Medieval Ever After (117 page)

Sharp-minded as she was, she wanted all the details of the plan. A flutter of pride brushed him.

“Aye, it’s been under English control for five years and has withstood plenty of attacks as well. But we have an advantage others didn’t—Jossalyn has lived in the castle. She told you, didn’t she?”

She nodded, so he went on.

“She’s helping us map the castle so that we’ll know its layout and weak spots. Plus, she knows how her brother thinks—as well as anyone can.”

“I assume that this siege is why your family is here, then? And that explains Jossalyn’s presence, but what about Meredith and Alwin?”

Daniel smiled to himself. “We thought it would look more like a family wedding celebration rather than a strategic planning meeting if the women came along. Besides, Alwin wanted to meet everyone, and no one tells her nay.”

Rona halted in her pacing and shot him a quizzical look.

“Is that what Garrick meant by comparing me to her? He thinks I’m stubborn and strong-willed?”

“Aye,” he said with amusement.

She snorted and rolled her eyes, which almost caused him to laugh. But then she sobered.

“And they all knew of this plan?”

She had a way of cutting right through to the heart of things—to
his
heart. He suddenly felt ashamed for not having told her sooner. He stepped in front of her and took both her hands in his.

“Aye, they all knew.”

“Why didn’t you tell me sooner?” Hurt laced her voice.

“I’m sorry, Rona. I was worried that telling you too much would put you in danger. I sent Malcolm away.”

“What? What does he have to do with this?” Her brow furrowed again and she tried to pull her hands back, but he held them fast.

“Probably nothing,” he sighed, “but he seemed too watchful. There are spies everywhere, and—”

“You thought him a spy?” she interjected incredulously.

“Not necessarily. All I mean is that information is at a premium. Those who have it can always sell it, and those who want it…they’ll take it.” He squeezed her hands reflexively, suddenly feeling protective.

“So, you thought to protect me by keeping me in the dark about all of this?”

He could sense that her temper was beginning to flare, but so was his at her disbelieving tone.

“Aye, Rona, and I’ll not apologize for trying to keep you safe,” he responded darkly.

This time she did yank her hands from his and spun on her heels so that her back was to him.

“Is that really the only reason?” she said quietly. “Are you sure it wasn’t simply that you still don’t trust me?”

He raked a hand through his hair in frustration but forced himself to contemplate her words before responding rashly.

“If I am honest…” he eventually said, “then I suppose I have to own up to the fact that I held on to reservations about trusting you.”

Her shoulders slumped but she didn’t say anything.

“Things have not always gone smoothly for us, wife,” he said softly. “We have both harbored doubts and suspicions, and we have both kept things from each other. But I’m telling you now.”

She turned her head slightly toward him so that her profile was illuminated by the low fire.

“And this is the end of it? No more secrets?”

He gently turned her around by her shoulders.

“Aye, no more secrets. I…I want what my brothers and cousin have. I want a happy marriage.”

“I want that too,” she whispered, her eyes wide and vulnerable.

He suddenly bent in front of her on one knee.

“Rona, I swear to you that I won’t lie or hide things from you ever again. I will protect you, care for you, and trust you.”

She stared down at him in surprise for a heartbeat. Then slowly, she knelt next to him.

“Daniel, I swear that I won’t lie or deceive you ever again, either. Thank you for trusting me with this information. I will trust you, too.”

He held her gaze, trying to remember this moment—how beautiful she looked in the firelight, how connected he felt with her, how much the hope of a happy future with her stirred him. Their spoken vows tonight deepened the ones they’d said on their wedding day. Though they had been ordered to say their marriage vows, these they spoke freely and earnestly, with a heartfelt commitment to build a trusting and strong union. His chest squeezed, and he noticed that her eyes shimmered with emotion.

Something in the air suddenly shifted around them, and his eyes flickered to her lips, which were softly parted. Leaning forward, he kissed her gently, a mere press of their lips. But it quickly transformed into a deeper kiss. She tilted her head and pressed into him more firmly, her breasts molding to his chest.

Unbidden, his cock suddenly came to life under his kilt. Even after all their lovemaking in the last couple of weeks, his response to her was immediate and overpowering.

His tongue invaded her mouth, and he nearly groaned at the velvety warmth inside. She kissed him back passionately, urgently. She met his caresses with desperation, like she was trying to communicate something to him.

His arms snaked around her waist, pulling her more firmly against him. Every nerve ending in his body sang at the feel of her hips flush against his, her breasts pressed into his chest, and her hands settling on his shoulders.

Suddenly, she pulled back from their kiss. She gazed up at him with a crease between her brows, panting from their breathless embrace.

“I want to show you that I trust you,” she whispered. “I want to show you…like you showed me in the study.”

Confusion swamped him for a moment, but then he remembered that blisteringly hot afternoon they’d spent in his study, when she’d ridden him in his chair. He’d let her lead, let her take her pleasure, willingly giving her control to prove he trusted her.

Suddenly his mind was flooded with all the implications of what she was saying now.

“I want to give you pleasure,” she breathed, holding him with her gaze. “I want you to take your pleasure from me.”

His heart slammed in his chest in anticipation. He would be in control. He liked that very much.

“There is something we haven’t done yet,” he said, pinning her with his eyes.

“Show me,” she whispered.

He rose from his knees slowly. She started to stand, too, but he placed a hand on her shoulder.

“Nay, stay like that,” he breathed. Christ, but his blood was pounding as if he’d just fought a battle.

She tilted her head back so that she could gaze at him from her crouch on the floor.

“Take off my boots and hose.”

She obliged, letting her fingers run down his legs as she untied his boots and peeled down his knee-high woolen hose.

“Now reach under my kilt.”

Her lips parted slightly, desire burning in her eyes as she slowly moved her hands under the hem of his kilt. Her nails gently grazed his thighs, sending a shiver through him. She went higher still, and higher, so tantalizingly slow that his stomach clenched in anticipation. Then her fingertips brushed his manhood, and he jerked reflexively.

Her hands moved over him somewhat tentatively, but as he groaned under her touch, she grew more bold and confident. As her hand slid over his cock, he impatiently ripped his shirt out from the top of his kilt and flung it onto the ground. Then he unfastened his belt, and his kilt was sent pooling to the floor around them.

She paused in her stroking caresses and let her eyes travel all over his body. He watched her as she drank in the sight of him, clearly enraptured by him. God, they were lucky to both be so drawn to each other in this way. Aye, they had their struggles, but he sent up a blessing for the Bruce’s unknowingly skillful matchmaking abilities.

He clenched his teeth as he gazed down at her, already wanting more.

“Now take me in your mouth,” he gritted out.

Her eyes fluttered up to his, a look of surprise and shock at his bold words written on her face. But then her features transformed back into the lust-filled look she’d had a moment before.

“That will give you pleasure?”

“Oh, aye, very much.”

She leaned forward and slowly flicked her tongue across the head of his swollen cock. His head fell back and he cursed, which was all the encouragement she needed. She circled him with her tongue, exploring and teasing.

“More,” he rasped, nearly undone at the feel of her hot tongue.

She took more of him in her mouth, sucking and flicking her tongue as her lips surrounded him. He groaned again, and it took all of his strength not to thrust his hips. Instead, he laced his fingers through her fiery locks, massaging her scalp.

She began to rock slightly so that he moved in and out of her mouth. That was nearly his undoing. Not wanting to end this scorching-hot night so soon, he reluctantly pulled away from her.

She looked up at him, her eyes sparkling bright.

“I didn’t realize this was part of lovemaking.”

“And two can play at this game, love,” he said, another idea forming. “Undress for me.”

He moved to the bed and threw back the coverlet, then sat on the edge. She rose and turned toward him.

She began loosening the ties at the back of her gown and eventually freed herself enough to shimmy out of the dress. The fire was at her back, and he could see her lithe outline through her linen chemise.

Her hands went to the ties of the chemise, but a look of uncertainty crossed her face. He realized suddenly that though they had been naked with each other before, she’d never stood completely bare in front of him.

“You are the most beautiful woman I’ve ever seen,” he said lowly. “Show me all of you.”

She relaxed and a faint smile teased at her mouth. She let the loosened chemise fall from her shoulders and stepped out of the puddle of fabric it made at her feet.

She might as well have been an ancient goddess. Her hair, riled from his fingers, cascaded around her in fiery waves. Her eyes pinned him, bluer than a perfect summer sky. He let his gaze travel down over her body, and he inhaled sharply.

Her skin was milky-white everywhere. Those pert, shapely breasts, each one rose-tipped, tapered into a narrow, flat stomach. He couldn’t wait to grip those delicately curved hips and have her long, shapely legs wrapped around him.

Like lightning, he shot from the edge of the bed and scooped her up. She squeaked in surprise as he tossed her onto her back on the bed. Then he pulled her to the edge and knelt in front of her. With one hand on each of her knees, he spread her legs.

“What are you doing?” she blurted out as he lowered his head to the apex of her legs.

“As I said, two can play this game.”

“And it would give you pleasure to do this…to me?” Surprise mixed with incredulity in her voice.

“Oh, Rona, you have no idea,” he said, sending her a devilish look. Then without waiting further, he flicked his tongue across her sex.

She gasped and bucked, but he held her steady. He let his hands slide to her hips and brought his mouth down on her again, this time gripping her firmly.

He laved her, swirling his tongue over that perfect spot of pleasure until she was writhing and panting uncontrollably. Her moans were growing incoherent, and her hips were beginning to rise of their own accord to meet his demanding mouth.

Soon. Soon he would be inside her, claiming her body as she claimed his.

He pulled back and stood suddenly, unable to hold out any longer. He took her hips in his hands and raised them slightly, then pressed the tip of his cock against her entrance.

In one hard thrust he was inside her. She gasped and moaned again, arching her back to take him in. From his position standing over her at the edge of the bed, he could look down the length of her body. He drank in the sight of her breasts, which rose and fell rapidly with her erratic breathing. Her hair was splayed wildly across the bed, and her eyes were closed in ecstasy.

He eased out and thrust forward again. He wanted to make this last, but her wetness and tightness threatened to undo him in a matter of seconds. He buried himself inside her and circled his hips, grinding into her.

She dug her fingers into the bedding in pleasurable agony.

“More,” she whispered. “Please, Daniel, more. Take me.”

It was too much. Her words sent him to another plane of desire. He jerked back from her and faster than a flash of lightning, he grabbed her hips and flipped her over on the bed so that she was lying on her stomach. Again, he gripped her hips and lifted her so that she came up onto her hands and knees.

Without waiting, he thrust into her once again. She inhaled sharply at the new sensation of him entering her from behind. She pressed back into him encouragingly. He grasped one of her hips, but let his other hand slide down to the top of her sex to find that spot of pleasure again.

He thrust in and out, moving his fingers over her sex with one hand while the other grasped her supple bottom. His urgent, rough motion was bringing them both tantalizingly close to the edge of release.