The Highlander's Temptation (25 page)

Chapter Twenty-Four

While the rest of the Montgomery clan, council members, Wallace, Malcom, Ceana and MacKinnon, were dancing and feasting to their hearts contents, Jamie yearned for a feast of another kind. He could no longer wait to have his bride all to himself.

“Let’s disappear,” he whispered in her ear, gripping onto her hand.

Lorna smiled and nodded. They glanced around the room, and thinking that no one would notice them, they slowly headed toward the door of the great hall and the stairs.

“The Laird and Lady Montgomery wish to go to bed!” shouted Wallace, always vigilant and never missing a beat.

Jamie groaned. He knew what was coming next. They would try to lift them up into the air and carry them upstairs. They’d want a firsthand view of the consummation, but Jamie wasn’t about to let that happen. Lorna was his and his alone.

He swept her up into his arms and ran for the door. They ducked through and then he took the stairs two a
t a time, barely noticing the extra weight of her in his arms. She giggled the whole way, and when they reached his chamber he shoved open the door and kicked it closed. Footsteps echoed on the stairs.

“They’re relentless,” he muttered. He set Lorna down and then barred the door. “But they’ll not be allowed entry this night, or any other.”

“Oh, how romantic,” Lorna exclaimed behind him.

Jamie turned around to see
what she was talking about, his eyes lighting on all the feminine, romantic touches.

“
Stunning. Ceana has been busy,” Jamie said.

Upon the table below the window that had been opened letting in a wonderful summer breeze and giving them a
perfect view of the moon, was a jug of wine, two new goblets engraved with an L and a J, a platter of cheese, fruit and bread and another of sweets. The bed covers were pulled back, folded at the base of the bed and flower petals were strewn on the sheets. On either bedside table, was a bowl full of apples.

When Lorna caught sight of the apples she whirled around. ”Did ye tell her?”

Jamie felt a sheepish smile touch his lips. “Ceana asked. It was an evening in which she was particularly filled with sorrow and we shared many intimate secrets.”

Lorna nodded, not showing the least
bit of upset about it, instead she displayed understanding. “I canna imagine being widowed at her age, even if the man was not right in the head. At least now she’s found peace with MacKinnon.” A bright smile covered her face. “A fact that has helped us greatly.”

“Indeed it has.” Jamie grinned and came forward wrapping his arms around Lorna and pulling her into his embrace.

“I’ve been waiting what seems like forever to hold ye in my arms.”

Lorna slid her hands up his back, massaging along his spine as she pressed her face against his chest. “It felt like a lifetime. I still find myself looking at ye and disbelieving I’m here, and then it hits me
and a shiver steals up my spine. Excitement beyond belief keeps my face in a forever smile.”

“
Och, love,” Jamie said, slinging his arm around her shoulder. “I feel much the same way. These last months were torture. I find myself looking at ye every moment to be sure ye’re really here.” He placed a gentle kiss on her forehead. “Do ye want some wine?”

She looked up at him, her green-blue eyes suddenly clouded with desire. “Wine can wait, Jamie, but I dinna think that I can.”

Out in the corridor, the crowd had finally made it to their door, and the hammering of fists and shouts for entrance came. Jamie was about to tell them all to bugger off when he heard Malcolm’s voice booming for the lot of the rats to leave them be. Several grumbles were heard, a few bawdy taunts and then their retreating footsteps. Jamie and Lorna smiled at each other as they waited for the voices to recede and then finally, there was silence.

Taking a step away from him,
Lorna untied the Montgomery sash from her waist that he’d given her during their wedding ceremony and dropped it on the chest that stood at the end of the bed.

“Are ye certain ye dinna need wine?”

Lorna laughed. “Are ye nervous, Jamie?”

“Nay, lass, not in the least.”

“Neither am I, and as I said afore, wine can wait, but my body burns for ye.” She tugged at the sleeve of her gown.

“Och, lass, I’m so glad ye said that, for
mine does the same.” And he was going to undress her this time.

Jamie stepped forward and turned Lorna around, swiping her long plait aside to place a heated kiss on the side of her neck. He breathed in her scent, always intoxicating.

“I love ye,” he whispered, surprised at how much he really did. Never in his life had he thought he’d be where he was, and he was damn glad. There was no going back.

“I love ye, too,”
she said, reaching up to stroke the back of his head.

Jamie slowly undressed her, kissing her from head to toe and back again. Savoring the changes in her body, the slight swell of
her belly, her fuller breasts, curvier hips. She was beautiful before, but carrying his bairn… He couldn’t quite figure out what it was, other than the fact that they’d create a life inside her body that made him desire her all the more. On his knees he pressed his face her belly, kissed her there.

Lorna
’s abdomen trembled at his touch, and she ran her fingers through his hair, looking down at him with a mixture of love and longing.

She toyed with the ties of his
leine
shirt, and then went about undressing him much the same way. Kissing each of his knees, she worked her way up until she reached his engorged shaft. Jamie nearly choked when she took it in her grasp and gazed up at him with mischievous eyes. Then she was kissing him and his own eyes rolled into the back of his head.

Untrained, aye, she was, but it didn’t matter, her velvet hot mouth was sweet heaven as she kissed, licked, sucked
his turgid flesh. Ecstasy consumed him until he was on the verge of exploding. Jamie pulled her away, unwilling to let their encounter end there.

“Good God, lass, ye’ll have me on my knees.”

She quirked a brow. “Right where I want ye.”

Jamie gave a teasing growl and then lifted her up into the air. She wrapped her legs around his waist, her arms around his neck, and the heat of her sex pressed to his throbbing cock. It was enough to make a man mad
with need. He gritted his teeth and carried her to the bed, where they tumbled down onto the fragrant petals.

This could be heaven for all Lorna knew. A feast on the table, flowers surrounding them, and the man she adored making sweet love to her.

For hours they explored, kissed, tickled, caressed. Never had they been able to just explore without a time limit. Always sneaking behind closed doors, alcoves, barns and gardens. Now they could savor one another, and not worry over whether they’d be interrupted. This was their time to worship each other. To give one another pleasure, and enjoy the bounty of such a glorious prize of having someone to love.

It was a dream come true, a miracle. How funny the world was, that as a child she’d been running from mayhem, and he’d come to swoop her up
. When the time came for them both to seek a mate, once more he’d come along and swept her up. Only this time, she was ready and willing to be carried away.

As their bodies collided in sweet surrender, Lorna savored Jamie’s touch, his whispered words of love and tenderness. She clung to him as he moved, rose her hips to meet his. Kissed him endlessly until they were both out of breath and then kissed him some more.

He showed her they could make love tenderly, cuddled together on their sides with her back to his chest. He kissed her shoulder, her neck, tugged at her ear, stroked her hip and then reached forward to slide his fingers through her folds until her body sang out with pleasure, and then he rolled her onto her back where he took her once more to the top of the earth and tossed her up into heaven.

And then she was over top of him, taking control of their lovemaking until Jamie was crying out her name with pleasure.

They feasted naked on cheese, bread, apples and watered wine, until Jamie licked a dribble of apple juice from Lorna’s lips. The slightest provocation was all either of them needed before their bodies were once again on fire, and they explored making love in a chair. Then Jamie lifted her up and carried her back to the bed, still buried deep inside her.

Lorna commended him on his prowess and he answered in kind by showing her just how competent he was in the ways of pleasuring her with his mouth, hands and finally thrusting home until they both trembled, shivered and cried out their release.

Collapsing onto the bed, Jamie pulled Lorna into his arms, her back flush to his chest, his hands stroking the swell of her belly. Their breaths came quick, their bodies’ slick with sweat.

“There’
s a little one of us in there,” Jamie whispered, swirling his finger around her belly button.

“A little bit of both of us,” Lorna said, rolling over, wanting to face him. Before she fell asleep she wanted to be able to gaze upon his face. “I’ve longed for this,” she whispered, and then yawned, exhausted not only from
their lengthy lovemaking, but the extensive journey and the overlong day.

Silver shafts of moonlight streamed in from the open window, as did a gentle breeze that cooled their overheated
skin.

Her yawn prompted Jamie to do the same, and then they both laughed. “’Twas beautiful, just as ye are.”

A sleepy smiled curled her lips. “This is beautiful—us together.” She slipped her arm beneath his and around his back and a thigh over his, snuggling closer. “I know at some point ye’ll have to go and fight with Wallace, but until then, I want to fall asleep each night seeing your face.”

It was an inevitability, and one she’d known about from the beginning. Until then, she’d savor every moment they had together and pray for his safe return.

“And I want to wake each morn seeing your beautiful smile.” He rubbed his nose against hers. “I’ll never leave ye for long, and I’ll dream of ye every night that I’m away.”

Lorna leaned in for a tender kiss, once more struck with bountiful gratitude that she was here.
She could still envision him running toward her as a child, much as he’d come toward her on the moors as a woman, and on the beach, and every place. He’d always been there for her, just as she’d always wanted him to be.

“My hero,” she murmured.

And they fell blissfully asleep, curled in each other’s arms, together at long last.

“The End”

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