Page 48 of Bride takes a Scot

Isabella watched him intently when he released her briefly to finish undressing her. She stood before him naked, peering at him in wonder at what he was going to do.

Declan shed the rest of his garments within seconds. He moved her back to the table and pressed her back upon it. His hand stroked her hair and the side of her face. With hooded eyes, he peered at her with such longing. She’d never seen him appear so hungry for passion. Isabella too had missed him, and her desire was as strong. He pressed her head to the side and set his mouth on the tender skin below her ear. She gasped at the sound of his rasped breath. Declan suckled the skin and glided his lips along the base of her neck. He fondled her breasts roughly as he continued to press his mouth on her neck and shoulder.

Isabella held her breath. With each of his kisses, desire dampened the curls between her legs. A yearning to have him inside her overtook her and she was impatient for him to enter her. She thought he would because he groaned and pressed his hard erection against her. His movements were wild and erratic. He used his body to caress her, keeping her still with his hand flattened on her torso.

“Declan, please…” She moaned, swarmed with the need for him. Isabella leaned upward and stared at his handsome face. Her fingers perused his cheek, and she told him with her eyes that she needed him.

“Shhh…” He lifted her leg and bade her to hold it by pressing her hand there. “Don’t let go.”

Isabella shrieked when he entered her. She fell back against the tabletop as he propelled her back upon it, driving into her with such force that she couldn’t catch her breath. The table shifted a little and she almost shrieked thinking it might crash to the floor. His movements were rushed, and he had his eyes closed but his brows furrowed.

He grunted with each thrust and pulled her back against him when he drove her forward. Declan wouldn’t release her, and she held onto the table to support herself and to keep herself from falling off. He continued his sensual assault with effectual strokes to cause her culmination. The intensity of his forcefulness sent her reeling. Isabella cried out, not with pain, but with intense pleasure. Her body exploded with bliss and torment, sending her to an exquisite place she never knew existed.

Declan pulled out of her, lifted her off her feet, and carried her to the bed. There, he said nothing but instructed her to lay back. Impatiently, he drove into her again. His body thrust forcefully against hers unrelentingly. Isabella marveled at the severity of their lovemaking. Declan was wild with his need, and she was as needful of his fierce love play.

“Do ye like this, Wife? Do ye want it hard?”

“Please,” she whispered. “Yes, harder.”

He was almost brutal in his measured strokes. As he entered and pulled out of her, her vagina twinged and she couldn’t hold back the climax that shook her legs and caused her to cry out, surrendering once again to his vigorous treatment. His hands grabbed and caressed her so physically, she huffed and took hold of them.

Declan moaned and rasped from his exertion. He guided himself back into her and thrashed madly until his shout passedhis manly lips. It seemed to go on for a long time until he slowed his thrusts and pulled out of her.

Isabella breathed through her nose to try to settle her breath. Yet she’d enjoyed their intense, rough lovemaking, and he hadn’t hurt her.

Now, he didn’t seem to want to talk so she lay back on the bed and stared at the ceiling of the cottage. It seemed to her that Declan needed release and not the sweet-wifely lovemaking that she offered. That he’d been somewhat fervent with her fueled her need for him to be rougher. She was amazed at her response.

Declan sat on the side of the bed, leaned his elbows on his knees. His head lowered and his breath sounded labored. A long moment passed before he spoke, “I have never taken a woman so roughly before,” his voice came quietly. “I acted without honor, and I apologize.”

“I should not have been so angry with you… But you knew before you married me that I was outspoken. Perhaps you should have chosen another bride.” She wanted to weep as she spoke those words because she hoped with all her heart that he wasn’t completely displeased with her. Though she was doing her best, it saddened her to think that he was unhappy to have married her. Isabella placed her hand on his bicep, hoping to calm him.

“Ye know as well as I do that the choice was yours, Wife. I had no say in who I was to marry.” Declan set his hand atop hers but kept his face averted.

“What do you mean by that?”

Declan shrugged. “Aye, I got to tell the king who I wanted to marry after the brawl, but it meant nothing because the choice was already made for me, was it not?”

“Perhaps. I’ll grant you that I did tell the queen that I hoped you would offer for me.” She leaned up on her elbow and wanted to reach out to touch him, but she held back. Declan needed timeto calm and not her pawing at him. Besides, Isabella didn’t know how to respond to his declaration. “Are you so displeased with me as a wife?”

“Nay, of course not. I am more appalled by my actions. If I hurt ye…that is the last thing I would ever do, Isabella. Ye must believe me.” Declan turned to look at her. The discomfort in his eyes spoke volumes.

“You didn’t hurt me. I am not a feeble woman, Declan,” she said and wiped at her unabashed tears that gathered and fell one by one over her cheeks.

“I have never touched a woman like that before, Isabella. I vow that to be true. Why I lost control sits poorly in my chest. Say ye forgive me,” he implored.

“Of course, I forgive you. Come, lay beside me. We will not speak if you don’t want to.” She opened her arms and he lay back. She clasped his body and enjoyed the feeling of him against her. His hard body, still rigid with his taut muscles, enthralled her. It dawned on her that he could have easily hurt her or worse, killed her with his strength.

“I do not know what came over me, Isabella. Never would I hurt ye intentionally.”

“I am not hurt, Declan, and confess I might have enjoyed it. Worry not.” She pressed her hands through his hair and sighed. He worried for her and that relieved her.

“What ye said… ’Tis true…what ye said about Rhona and Claude. I should speak to Rhona soon.”

Isabella sat up and shifted to kneel beside him. “Declan, you were right because it is not my place to tell you how to act with your siblings. I understand you have been acting like her father for some years now. But Rhona is a grown woman, though young, and if she wants to marry, you should let her. What is the real reason you won’t give your consent?”

He pulled her to lay beside him and she set her arm over his torso. “I…I do not want to lose her yet. She will be gone and living her own life and I fear I will be unable to protect her.”

“That is what must be, though. You cannot keep her with you forever. She loves Willeli and they want to have a family. Just as you and I want to have a family. Willeli will protect her now. Let her go. Besides, she is not leaving the clan. Imagine how my parents felt when I left them. I probably won’t ever see them again.”