The Highlander's Lady (20 page)

“I want ye, lass…” His voice was husky, vibrated against her neck, made her nipples ache for the same attention he’d paid to her flesh. “But I won’t take ye all the way.”

What was he talking about, taking her all the way? She nodded, not fully understanding, until her body hit the bed. She sank into the softness of the mattress, the plushness of the pillows.

“Wait,” she said, a bit frantic. “What do ye mean?”

Daniel came down on top of her, that weight that she’d been wondering about feeling even better now that it was covering her, pressing her firmly to the mattress. She wanted to spread her thighs and wrap her legs around him, just as she’d seen the lovers do behind the walls. There were so many questions she’d had when watching that were now being answered.

Daniel leaned up on his elbows, sucked her lower lip into his mouth as he watched her. She shivered, arched her back and didn’t want him to answer, just
act
.

“I willna take your virtue.”

She was glad for it, but had to know… “Why?”

Daniel’s eyes widened,
perhaps
not having expected her question. “Do ye want me to?”

She shook her head. “Nay, not yet. Not until we reach your home.”

He nodded. “That is what I thought as well. Why did ye ask why?”

Myra shrugged, the movement making her breasts rub tantalizingly against his chest. “I was but curious about your reasoning. I know my own reasons.”

He nuzzled against her neck.
“I want ye bad
. C
an ye feel it?”

Daniel pressed his hips forward, that hard length touching her in such a way she couldn’t help but cry out. “Aye!”

“I want ye, lass, there is no doubt, but I also want ye in my own bed.”

She didn’t know why, but the way he said it, the possessiveness of it, imagining what his bed would look like made her want the same thing.

Then came the logical side… She shouldn’t want it.
Especially
since she was still planning on returning to her own castle. Her people. She had responsibilities, that didn’t include Daniel or making love. Instantly she was contrite. Here she was behaving like a selfish wanton while her people suffered, while the Bruce could be suffering from a butchering.

“What?” Daniel asked
.
Seeming to notice
the change in her, he stopped kissing her and pulled back.

She wished to take back the moment. For once she could have something for herself, couldn’t she? She’d just have to pray in the morning. Fast for a day or seven. Hide in the garderobe with nothing to comfort her save a hair shirt. Until then she was seizing this moment as her own.
Before she could
act,
a knock came at the door.
Daniel was quick to get off of her, the bed shifting with the loss of his weight. Myra
sat
up
, legs hanging over the side of the bed
and straighten
ed
herself out.

When he answered the door, the look that Marta gave them showed she knew what had been happening. Myra’s face heated. Was she that obvious? Was Daniel? She looked
toward him, besides his missing sporran he looked completely normal, his usual
fearsome
self.

So what had the housekeeper seen? Myra groaned inside. She was never very good at hiding her feelings. From the swollen feel of her lips, the tingling on her neck where Daniel’s stubble had scraped her skin
,
it was possible that she hadn’t needed to give anything away. One look at her probably told the woman what had happened.

“Your bath, my lady,” the housekeeper said, keeping her eyes on the wall ahead.

A few servants filed in with a wooden tub, linens, soaps and buckets of water. Myra waited patiently as they finished preparing her bath and then left just as quietly as they’d served her.

“Your bath, my lady,” Daniel said with a wicked glint in his eyes.

“Shouldn
’t
ye be leaving?” Myra raised her brow in challenge.

Daniel slowly shook his head. Just that simple gesture and what it implied had gooseflesh rising along her limbs.

“I dinna intend to go anywhere. In fact, I intend to join ye.”

“What?” She gaped at him.

“Aye.” He stalked toward her, prowess in his every move. His knees touched hers and he reached out, his finger sliding over her bared collarbone until he hooked inside her gown at her shoulder. “I intend to…take care of ye.”

Oh how his words had so many different meanings. And Myra didn’t blink an eye. She wanted him to.

She stood, suddenly feeling every bit as bold as she had before. “Then
I’d
best
get
out of this gown.”

Daniel’s mouth fell open a little, his pupils dilated—ag
ain she’d taken
him
by surprise.
Had he thought she wasn’t serious?
This is what she so desperately wanted. To escape. To feel
what it was like to be with a man
who
wanted her
.

Who knew what the future held
? S
he didn’t
. A
nd as Daniel said before, she couldn’t predict it either.

Chapter Eighteen

W
hat in all
holy
hell was going on here?

Daniel’s hands trembled as though he’d never been with a woman before. Truth be told
,
he’d never been with a woman like Myra. She was skittish one moment and a fiery wildcat the next. Her prickly nature drew him close at the same time it pushed him away.

But he wasn’t going to let anything get in the way of pleasuring her. Stilling his hands through sheer willpower
,
he stepped toward her, let his heated gaze
rove
up and down her body until her cheeks matched the flames in the hearth. He noted how her own hands trembled.

Not as bold as she wanted to let on. Good.

Daniel reached for her, stroking his hand over her hip and then settling on the small of her back. The room was silent save for her catch of breath and the occasional pop from the hearth. Blood pounded in his ears as it made its way down to his cock. He tugged her close until she was flush against him.
Her eyelids fluttered at the impact, her mouth parted in a silent moan. He felt the same way. The heat of her body against his, the feel of the apex of her thighs cradling his arousal.
Even through the blush on her face, she kept her gaze locked on his
. Bold temptress
.

“Ye want me?” he asked.

She nodded.

“I want to hear ye say it.”

“Aye,” she whispered, then louder, “Aye.”

She licked her lip, making him want to take her tongue into his mouth.

“But first
, I
want a bath…and to reach your castle.”

Daniel grinned and winked at her. “Aye. Ye’ll get a bath, and I’ll teach ye something of lovemaking, but I’ll leave your maidenhood intact—although not unblemished.”

“Oh,” she said on a breath.

Desire coiled inside Daniel, ready to spring, ready to toss her onto the bed and ravish her.

“Get undressed,” he said, his voice low, husky.

Myra nodded
, took a step back
and slowly took off the gilded
belt
at her hips
. He watched her fingers as they skimmed over her gown until she lifted it over her head. She tossed it to the side, the sound of her fluttering fabric
mixing with their heavier breaths. The chemise she wore was still too tight
, her nipples hard little buds pressed tightly against the fabric which hugged the mounds of her ample breasts.
Before he could think better on it, Daniel reached out, traced the outside of her right breast, watching as her chest rose and fell in a more erratic pattern.
Good God, he’d never been with a more perfect woman.

“Daniel,” she breathed.

His eyes snapped back to hers. They were cloudy with desire, her lids partially lowered. She stepped closer so that her breast filled his hand, the hard bud of her nipple pressing against his palm.

“I’ve never…felt anything like this,” she said.

“Me either,” he confessed. There’d been plenty of women, many breasts, but none as
flawless
as Myra’s. None so honest in their reaction to his touch.

He slipped his fingers into the edges of her chemise on her shoulder, the softness of her skin branding his fingertips.
Sliding
his fingers down toward the ribbons between her breasts
, he
tugged lightly. The fabric fell open, exposing the delicate
creamy
swells. Daniel slid the fabric off, letting it
fall to the floor in ripples of fabric
. Myra let out a gasp
, gooseflesh pebbling her skin, and attempted to shield
her nakedness
.

“Ye’re cold. Best get in the tub afore the water completely cools,” Daniel said, trying with every ounce of his willpower not to let his eyes dip below hers.

Myra nodded
,
turned
and hurried
toward the tub. His eyes did drift then over the round, fullness of her arse. Perfect for grabbing, stroking… He had to stop himself from touching. She lifted
one
perfect, long, sculpted leg into the tub, then the other, sinking low into the water
, covering her breasts from his view
.

Daniel let out a long breath he didn’t realize he was holding.
This was going to be the longest, most excruciating bath of his life.

He cleared his throat.
“Mind if I wash your hair?”

She shook her head and dunked under the water, coming up and using both hands to wipe the water from her face. “’Tis not completely cold yet,” she said.

Daniel pulled up a chair behind her, stroked his fingers over her wet hair and massaged her scalp. He could have spent the rest of winter sitting
here
, touching her, exploring her body.

Myra sniffed one of the balls of soap before handing it too him
. “’Tis lemon.”

“Smells good,
” he replied. “Are ye surprised?
”

She laughed nervously. “A little. I admit when we first arrived, I did not think they’d even have clean water let alone sweet smelling soaps.
”

“I believe it must be the housekeeper’s d
oing
. The Bruce has not been the same since his wife died.”

Myra nodded. “’Twas the same for my father. I suspect losing
the
one ye love is devastating to the soul.”

Daniel suspected she was right. Even when he’d only watched the wild boar bear down on her he’d seen red fury. If she’d been killed he wasn’t sure what he would have felt—and he didn’t love her. Did he?

Just thinking on the word made his hands tremble once more.
His chest tightened acutely. Must have been something he ate.
He made quick work of washing her hair, hoping doing something so mundane
it
would help him to get over whatever ailed him.
Love was not an emotion he had the luxury of. Not now, not ever. He was a warrior. He would bring his wife home to Blair then return to war with the hopes that she was with
child should he not ever come home.

But those thoughts only turned his mind dark. He shoved them aside and instead concentrated on the lushness of her hair, the tangy scent of lemons and the small sighs she made as he massaged her hair into a thick lather.

“Ye wash hair much better than my maid,” Myra commented.

Daniel chuckled. “I think ’tis because I enjoy it a lot more.”

“Ye’re probably right about that,” Myra said, a smile in her voice.
Her eyes were closed, head tilted back. Soap bubbles skimmed the top of the water and the only bit of flesh he could see were the two points of her knees poking out.

“I need to rinse your hair,” Daniel said with reluctance. He’d enjoyed touching her… Then again, he’d not yet begun to bathe her body and that was
certain to be more tempting than
washing her hair.

Myra sank under the water and Daniel made quick work of rinsin
g the suds from her hair
, then gently brought her back to the surface. He leaned in close, pressing his nos
e nearly to her scalp and inhaled
her scent.

“Smells good,” he murmured.

Myra sighed. “Aye, I’ve not had a proper bath in quite a while.”

Daniel tilted her head so she could see him, and he smiled wickedly. “Ye consider this proper? I wonder what ye’d think is wicked?” As he said the latter, he stroked his hands deliberately over her shoulders to the warm, wet globes of her
breasts. His breath came out in a shudder. Her skin was perfect silk in his grasp.
Daniel lowered his lips to hers, brushing tenderly as he continued to play with her sensitive flesh.
He massaged her breasts, brushed his thumbs over her nipples, felt her harsh exhale against his face.

“Nay, ’tis not proper at all.”
Myra moaned, arching her back.

Daniel had to slow down or else he’d end up in the tub with her…which actually was exactly what he wanted, but would only end in taking her virginity which he’d promised not to do yet. Regrettably he pulled his hands away and scooted his chair to the side of the tub.

“I need to wash your body.” The words and their meaning were practical, but uttered in the face of
a
woman who was flushed with desire, lips parted in the most sensual way, they could only be considered risqué. Not to mention
they brought to mind all manner
of things he wished to do with her.

Myra nodded and handed him the linen square the servants had left. Daniel picked up the ball of lemon soap he’d used to wash her hair, dunked the cloth into the water and then rubbed soap vigorously onto it. Doing so did not make his task any less meaningful as he’d hoped.

Daniel
held out his hand, grateful when she simply laid hers in his
. Stroking
the cloth up and down her arm,
he
watch
ed
the suds bubble on her flesh. He rubbed over her shoulders, down her other arm and back again.
For the longest time, he avoided her breasts while he washed her neck, chest and arms.

“I think my arms are thoroughly clean, do ye n
ot?” A small, teasing smile curv
ed Myra’s lips.

Daniel laughed. “I suppose they are.”

“How about my legs?” She lifted on
e
foot onto the edge of the tub, her skin slick with water.
Her eyes were wide as though she surprised even herself with her bold move. Oh,
how she tempted him… And she must know it too.
He resisted the urge to stroke over her thigh with his bare fingers and instead soaped up the cloth even more.

“I’m happy to oblige ye,” he murmured. Daniel took the soapy cloth and slowly swiped it over the tips of her toes, the sole of her foot, chuckling as she jerked and then laughed.

“That tickles.”

“What this?” He did it again.

Once more she jerked and laughed.
“Stop!” The joyous sound of her tinkling laughter made Daniel smile and realize how much more there was to live for in life.

He did stop tickling her foot. However, he massaged the cloth up over her calf, kneading the muscles, admiring her lithe limb, and then swiped beneath her knee
,
making her jolt.

“Does that tickle too?” Daniel grinned mischievously.

Myra bit her lip. “Nay…”

He grinned wider, and instead of using the cloth, tantalized the sensitive flesh at the back of her knee with his fingertips.
Myra gasped and pulled her leg up higher, bending her knee closer toward her chest. The move, meant to cease his tickling did something else entirely.

The soap bubbles parted to clear water
..
.
completely exposing her mons.

The dark raven curls of her sex part
ed
to reveal the pink petals of flesh beneath. Daniel gritted his teeth, his eyes riveted to the spot.
H
ow he wished to dive beneath the water and kiss her sex. Breathe in the essence of her womanhood, taste her heat, feel her thighs quiver on either side of his face. Seeing where his gaze was drawn, Myra quickly covered her
self
with her hands, long fingers delving between her thighs. He knew she meant to hide herself, but it only increased his desire.

“Och, lass…” he started. Daniel swiped wet hands through his hair, turned his gaze toward her face. He could
take it no longer. Daniel reached forward, threading his hands through her damp hair and bent his mouth to hers.

He captured her lips in a deep, demanding kiss, swiping his tongue inside. He took control of her mouth, claiming her once more as his own. Myra did not back down, in fact she met his tongue full force. Gripped his shoulders, tugging him closer. Where her wet hands touched his shirt left cool, damp spots clinging to his flesh.