Page 35 of Claimed Highland Brides

13

CONSUMMATION

D elwyn watched as Jamesina settled on the feather bed, bouncing a little before settling down against the pillows. Her fiery hair fanned out on the white pillows and he stared in fascination at the picture she made.

All this is mine ?

Sometimes he wondered what curious fate had landed him here. Everything so unexpected, even though he’d set out to achieve exactly this purpose. His mother’s words echoed in his mind as she handed over her treasured brooch.

“What good would it do to wear it on my breast if my daughter is lost?”

Her daughter was still lost and Delwyn had the chance to get her back. Should he let that chance go just because he was a little enamored of his new wife?

What kind of man would that make me ?

“What are ye waiting for?” Her soft voice brought him back to the present and he put his knee on the bed before leaning forward and blanketing her. He kissed the hollow between her breasts, before licking his way to one distended, brown-tipped nipple.

He suckled for all he was worth, milking from her every moan and groan and whimper that he could. She squirmed beneath him, wordlessly asking for things he was all too happy to give. He parted her legs, one finger questing, seeking that swollen nub that wrung from her such sounds of suffering that he might have thought she hated it if she was not thrusting up at him with needy moans.

He wanted to be inside her with an urgency he’d never felt before. Widening her legs, he straightened up, to look her in the eye. Still holding her gaze, he reached up and tweaked her nipple even as he pushed into her. He could see her trying to focus on every single sensation assaulting her, eyes shifting from his hand to the place where they were joined before rolling back in her head. He thrust again, slowly, carefully, going deeper.

She gave a long low moan, her body shuddering, and he pushed through until he rested his body upon hers. She made a loud keening sound and arched up, causing him to move involuntarily, his hips jerking even as he closed his eyes tight and stilled his muscles, wanting to give her time to adjust to his length and girth.

He could hear her panting as he ran his hands down her flanks as if soothing a spooked horse.

“It’s alright. The pain will disappear in a minute.”

“I-it’s fine. I-I dinnae feel pain.”

He opened his eyes, looking skeptically into her eyes. “Are you sure?”

“Aye” She nodded slowly, still panting with fast shallow breaths. He blinked a few times, unsure if she was lying but knowing that he would be physically unable to stay still for too much longer. Deciding to take her at her word, he blanketed her with his body, taking her legs and wrapping them around his waist.

“Hold on,” he murmured into her ear as he began to thrust in earnest, his eyes scrunched tight against the sheer all-pervading pleasure of having her warm wet flesh enfold his iron-hard arousal.

The tiny whimpering sounds she made with every thrust were driving him round the bend and he did not know how long he could keep his pace unhurried and gentle when all he wanted to do was gather her legs up and back, until her knees were touching her shoulders, and nail her fast and furious into the soft bedding.

He snaked his hand between them, finding that nub again and rubbing at it as he increased the tempo of his thrusts. She began to squirm beneath him, moaning and pleading, driving him out of his mind.

He leaned down and whispered in her ear, “Let go.”

She threw back her head with a sharp cry as her body erupted. Shuddering gasps escaped her throats as she shook from head to toe, arms spread out wide as if she was crucified to the bed, body convulsing.

“Yes, that’s it. Let it go.”

She gave one last whimper before collapsing beneath him with a boneless whimper. He took that as his cue to do as he pleased and gathered her legs in one hand, pulling them up so that her center was exposed to him, his length splitting her like a peach. He blinked, just watching himself thrust in and out of her before he let go and jerked forward, pistoning into her ruthlessly, taking his pleasure as savagely as he’d wished to do before.

Her eyes flew open as her mouth went slack and she blinked at the ceiling, hands scrabbling uselessly at his arms as if she had no energy to grab hold. He slowed down slightly, afraid that he was hurting her, but she moaned and arched her back, wordlessly urging him on.

He let go of any restraint that he was still holding on to and really doubled down, his hips pistoning jerkily, head thrown back as his hands held her legs up and away to give him the space to work. She let out a cry and began to convulse again. Pride pulsed through him as he realized that he’d made her orgasm once again. As her insides milked him for all she was worth, he let go and spilled his seed forcefully within her, as his face stretched in a rictus of effort.

Afterward, he let go of her legs, sinking slowly to the bed beside her and watching as she panted hard, blinking at the ceiling seemingly shell-shocked.

Slowly, he smiled. “Are you alright?”

She turned her head to blink at him instead of the ceiling, “Is it…always like that?”

He could not help the smug pride from spreading to every facet of his being. “Not always, no.”

“Oh.” She turned back to staring at the ceiling.

He laughed, reaching out to cup her breast as his eyes fell closed. He was quite exhausted.

* * *

Jamesina watched Delwyn sleep, a smug smile still plastered on his face, and wondered that what she had thought would be a harrowing ordeal had turned into a…transcendent experience. From what she’d overheard among the staff and even her sister’s words, she had expected pain and suffering when she consummated her marriage. She had not expected…that.

He said it’s not always like that .

Jamesina cocked an eyebrow as she wondered fleetingly if her sister had ever experienced such ecstasy in her marriage bed.

Well, what other surprises does this marriage have for me ?

She sighed, her whole body relaxing as she drifted off to sleep.

* * *

The sun warming her face woke her up and she turned to see that Delwyn was still curled in on himself, fast asleep. She sighed, a happy smile spreading across her face. She stretched as a soft knock came on the door and froze, not sure she was ready to see anyone.

“Aye?” she called.

“I brought yer water, my lady,” Freya called from the other side, sounding just a smidgeon amused.

Jamesina sighed. “Come in then.”

She gathered the sheets around her, hiding her nakedness even if there was hardly anyone who had seen her unclothed more than Freya. The very soul of discretion, Freya did not so much as glance at the bed even as she wished Jamesina a good morning and set to reviving the dying fire then pouring water in the cauldron to heat. She pulled the tub in place before picking up the chamber pot and leaving with it.

Jamesina let out the breath she hadn’t known she was holding, feeling a sense of anticlimax. Her life had fundamentally changed during the night and in the morning, everything was proceeding as if this was just any other day. She shook her head, marveling at her thoughts, before shuffling off the bed. She plucked her shift off the floor, slipped it over her head, before walking to the window, just to double-check that the sun was not indeed shining brighter than any other day before this one.

“Good morning.”

She jumped, whirling around to see that Delwyn was awake, propped up on his arm as he lay smiling at her. The sun seemed to shine right out of his eyes, so terribly blue that their intensity scared her for a moment.

“Guid morning, Husband,” she murmured softly.

He uttered a sound of surprise and pain as if he had not been aware they were married. She turned away from the window, her eyebrows raised. “Why d’ye seem shocked by that greeting?”

He shrugged one shoulder, his skin coloring slightly. “It’s still very new. I think I had forgotten.”

She laughed, half in disbelief, half in commiseration. He held out his hand. “Why don’t you come here and remind me?”

She stiffened, eyes widening in surprise, wondering if she was misreading his intention. “Uh, Freya will probably return shortly to prepare the water for our bath.”

Delwyn’s smile became wicked. “We’ll be quick.”

She didn’t think her eyes could get wider but they made a valiant effort. She did not think this was proper at all. Still, she wanted to…

“I…” The words choked in her throat.

“Come on Jamie. Do you not want to?” He began to withdraw his hand as if hurt.

“No! I want tae. O’ course I do.”

His smile returned. “Well then, come here.”

She took one step towards him, still unsure.

“Lock the door if you’re that worried about being interrupted,” he suggested.

With a relieved sigh, she hurried to the door and latched it before running to her husband.

* * *

Delwyn was taking the air that afternoon, hardly able to keep the smile from his face. Jamesina had gone off to visit with Fiona. He could well imagine why. They had been apart for just an hour but he missed her already. He decided to turn back to the keep, perhaps pass by the kitchen and beg some victuals so that they could close themselves in the marriage chamber without worrying about supper.

He had barely taken two steps when a man stepped in front of him, his face dour and grey. Delwyn frowned and tried to go around him. The man stepped in his path again.

“What is this?”

The man’s brow beetled. “Ye ken wha’ this is,” he growled before thrusting a paper in Delwyn’s hand and hurrying off. Delwyn watched him go, his face stiff with surprise before looking back down at the paper. His name was emblazoned on the folded paper; to his immense surprise, it was written in his sister’s hand.

His hands shook as he broke the seal and unfolded the letter, reading it through frantically.

Dear Brother,

I heard with joy of your recent union with one of Murdo Douglass’s daughters. I hope to come and visit you soon in your new home and celebrate your marriage with you. However, I am a bit short of funds and would like you to send some to me at The World’s End, an inn in Edinburgh. A man named Angus McTavish will hold it for me as I travel over from England. I really hope to see you soon. I do not know what I will do if you refuse me this.

Your loving Sister,

Maegan

Delwyn swallowed hard, recognizing the ransom note for what it was. It irked him to no end that the solicitor who had sent him here was in league with his sister’s kidnappers. He had been well and truly tricked.

He read the last line again.

I do not know what I will do if you refuse me this.

He knew these men were ruthless and they would kill his sister if he did not do as they asked.