Page 59 of Hearts of Highland Fire
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She was lost. Gretna felt the slight pressure on her lips, the way that Remy was now cradling her face with those massive hands of his as he tasted every inch of her lips. It was exactly what she had anticipated her first kiss to be; passionate, gentle and something she wished for.
Her hands slid into his hair and he growled against her lips as she felt the soft strands between her fingers, her body moving ever closer to his. There was a heat pooling in her stomach, one that threatened to consume Gretna and it was because of this man before her.
She wanted more.
Remy’s thumb stroked her jaw. “Open for mah, lass,” he murmured against her lips. “Let mah taste ye.”
Gretna opened her mouth and his tongue swept in, tasting of mint and ale, his hand sliding to the back of her neck and holding her in place. Gretna heard a moan come from somewhere and she realized it was from her, her hands now tugging on his hair in an attempt to pull him closer. The kiss was exhilarating, nothing like she had ever anticipated for it to be and when Remy pulled away, Gretna whimpered at the loss.
“Bloody hell,” he whispered, his chest heaving as he looked down at her.
She winced. “Was it bad? I’ve never kissed anyone before and I’m not sure.”
Remy silenced her with a quick kiss. “Nay, lass, ye were perfect.”
Gretna blushed, slowly removing her hands from his hair. Remy was impossibly close to her, so close that she could see the mess of freckles along his collarbone, a scar right at his neck as if someone had tried to cut his throat. It didn’t detract from his handsomeness, but when she ran a finger along the faint line, he exhaled and reached up, grasping her finger. “Gretna.”
“Wot happened?” she asked, looking up at him.
He shook his head. “Misunderstanding.”
“Wot sort of misunderstanding could a knife be held tae yer throat?”
Remy’s throat worked and he closed his eyes. “I was in the bed of a married lass. Her husband came home early.”
Oh. Gretna’s throat worked, but she didn’t move from her spot. “Well, that was unfortunate.”
Remy let out a husky laugh, his fingers unfurling from hers and causing her hand to drop on his chest instead. “Aye, it was. I dinna know she was wed.”
“Would ye had visited her bed anyway?” Gretna asked hesitantly. She had heard the rumors about Remy from the unmarried and the married women, how he was all they could wish for in their bed but Gretna was now curious as to why.
His laugh grew choked. “I’m not having this conversation with ye, lass.”
She decided not to press him, her hand sliding from his chest and over another scar. Remy’s body shuddered under her touch and Gretna was surprised, her eyes flying to his. “I… I’m sorry,” she fumbled, stepping back. She shouldn’t be touching him so. They had just shared a kiss, nothing more.
Remy’s hands grasped her waist and he hauled her back against him. “Nay, lass, I like yer touches.”
“Ye do?” she asked, suddenly pleased. “I donna know wot tae do.” She felt so inexperienced next to him.
He leaned back until he could look at her, his eyes full of tenderness that made her heart ache. “Ye should go tae her chamber, Gretna.”
She didn’t want to. Pushing out of his arms she placed her hands on her hips. “I’m tired of doing wot I’m supposed tae do!” She was tired of being perfect all the time and not following what seemed to be natural. This seemed natural to her, being here with Remy yet he was telling her that she shouldn’t. “I want this. I want ye.”
Remy went still.
“I want ye tae make mah feel,” she continued, the words rushing out. “I want ye tae show mah that it’s okay not tae be perfect.” A tear escaped down her cheek and she angrily dashed it away. Now was not the time for her to cry, even if they were angry tears. Tonight had shown her that no matter what she did, or how she followed the rules, those around her weren’t going to do the same so why should she?
He loosened a breath. “Gretna, lass, ye donna have tae be perfect all the time,” he said. “Though I think ye are.”
Warmth slid through her body. “I want tae do something that is not part of the rules for once.” She wanted Remy to kiss her again, to touch her with those expert hands of his and show her what it meant to spend an hour or two in his bed. Gretna wanted to forget that she had a duty to her clan, to her brother, and to just be Gretna Wallace. “I want ye tae take mah innocence.”
“Nay,” Remy said swiftly, his jaw clenching. “I willna. That is, ye should share that with yer husband, not mah.”
The problem was, Gretna was starting to think of Remy as husband material, even if he seemed all wrong for her. Tears clogged her throat, but she gave him a tight nod. “Alright then,” she forced out. “Good night.” She would go back to her chamber and try to get past this rejection, figure out how she would face him in the morning when he took her home.
Could one die of a broken heart?
Gretna got to the door and opened it a crack before Remy’s hand came over her hand and shut it back, his presence at her back. “I wonna take yer innocence,” he said in her ear. “But I can make ye feel in other ways, Gretna.”
Gretna shivered at his closeness, thinking of the other ways she had heard about. “Ye wonna turn mah away again?”
His nose nuzzled her ear and her stomach clenched. “Nay, lass, I willna. Having ye in mah bed will be beyond anything I could have imagined, even if it is for just yer pleasure.”
Remy’s words struck Gretna to her very core. He was going to give her what she wanted and suddenly she was nervous as to what he would think of her. She was an untried lass and he was very well-versed in the arts.
What if she disappointed him?
“Yer thinking too hard, Gretna,” he continued, his hand touching her shoulder and turning her toward him. She saw intrigue in his eyes, a heat that matched the one coursing through her veins, and her chest tightened. “Do ye want this or not?”
“I do,” she blurted out. “I do.”
Remy’s eyes gleamed with an unknown emotion as he leaned in, brushing his lips over hers. “Trust mah, lass.”
“I trust ye,” she whispered. She trusted him with everything she had and it wasn’t just in this chamber either.
He grunted as his lips moved to her jawline, his hand starting to move to the laces of her dress. “If there is anything,” he whispered against her skin, “that I do that ye donna like, ye will tell mah, Gretna.”
Gretna imagined there wasn’t anything he was going to do to her that she wouldn't like, but she nodded her response anyway, knowing that he wouldn’t move forward until she did.
Remy distracted her by grazing his teeth over the lobe of her ear while his long fingers undid the laces with ease, her bodice gaping open to reveal the lace-edged chemise underneath. Gretna arched against his lips as they trailed down her neck, his hand pushing the neckline aside and off her shoulder so he could place a kiss there. “Alright?” he murmured.
“Aye,” Gretna forced out, pressing her palms against the door, her entire body trembling. She wanted more. She wanted him to hurry up with whatever he was going to do to her so that she could understand what the others talked about.
Most importantly, she didn’t want to embarrass herself with Remy.
His lips left her skin and he stepped back, his eyes roving over her. “Yer so bonnie,” he said softly, his hands slowly peeling the neckline away. Gretna fumbled to get her arms free, feeling the cool air waft over her skin as the dress, finally, freed itself and fell to the floor, leaving her in just her chemise. A flush came over her as Remy covered her with his body and captured her lips with his, the kiss not as gentle as before. When his hand cupped her breast, Gretna gasped, rewarded with a chuckle from him. “Ye like that?” he mused against her lips, his thumb rubbing over the sensitive bud through the thin material.
Gretna could only let out a whimper when he lowered his head and took it between his teeth, her body tightening with need. Oh, dear gods, it was unlike anything she had felt before!
He blew on the wet fabric before moving to the other one, giving it the same attention and Gretna writhed under his touch, her body aching for more. No wonder Remy was on the tip of everyone’s tongue. He was making her feel as if she could combust into flames at any moment!
Looking down, Gretna realized that Remy had knelt before her, his hands now occupied with moving her chemise up her legs, exposing her skin bit by bit. “Wot are ye doing?” she rasped.
Remy didn’t respond, pulling her chemise to mid-thigh and placing his lips there. Gretna swallowed hard as his lips moved higher with the chemise and before she knew it, he had exposed her lower half. “Remy.”
He looked up. “Donna worry, lass. I know wot I am doing.”
Oh, she had no doubt, but she didn’t know what he was about to do. When his finger ran the length of the slit between her legs, Gretna decided she didn’t care what he was going to do if it felt like that. When his mouth replaced his finger, she moaned loudly, her hands sliding into his hair. It was, she didn’t know how to explain it. There was a tightness in her stomach, her breasts heavy and a want, nay a need to let go.
His tongue delved between her folds and Gretna cried out sharply as her entire body went aflame, stiffening as a warmth washed over her. She didn’t know what had happened, but it felt wondrous.
Vaguely through the haze, Gretna saw Remy rise to his feet and sweep her into his arms, walking to the bed. He laid her there and stood over her, the evidence of his arousal straining against his breeks. Gretna reached out boldly and he hissed as she touched him, pulling his hand away. “Nay, lass. Not tonight.”
“This won't be the only time then?” she asked drowsily, the bed comfortable and smelled of Remy.
A harsh chuckle followed and she felt the whisper of lips at her temple. “Sleep, lass.”
Gretna didn’t want to, but her body was relaxed for the first time in a long while and it pulled her under before she could stop it. Her last thought was that after what Remy did to her, she couldn’t marry James or anyone else for that matter.