Page 22 of Bride Takes a Charmer (Highland Vows & Vengeance #3)

“Good.” Shaw reached behind her and pressed her back toward their door.

He opened it, shuffled her inside, closed the door with a thud, and then pulled her against him.

His lips sought hers and he gave her the slightest peck.

Then he leaned against the closed door and pulled her back against him.

Her body rested against his and his hands roved over the front of her body until he was able to cup her breasts.

“I have been thinking about doing this all day. ’Tis the truth, I like touching you.” He pressed his hands over her bosom, the curves of her hips, and her sensitive torso. She giggled slightly when he touched her there which drew his smile.

“I like you touching me,” she said with a raspy breath.

Shaw set his cheek next to hers and whispered, “I like ye touching me too.”

Sorsha set her hands on his forearm which kept her against him. His need grew and the hardness pressed against her buttocks. Shaw moaned softly at the prospect of loving her again.

“Is that bath for me?”

He nodded. “Aye, I thought ye would want to wash away the travel dust. Go on. The water should still be warm.”

Sorsha undid the tie of her cloak, then the bodice of her overdress, and removed it.

Beneath her garments was a thin chemise, an undergarment that showed more of her body than it hid.

He thought her sweet when she shyly removed the garment and stepped into the tub trying to hide her body with her hands.

With her lovely backside to him, she craned her neck to peer at him.

Shaw sat on the bedside and watched her.

Her movements were graceful and unbeknownst to her, she carried herself in a seductive way.

When she finished bathing, she reached for the drying cloth set on a nearby stool.

He considered her abashment and stood. To distract himself, he approached the window casement, opened a shutter slightly, and gazed at the star-filled night sky.

There was nary a moon to give any light about the land.

Night obscured the waters that surrounded the island.

The waters were still and no lapping of their waves sounded on the banks.

Shaw shook his head at his simple thoughts and wished she’d hurry.

“Shaw?”

He turned and found her standing close. Shaw pressed his hands to her waist, loving the soft, silky feel of her skin against his calloused palms, hastily lifted her, carried her to the bed, and set her in the center.

With care, he removed his sword and sheath and placed them by the bed’s headboard.

He removed his layered tartans and then his tunic.

His belt clanked on the wooden floorboards but he cared not and shifted it under the bed with his foot.

Then he knelt on the bed and used his hands to crawl toward her.

As he lay next to her he tilted her chin so she would look at him.

“When we married, Sorsha, I made certain vows to ye. Ye are the only woman who will ever occupy this bed and the only woman I will lie with. Always remember that.”

“I was foolish for thinking—”

“Nay, I understand why such a notion would come to ye. This is a new situation for us both and I want us to be faithful to each other.” Shaw’s voice held a little emotion as he spoke. He hoped she felt the same.

“’Tis just…Rodick did his husbandly duty but he often bedded others. I…I was nothing but a burden to him, a chore he detested. I want us to be faithful too.” She sighed and he pressed his hand on her face, causing her to close her eyes.

“He was a fool, not ye. Any man that cannot see your worth, Sorsha, is an arse. Now kiss me, wife, because I need to touch ye and…” Shaw ceased his thought and pressed his lips to hers. He couldn’t get enough of kissing her and turned his mouth to the softness of her lips.

Sorsha joined her hands behind his neck and kept him close.

His chest caressed against her breasts and brought forth a light groan from him.

He wanted to take her and be joined as one.

They’d had little opportunity to be together on the trek and had only coupled twice.

If he had his way, he would have taken her each night.

But though he desired her, he wanted to please her and show her that a man could be gentle, caring, passionate, and loving.

He wouldn’t have been able to do so on the cold, hard ground so close to Walen and the lad.

Now she tried to shift him to lie beside her and he complied with her unspoken demand.

Sorsha rose to kneel beside him and pressed her hands over the top of his thigh, his stomach, and chest. Her touch ignited a passion within him and his heart increased to a fevered pitch.

Being with her was everything he’d ever envisioned, wanted, or needed.

Shaw let her take her time exploring him.

He wanted her to be comfortable with touching him.

Sorsha set her mouth on his chest and kissed her way to his mouth. The way her lips pressed against his throat along the way caused him to take in a heavy breath. Lord, he wanted her and his patience was threadbare and unraveling quickly.

Without giving her a warning, he grabbed hold of her and flipped her onto her back.

His body spanned hers and he willed himself to go slow.

But Sorsha urged him on with sweet moans and touches that spurred his lust. The desire between them flowed effortlessly and uncontrollably.

He was about to enter her then realized that he needed to be gentle with her.

“I want ye badly and cannot resist—”

“Take me, Shaw. I need you too.” Her words came in a sweet whisper against his mouth.

Shaw pressed his lips against hers as his erection found its way into the warmth of her being.

Her heat and tightness caused him to rasp in delight.

He shifted slowly at first, trying to maintain control and to give her pleasure.

Her body easily accepted his and when she wrapped her legs around his thighs, he was lost in a peril of extreme infatuation.

Shaw continued to propel his body and as their movements increased, so too did their surrender.

He was barely hanging on and forced himself to withhold the need to expel his seed.

His wife was more important than his instinctual need and he wanted her to experience the ultimate pleasure.

With effective thrusts and powerful strokes, he couldn’t withstand the impulse to delve into her sheath.

She clasped him tightly and called his name in besotted shouts of sensuality.

Her culmination tensed her body beneath his, and still, he waited.

But his restraint was short-lived when his body deceived him and thoroughly abandoned him.

Every muscle within him clenched with the agony of his surrender.

His seed gave way and his shout nearly rendered him incapable of movement.

He pressed against her and drew in rasps of breath.

For a long moment, he leaned his head on her shoulder and tried not to crush her.

But he realized her hands were entwined within the locks of his hair.

Her fingers caressed his head as if she were trying to soothe him, but she, too, seemed to have trouble catching her breath.

“Sorsha, ye are bonny and have me besotted.” He shifted back but kissed her softly before he completely withdrew.

His wife lay back with a bonny smile on her face. She pressed the tips of her fingers over her eyes and sighed. “What just happened?”

He grinned as multiple answers came to him, but when he noted the shine in her eyes, he smoothed a hand over her hair. “Are ye weeping? Did I hurt ye?” Shaw thought he might’ve been somewhat rough with her.

“Nay, it was…wonderful. Really, Shaw, I never felt anything so perfect.”

Perfect…Perfection…Transcendent.

Their encounter led Shaw to realize that he might be more than infatuated with her.

He lay next to her, yanked her body closer to his, and smoothed a hand over her torso.

“I cannot wait until ye are carrying my bairn. Ye want more children? I know ye must be missing your wee lass, but it got me thinking that I want bairns and soon. Do ye?”

She set her hand atop his. “I had not thought about it…until now. Aye, I do want more children, yours… And of course, I miss Gillian and pray that she is well.”

Shaw couldn’t begin to understand the woe that must be in Sorsha’s heart over being separated from her child.

He intended to wait until she was ready to retrieve her daughter, but something prevented her from doing so.

If they were going to collect Gillian from the Chattans, it should be soon.

That decided, Shaw leaned his head against hers and sighed.

“I will be gone most of the day on the morrow but should return by nightfall.”

“I am sure I shall be well while you are gone. Where are you going?”

He cleared his throat and told a bald-faced lie.

“I plan to meet with my allies.” Well, no, that wasn’t necessarily a bald-faced lie, but it wasn’t the truth either.

He intended to meet with his allies in case he needed them when he confronted Geoff Chattan.

Though his wife wouldn’t share her reluctance to retrieve Gillian, he intended to retrieve their wee lass as soon as possible.

For now, he was content to hold Sorsha all night if only to remind himself that she was finally his—the woman he’d been infatuated with since he’d first held her.