marriage simply because we lost our heads.”
He gave her the crooked smile that made her stomach dance a tune. “Aye, but if we do, then we can do this as much as
