The Bodyguard (26 page)

He distracted her with more kisses, deep, penetrating kisses, as his fingers caressed her. Kitt began to writhe beneath his touch. She didn’t know what to do with her hands, and finally put them around Alex, her fingernails scraping across his skin as the sensations increased to unbearable pleasure.

“Tell me what to do, Alex,” she pleaded. “I want to please you.” She let her hands slide down the length of his back to his taut buttocks and felt him surge against her. She sought his mouth with hers and thrust her tongue deep inside, returning the torment and delight he was bringing her.

Then his hand was gone and something hard was pushing against her flesh. She felt a moment of panic, remembering the size of him, but his mouth was against hers whispering reassurances. He pinched her breast, and the pain of that distracted her from the instant of greater pain as he breached her.

“Ah!” She tensed her body, fearing more pain. But it did not come. She felt full with him inside her. But it no longer hurt.

He held himself still, but she could feel the tension in his shoulders and back.

“ ’Tis done, my love,” he said.

“You’re done?” she said, surprised and a little disappointed.

He chuckled. “No. I said ’tis done.” His voice changed, the humor gone, as he put his hands to either side of her face and forced her to look at him. “You’re mine now. Forever.”

Kitt felt a shiver of foreboding. She opened her mouth to confess the truth—but never got the chance. His mouth captured hers as his body began to work inside her, the friction creating surprising, exquisitely pleasurable sensations. Before very long, her body joined his in a dance as old as the ages.

Kitt had never dreamed one person could become so much a part of another. Had never expected the surge of emotion that claimed her as Alex spilled his seed inside her. Never imagined the devastating consequences of giving her body to him … and discovering she had lost her soul.

’Tis done. I’ve kept my promise, Father. The duke’s seed is planted. May it grow into a fine MacKinnon son
.

Alex was sucking air to keep moving. His shirt was stuck to him with sweat, and he had to resist the urge to sit down right where he was. Bloody hell. His body would give only so much and no more.

“Sit down, Alex, before ye fall down,” Mick advised.

He was not far from a boulder beneath an alder tree, and Alex forced himself to walk the few steps to reach it. “I need to get my strength back,” he said as he sank onto the stone.

Mick plopped down in the grass at his feet, shifted his rump away from a thistle, and plucked out a leftover barb. “Ye’ve been walking for hours, uphill and down. A well man could barely manage it,” the boy said. “Why are ye pushing yerself so hard?”

“When I come down out of the mountains and marry Lady Katherine, I’ll be The MacKinnon,” Alex said. “I must be ready for whatever challenges are thrown my way.”

“In other words, ye’ve got to be ready to fight Ian MacDougal.”

Alex laughed aloud. “That’s plain speaking, Laddie. It may not come to that, but I’m not taking any chances.”

“I dinna understand why ye insist on marrying when ye dinna know who ye are,” Mick muttered.

“We’ve been through this before. I’m sure ’tis only coincidence that I bear some resemblance to the duke. If I were such a grand personage I wouldna be likely to enjoy your company, now would I? ’Tis just as likely I’m a nobody from nowhere.” Alex thought it was entirely possible he was a thief. He seemed to have some skill at the trade. “Mayhap when my memory does return, I’ll wish it to Hades.”

“Shouldn’t ye at least go to Blackthorne Hall and let the steward get a look at you?” Mick said. “Then ye’d know for certain one way or the other.”

“I’ll see Mr. Ambleside once I’m The MacKinnon,” Alex said in a hard voice. “To tell him what I think of the bloody Duke of Blackthorne. Any man who could ignore the plight of his tenants is a greedy bastard, and I intend to say so.”

“There you are!”

“Here I am,” Alex said with a smile, holding out a hand to Kitt, who had just come over a rise and was headed straight for him. She was dressed in a simple skirt and blouse and had a woolen shawl wrapped around her shoulders for warmth. A gust of wind rustled her skirt and treated him to a glimpse of her trim ankles. Her coal-black hair whipped wildly around her face, and it was all he could do not to reach out and grasp a handful of it.

Her delicate black brows were set in a worried frown. “I’ve been looking everywhere for you.”

“I’ve been walking.” Before Kitt could drop to the ground beside Mick, he grasped her hand and pulled her into his lap. “This will be more comfortable than the hard ground,” he assured her.

“Alex, you canna be acting like this in front of Laddie,” she protested.

“I’ll be taking myself off,” Mick said, jumping to his feet.

“Dinna go,” Alex said. “I want to hear the latest news about Carlisle. Kitt doesna really mind, do you, Kitt?”

Alex watched the boy look to Kitt for permission to stay, then drop back onto his haunches. “What is it ye want to know, Alex?”

“Is it true the earl’s gone to London to see the duke’s solicitor about purchasing Blackthorne Hall?”

Alex felt Kitt tense in his lap. They both knew the chance she’d taken when she committed herself to him instead of the earl. All might be lost, if Carlisle was successful.

“Aye,” Mick said. “But I dinna think even the earl expects his journey will end in success, milady.” Mick said. “He scowled something fierce when he got the last correspondence from Lord Marcus. It seems the duke’s brother was badly wounded at Waterloo and has gone into seclusion. Lord Marcus said he would do nothing for a year at least.”

“There, you see? You have no worries, for a year at least,” Alex said to Kitt.

She wriggled in his lap, angling herself to face him, and he suddenly wished he hadn’t encouraged Mick to stay. He clamped a hand on her thigh to keep her still.

“What if Lord Marcus has authorized his solicitor to act in his stead?” she asked. “What if Carlisle convinces the solicitor that the contract is valid and should be honored?”

“Then we have a problem,” Alex conceded. “How is your lawsuit against the duke faring? When was the last time you heard from your solicitor?”

“Two months ago, at least,” Kitt said.

“Then perhaps ’tis time the laird of Clan MacKinnon and his lady paid him a visit to see what is causing the delay.”

“You mean go all the way to London ourselves?” Kitt said.

“Why not?” Alex said. “We can leave as soon as we’re married.”

“That means three weeks for the banns to be read,” Kitt reminded him.

“So be it. In three weeks we’ll be off for London.”

“We canna afford such a trip,” Kitt said.

“The lord provides for those in need,” Alex replied with a grin.

“You’re planning to play Robin Hood again.”

“Can I come with you?” Mick asked, his blue eyes sparkling with excitement.

“To London?” Alex asked.

“No, to rob the duke!”

Alex laughed. “Down, Laddie. This time I’m not even taking Kitt with me.”

“You canna leave me behind,” Kitt protested. “I am—” She cut herself off and met his eyes. She was no longer The MacKinnon. She no longer needed to jump into the fray. Alex was there to lead. He was there to serve her every need. Especially her most urgent need to provide an heir who could inherit Blackthorne Hall.

Kitt looked so disappointed that Alex almost offered to include her. But that was foolish. He knew his way around the castle now, and it was bound to be more dangerous since the house was alerted to the possibility of a thief in the night.

“What if Mr. Ambleside is no longer keeping the duke’s funds in the same place?” Kitt said.

Alex stroked his chin. “Perhaps you can be of some use to me, Laddie.”

“What can I do?” Mick asked.

“Who’s most likely, besides Mr. Ambleside himself, to know where the duke’s funds are kept?”

“The duke’s steward would not bother hiding his business from the maid-of-all-work, since she’s of no account to him. And ’tis likely she does some work in every part of the house. She may know,” Mick said.

“Shall we see how charming you can be with the young lady?” Alex said with a teasing smile.

Mick flushed. “I’m—” His voice broke and the flush intensified to something like a scarlet rash on his face. “I’m up to the task.”

“Good,” Alex said. “As soon as you find out where the funds are hidden, let me know. Off with you now.”

Mick bounced to his feet as though they were loaded with springs. Alex couldn’t even imagine that kind of energy.

“The next time I see you will be at the bottom of the mountain,” Alex said. “We’ll be leaving here tomorrow.”

“Are you sure ye’re well enough?” Mick asked.

“I’m well enough.”

Once Mick was gone, Alex turned his attention to the woman in his arms. “You’re awfully quiet.”

“I’m thinking.”

“I’m afraid to ask,” he said with a smile. “But I will. What’s on your mind?”

“I’m thinking I canna wait to make love to you
until we get back to the cave,” Kitt said, caressing the hair at his nape.

Alex felt a jolt of sexual awareness. It seemed he was not as tired from his morning walk as he’d thought. “There’s no privacy here, lass,” he said in a husky voice.

She slid off his lap, took his hand, and pulled him down onto the cool grass beside her. “ ’Tis shaded from the sun here. The grass is soft. Ouch! Mostly soft,” she corrected, as she laid her shawl over an offending thistle. “And the stone will hide us from prying eyes.”

She placed his hand on her breast so Alex could feel the pebbled tip against his palm.

“If we keep this up, ’tis likely we’ll have people counting on their fingers when our first child comes,” he said with a grin.

“I dinna care.”

“ ’Tis only three weeks to have the banns—”

“I canna wait even three hours, Alex. I want you now.”

There was no more argument, no more teasing delay. Over the past few days, Kitt had had cause to wish there was a way she could detach her mind from her body so she could allow Alex to use her body without the rest of her being present. But body and soul—a very anguished soul—lay beneath him now.

It seemed she could hate everything Blackthorne was and still want Alex. The problem was, this idyllic interlude could not last forever. Eventually his memory would come back, or someone would recognize him.
And then she would have to pay the price for the pleasure she took now.

Kitt kept her eyes closed, but it was impossible not to feel the heat of Alex’s body as he spread her legs with his knees and settled himself between her thighs.

“Am I too heavy?” he asked.

“No.” It felt good. Wonderful. She did not feel like the martyr she had expected to become. She forced herself to relax, to welcome Alex’s touches, to feel them and respond. She did not have to try very hard.

The duke was a very good lover.

Apparently there were some things that were not forgotten even when one’s memory was for all intents and purposes gone. Alex had told her he couldn’t remember being with another woman. But he must have known the exquisite sensations she would feel when his mouth closed over her breast, when his teeth nipped and his tongue teased. He must have known that if he suckled her throat, her insides would draw up tight in such an exquisitely lovely way.

Kit moaned, an animal sound of rage and frustration and desire. She felt too much. Wanted too much. And despised herself more every moment because of it. “Hurry, Alex,” she begged.

“Patience, love,” he said, his voice roughened by desire.

She gripped him tightly at the waist as he lowered his head, kissing his way down her stomach. She felt his silky hair against her thighs before his mouth
closed over her, his lips and tongue creating new and unbearably exquisite feelings.

“Alex,” she gasped. “What are you doing?”

“Loving you.”

Oh, dinna love me. Dinna add that guilt to all the rest. Dinna add that wrong to all the others I will have to pay for
.

She planted her feet and arched her body high, higher, until she thought her back would break, reaching for satisfaction that seemed beyond her grasp.

And then the waves broke over her, painful and wonderful. “Alex,” she cried. “Oh, Alex.”

Alex exulted in the rapture he saw on Kitt’s face. He had been afraid of offending her, but he had wanted to taste her, and it had been as wonderful as …

He remembered wanting to do this with a woman, but he could never remember doing it. Perhaps he had not. Perhaps this was the first time. Any other time could not have been as exciting, could not have brought him this much joy and pleasure. A man could not feel more than he was feeling right now, could he?

Alex had waited to take his own pleasure, waited to put himself inside her. He could wait no longer. She was still slick when he slid inside her. He saw the surprise in her eyes and said, “There is more pleasure to be had. Much more.” He withdrew and thrust again. And again.

He watched Kitt’s face as she began to arch into him, press against him, thrust with him. He knew there must be a way to slow everything down, to give her
more pleasure and take more himself, but he could not think what it was. His body had taken over and was driving toward relief. He drew his head back and gave a cry of triumph and joy as he spilled his seed within her.

He slid to her side and pulled her into his arms and held her close. “You’re shivering,” he said. “Are you all right?” He was sinking into sleep when she finally whispered a reply.

“I’m fine, Alex,” she said. As fine as any woman could be when she was deceiving a man who loved her.

Mr. Ambleside heard the library door open, but didn’t look up from the account books he was perusing. He had told Harper he didn’t want to be disturbed. He waited a full two minutes, but when the butler didn’t remove himself, he heaved a sigh and said, “I said no interruptions, Harper.”