Arriving at the castle, he quickly settled his horse back into the stables and then went inside. He strode up the slight hill, aware that he needed to get control of himself before he saw his mother and Mary.
He purposely avoided the great hall and the front room and took the back servants’ stairwell up to his room. He was fortunate enough to come across as a servant and send for some water. “And send Mary with me supper later.”
This was his second time sending for Mary and some would term it as favoritism but in the frame of mind he was in, he did not give a damn. He entered the room and tugged his cloak from around his neck. He sat and tugged his boots off and then barefooted, began to pace.
What was he to do with Cooper? The man had not done anything definitive enough to show him that he was taking over the lairdship but then he had lured the people to his side. Could he act on mere supposition? His words to Mary last night still stood. If he acted or did not act, he was going to lose anyway.
The door was knocked on and he gave permission to enter. Two squires entered and with big buckets of steaming water. As they filled the wooden tub, he studied the wall as if it had the answers he wanted.
“Sir,” one bowed, “yer bath is full.”
He nodded in thanks and closed the door behind them. His bath was quick but he did spend a few moments languishing in the water to let the heat permeate his tense muscles. He dressed in a linen jerkin and another pair of trews and let his wet hair dry around his shoulders.
Night had fallen by the time he had dressed, but no stars had come out yet. There was another knock on the door, and he went to answer it. Mary had barely come through when he took the tray away from her and kissed her.
He loved how she melted with the touch of his lips. Pliant in his arms, she offered no resistance to his touch. When she let him in his tongue plunged in, tangling with hers in a hungry kiss.
She tasted sweet, he broke the lip lock to drop kisses down her neck, “Ye’ve been eating honey-cakes havenae ye?”
Speechless, he felt Mary tremble as his hands began to roam and map her body. Down her side, over the curve of her bottom and up her back. Through her dress he cupped her breasts, loving the weight of each in his palms and pebbling of her nipples. He was nearly at the point where reason began to spiral out of control.
“L-Leith,” she gasped, “arenae ye going to eat?”
“Aye,” he said while kissing back up her face and under her ear murmured, “Aye Mary…I’m going to eat…I’m famished for ye.”
20
“Me body craves ye and I need to touch ye,” he nuzzled her neck. “I want to taste ye…” his voice dipped into a feral growl, “all of ye.”
Mary’s slender body tensed as something wild and unbidden bubbled up from deep within her core. It always happened when Leith touched her, and she felt the inexplicable need to shy away from the feeling while having no desire for him to stop. Bombarded by intense sensations, she could only cling to him as her body heated and her desire awakened.
He nuzzled her neck, while his hand was fondling the swell of her breast. “Yer body is an oasis to me, Mary, let me drink.”
He nipped down her neck and began to unlace her dress. His lips ran over her bare shoulder, sending a wave of heat rippling through her entire body. Bare to her sternum, his lips left a searing trail of kisses across her shoulder and down to the swell of her breast. When his mouth closed over her nipple, she gasped and grabbed at his hair. It was soft and wet and she loved the feeling.
It felt wonderful, spectacular, feeling him kiss her fevered flesh and she wanted more. His arms were around her back, allowing her to lean backward from the soft, sensual assault. Her arms wrapped around his neck, and she moaned with his touch…but though pleasure was filling her mind…she felt something was wrong.
“Leith…” she began, but a suck on her nipple temporarily made her mind blank. She threaded trembling fingers through his hair and forced her mind to stay on the right track. “Leith…stop.”
Her words were quiet, but his mouth left her skin immediately. His grey eyes were dark with confusion. He softly straightened her and frowned. “What is it?”
She sucked in a deep steadying breath and tugged her bodice back in place. Lifting a hand, she cupped his cheek to feel the day’s growth. She searched his eyes. “What is wrong?”
Leith’s mouth opened and then closed. As his eyelids fluttered closed, his nostrils flared and he twisted his face to press his lips to her palm. “I’m on the edge, lass. With all this confusion with Cooper, I feel like I should find a mountainside and scream me frustration to God himself,” Leith mumbled in her hair.
Mary canted her head to the side and smiled. “Why not?”
“Eh?” he asked in confusion.
“Why not find a mountainside and scream,” Mary asked. “Why bottle it in? Let’s do it…tonight.”
“Tonight?” Leith asked, “Mary, I cannea—”
She jabbed a finger into his chest, “I’m not taking no for an answer and I’m going with you.”
Gazing into her eyes—eyes Mary knew were filled with stark determination—a small smile grew on Leith’s face. He shook his head and then leaned in to kiss her on her cheek. “Aye…we’ll go tonight.”
* * *
There was not a cloud in the star-spattered sky. A full moon illuminated the rocky cliffs and he could see for miles. The mountainside they had found was the jut of land over a steep cliff that overlooking a
