Page 19 of Bound to a Scot (Sins in a Kilt #2)
CHAPTER NINETEEN
E mmeline sat at the table across from Maddox staring at the chess board between them. Her mind kept flashing back to the night they’d played in the common room of the inn. She idly ran the tips of her fingers around her lips, imagining she could still feel the heat from his mouth on hers. The memory put a flutter in her heart.
“’Tis still yer move,” Maddox said.
Emmeline gave herself a small shake, pushing away the memory of their kiss. “Aye. I ken.”
“Well, I’m goin’ tae take a nap then,” he replied. “Wake me up when ye’ve finally moved.”
She bit off the laughter that bubbled up in her throat, cutting a glance at Burchard who sat in the chair before the fire reading a book. Like her father, Cecilia sat off to the side reading beneath the glow of a candle. Other than she and Maddox, the rest of the room was silent, and she couldn’t help but feel the awkward and strained tension in the air. Burchard seemed angry, though he was holding it in. Emmeline wasn’t sure what had angered him, but she could feel it all the same.
Trying to push it out of her mind, she turned her attention back to the board. As she did, images from the night in the hot spring came crashing back into her memory. She remembered the look in Maddox’s eye and the heat of his gaze on her body when she’d been standing in the water naked. She’d been shocked to see him watching her and angry at the unexpected intrusion. She’d felt violated.
But the way he’d looked at her, like she was the most beautiful woman he’d ever seen, had not been lost on her. It had continued to warm her from the inside. He’d looked at her the way Emmeline had always wanted her husband to look at her. Burchard had never looked at her with anything but contempt. For a time, his clear disdain for her had crushed her soul, but over time, she’d learned to shut it out, to not let it define her. She learned to wear armor over her heart so it did not affect her.
Deep down, though, she still yearned for the love she’d dreamed of as a girl. As she recalled the way Maddox had looked into her eyes that night, she felt what it must be like to have that. He hadn’t leered at her with lust. Or at least he had looked at her not only with lust. He’d looked at her like she was a work of art, a living goddess. And he’d treated her with respect, with care. He’d made her feel like she mattered. He’d made her feel seen. And that was something she’d never had in her life, but something she had always longed for.
“Have ye gone tae sleep, me lady?”
Maddox’s voice snapped her back to the moment again and she offered him an awkward grin.
“Aye. Sorry,” she said and made a move on the board that made him tsk.
“’Twas nae a wise move. I’ll let ye take it back if ye’d like. I can tell ye’re distracted.”
“I’m nae distracted,” she said quickly. “’Tis part of me larger strategy.”
Maddox chuckled. “Is that so?”
“Aye,” she said, inwardly cringing at her tactical mistake.
Against her will, Emmeline’s memory pulled her back to that night once more. As she’d been walking away from the hot spring, she’d heard Maddox splashing around in it. Curious, she had crept back to the stone outcropping and peered around it, figuring that since he’d seen her bathing, it was only right that she saw him. What she’d seen though, was very unexpected.
He stood in the water and Emmeline had gazed admiringly at his hard body. She’d admired his taut, corded muscles and the way the beads of water glistened upon his skin like morning dew. He was the most handsome man she’d ever seen in her life. But what he was doing in the pool of water was what had been seared into her mind the most.
As she sat in front of the chess board, Emmeline shifted in the chair, feeling herself start to grow uncomfortably warm and wet once more as she recalled watching Maddox pleasuring himself in the water. His eyes had been closed, his face tilted to the sky, working his hand up and down on his long, rigid shaft. Emmeline knew she should have turned away, but she couldn’t. It was like her feet had grown roots, preventing her from moving. And as she watched him, she had felt her sex flutter wildly as it grew hot and wet.
Emmeline didn’t have much experience in the way of lovemaking. When he wanted to couple and one of his many mistresses was not available, Burchard would stumble into her chamber, usually drunk, climb on top of her and thrust himself into her, grunting like a beast the whole time. When he was spent, he would roll off and stumble back out of her chambers again. The whole thing usually lasted five minutes or less and he never gave consideration to her pleasure.
As she watched Maddox in the pool, stroking his hard lance, she had a feeling he would seek to please her. To make sure she enjoyed the experience. Hiding behind the stone outcropping, her eyes fixed on Maddox and his groans of pleasure ringing in her ears, Emmeline had slipped her hand beneath her shift and touched herself. She had stroked herself until she climaxed along with Maddox, biting her bottom lip so hard to keep from crying out, she’d tasted blood.
It was only after that, her head spinning, her mind still filled with images of Maddox standing in the pool pleasuring himself that Emmeline had walked back to the keep on legs shaking so hard, she’d been afraid they’d give out beneath her. But she’d walked back to her bedchamber with a smile on her face—a smile she was having a hard time keeping off her face now.
“Are ye certain ye dinnae want tae take that move back?” Maddox asked.
“I’m certain,” she replied.
Maddox laughed. The orange light from the fire flickered across his strong jawline and glittered in his eyes, somehow making him even more handsome. She longed to lean forward and kiss him. Yearned to feel his touch. After spying on him in the hot spring, she was desperate to feel him inside of her.
Burchard coughed, snapping Emmeline out of her fantasies and as he closed his book and got to his feet, she leaned back in her chair and let a blank expression cross her face. As if taking her cue, Maddox sat back and folded his arms over his chest, making a show of staring at the chess board, his brow furrowed in concentration.
“I am going tae retire,” Burchard said.
“All right,” Emmeline replied. “Good night then.”
“I think it’s time fer ye tae go tae bed as well, Emmeline,” he said.
“I’m nae tired?—”
“I dinnae care. This little gatherin’ was meant fer Laird MacLachlan and Cecilia tae get tae ken each other better. Nae fer ye tae take up all his time playin’ silly games.”
There was something about the way he’d said it that sent a cold chill down her spine. There was a meaning beneath his words she didn’t like. And judging by the look on Cecilia’s face, she’d heard it too. There was a fear in the girl’s eyes that pulled at Emmeline’s heart and though she didn’t fear Maddox doing anything untoward, she worried that Burchard might force the issue.
“I’d like tae finish me game first, if ye dinnae mind,” Emmeline.
He sighed, annoyance coloring his features. “Be quick about it then,” he said. “Give Laird MacLachlan and Cecilia some time alone so they may get tae ken each other afore they wed.”
“Aye, me laird,” Emmeline replied demurely.
“Thank ye, Laird Macfie,” Maddox echoed. “I too, would like tae finish the game.”
“Very well,” Macfie replied.
His eyes fixed on his wife coldly, Burchard gave her a very pointed look as he crossed the room then left, closing the door hard behind him. When he was gone, she turned to Maddox who pulled a face and let out a loud breath, the relief on his face mirroring Emmeline’s. As they looked at each other, they shared a quiet laugh.
Cecilia closed her book and got to her feet as well. “I think I’ll turn in as well.”
Maddox nodded. “Just give it another minute or two tae make sure ye dinnae run intae yer faither in the halls.”
The girl smiled. “Thank ye, me Laird—Maddox.”