My Daring Highlander (43 page)

Was her aunt being truthful? She
couldn’t figure out a reason Patience would need to manipulate her
now. Malcolm would treat her well and provide for her.

Seona was unsure she’d had such a
quick change of heart, but she didn’t want to argue on her official
wedding day. “I’m willing to forgive anyone who’s truly sorry for
what they’ve done.”

Her aunt nodded with sad acceptance.
“I know you have a hard time believing me, but I’ll prove it to
you.”

The reverend motioned them forward.
Seona took Malcolm’s arm and they stepped into the tiny chapel with
its polished oak ceiling and gray stone floor. She found her knees
were weak as she stood on the threshold. She had been in this
chapel a few times before, but never had the stained glass windows
appeared so vivid and colorful.

Keegan waited for her at the front,
near the altar. She focused on his smiling sky-blue eyes, shining
with love and happiness, as she made her way toward him.

They repeated the vows they’d already
said to each other in private days before. If possible, Seona meant
the words even more now. Her love for Keegan grew each
day.

When the ceremony was over, the
minister announced they were man and wife. Keegan placed a quick
kiss upon her lips and rushed her out the door. His friends
followed, and once they’d exited the church, let loose shrill
whistles and made raucous and bawdy comments.

Keegan glanced back, then dragged
Seona behind a thick yew bush where he promptly kissed her
senseless.

***

A week later, relief flowed through
Keegan when they topped a very tall hill and spied Teasairg Castle
in the distance. The sun hung low in the sky, casting vivid yellow,
orange and pink across the horizon and the loch.

“What a beautiful sunset,” Seona said,
riding pillion. Although she had her own horse, he wanted her as
close as possible in the event Haldane attacked again. And he was
simply addicted to the feel of her body against his.

“Aye,” he agreed. “But not as
beautiful as you.”

“You are naught but a charmer,” she
chided, playfully smacking his arm.

He grinned and twisted around for a
kiss. He savored her sweet lips, wanting to drag her onto his
lap.

“We’ll arrive at Teasairg soon enough
and you two can take a private room,” Fraser said.

Talia, riding a separate horse behind
his, blushed.

“Do you think your brother will allow
us to honeymoon there?” Keegan asked.

Fraser snorted. “’Haps. So long as you
don’t flaunt your marital bliss too much.”

MacMillan rode by, Lady Patience
behind him. They had secretly married just a few hours after Seona
and Keegan. And he was glad to see the lady no longer glared at
him. In fact, she had taken on the unusual habit of smiling at
everyone. He supposed MacMillan deserved the credit for that.
Keegan still didn’t trust her, but he hoped she’d truly
changed.

He guided his horse forward, wanting
to arrive and see how Dirk fared, not to mention eating and taking
Seona to bed. Not that he preferred eating food to bedding her, but
he would need his strength. He grinned, imagining all the
delicious, naughty things he would do to her. They’d had very
little private time over the past week and he looked forward to
much more.

An hour later, they neared the castle
gates. Once the guards recognized Dermott and Fraser at the
forefront of their party, they raised the portcullis.

Horses’ hooves clomped across the
thick wooden boards of the long bridge that led out to the small
island where the castle sat.

Guards and groomsmen greeted them in
the walled courtyard. Keegan dismounted and lifted Seona down. The
smile she gifted him with inspired him to give her another quick
kiss.

“What the devil is going on
here?”

Keegan turned at the familiar voice
and watched Dirk approaching with a grin, hardly a limp in his
step.

“Cousin.” Keegan took Dirk’s forearm
in a warrior handshake. “Are you well?”

“Aye. My leg is mended and only a wee
bit of soreness remains.”

“Thanks be to God,” Seona
said.

“Chief, I’d like you to meet my wife,”
Keegan said proudly, his arm around Seona’s shoulders.

Dirk’s smile grew wider and he bowed.
“I’m more than happy to welcome you to the clan, m’lady.” He shook
Keegan’s hand again and gave him a back-slapping embrace. “’Twas
what I was hoping to hear. But how could it be anything else since
you brought her back, aye? Isobel will be happy to hear this news
as well.”

“I’ll go find her.” Seona rushed up
the steps and inside, Talia following.

Rebbie strode forward and greeted
Dirk.

“What of Chief Murray?” Dirk
asked.

“Dead,” Rebbie said.

Dirk’s eyes widened and darted to
Keegan. “What happened?”

“’
Tis a long story,” Keegan
said. “Come. I’ll tell you. But first, I will say there is naught
to worry over. I signed a peace treaty with Malcolm Murray, the new
chief.”

“In truth? You did well,
Keegan.”

“The only bad thing is that Haldane
and McMurdo are still roaming free.”

Dirk frowned. “Well, they are wily.
And I always feel torn about Haldane. On the one hand, he is my
brother and I hate to see him dead. On the other, he keeps trying
to kill me, so we have to take him out if we can.”

Keegan nodded. “I feel the same way. I
suspect he and his men have hastened to Durness to ambush us when
we arrive back there.”

“Saints! ’Tis a good thing I left
plenty of men guarding Dunnakeil, including my sword-bearer. I ken
Jessie couldn’t handle it alone,” Dirk said.

“Nay.” ’Twas true Dirk’s sister was
tough, but she was not a fearsome warrior.

“We’ll need to return as soon as
possible.”

***

That night after supper, Seona and
Keegan were escorted to one of the nicest bedchambers at Teasairg.
Seona had noticed Isobel whispering with the maids during supper.
Now, she and Keegan stood just inside the closed door of the
chamber. A huge tub of steaming water sat before the hearth, where
a roaring fire burned. The covers were turned back on the bed, the
clean white sheets glowing in the candlelight. A bottle of wine and
two silver goblets sat on a small table along with a vase of
bluebells.

“’
Tis amazing,” Seona
whispered, her throat tight. Tears burned her eyes.

“Och.” Keegan took her into his arms,
his warmth and strength seeping into her. “Why are you
crying?”

“Because I’m so happy. I never truly
thought ’twould be possible to have you for my own.”

He grinned and kissed her forehead.
“Well, maybe I believed it enough for both of us.”

She stared up into his blue eyes,
turned darker in the night. There was naught she enjoyed more…
well, except for kissing him… and making love to him.

He leaned down, claiming her lips with
slow sweet kisses that grew hotter and more urgent with each moment
that passed. He tasted of spiced wine and she could not get
enough.

He groaned and pulled back an inch.
“’Tis time for us to indulge in something we haven’t
yet.”

“What?” Seona wondered what else she
needed to know about lovemaking. Since they’d only gotten to spend
two nights together since that first time, because of crowded
sleeping arrangements and various other problems, she was certain
she had a lot more to learn about marital relations.

“Bathing each other.” He unclasped the
brooch holding his plaid together at his shoulder, then unbuttoned
his doublet.

She watched, fascinated, as
he quickly stripped off each article of clothing—his boots, his
belt, his plaid, his shirt. And then he was bare. She held her
breath, taking in all his delicious golden skin and sculpted
muscles. His chest, his rippled abdomen and the trail of gilded
hair that led down to…
Heavens!
He was fully aroused.

And now, so was she.

“What are you doing?” he asked, moving
toward her.

She swallowed hard.
“Naught.”

“Aye, exactly. You were supposed to be
undressing.” He unbelted her arisaid and let it drop to the floor,
then quickly divested her of the rest of her clothing.

When she stood before him naked, she
shivered. Not because of cold, but because his gaze was so hot,
like blue flame touched to kindling. He lifted her and stood her in
the tub, then sat down on the opposite end.

“Come.” He motioned her toward
him.

When she lowered herself between his
muscular thighs and leaned back against his hard chest and hard…
other things, she felt almost sinful. But he was her husband, and
there was no need for shame or embarrassment.

Taking the soap, he lathered his
hands, then glided his palms up her wet arms and over her
shoulders, massaging deeply. She sighed in delight. After bathing
her neck, he trailed his hands down to her breasts, gently cupped
and caressed them. He uttered a breathy moan in her ear.

Once he’d soaped his hands again, he
trailed them down to her hips. He drew her onto his lap, turned her
slightly toward him and kissed her lips, delicious sinful tongue
kisses. The next thing she knew, his hand was between her thighs,
stroking over her most sensitive parts. She gasped and widened her
legs, craving more of his intoxicating touch.

He groaned. “Aye.”

“I want you,” she whispered, the ache
inside her growing more intense.

“You must bathe me first, m’lady.” He
grinned and handed her the soap.

What?
She could scarce form a coherent thought. But she made an
effort.

After scrambling off his lap, she
knelt facing him, between his legs. She glanced down to see the tip
of his shaft protruding from the water. Heat and arousal drenched
her. Dropping the soap, she slid her lathered hands up and down his
sleek, stone-hard length.

He muttered a curse and stiffened, his
eyes growing even darker. Was he near to losing control? Deciding
to tease and tempt him, she took the soap and slicked it over his
sculpted chest, around his neck, under his arms.

When he tried to stroke her nipples,
she caught his hand and washed his arm but his other hand found its
mark, tweaking her already hard nipple.

He pulled her astride his thighs.
“Lean back.”

“Why?”

“I want to wash your hair.” He
grinned.

Looking into his mischievous eyes, she
wondered what he was about. “How?”

“Do you trust me?”

“Aye, you ken I do.”

“Then relax.”

When she leaned backward, he dipped
her long hair into the water, then pulled her upright. He combed
soapy fingers through her hair then rubbed his fingertips against
her scalp. It felt heavenly. She sighed, enjoying that and his hard
member pressed against her lower belly.

“Time to lean back and rinse,” he
said. Once she did and her hair was free of suds, he tugged her up
again. “That was one luscious sight,” he murmured, his eyes
heavy-lidded with desire.

She blushed, imagining herself as he
must have seen her, back arched, breasts thrust upward.

He captured her lips in a carnal kiss,
sliding his tongue inside and taunting hers.

Abruptly, he pushed himself from the
tub, supporting her with one arm, and stood.

“We didn’t wash your hair
yet.”

“Later,” he said against her mouth and
carried her toward the bed.

“My hair is too wet,” she said.
“’Twill drench the sheets.”

He grinned wickedly. “Well, who needs
a bed?”

What did he mean?

She had already wrapped her legs
around his waist. Now, his shaft rubbed against her in a most
enticing way. She hissed. “Aye, Keegan.”

“Are you certain?” he
teased.

“Aye, I want you. Now.”

“Och, you are a demanding wench.” He
nibbled on her neck and positioned himself. With one hard thrust,
he slid to her depths.

She cried out at the sudden
penetration. Although she craved him, she was not yet accustomed to
his size. It always took her a few moments to adjust.

Holding himself deep within her, he
tongued her nipples, suckled them. She moaned and he started
moving, sliding in a slow and provocative manner. She sensed
something at her back. The door. And his arm. The other beneath her
hips. He held her just so, driving himself up into her at a faster
pace with each moment that passed. Pleasure ricocheted through her,
resounding, overwhelming. How was such intense sensation possible?
She held on ’round his neck, her fingers buried in his thick hair,
his mouth against hers, breathing hard, devouring. He consumed
every part of her and she begged for more.

He moved his hand between their
bodies, stroking with his thumb against a highly inflamed spot. Her
pleasure shot skyward and she screamed, clutching onto him. Ecstasy
crashed through her, rolling her along its violent waves. It stole
her breath.