Seducing the Highlander (30 page)

His lips found hers again in a kiss that held nothing back. He waited until she responded with equal passion and made the next move. As badly as he wanted her, he had no idea how he would stop, but he also knew he was not going to push her into anything. “Tell me what you want, love.”

Meriel’s body answered for her as her mouth became ravenous. With a small, hungry, deep moan, she arched into the warm palm of his hand, her body demanding relief.
“Buìochas!”
she cried out, thanking God. Her whole body felt alive.

Blood pounded in her veins, her knees trembled. She began to shake and cried out when he finally touched her. It was so gentle she could not believe the pleasure streaking through her. His name thundered in her head. She was about to say nothing could ever compare, but soon the pressure of his palm was not enough and she began to rock against his hand. Then, slowly, he parted her.

Craig was overwhelmed by the moist heat waiting for him. With one finger, he circled the opening of her body, lingering, caressing as a honey flood dampened his hand. Eyes closed, her body twisting, she began to moan with erotic pleasure. With his other hand, he stroked her face. She was so hot, and tight, and wet. Craig fought not to rush into his need to stroke and touch all of her, but he could hold out no longer.

Plunging one finger into her liquid warmth, Meriel arched her back once again. The sensations he was creating within her were almost unbearable, and yet her body only craved more. She wanted more of him inside her and lifted her hips against his hand. But instead he eased the one finger out of her snug passage, using her own moisture to lubricate her small, swelling button of desire. He repeated the action slowly and deliberately, easing his finger into her and then teasing the small nubbin of female flesh. Then he did it again. And again.

Meriel heard herself shout at Craig as she pressed herself against him, seeking release from the tension suffusing her body. She only half understood what he was doing to her. Part of her wanted him to ease her suffering and yet another part wanted him to continue, regardless if it caused her to go mad.

Then, as if he knew she could handle no more, Craig lowered his mouth to her breast, teasing her nipple once more as he introduced another finger into her. Meriel felt herself liquefy as his mouth suckled and his expert fingers began to widen her slick, hot channel, stretching her gently.

Then they delved deep into her heat, probing her with exquisite care, finding all the secret, hidden places and making them tingle with need. Meriel could feel herself spiraling out of control with excitement. Craig seemed to know exactly where to touch her—how lightly, how slowly, and how deeply.

He stroked and caressed until she was twisting uncontrollably in his arms. She cried out at the feelings sweeping through her, tumultuous, turbulent, wild, and untamed, as he dove deeper. She clung to him as she felt herself reaching another peak, straining and convulsing. Her mind blocked out everything except Craig. All she knew was that she wanted to be even closer to him.

Craig’s need for her had become excruciating and he could no longer deny himself release. His hands shook as he put them on her thighs and urged them to part, positioning his hips above hers.

When he looked down at her face, his eyes were dark and deep. Her breath quickened and her breasts began to heave with expectation. He prayed the fervor he knew was reflected in his gaze would not scare her.

He put his hands on both sides of her face and bent toward her mouth. He gave her a gentle kiss. Probing gently, he dampened himself in the moisture between her legs, praying he could control his need for just a little longer. Her hands gripped his shoulders very tightly and he knew the anticipation was threatening to overwhelm her. Her trembling limbs clung to him, but Craig could also see that Meriel wanted this just as much as he. She was holding on to him, looking at him with such trust. He knew then that she would never let him go. He would never again be alone.

Craig cupped her face in his hands and whispered hoarsely, “You belong to me . . . do you understand?”

Seeing her nod, he settled himself between her thighs and lifted her hips. As slowly as he could manage, he began to penetrate. She was slick with need, hot, and tight—he knew without a doubt she was made for him. He paused only when he felt the shield of her virginity.

Meriel held her breath, waiting for the terrible, tearing pain. He was big. At first she thought too big, but he was moving gradually, opening her, giving her body time to adjust to his size as he made a place in the very heart of her. Then he stopped. Moving neither in nor out. A moan of despair, of desire, escaped her throat. Her body felt as if it were half ice, half flame. She needed him to continue with what he started.

Burning with need, Craig cried out the moment Meriel began to move in desperate need. His hands steadied her hips, arresting her movement. And still she felt incredible—warm, tight—all liquid pressure. His restraint was slipping and he could feel himself coming apart. Clenching his jaw, he locked his gaze on hers and then ripped past her thin barrier of protection, driving forward to the core of her body, making her his for all eternity.

Hearing her shocked cry of pain, Craig’s body went rigid. But when she reacted on instinct and tried to pull back, he refused to let her, keeping himself buried deep within her tight passage. He trapped her face between his hands. “It’s all right, love,” he groaned, savoring the feel of possession. “The pain is over now, I promise.” And to help bring her back to a state of arousal, his tongue plunged into her mouth, hungry in its quest to mate with her.

Pulling out slightly, he wanted to give her time to adjust, but the throbbing of his arousal was agonizing. He couldn’t stop. He drove into her swiftly, filling her completely with one long, powerful stroke. Her eyes widened, but this time there was no pain reflected in the green-and-gold liquid pools. Craig took her mouth again and began to move.

Meriel was astonished at how her body could go from such anguish to such ecstasy. The sensations were mind numbing, all consuming. He was hot, huge, and rock solid, and stretched her very limit as he buried himself in her as deeply as he could. But he felt right. It was as if her body had been made for him. She met his thrust, urging him to move faster.

Craig grasped her hips, refusing to let her bring him prematurely to climax. His jaw locked and his teeth clenched as she clung to him. She was still incredibly tight, and each time he entered her it was like going through the gates of heaven. She felt so good, surrounding him completely, and he drove deeper into her melting core. Her eyes closed, her back arched against him, moans escaping her beautiful lips, begging him for something she could not name.

He dug deep to hold on and not spontaneously combust from their delirious friction, allowing his tightly reined desire to uncoil slightly as he urged deeper, farther. His pace increased and she matched him, raising her hips to his every thrust. And still it was not enough.

At the sight of her writhing, crying out in demand for more, the full force of his own hunger broke over him. Her hips were pressing so eagerly against his own, he could no longer restrain the intensity of this thrusts. And with a groan, he crushed her lips beneath his. He drove into her again and again, with a fevered urgency that left him reeling, breathless, unlike anything he had ever experienced.

Waves of ecstasy throbbed through Meriel as her body, of its own accord, followed the tempo of his. Her desire for him was startling. Every nerve had been awakened by wild erotic sensations. Their mating had become primal, completely unrestrained. She opened her mouth to cry out, and again he devoured her lips in a desperate claiming to which she submitted willingly, eagerly. Suddenly, every nerve in her body sprung to life. All she could do was cling to him helplessly, letting the pure and explosive sensations consume her mind and soul as she shattered into a million glowing stars.

A second later, Craig groaned,
“Mo shonuachar!”
and then thrust deep inside her shaking body. Holding himself there, he found his own release.

 

 

Craig lay half on, half off of Meriel, breathless, exhausted, and utterly shaken.

He could feel his chest rise and fall with each labored breath and wondered how she could stand the pounding sound his beating heart was making against his ribs. After several minutes, he wrapped his arms around her and smiled as only a satiated man could.

Meriel, replete, with the throb of his last thrusts still echoing within her, twined one of her hands through his. She had seen his grin unfold and knew that he was congratulating himself. Any other time, she might have been tempted to give him a poke in the side and remind him that she too had played a major role in his achievement. But as they lay locked together, his free hand stroking her hair, his mouth brushing her temple . . . Meriel could only sigh.

They remained that way for some time; neither wanted to move or speak. The love they shared before had been deep and profound, as two persons bonded together in absolute friendship and acceptance. But now it was something even more. A spiritual connection created from physical pleasure. Their souls had met and combined.

 

 

Meriel curled to one side and snuggled her backside close, giving Craig a view of her vulnerable nape and her glorious hair. He picked up a tawny lock and caressed it gently, marveling at the rich, warm shade of brown. She was the most beautiful, most desirable woman he had ever seen in his life. And she always would be.

Pulling her into his arms, loving how easily their bodies merged from two into one, he whispered, “Imagine a lifetime of this. . . .” He leaned forward and pressed soft kisses down the left side of her neck. “And this . . . ,” he murmured as he moved to the other side. “And this . . .” Then he kissed her slowly, lingeringly, and with a deep, tender possessiveness.

Meriel returned his embrace and then, smiling mischievously, she let her fingers trail down his side. When he jumped, she laughed aloud. “Sure you want a lifetime of me, Craig McTiernay?”

Craig shot what he hoped was a punitive glare at her but knew instantly that he had failed. He hated to be tickled, and unfortunately the Lord had made his whole body extremely sensitive to the activity. Something Meriel took delight in.

He reached out and grabbed her before she could escape, securing her on top of him with his arms. Immediately, she started to kiss him, playing with his bottom lip in an obvious ploy to distract him. He had planned to roll over and return the favor, but instead gave in to the sudden strong impulse to simply lie back and enjoy the unfamiliar excitement of surrender.

When their mouths eventually parted he gently brought his hand to her face, moving a wayward strand of hair from her forehead. Then, with just the tips of his fingers, he tenderly traced her face, savoring every hollow, every curve only he had the privilege to touch. “Meriel, will you marry me tomorrow?”

Caught up in the sensations Craig was creating, Meriel breathed a “Yes” before realizing the whole of what he had asked. “I mean, no. What do you mean,
tomorrow
?” She pushed on his chest in an effort to sit up, but Craig kept his arms locked in place. “What about my father? Your brothers?”

Craig, never more content than he felt at that moment, shrugged his shoulders and replied with all sincerity, “At this very moment, they hold little importance to me.”

Meriel crossed her fingers on his chest, giving her a place to rest her chin. “I don’t know,” she purred mischievously. “I probably should take some time and think. It’s not often a girl gets
two
marriage proposals in the same day. I need to make sure that I say yes to the right man.”

Craig growled and rolled over so that she was pinned beneath him. He knew she was teasing him, but the reminder that he might have lost her today sent a frisson of fear through him. He feared he might have just become insufferably possessive. “You are mine, and the sooner we marry, the better it will be for everyone.”

Raising a fine, arched brow, Meriel gave him another shove, this time successfully freeing herself as he shifted to his side. “You mean the better it will be for Hamish.” Reaching over, she caught the edge of her chemise and shook it out before sliding it over her head.

Craig propped himself up on his elbow and crossed his legs at the ankles. “Not just him,” he replied, enjoying seeing her blush each time her eyes snuck a peak at him. “Too many of my brother’s soldiers salivate when you are near.”

“You are being ridiculous. None of them ever said anything to indicate they had even a little bit of interest in me,” she said, shaking off the grass from her bliaut before putting it on.

They better not have
, Craig swore to himself. But it did not change the fact that every time she was about, lustful eyes followed her across the courtyard. More than once had he had to remind someone in one way or another just who she was. “Well, they do take an interest,” Craig said emphatically, “and will until we are married.”

Meriel snatched his tartan from the ground and tossed it at him, hinting for him to get dressed. “Stop pretending to be jealous. I know very well that it is one of the emotions you most refuse to indulge in.”

He watched her for a moment as she laced the sides of her gown, then he rose and folded the tartan around his waist, securing it with a belt. Meriel was right. He did hate the idea of jealousy. It was irrational and therefore uncontrollable, but now that he was being honest with himself, he knew that he had been consumed with it since his arrival. But that was something Meriel never needed to know.

Craig yanked on his leine and scooped up the blanket. After fetching the horses, he replaced the plaid cushion under the saddle and turned back around. He watched as she rebraided her hair, doing a surprisingly good job without a brush or any help. He was half tempted to tell her about all the grass tangled in the weave but decided against the idea. She might force him to pick out each and every blade, and he had no intention of doing any such thing.