A Highlander's Home (11 page)

             
As they rounded the curve of the
small building that seemed to be no more than a
little hut, the clouds opened. 
Ellie was a full gallop to close the gap between her and the promise of shelter by then.  She was as uninterested in being drenched as her rider.

             
The door was heavy but opened easily on well oiled hinges.  People must still use this little shack as she was now and though
t
nothing of pushing her way, and that of Ellie’s, into the building.  With her long wet hair wrapped around shoulders and part of her face, she led Ellie to the corner and grabbed some hay with which to wipe off some of the water.  She never noticed that she was not alone.

             
A scream that almost split the rafters pierced
Leith
’s ears as he cleared his throat from across the room.  Good thing he had not thought to touch her shoulder. 

             
She glared at him, pushing the wet strands of hair from her eyes.  The ribbon tying it up must have gotten lost on the way to the barn somewhere.  “Must you sneak up on me?” she demanded.

             
He raised an eyebrow, and replied icily, “I am at least twenty feet away from y
e
, lass.  There was no sneaking up on anyone.”

             
Turning, she threw down the handful of wet hay, and began to wring out her hair.  “What are you doing here?  I thought you went into the town with your men.” 

             
Irritation was running rampant at the thought that he had ruined her afternoon by being here when all she wanted was to get away from him.  Her body temperature always seemed to get slightly higher when he around.  Some solitude was not too much to ask.

             
He tied the reigns of his horse to a fallen log in the corner, and walked towards her.  Leaning on the wall, he folded his arms across his chest and peer
ed
at her.

             
“Did y
e
purposely follow me here?”

             
Those blue eyes
held her gaze for a mere second before she could feel them scouring her body, taking in the details that her damp clothes were portraying.  She folded her arms over her chest but that only increased her cleavage level while bringing a smile to his lips. 
She frowned.  These darn bodices.

She quickly turned her back to him and took a few steps.

             
“I was not following you.  I thought you had gone into town.  I was out taking a ride when the clouds rolled in before I realized how far away from the castle I was.”

She turned, feeling safer as she moved away from him.  “Besides, I wanted to be alone for awhile to think.  It’s a bit hard with all the hustle and bustle of the entire castle preparing for a wedding.”  She chewed her nail and stole a glance at him.

             
“A wedding that could be postponed, if you wanted to,” she said, pretending severe interest in her thumbnail.

             
Leith
let out a robust laugh, causing a scowl to mar Raine’s features.  He quieted and wiped his eye, saying, “Yes, let us do that, shall we, my sweet lass?” 

He
pushed off the post and stalked her as she backed up.  “We shall tell my mother, who has t
raveled hundreds of miles to send
her
eldest
son into wedded bliss, that the wedding in cancelled.  We shall tell the villagers and tenants that there is to be no grand celebration, no feast, no entertainment, that we shall have to refuse all of the gifts they have gone to so much trouble to prepare for us – for me – their Laird and my beautiful wife.  A wife who cares naught for them or their efforts, only for herself and her selfish desires.  We shall also,” his voice dipped deceptively, “tell the
Queen
that after
she has given us her
blessing, after
s
he has annulled my
betrothal
to Lady Brighton, that
s
he has sent couriers bearing gifts to us from the monarchy of the kingdom, that we have decided to cancel the wedding all because
you
want to remain an unmarried virgin.”

             
Her back was pressed up against the hard wood, splinters cutting into
her hands and elbows as she braced herself while her eyes moved frantically trying to judge if she could make a dash for the
door. 
Leith
blocked all escape and hope when he formed a box with his arms braced on either side of her.  She could feel her temperature rising but she was sure it was her anger rising.

             
“
You will not intimidate me, mister.”  She made to pass to his left, but he pressed himself closer.  Her breath came in shorter gasps
,
and she knew she had to make a run for the door.

             
Her foot made contact with his shin, and as he double over, she shoved his shoulder back so that he sprawled on the hay strewn floor, l
etting out a string of curses.  She leapt over him
,
but he snatched her ankle and
couldn’t stop a jolt of
delight as he heard a welcoming thud as she lay sprawled next to him.

             
She scooted away, but he dragged her back, as she
kicked out at him, catching his knuckles with the wooden heels.  She was on her hands and knees, almost sure of victory, when the hard floor rose up to meet her and the air left her lungs in a grunt. 
Leith
lay atop her she swore she heard him growl as he effortlessly flipped her on her back. 

             
Blowing a combination of hay and hair out of her mouth and eyes, she scowled as she shouted, “Get off!” and continued to squirm underneath him.

             
He smile was wicked as he replied, “I will, on our wedding night.  Maybe sooner if you keep wigglin’ like ye are.”

             
Her green eyes bulged and she had to tell herself to shut her jaw, which she was sure had dropped, and became still as stone.  Icily, she nearly commanded, “Kindly remove yourself from my person.”

             
Since that did not appeal to
Leith
, he instead shifted slightly to a more comfortable position on top of her with his groin creating too much heat where it met her thigh.  “Now, lass, let us have an understanding betwixt us, eh?  I was here waiting out the rain, minding my own busin
ess, like a good Laird, when ye
burst in upon me, alone and unchaperoned.”  He frowned as he voiced his next thought.  “Where is
Dudley
?  I told him to stay with ye if ye
left the keep.”

             
Raine had the grace to blush.  She had seen him flirting with a pretty red headed girl in the servant’s quarters and had used the opportunity to slip away.  Poor
Dudley
never even noticed.

             
“I left the castle and took a ride.  I wasn’t planning on coming here either.  I just wanted to be alone and clear my head.”  She noticed that he was actually listening to her.  She tried to shift and close her legs with modesty but he shifted right along with her, making her thighs spread further apart instead.
 
Her blasted dress was slowing riding up exposing more of her flesh with every movement.

“Must you always manhandle me?” she huffed.

             
Brushing an errant strand of hair out of her eyes, he met her gaze for a moment.  “Love, I would never ‘manhandle’ ye,” he replied in all seriousness.  Then added wickedly, “Unless ye wanted me to.”  He wiggled his eyebrows.

             
She grunted and tried to roll over but succeeded only in shifting to her side, which gave him full access to glue himself fully to her backside.  He sighed as he felt himself hardening.  This woman would be the death of him, he knew it.

             
He rested his chin on her shoulder and turned the conversation.  “I know what ‘tis like to need to be alone.  It seems I am ever surrounded by someone, needing something, but never given a moment to just…breathe.”  He loosened his grip on her wrists.  “I am always by myself, but never alone.”

             
Slightly turning, Raine searched his gaze as she stared at
him from over her shoulder.  His chiseled features looked harsh as he stared across the barn, staring at nothing.  She could not begin to imagine the weight he carried, being the leader and sole provider for all of these people.  She could barely handle paying her bills on time.

             
Sighing, she said softly, “I’m sorry.  You’re right.  I barged in on you, in your barn, on your land.  My apologies.” 
After a moment of silence, she asked, “Can I get up now?”

             
His breath was soft on her shoulder and she knew she should turn away, but then he looked at her with those God awful blue eyes and she was lost.  She didn’t even try to break their gaze, until he did when he lowered his eyes to her lips.  Involuntarily, she licked their dryness, swallowing a bit self consciously. 

             
Running his thumb across the outline of her bottom lip proved to be his undoing.  Without giving her a chance to refuse him, he lowered his
mouth to hers and probed deeply with his tongue, tasting the sweetness that he knew would be there. 
Her senses took flight. 
To both of their surprise, she offered no resistance, but raised her head and increased the pressure of the kiss.  He smiled to himself and raised his weight off of her slightly.  She turned of her own accord, rolling onto her back, and wrapping her arms around his neck.  Her hands wrapped themselves in his long hair and pulled him down to her even more.
  He obliged her.

             
Since his hands were no longer holding her wrists, they roamed as they pleased.  The left one cupped her creamy white throat and reveled in the vibrations of the little sounds she was making, while the other hand had made a slow procession over her silky shoulder, around the tantalizing curve of her breast,
lightly
skimming her ribcage, and ultimately lifting her skirt
that was already almost waist high
and grazing her beautiful thigh.

             
On cue, her leg lifted itself to give him better access while the other wrapped itself around his waist.  His mouth had left hers, however reluctantly, to nip at the laces of her blouse and expose one lovely rose tipped mound of flesh. 

Raine’s breathing was coming in small gasps but she could not seem to gain control of her senses.  She envisioned his tempting, wonderful lips wrapped around her
areola
, and before she closed her eyes in passion, the vision came true.  Her back arched and her fingers dug in his hair to ensure he did not abandon his conquest. 

             
He licked, nipped, bit, and teased his new found treasure until he thought his trousers would burst.  He lifted his head to see Raine’s cheeks were flushed, her lips slightly opened, and her head thrown back.  He was quite pleased with himself.  And with his soon to be bride.  He was glad she had passion.  That was the basis for a good marriage bed and making sons.

             
His hand left her thigh and gently cupped her woman’s mound. 
He was pleased again to find that it was closely shaved, giving him complete access to the tight little bud hiding from him.  She opened her eyes long enough to figure out what his plans were and her senses slammed into her like a gush of cold wind.  Her legs slammed shut on him,
imprisoning
his hand as it lay with his finger right where she did not want it to be but right where he had intended it to stay.

             
She tried to push his hand away but he shifted his weight
,
and she was helpless to move.  She had dated various men in her life, but none had ever been given the right to access this part of her.  Her friends often made fun of her that she was the only virgin alive, but she had not been ready to give what she considered her most prized possession to just anyone.  She was not about to give it away now.

             
“No,” she half moaned, and clumsily swatted his hand away.

             
Leith
kissed her lips, and while still biting her bottom lip, said softly, “Do not wo
rry, lass.  I will not take yer
virginity, but I wil
l give ye
a taste of what is to come when I do.”

             
His finger, that one blessed muscled finger worked magic like she had never known existed.  He started in a slow agonizing circle, then slightly up and down, then circles again.  It slipped down farther to her entrance, and took its ready moisture back up to push harder circles as she arched her back in pleasure.  His trousers were so tight now that it was becoming painful, but he would not stop until he saw her reach her full pleasure.
  He wanted to watch her come into her full pleasure.