A Hint of Rapture (42 page)

***

Madeleine awoke hours later to the sensation of being
lifted from the floor where she had fallen asleep. Her eyes fluttered open, but
she could see nothing in the pitch darkness. She tensed as powerful arms enveloped
her, holding her close with aching familiarity, and she knew at once that it
was Garrett.

"Wh—what do ye think ye're doing? Where are ye
taking me?" she cried frantically, the mists of slumber still clinging to
her thoughts as he carried her down the hallway.

"Our room," Garrett said, hugging her tightly
to his chest. "I'll not have my wife sleeping on the floor, nor will you
sleep any longer in a bed other than mine."

His words chased the haze from her mind as if he had
slapped her.

"No! Ye canna force me to share yer bed!" she
exclaimed shrilly, wriggling in his arms.

"In this you have no choice," he replied
firmly. "We are husband and wife, Madeleine. From this night on, we sleep
together."

Garrett kicked the door open and strode into the firelit
room, where he set her down so abruptly she almost lost her footing. He turned
and shut the door, drawing the bolt into place, then faced her once more.

"I took the liberty of bringing some of your
things in here," he began, walking toward her. "You can move the rest
of your belongings tomorrow."

She shook her head slowly from side to side, retreating
backward as he advanced closer and closer. "No, I dinna want to stay
here," she objected nervously, flustered by the way he was looking at her.
"Ye've no right."

"I've made it my right," he insisted quietly.
When she took another step backward, he suddenly reached out to her, grabbing
for her arm. "Madeleine, stop, there's a tub just behind—"

"No! Dinna touch me!" She jerked away from
him and spun around, screaming as she toppled into an enormous wooden tub
filled with steaming water. In the next instant Garrett leaned into the tub,
catching her about the waist and lifting her to her feet as she sputtered and
coughed, her wet hair hanging down over her face, her gown plastered to her
body.

"Ye—ye bastard!" Madeleine gasped, parting
her hair to glare at him.

"I tried to stop you, Maddie," he said with a
low chuckle, appraising her sodden appearance. "I thought you might want
to bathe tonight, so I brought up the tub for your use."

Madeleine swept her hair back from her forehead,
wringing some of the water out with her fingers. She had never felt so foolish
before, standing fully clothed in a tub. She glanced down, surprised by its
wide dimensions.

"I bought it in Edinburgh," Garrett said, as
if he read her thoughts. "I wasn't sure if you had a tub here at the manor
house or not."

"Aye, but not as large," Madeleine said
almost to herself. " 'Tis big enough for two." She blushed suddenly
and looked up to find him studying her most intently.

"Exactly," he said.

Madeleine inhaled sharply, acutely aware of the desire
flaring in those startling gray-green eyes and even more aware of her own
racing senses. She heaved up her soaked skirt and was out of the tub in a
flash.

"Good night to ye, Garrett," she said angrily
as she sloshed and squished her way to the door. "Enjoy yer fine tub. I'll
not be swimming in it with ye, if that's what ye were thinking."

"Touch that latch and I promise you will find
yourself back in this tub, but with me," Garrett threatened softly.
"I mean that, Madeleine. This is now your room as much as mine. Ours. We
will share it together. Do you understand me?"

Madeleine flinched at his tone and drew back her hand
from the bolt. She turned away slowly and met his steely gaze. "As always,
Garrett, ye must threaten to have yer way."

He did not reply. He began to undo the buttons of his
shirt, revealing the golden hair on his chest.

"What are ye doing?" she asked shakily, her
eyes widening.

"Undressing. If you have no plans for this bath,
then I'd like to avail myself of its comfort while the water is still
hot." He stripped off the shirt, baring his muscular upper body to her
stunned gaze. "I've set up a screen over there for your privacy, Madeleine,"
he said dryly, nodding to the far corner of the room. "You'll find your
travel trunk behind it." His belt fell to the floor with a thud. "Oh,
yes. There's some food and mulled wine on the bedside table. Help
yourself."

"I'm not hungry," she said. She glanced over
to the screen, delicately painted with vines and flowers, and back to Garrett,
who was pulling off his breeches. At the sight of his lean buttocks, she gasped
and scurried to the other side of the room, ducking behind the screen. She
plopped down on the trunk, her heart pounding furiously. She heard a splash as
Garrett stepped into the tub, then his long, contented sigh as he settled
himself in the water.

Madeleine's teeth began to chatter, and she felt
chilled to the bone in her sopping wet gown. She was so far away from the
fireplace there was little warmth in this corner.

"Ye'll surely catch yer death if ye sit here like
this," she muttered under her breath, shivering uncontrollably.

"Did you say something?"

"No!" she responded tartly, his deep voice eliciting
a tremor of excitement within her. She jumped off the trunk and threw open the
lid, rummaging through the neatly folded clothes until she found her apricot
robe. She quickly changed out of her wet things and gratefully donned the
padded robe and a pair of down-lined slippers. She felt warmed immediately.

"There are some towels on the bed if you care to
dry your hair," Garrett called out.

Madeleine wanted to ignore his offer, hoping there were
some towels in her trunk, but after a quick search she found none. She sighed
with exasperation. If she didn't dry her hair, the back of her robe would soon
be soaked.

She drew a deep breath as she tied the sash securely
around her waist, then stepped from behind the screen. She kept her eyes
lowered as she hurried over to the bed, where she grabbed a towel and whisked
it around her head.

As she began to retreat toward the screen, she hazarded
a glance in Garrett's direction. Her heart stopped at the striking picture he
made, his bronzed shoulders and chest gleaming wet, his dark blond hair slicked
back. He looked her over as if he could see right through her satin robe.

"Are you sure you won't join me?" he asked
softly, smiling at her with open invitation.

"Quite sure!" she snapped, though inside she
wasn't so sure anymore. She turned away, blotting her hair with trembling
hands.

"Then could I ask you a favor, Madeleine?"

She swung around, looking at him suspiciously.
"What favor?"

"Would you mind handing me the soap? It's there on
the mantel, a bit out of my reach, unless I stand up—"

"No, no! I'll get it for ye," she said
uncomfortably. Taking a wide path around the tub, she snatched the thick bar
from the mantelpiece. "Here." She handed it to him, his wet fingers
caressing hers. She pulled her hand away as if stung and darted away from him,
taking refuge behind the screen, amazed at what his simple touch could do to
her.

She chewed her lip as she dried her hair, attempting in
vain to blot out the sounds of Garrett bathing. She was startled by his sudden
groan of pain. She dropped the towel and quickly peeked out at him. He was
attempting to soap his back, but he grimaced, groaning again as he slowly eased
his right arm into the water.

"What's wrong?" she asked, feeling more than
a twinge of concern at his evident discomfort.

"It's nothing. I pulled something in my shoulder
today. It was rolling this blasted tub up the stairs, I think. "

She absorbed this, watching as he lifted his arm again
and sought to scrub his back. He sighed irritably, his efforts thwarted.

"If—if ye'd like, I can help ye with that,"
she offered, venturing out from the screen. She shrugged slightly at his
stunned expression. " 'Tis plain to see ye're hurt, Garrett. I dinna mind,
unless ye'd rather not. "

"No, I mean yes, that would be nice," he
said, watching her as she walked to the tub. "That's very kind of you,
Madeleine."

She said nothing and avoided his eyes as she took the
soap from him. She lathered it between her hands, then dropped the bar into the
water with a plunk and bent over him, massaging the rugged breadth of his
shoulders. She could feel him tense beneath her touch, but gradually he
relaxed, leaning forward.

Madeleine concentrated on her task, inwardly thrilled
by the rippling muscles beneath her fingertips. She could feel the overwhelming
strength of his body in his slightest movement, and she felt her skin tingle
with fiery warmth, not knowing if it came from the rising steam or her aroused
senses. Her soapy hands plied his neck, then slid down his broad back,
following the curve of his spine to just below the water's surface.

"Garrett," she murmured, "could ye pull
away from the side a bit more so I might reach yer lower back?" He did as
she bade him and came up on his haunches, his arms braced against the wooden
rim as she washed him.

She sharply drew in her breath, mesmerized by the
powerful lines of his body and oblivious to her wandering hands which had
strayed from his back. She caressed his tapered hips and sinewed upper thighs,
then his taut buttocks, closing her eyes as she delighted in the smooth texture
of his skin. She felt him shudder and heard him groan, but this time it was not
a cry of pain.

She started at the sound, becoming aware of what she
was doing at the same moment he stood up in a spray of warm water and faced
her, his body wet and glistening in the firelight. She stepped back, her gaze
falling upon his full arousal, and she gasped aloud, thinking only to flee.

Garrett was too fast for her. As she spun on her heel,
he grabbed her around the waist and in one easy movement swept her into the tub
with him. His arms locked around her, imprisoning her. She was so shocked she
could only stare at him, her hands braced against his chest. She could feel his
heart thundering beneath her fingertips, matching her own rampant heartbeat.

"You have sorely tempted me, Madeleine," he
whispered hoarsely, nibbling her soft earlobe while he deftly untied her sash
with one hand and slipped the satin robe from her shoulders. He nuzzled her
neck as he tossed the wet garment onto the floor. "You have gone too far,
I fear."

"What do ye mean? What are ye going to do?"
she said breathlessly, her knees weak from the sensation of his mouth upon her
skin.

"Only what you want me to do, my lady wife,"
he replied huskily, lifting her in his arms and sinking into the warm water
with her. "I told you before I would never force you, though you've tested
my limits this night." His lips trailed a searing path down her throat.
"I want you to know the pleasure that you just gave me, Madeleine. If you
don't soon feel as I do now, I swear I will let you go. Now lean back and close
your eyes."

She did not protest as he turned her around and cradled
her in his lap, her slim back against his chest, her head leaning on is
shoulder. She was already lost. Any thoughts of defying her body's wanton
betrayal had long since vanished. All she knew was Garrett's burning heat and
the delicious warmth of the bathwater, like a cocoon enveloping her . . . then
she knew no more as his large, soapy hands began to caress her.

"Do you like this?" he asked softly, cupping
her breasts, his fingers gliding over her skin and teasing her slippery
nipples.

"Aye," she breathed, writhing and moaning in
his lap.

"And this?" His hands slid down and stroked her
belly, her curved hips, then dipped between her slick thighs, creeping ever
higher until his fingers were entwined in her woman's hair. "Does this
give you pleasure?"

"Aye, Garrett!" she cried out hoarsely,
parting her legs for him as he plied her secret heart until she was shaking
with desire.

"Tell me, sweet Madeleine," he demanded
thickly, lightly biting her shoulder. "Do you want me to stop?"

"No, dinna stop." Her words died on her
parted lips, all conscious thought lost to the liquid sensations rippling over
her. Garrett's hands were everywhere, her wet skin ablaze from his caress.

"How do you like this?" he groaned against
her ear as he lifted her up and filled her with his body. Madeleine gave out a
cry of intense pleasure, the urgent pressure of his hand, his fingers, too much
for her. She bore down upon him even as his deep thrusts heightened to a fever
pitch. Their release came so suddenly, so swiftly, she thought for sure she
would die from the shuddering force of it.

She collapsed against him, her head lolling to one side
as she fought to catch her breath. She could not have been more startled when
he lifted her from him and rose with her from the tub, her body still weak and
trembling from her climax.

He carried her to the bed, taking a brief moment to dry
their flushed limbs with the soft towels piled there, then he fell back upon
the mattress with her on top of him, her silky thighs straddling his hips. She
gasped when he entered her, his body hard and aroused.

"How?" she asked breathlessly, her eyes wide
as he began to move slowly within her, her pleasure building anew.

Garrett's eyes burned into hers with a passion hardly
sated.

"I will never have enough of you, Maddie
Fraser," he said vehemently. "Never."

He pulled her to him and seized her lips, pouring out
all his inexpressible love for her in his kiss. He would never give up until
she believed in him. He would make her believe that he loved her!

Chapter 29

When Madeleine awoke the next morning she was alone in
the huge bed, and for that she was more than grateful. She sat up slowly, her
muscles somewhat sore. Her cheeks fired with shame at the rumpled condition of
the bedding. She could not believe how easily she had surrendered to Garrett,
their impassioned lovemaking carrying them far into the night.