The Imposter (18 page)

He slipped
something onto my finger and cursed under his breath as he tugged at it and
secured it into place.

It was hard to
contain my smile and keep my eyes shut.  I wanted to see him like this,
flustered and unnerved with concentration.  He was always so composed and I
exalted in the rare times when I forced him to lose his precious control. 

He raised my hand
to his lips and I giggled as I felt his stubble tickle my knuckles.  His lips
were warm when they came down on my ring finger, and as he kissed my finger, he
whispered, “Alright, open yer eyes.”

My blue eyes met
his green as he looked up at me, eyes intense as he kissed the ring that he had
placed on my finger.  He looked so ruggedly handsome, eyes blazing as his lips
lingered above my ring finger.  My stomach did a summersault in response to
him.

“It’s no much, but
I wanted ye tae wear something,” he said still holding my hand as I examined
the braided red twine ring that he had carefully tied to my ring finger.

“I love it,
Devon.  Thank you,” I said, beaming from ear to ear as I reached up and kissed
him at the corner of his mouth.

“I made it myself,”
he said sheepishly.  “I’ll get ye something more proper as soon as I may.”

“I love it,” I
said firmly, speaking the truth.

“Good,” he said
smiling dashingly and raking his hand through his hair.  “I wanted tae make
sure that everyone kens that yer mine,” he said huskily, possessiveness heavy
in his tone.

His breath came
raggedly now and my heartbeat thundered.  Devon pulled me against him and
twisted my hair around his hand at the base of my neck, using it to leverage my
chin up so that he could capture my lips in a hungry, possessive kiss.

He tasted divine,
all masculine scent and Devon.  I raked my fingers over his chest and melted
into him, opening my mouth so that our tongues could deepen the kiss.  This
elicited a growl of satisfaction deep in Devon’s throat.  He cupped my face
with both of his palms and continued to kiss me senseless.

When he pulled
away, I could barely find the strength to stand.  Seeing how affected I had
been by his kiss, Devon chuckled slightly and supported me until he was sure
that I wouldn’t topple to the ground.

“Will ye come
watch me drill the soldiers?” he asked hopefully, nuzzling my neck and biting
my ear, sending tingles all the way down to my toes.

“Mmmhmm,” I
mumbled, still to shaken to find words. 

I felt him smile against
my neck.  He was pleased with himself for making me speechless.  He placed a
light kiss at the base of my ear.

            “Ye can see what I do
all day, and I’ll be able tae show ye off,” he whispered, pulling away and
kissing the tip of my nose. 

Devon took my hand
and raised it to his lips once more, placing a kiss on top of the red thread
that symbolized our marriage.  We walked hand in hand towards the lists and he
settled me into the grass on the hill where I would have a good view of the
drills.

“Until later Mrs.
McClain,” he whispered, kissing me lightly on the lips and patting me playfully
on the bottom.  He jogged down the hill towards his men as I sat watching him,
mouth pen, heart hammering and hungry for more of Devon McClain.

                                                                        ***

Devon’s prowess at
military drill was extraordinary, just as I knew that it would be.  I bit my
lower lip as I watched him instruct his clansmen.  He was so masculine and so
at ease when he was in charge.  I watched hungrily as his muscles rippled
beneath his white linen shirt and I wished that it were my fingers and not his
that raked through his unruly chestnut hair. 

He effortlessly
wielded his sword, practicing with his men, teaching them as they modeled his
skillful display. 

Damn he was
attractive.

He’s mine!

I was as giddy as
a young girl who had received an unexpected gift.  Devon was the most
unexpected gift of my life.  My fingers ached to touch him and my lips tingled
in anticipation of kissing his lips.

I toyed
absentmindedly with the red twine ring on my finger.  The tiny thread had such
a huge meaning.  I loved that Devon had made this for me and my heart fluttered
because he had wanted the whole clan to see this ring as a reminder of his
claim on me.

The sun loomed
heavy in the autumn sky. 

How long had I
sat here contently watching him?

I hugged my arms
about myself, noticing the chill that hung heavily in the air.

Devon’s eyes
locked with mine and he sheathed his sword, then jogged easily up the hill
towards me. 

           “Hi,” he said shyly, settling
down next to me and draping his arm casually around my shoulders.

“Hi,” I whispered,
snuggling into his warmth and smiling like an idiot.  He smelled heavenly.

“Were you showing
off for me, Devon McClain?” I teased as I nestled against him.

His chest shook
with laughter.  “Ye noticed?”

I couldn’t see his
face, but I knew that he was smiling.

“I didna want ye
tae think that ye married a weakling,” he chuckled.

“Now I know for
sure that I married that best catch of the bunch,” I said smiling up at him and
kissing him soundly on the cheek.

“I thank ye for
that, Kate,” he said, clearly pleased.  “I doona think that I’ll ever tire of
showing of for ye,” he said, smiling shyly now.

“It was most
impressive, most stimulating,” I said boldly, raising my lips to his.

He took my
invitation and kissed me softly, stroking my cheek with the back of his hand.

“I canna start
something that I canna finish right now, Kate,” he whispered longingly, his
mouth almost touching mine.  “I’ve got tae go finish up with drills.  We’ve got
a bit of daylight left,” he said, reluctance heavy in his eyes as he glanced at
his men in the field below.

I squeezed his
bicep in acknowledgement that he had to go and he kissed me softly on the lips,
sending my blood rushing with only his slightest touch.

“I canna wait tae
get home tae ye,” he said tenderly as he stood and pulled me to my feet.  “Head
on home and I promise ye that we’ll take up where we left off when I get home
later.”

“Hurry home,” I
said smiling giddily as he jogged back down the hill to meet his men.

Chapter Ten

My heart soared
when I heard Devon outside of our chamber.  I heard his voice, weary from a
hard day’s work arguing with a very similar voice.  Collin.  Their words were
sharp and muffled.  I couldn’t make out the details of their argument, but my
eyebrows knit together in worry because I could tell that they were fighting.

Devon stepped into
our room and bolted the door behind himself as he exhaled sharply.  Whatever
had transpired with Collin had troubled him greatly.  His eyes met mine and a
genuine smile spread slowly across his lips.  I was relieved.

“I have a surprise
for you, husband,” I smiled sweetly, hiding my surprise behind my back.  I
wanted to life Devon’s spirits and make him forget about his fight with his
brother.

“Do ye now?” he
said, eyes sparkling as a boyish grin spread across his face.

I was relieved
that happy, mischievous Devon was back.  Seeing his face so troubled by his
argument with Collin had scared me.

“Close your eyes,”
I ordered, anticipation building within me.  I so hoped that he would like my
surprise.

He did as I asked
and I delighted in openly appraising him without the danger of him watching. 
His eyes were closed, his thick black lashes resting on his cheeks.  He fought
to control the playful smile that had spread over his face, and his dimple had
been revealed in the process.

How did I get
lucky enough to call this perfect man my husband?

I reached for his
left hand, so solid and work hardened against my own.  He had beautiful
masculine hands.  I tied my gift onto his finger and my eyes flashed up to his,
gauging his reaction.  He had not been able to contain his smile, which now
spread openly across his handsome face.

He approves!

I finished tying
the red thread ring onto his finger and then raised his hand to my lips,
kissing the ring as he had done to my own ring earlier.

“Open your eyes,”
I whispered, smiling broadly.

His green eyes
locked with mine, and I drank in his delicious, approving smile.

“I wanted all of
the women to know that you belong to me,” I said boldly, mirroring his earlier
statement.

Devon chuckled and
swept me into his arms for a thoroughly ravishing kiss.

“I love it.  Thank
ye, Kate.”

“Mine,” I
whispered, unable to suppress my smile.  I was thrilled that he had accepted my
gift so warmly.

“Yours,” he
whispered in response as he let loose what could only be classified as a
giggle.  “Ye never cease tae amaze me, woman.”

Devon hugged me to
his chest and stroked my hair.  His muscles were tense and I could tell that
despite my efforts to raise his spirits, something was troubling him.

“I canna stay,
Kate,” he said as if reading my thoughts.  “I need tae go finish something with
my brother,” he said pulling away and kissing me on the forehead before walking
briskly from our chamber and leaving me alone again.

                                                            ***

My husband
returned hours later with a weight on his mind.  He looked so tired and I
suspected that his meeting with Collin was to blame for whatever was burdening
him. He had changed his clothes and washed up after the day’s drills. 
Immediately upon entering our chamber and bolting the door behind him, he rucked
his white shirt up over his head and tossed it on the bed.  He looked
exhausted, but he smiled softly at me.

He walked towards
me, clad only in low slung linen pants that hung just below his hips.  I
admired him openly; desire to touch his muscled chest boiling within me.  He was
so comfortable in his skin.  I had no doubt that he was unaware of just how
beautiful, how refined his body was.

“Is that what yer
wearing tae bed?” he whispered, coming up behind me and enveloping me in his
arms.  He brushed my hair aside and nuzzled my neck.  “Ye smell sae good,” he
said, nuzzling his nose into my unbound hair.

“Do you mind if I
wear this?” I asked breathlessly, unable to think as his fingers trailed
lightly over the skin of my neck and he kissed me softly, just below my ear. 
My knees were about to give out and I leaned back against his chest.

“Nay, no at all,”
he said as he ran his hand over the thin fabric of his linen shirt that I was
wearing. 

His hand slowly
traced the line of my side and when his fingers met the bare skin of my thigh
beneath his shirt tail, I let out a soft moan.

“In fact, I like
seeing ye in my shirt.”

“Good, because I
like it too.  It smells like you,” I said honestly.  I had found his shirt
hanging on the back of a chair in our room.  Missing him while he was meeting
with Collin, I had stripped naked and pulled his shirt over my head for
comfort.

His fingers trailed
lazily up my bare thigh and skirted just beneath the tail of his shirt.  It was
as if fire coursed through my veins as his fingers teased my skin, awakening my
nerve endings.

Devon continued
his assault of my senses as he leisurely placed kisses up and down my neck.

Oh how this man
affects me.  I think I’m falling in love with you
Devon
McClain.

He scooped me up
effortlessly and laid me on the massive bed.  His eyes blazed with passion and
I was relieved to see that his earlier look of worry was long gone, the weight
no longer heavy on his shoulders from his meeting with Collin.

He settled on top
of me, supporting his weight with his elbows.  The fire cast a warm glow on his
face, and as he looked down at me and brushed my hair tenderly back behind my ear,
I felt wanted, cherished and almost loved.

“I could watch ye
like this forever,” he whispered, tracing the line of my lips with his thumb. 
“How I want ye, Kate,” his words were strained.

I reached up and
put a hand on his chest, feeling his heart thunder beneath my palm.

“Ye do that tae
me.  Only ye can do that tae me Kate,” he said, reaching up and placing his
hand over mine, holding my palm to his heart.

“You do that to me
too,” I said boldly, moving our hands to my own heart, closing my eyes as I savored
the feeling of his palm against the skin between my breasts.

He groaned
appreciatively and moved his hand to cup my breast through the thin linen of
his shirt.  I gasped in surprise as his touch sent shivers of pleasure down my
spine.

He looked down at
me, watching me respond to his touch.  His thumb grazed lightly over my nipple
and I moaned softly, never having felt such a pleasurable sensation.

Devon smiled
approvingly and bent down to kiss me softly, he ran his tongue over my bottom
lip asking for entrance to my mouth.  I opened my mouth in invitation and he
deepened the kiss.  I felt his desire for me building as his tongue dueled with
mine, with each thrust of his tongue into my mouth his kiss grew more needful,
more pressing.

His thumb flicked
lightly over my nipple again and I cried out with pleasure, not being able to
contain myself under his sweet torment.  Devon growled deeply in his throat and
took my nipple between his thumb and forefinger, driving me to the brink of
insanity.

“Devon!” I cried
out against his lips, my breathing ragged and my voice nearly unrecognizable as
my own.