The Thief (22 page)

‘I want to see you,’ he said quietly.

She lifted her arms, blinked, and her tunic was gone. Their gazes might never have broken. She exhaled and drew a shuddering breath, so full and deep, the worn fabric of her shift dragged over her breasts.

His awareness sharpened and dropped to her chest.

Her nipples hardened. Swift breath escaped her.

Twin spots of fierce heat captured her sides as his hands caught her up. The room swirled and then settled as her feet found purchase on the chair’s plump cushions. Her toes dug into the padding as she peered into his blue gaze, now level with hers. Long fingers wrapped about her knees. Slid ever upward, seeking, searching. Stopped. Fire danced in his eyes. Was it only flames of desire or did he feel more for her?

Her body trembled. She swayed. Reaching out, her hands grasped leather-clad shoulders, clung. His fingers descended, gently scraping her flesh as he peeled off her woollen hose, leaving a trail of gooseflesh in their wake.

Dear Lord, he was stripping her bare, exposing her to the room’s cool air, yet she’d never suffered such devouring heat.

His palm pressed against her middle, burning her skin through her thin linen shift. Fingers splayed, his hand slowly slid up her body. Her teeth sank into her lower lip as his caress brushed the underside of her breasts and paused. Oh God. Her nipples tightened, pulsed. Ached for his caress. Her nails bit into his leather vest, wanting more, wanting the smoothness of his skin beneath her touch.

His hand moved to unravel the laces of her shift. With every brush of his fingers, her breasts quivered. How in God’s name was she meant to survive? She released her hold and swept her hands down to the leather bindings of his vest, her fingers tugging, shaking.

The ties gave way at the same time her knees buckled.

‘Easy, Kenzie. I’ve got you.’

He did. His hands cupped her bare shoulders. Every gentle sweep of his thumbs sent shocks of lightning down her arms and into her chest.

‘You’re wearing too many clothes,’ she said on a half sigh.

His eyes smoldered as his mouth curved in a dangerous smile. ‘Then remove them.’

‘Curse you, I’m trying, but you keep touching me, and my fingers—’

His hands speared into her hair and his mouth collided with hers, cutting off her words. His tongue swept between her lips, slid deep inside her mouth, seeking, skimming, capturing. A bolt of pleasure burst deep in her belly, flowed down to her most womanly place. Clenching, craving, quivering, wanting. Her tongue danced with his as a wild madness crashed through her, around her, consuming her.

An answering groan rumbled in his chest, trembled through hers, fed her starving need. Her senses scattered.

Hungry lips gnawed across her cheek, nibbled the sensitive lobe of her ear. Fingers swept over her shoulders, tearing linen in their quest to push her shift down her arms.

She shook her hands free. His mouth glided down to suckle the point on her neck where her blood pounded, hot and swift. She angled her head. Her stomach clenched.

His lips, his hands, suddenly left her. Cold air washed over her heated, bare chest. She shivered, and then melted as a powerful arm wrapped about her and pulled her forward. Her head fell back, cradled in the palm of his hand.

She moaned as questing lips left a trail of moist kisses from her neck to her chest. Hot, panted breaths fanned her breast. Her back arched and she spread her arms open wide, a willing sacrifice to her ravenous wanting, an offering splayed for his desire, his need. Her need.

‘Almighty God.’ His voiced rasped across her naked flesh.

Never had she experienced such power, suffered such an overwhelming sense of freedom. She opened her eyes. When had they closed? She glimpsed the rafters up high. Moist heat closed over one breast. Shocking pleasure crashed through her. Her lashes lowered, closing out everything but the feel of his tongue on her sensitive flesh.

Heart thundering, she moaned again as he kissed a wet path to her other breast, captured the peak in his hungry mouth and began his torturous laving once more. Her mind whirled. She gasped, reached out, sank her fingers in his hair, curled her arms about his head and pulled him closer. Hot lips shifted, climbed her chest to her neck, nipping, sucking until they claimed her mouth in a searing kiss.

A feeling of weightlessness stole about her. Her hands fisted in his hair. His lips melded with hers as he shifted her in his arms. Soft fur brushed the hot skin from her nape to her naked waist as he lowered her to the bed. A moment passed before he joined her, his heated body settling beside her. His fingers trailed fire along her legs from knee to thigh. Her hip tingled as his palm molded her flesh, before moving inward where pulsing need burned hotter.

She gasped as questing fingers brushed the soft curls between her legs. Panted into his mouth as he circled, toyed, found the place, the centre of her torment, her desperate wanting. A finger slid deep inside her. Her inner muscles clenched, wet heat pulsed. She arched her hips into his hand.

Fiery heat covered her. His weight pressed her into the cushioned softness. His fingers stopped, left her aching. She groaned into his mouth, broke the kiss.

‘Lachlan.’

He captured her leg below the knee and lifted it about his hips.

‘Look at me, Kenzie.’ He rasped the command.

She pried her eyes open, shaking, panting. Peered up into blue streaked with silver flames.

‘Hold on to me.’

She wrapped her arms about his neck as something warm and blunt slowly caressed the quivering flesh between her thighs.

‘Don’t. Let. Go.’ His hands cupped her face. His breathing ragged, he stared into her eyes. ‘Kiss me, Kenzie.’

She rose up to meet his mouth as he swept down to claim hers. His kiss scorched her lips. She clutched his shoulders and drove her tongue deep inside his mouth.

Her legs trembled as pressure swelled and grew at her woman’s core. He pushed harder, slid deeper. Her insides clamped about him, pulsing, weeping and pleading for more. His lips turned hungry, ravenous, centring her senses on the pleasure of his plundering mouth.

Pain ripped through her lower body. A cry tore from her throat, spirited away, absorbed by the mouth covering hers. Her nails sank into flesh, her body stiffened. His kiss gentled, spread to the corner of her lips, her cheek and her tightly shut eyes.

‘Hush, Kenzie. Hush now, lass. There’ll be nae more pain, I promise. Hush, now.’

His tender words broke into the pounding in her ears, the keening moans slipping through her clenched teeth. Focusing on the sound of his voice and the feather-like lips brushing her face, her muscles relaxed, her fingers eased their biting hold. A tight feeling lingered between her thighs, a fullness deep inside. But the piercing pain had passed.

Her lashes fluttered then opened. The face above her looked strained. Jaw set, lips tight, eyes burning, his every inhalation swift and unsteady.

‘Was it painful for you, too?’

His thumbs caressed her cheeks as a smile softened his mouth. ‘Mine is more an ache rather than pain.’ His expression turned serious. His fingers stilled. ‘You’ll never suffer such pain again.’

She searched his gaze, read truth in the flinty blue.

‘I didn’t expect the “more” to hurt.’ She fleetingly wondered if there was something wrong with her. ‘You spoke of enjoyment, though I did enjoy every moment before …’

He chuckled and the pressure swelled within her. Her eyes widened.

‘Ah, sweet Kenzie. The best is yet to be had.’

‘There’s more?’

‘Aye, much more, and all pleasure, I promise you.’ His lips lowered and nibbled the side of her mouth. ‘You must give yourself up to it. Think of me touching you here,’ he brushed her mouth. ‘And here.’ His mouth skimmed her cheek and down her neck. A tiny shiver rippled along her skin. ‘And know I am buried deep inside of you … here.’

His hips flexed. Heat swelled inside her. Inner muscles clenched about him, tightened. A low groan warmed her ear. A slow smile spread across her face.

‘You mean … here?’ She clamped around him.

A shudder shook him. ‘Aye—Christ!’

Kenzie grinned as a surge of power rushed through her from head to toe. It seemed she wasn’t entirely at his mercy. She too, could make demands with her body. It was only fair.

She gasped as his hot mouth closed over her breast. Her back arched, granting him greater access, giving her the closeness she craved. Every nerve ending started and ended about her swollen breast. A soft moan filled the air.

‘Let me hear you sing.’

‘Are you daft?’ A mewling cry hissed from her lips as his mouth swooped down and captured her other nipple. Fingers of fire swept her side, caressed her hip, and slid into the curls where his body joined to hers.

She shivered, shuddered, gasped. Breathed, gasped again as his mouth feasted and his hand played, swirled. Then he moved inside her, his body slowly rocking into her, against her. Rekindling the fire he’d set to burn. Sliding in, withdrawing, teasing. Awakening madness, burning need.

His thrusts quickened, lunged deeper, fanning the flames higher, brighter. She clutched his powerful shoulders, her fingers struggling to anchor on his slick, heated skin. Tilting her hips, she pressed her lower body up as he surged down, driving deep.

Heart thumping near out of her chest, she held on, rising to meet him, as his lips scored up her neck and seized her mouth. His tongue stole inside, tangling with hers. His fire scorched her, merged with her own. Leaping flames flared higher, brighter, roared as a night sky of stars burst to life inside her. Twinkling, shimmering, falling, fading, until only the night remained.

***

Almighty God.

Stunned, Lachlan lay with his face buried in the warm curve of his wife’s neck, surviving on lavender-scented breaths, waiting for his thundering heart to slow. As it did, he fought the notion of losing control.

He’d never in his life been swamped by the fierce, mind-stealing desire he’d just suffered making Kenzie his. Now she was, he’d ensure she’d only ever be his.

A mixture of regret for causing her pain, and triumph for staking his claim trapped the air in his lungs. Her grasping fingers, surging hips and pleading whimpers had driven him to the edge of rapturous oblivion. Her lilting scream of release had pushed him over.

She was as passionate as she was stubborn, could be as frustrating as she was beautiful.

Mine.

Heat coiled about his heart.

He frowned at the sensation he’d experienced more and more of late. No doubt his sense of triumph mingled with his relief at knowing he was her first, her only lover, must be the cause in this instance.

He’d promised his father he’d marry and he had. He’d also vowed to beget an heir. Now he’d bedded his bride, he’d soon achieve all his father had asked of him.

Aye, the frequent fullness, the constant warmth crowding his chest, was due to him being so close to fulfilling the promises that had haunted him for far too long. That was all.

His reasoning was sound. It had to be. He latched onto it and focused his awareness on the soft form beneath him. The beating of her heart against his chest. The welcome weight of her leg, barely there, draping the back of his. His right hand lay trapped under them, palm up, cupping a soft globe of flesh. Silken thighs cradled his hips. Her heat embraced him still.

His body stirred. He frowned. So soon? Too soon.

Retrieving his hand he pushed upright and with brutal reluctance, slipped free to the bed beside her. His reward a murmured protest from her lips and an unfettered view of her luscious body.

His unshaven jaw had left patches of pink scoring her neck, upper chest and the creamy swell of her breasts. She looked like she suffered a permanent blush. A sheen of moisture on her smooth stomach glistened in the weak firelight. Her innocence and his seed smeared the gentle slope of her inner thighs.

His wife.
His.

Again, heat coiled about his heart.

Chapter 19

A whisper-soft touch drew Kenzie out of the languorous void she’d tumbled into. Limbs pleasurably heavy, mind pleasantly clouded, she turned her cheek into the gentle caress and lifted her weighted eyelids. Lachlan’s handsome face, surrounded by mussed fair hair, swam into view. The blue of his eyes was hidden in shadows, but the warmth of his gaze and the upward curve of his mouth beckoned a smile to her own lips.

‘Hello, wife.’ The husky timbre of his greeting set her slumberous nerves to tingling.

‘Hello—’ The fog cleared. Air rushed in on a gasp, trapping his name. Heated kisses. Scorching, bold caresses. Wanting. Pain. Blinding lights. Heaven.

Dear God. She was naked.

‘Husband? Lachlan?’ he calmly suggested, capturing her wrists as she made to pull the coverlet over her breasts. ‘Or perhaps,’ he said, trapping her hands each side of her head and raking her exposed flesh with his molten gaze, ‘the most fortunate of men.’

Her heart swelled at the appreciation in his tone.

‘Delicious.’

A breathless shiver racked her body.

His tongue ran the length of his lips as if he were a man famished and she his feast.

Heat blossomed low in her belly. Relaxing beneath his gentle hold, she let him look his fill, basking in the light of his admiration. Never had she felt such glowing confidence. Pride welled in her chest. A radiance more powerful, brighter than the sun, unfurled in the centre of her heart. She felt delicious. Beautiful. Loved?

‘Ah, my tempting wife.’ His head lowered and he skimmed her lips with a kiss. ‘If I do not move now, we will never leave my bed.’ His shuddering sigh mingled with hers. ‘Come, lest the water grows cold again.’

She’d thought she’d experienced the sum of ‘more’ with their first joining, but he proved her wrong. Scooping her up from the bed, he climbed into the tub and sank down into the water, knees bent, her legs straddling his lean hips. Liquid sloshed over the tub’s sides.

His large, gentle hands bathed her, worshipping her breasts with circling caresses, soothing the tenderness between her thighs with lingering strokes. His desire a hard ridge of flesh beneath her.