Highland Temptation (20 page)

In response, he pushed her head back down to his chest. She obliged him, her lips moving from one side of his chest to the other as she licked and kissed and suckled him. Then she moved lower, over his ridged abdomen, to his navel, and down the light trail of hair to his cock, which she gave her full attention.

He was already hard, and she nibbled around his base, then up his shaft to the head, where she took the whole thing into her mouth, pushing down until his crown nudged at the back of her throat. She couldn't take him all—he was too big—so she held him with one hand, pumping as she drew her mouth over him, up and down, tasting him, feeling him growing harder beneath her lips and tongue even as the area between her legs began to tingle with need.

Finally, she couldn't stand it a moment longer. Straddling him, she positioned him at her entrance. Gazing at him—her husband—she lowered herself onto him. He gripped her hips in his hands and pressed her down until they were locked together, both of them gasping at the absolute perfection of their joining.

They moved in unison, Emilia flattening her hands on both sides of his head, the tips of her breasts rubbing his chest each time she lowered herself over him.

The way he stroked her inside, the way his body pressed against that most sensitive part of hers when they were locked tightly together—she couldn't hold back. She rode him hard, desperately, climbing and climbing, her gasps emerging harshly.

His fingers tightened on her hips, his breath growing harsh along with hers as he lifted her up then pressed her down, each time touching a sensitive spot deep, deep inside her.

She ground herself onto him, touching a place that made her cry out. She did it again, and again, and then she exploded, her body wresting control from her, moving and undulating, pulsing over him. As if from a great distance, she felt him reach his peak, too, and he arched up, tight as a bow, before releasing a deep gasp and spilling his seed inside her. They pulsed together in unison, then slowly relaxed, both their bodies still surging with pleasure.

They talked into the night, both of them naked and warm, their skin pressed together as they spoke of the future, of their family the Highland Knights, of children of their own.

Finally, Colin sighed. “I'm not cured, Emilia,” he said softly. “The demons…they're still going to come. I can still feel them, lurking on the fringes of my consciousness.”

“I know,” she said softly, cupping his cheek. “I will fight them for as long as it takes. We'll fight them together.”

“I'm sorry,” he whispered. “I wish—”

“Shh,” she murmured. “Stop.”

He did stop, but this was something that he might—that they both might—struggle with for the rest of his life. She'd never know exactly what he'd been through in the war, and she didn't want to. All she knew was that he'd seen horrors beyond most humans' endurance.

She was prepared for those damned demons, and as she'd told the major, she'd fight them to her dying breath.

“The upcoming months…With your father's trial, it might be challenging at times.”

“I know,” she said. “Thank God I have you, and the Knights and the ladies.”

“You do have us,” Colin said. “And we'll be at your side through every minute of it.”

“Still…I'm glad Kingsman held on to all that evidence.”

Colin nodded. “So am I.”

“But you understand—even if he hadn't…Colin, you are the first person who's made me understand that I can be strong. I could do this even without Kingsman's evidence. Thanks to you, I finally know I could be strong enough.”

He kissed the top of her head but remained silent.

“Thank you so much,” she continued softly. “For showing me who I am. Who I can be. I love you so much.”

“You've done the same for me, Emilia,” he said quietly. “I was well on my way to going mad before you came to this house that night. And now…I know I can fight them. I know I can go on and fight them for as long as I need to.”

“We're strong together,” Emilia murmured.

“We are,” he agreed.

Finally, in the early hours of the morning, they fell asleep, each of them gleaning strength from the other. Each of them knowing that whatever challenge was thrown their way, now that they had each other they were strong enough to fight it.

N
INE
M
ONTHS
L
ATER

T
HE
H
IGHLANDS,
S
COTLAND

Emilia loved the Highlands. She loved the fairy-tale castle that Colin had spent his childhood in, only comprehending its true beauty as they rode onto his mother's lands late one winter afternoon. The sky was blue, the snowdrifts gleaming, and the castle glimmering in the light, its towers flying banners of welcome for its son. Behind it, the loch shimmered and sparkled in the sunlight. It was simply lovely, as were Colin's mother and twin sisters, who, as Emilia informed Colin late one night, were definitely not hags.

She wished they could stay forever, but their time here—a much-delayed honeymoon—was almost over. Tomorrow, they'd be returning to London, where Colin would join the Highland Knights for their next assignment.

Lord Pinfield's and the other traitors' trials had stretched on through the end of autumn. Emilia had kept abreast of the goings-on in the proceedings, and she had testified at several of the trials, but the ever-protective Highland Knights and their wives had shielded her from any and all negative gossip surrounding her part in the apprehension of her father.

She'd found, surprisingly, that most people she encountered were sympathetic. She wasn't sure if that was indicative of peoples' reactions in general, though, or the company the Highland Knights kept.

In the end, all the traitors were found guilty, and all of them had been sentenced to hang, but the sentences were later commuted to transportation to New South Wales. All the sentences, that was, but Pinfield's. He was hanged early in December, then beheaded as a traitor. Emilia and Colin had left England well before the execution took place, wanting no part of any of that horrible business.

The door handle turned, and Emilia looked up from the letter she was writing in their bedchamber to see Colin grinning at her. He strode forward, unbuttoning his coat, which was dusted with mist. He'd been gone since early this morning—he and his brothers-in-law had gone out riding to check the far edges of the estate and to visit the village.

Emilia rose. “Oh, I'm so glad you're back. I missed you.”

He took off his coat, then drew her into his arms, kissing the top of her head. “I missed you, too,
mo leannan.
”

She sank into his embrace for a long moment. They had been happy together. There had already been difficult times, what with Emilia's father's trial and Colin's continuing nightmares, but they had used their combined strength to get through it. Overall, the past months had been the happiest of Emilia's life, and Colin had told her it was the same for him. While his demons still came to him, he'd lost that haunted look she remembered so well, and he smiled and laughed far more frequently these days.

“Was everything well?” she asked him.

“Right as rain,” he said. “The land is proving fertile. The cattle are nice and fat. And the village appears to be thriving.”

“That is good news,” she agreed. Kissing his cheek, she added, “I received a letter from Claire today.”

“Oh?”

“Yes. She had her baby. A healthy girl.”

“Healthy? Are they sure?”

“Absolutely.”

Colin released a breath and murmured, “Thank God.” They'd all been a little worried about Claire's second pregnancy, since the first had led to such heartbreak.

“The babe is already almost three weeks old,” Emilia said. “They named her Elizabeth Grace.”

“A bonny name indeed. And they've honored Claire's sister.”

“Yes,” Emilia said before adding in a whisper, “and I have news of my own.”

He raised a brow at her. “Aye? What is it?”

She stepped back, took his hand in hers, and pressed his palm to her belly. “I'm with child.”

Pleasure widened his eyes. “Aye?” he whispered huskily. “Is that so?”

“It is,” she said, smiling up at him. Since their wedding day, they'd spoken of having children, and now it looked like their dream of having a large family might actually come to pass.

Colin bent down and kissed her tenderly, then scooped her up in his arms, took the few steps to the bed, and laid her upon it. Reverently and slowly, as if savoring each moment of it, he undressed her until every stitch of clothing had been removed. Then he moved over her and kissed a gentle trail from her belly up to her lips. He gazed at her, and the love in his eyes was so sincere and so overwhelming, she could hardly breathe.

“I love you,
mo leannan,
” he said.

“I love you, too.”

Colin made sweet love to her, and they lay holding each other until they were called to dinner. They spent the evening in the pleasant company of Colin's family, and the next day they were back in the carriage—a phaeton just like the one they'd used last time they'd come to Scotland—and on the road to London.

It was a sunny day, and Emilia had her drawing supplies beside her. But for now, as Colin turned the horses onto the road, she tilted her face to the blue sky, gratefulness flooding through her for all the blessings she'd been given in the past year. Freedom. A new family. A husband who understood her, who respected her and loved her deeply. Who would stay at her side through everything that life would throw at them.

She turned to him and smiled. “Thank you,” she said simply.

He gave her a quizzical look. “For what?”

“For giving me the opportunity to live again. For allowing me to have this wonderful life.”

“I didna give you anything, lass,” he said softly. “And you deserve all the happiness in the world.”

“So do you, Colin,” she murmured.

“And I have it. Right here, right now…this is the happiest moment of my life. But better, I ken there are more even happier moments to come.”

She moved closer to him, resting her head on his shoulder, sighing in contentment as they rode south, toward their home, their family, and their blessed life together.

As it turned out, Colin was right. There were many, many even happier moments, for both of them.

Forever after.

For Lawrence

Thanks to all the wonderful readers who've sent me notes about the Highland Knights series—I appreciate you more than I can say.

Thanks, as always, to Kate McKinley, who keeps me on the straight and narrow.

Thanks to my husband and children, who have stayed by my side through all the ups and downs of this wild writing ride, and who I can always count on to be there when I need them.

And thanks to my editor, Sue Grimshaw, who helped make my dream of the Highland Knights series a reality.

A Highlander's Heart

Highland Heat

Highland Awakening

Highland Temptation

PHOTO
:
RENEE
BOWEN

J
ENNIFER
H
AYMORE
is a
USA Today
bestselling author of sexy historical and contemporary romances. She lives in Southern California, where you'll find her trying to talk her husband into yet another trip to England, helping her three children with homework while brainstorming a new five-minute dinner menu, or crouched in a corner of the local bookstore writing her next novel.

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