Perhaps I was going about it all wrong.”
She did not tell him that the last man who’d kissed her had died from an arrow to the heart. Maybe she should. “The last man who….”
“ Ne’er speak to me of other men who’ve had a taste of ye,” he growled. “Either I bathe ye, or ye give me a kiss and Lillias aids ye with yer bath.”
“ Curse ye, arrogant Highlander! Neither choice is acceptable! I dunna need anyone to help me bathe!” She chewed her bottom lip, and his hands slid behind her neck, tilting her face toward his. “I’ll give ye a kiss if ye make it….”
“ Less distasteful?”
She stared at his lips, feeling heat pool low in her belly. Her breathing became erratic as her heart thumped wildly in her chest.
“ I think it’s a matter of experience. I think the men who kissed ye before didna know how to do it properly, lass.”
“ Is that so, Highlander?”
“ Yer body language tells me yer scared but I think ye like to be commanded. Subdued. A slave to passion. Ye want me to kiss ye.”
“ Yer wrong, Highlander.” Maighdlin had no experience with men except for the brutality of Tomas. She couldna make sense of his words or what she was feeling. And yet, she did want Kade to kiss her. She felt herself leaning into his warmth, staring at his lips, a hot ache between her legs, yearning for something solid, warm. It made no sense. He was her abductor. He confused her, promising threats then showing a kindness to a small child in the courtyard. And despite her situation, she was well aware of his losses, how he was hurting. She shouldn’t feel sorry for him!
“ Little one, I dunna oft give my enemies choices,” he rasped. “Give me yer answer.” When she stood there staring at his mouth, her own lips parted, her breathing seductive, he could take no more. His eyes lingered on the swell of her breasts beneath the material of her tunic, her pebbled nipples. His arm unyielding about her waist, the other still angling her head toward his, he pressed his sculpted body to hers.
His lips descended and he took her mouth. Maighdlin stood like a frozen statue, unsure of anything but the hammering of her heart. The warmth and tenderness of his lips was a shock that banished all thought of Tomas and the meadow long ago. She trembled when his hand tangled more deeply in her hair, and his lips became softer in their explorations. She hadn’t expected warmth, or softness, and certainly not the tenderness of his lips.
Maighdlin relaxed slightly. Was it madness to be so dispossessed by the kiss of an enemy? She’d never been kissed by a man such as Kade. And never like this. His muscular thigh wedged between her legs, pressing against her most womanly parts. She felt heat stab her there and became lost to all but the warm sensation of his mouth on hers, his tongue delving inside. Maighdlin boldly answered with her own, startling them both. Without realizing it, she moaned softly into his kiss, her fingers curling into his dark hair. The man himself was so hard. Yet his lips, his hair, were so soft, his kiss so heady. “I feel…hot. Dizzy,” she breathed.
Abruptly he broke away and stepped back. “’Tis a spell ye weave on me,” he said. His eyes glittered with heat and suspicion.
“ Och, surely 'tis not. If I possessed the kind of womanly charms ye enjoy, the kind that hold a man spellbound, I'd no' waste them on a brutish Highland laird!”
He stared at her, his look downright menacing. “Lillias!” he bellowed, his voice rigid now. The girl quietly re-entered the room. “See that the peasant is properly bathed.”
Lillias nodded.
“ In two days’ time we will be wed, Christel.”
“ Ye think ye will own me Highlander, but yer wrong.”
“ I already own ye. After we are wed, I will possess ye. In every way.” He turned on his heel, leaving Maighdlin atremble, her fingertips skirting her swollen lips, an odd ache between her legs. Somewhere deep inside her was another
She did not tell him that the last man who’d kissed her had died from an arrow to the heart. Maybe she should. “The last man who….”
“ Ne’er speak to me of other men who’ve had a taste of ye,” he growled. “Either I bathe ye, or ye give me a kiss and Lillias aids ye with yer bath.”
“ Curse ye, arrogant Highlander! Neither choice is acceptable! I dunna need anyone to help me bathe!” She chewed her bottom lip, and his hands slid behind her neck, tilting her face toward his. “I’ll give ye a kiss if ye make it….”
“ Less distasteful?”
She stared at his lips, feeling heat pool low in her belly. Her breathing became erratic as her heart thumped wildly in her chest.
“ I think it’s a matter of experience. I think the men who kissed ye before didna know how to do it properly, lass.”
“ Is that so, Highlander?”
“ Yer body language tells me yer scared but I think ye like to be commanded. Subdued. A slave to passion. Ye want me to kiss ye.”
“ Yer wrong, Highlander.” Maighdlin had no experience with men except for the brutality of Tomas. She couldna make sense of his words or what she was feeling. And yet, she did want Kade to kiss her. She felt herself leaning into his warmth, staring at his lips, a hot ache between her legs, yearning for something solid, warm. It made no sense. He was her abductor. He confused her, promising threats then showing a kindness to a small child in the courtyard. And despite her situation, she was well aware of his losses, how he was hurting. She shouldn’t feel sorry for him!
“ Little one, I dunna oft give my enemies choices,” he rasped. “Give me yer answer.” When she stood there staring at his mouth, her own lips parted, her breathing seductive, he could take no more. His eyes lingered on the swell of her breasts beneath the material of her tunic, her pebbled nipples. His arm unyielding about her waist, the other still angling her head toward his, he pressed his sculpted body to hers.
His lips descended and he took her mouth. Maighdlin stood like a frozen statue, unsure of anything but the hammering of her heart. The warmth and tenderness of his lips was a shock that banished all thought of Tomas and the meadow long ago. She trembled when his hand tangled more deeply in her hair, and his lips became softer in their explorations. She hadn’t expected warmth, or softness, and certainly not the tenderness of his lips.
Maighdlin relaxed slightly. Was it madness to be so dispossessed by the kiss of an enemy? She’d never been kissed by a man such as Kade. And never like this. His muscular thigh wedged between her legs, pressing against her most womanly parts. She felt heat stab her there and became lost to all but the warm sensation of his mouth on hers, his tongue delving inside. Maighdlin boldly answered with her own, startling them both. Without realizing it, she moaned softly into his kiss, her fingers curling into his dark hair. The man himself was so hard. Yet his lips, his hair, were so soft, his kiss so heady. “I feel…hot. Dizzy,” she breathed.
Abruptly he broke away and stepped back. “’Tis a spell ye weave on me,” he said. His eyes glittered with heat and suspicion.
“ Och, surely 'tis not. If I possessed the kind of womanly charms ye enjoy, the kind that hold a man spellbound, I'd no' waste them on a brutish Highland laird!”
He stared at her, his look downright menacing. “Lillias!” he bellowed, his voice rigid now. The girl quietly re-entered the room. “See that the peasant is properly bathed.”
Lillias nodded.
“ In two days’ time we will be wed, Christel.”
“ Ye think ye will own me Highlander, but yer wrong.”
“ I already own ye. After we are wed, I will possess ye. In every way.” He turned on his heel, leaving Maighdlin atremble, her fingertips skirting her swollen lips, an odd ache between her legs. Somewhere deep inside her was another
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