Page 24

Willamina sighed. “’Tis as if they dinna think we can handle the evil in the world. I love that they try to protect us, but we are strong. We willna break with whate’er bad news they’re going to tell us.”

Jocelyn had to agree. Though she didn’t believe for one minute that she was as strong as the rest of the women in the room. They’d all been through so much—and survived. She was in awe of their strength and perseverance.

“Ye are strong, too, Jocelyn,” Gwen said, as if reading her mind.

“I see your mind going. Not all of our journeys are the same, but they all require strength. Look at ye. Ye made your way from England to Scotland. Alone. And not just the border. Ye are deep into Scotland. That takes strength that I would be hard pressed to conjure up.”

She dipped her head. She didn’t feel strong. But she supposed she was. She had done something that most women wouldn’t even attempt. “You are very kind to say such things.”

“She only speaks the truth,” Clarissa said. “Before this visit is over, we will have ye convinced of your strength. I promise ye that.”

That was how the rest of the evening went. Sipping sherry, playing games. After cards, they moved to charades. Jocelyn laughed so hard, she gave herself a stitch.

Later that evening, when Gunn escorted her upstairs to her room, she found herself not wanting to be alone.

She lingered at her door, wanting to be forward enough to tell him what she wanted—him.

But not daring for fear of… For fear of what, she thought.

Gunn’s feelings toward her were obvious.

She could tell in the way he carelessly caressed her skin as if it were the most natural thing to do in the world.

In the care lighting his eyes whenever he looked at her.

In the richness of his voice as he spoke.

So, what was holding her back? A commitment to vows she’d spoken years ago when she was young and naive and believed the world was only filled with good people.

A commitment to someone she didn’t love. Hadn’t loved in a very long time. Commitment to a man who treated her like property instead of a person. She’d seen Victor treat animals better than he’d treated her.

Damn him. She was not going to let him dictate her life anymore. She was not bound to him. She’d escaped his clutches and was free to do as she pleased. To love as she pleased. Victor would be dealt with, but right now she didn’t want to think about him.

She only wanted to think about Gunn. To get lost in his arms and have him kiss all her worries away. To make her feel again.

Live again.

Love again.

“Joss?” Concern creased Gunn’s brow. “Is something amiss?”

She worried her lip between her teeth, gathering the courage to do what she longed to do. To say the words she needed to say.

“No. Everything is perfect.”

He dipped his head in a small bow. “Then I shall bid ye a good night.”

When he turned to go, she reached out, curling her hand around his arm. “Please don’t,” she whispered, looking at his surprised expression through her lowered lashes.

His eyes dropped to her hand, before he lifted them, and their gazes clashed together. Lifting her hand from his arm to his mouth, he kissed her, letting his lips linger as he stared into the depths of her eyes.

She couldn’t look away. It was as if she was entranced. Caught in a spell that she never wanted to be broken.

Gunn didn’t speak a word as he gently took her hand and pulled her into his room, closing and latching the door behind them.

Pulling her close, so her body was flush against his, he dropped his head and captured her lips in a searing kiss that she felt from the tip of her head to the tips of her toes.

When his tongue sought entry into her mouth, she opened on a gasp, letting him in. Their tongues danced an erotic dance that was wicked and wanton, and she wanted more.

His hands dropped from cupping her face, and his fingers tore at the buttons on his waistcoat, ridding himself of it as quickly as he could, his mouth not leaving hers.

She gasped for air, but she didn’t want to break contact.

Walking her back to the bed, he finally broke the kiss, his lips moving to her ear, his tongue tracing the shell, before sucking the lobe into his mouth.

With a groan, she tugged at his cravat, untying the knot so it could fall to the floor.

Pushing his shirt off his massive shoulders, he shook himself the rest of the way out of it.

Her hands splayed across his pectoral muscles, huge and bulging under her palms. She feathered her fingertips across his skin.

She smiled when he shivered, a groan escaping his full lips as he nuzzled her neck, nipping at her skin.

His fingers grabbed the ends of her sash bow and pulled, letting the material pool around her feet.

He straightened, looking down at her, trailing his index finger down the column of her throat when she arched her neck back.

He dipped the finger into her bodice, finding her nipple and teasing it into a taut peak.

Her breath hitched, and she bit her lip.

Pushing the sleeves off her shoulders, Gunn kissed her skin as he bared it. It pimpled, at first from the coolness in the air, but then from his lips. The feeling was so foreign. Such admiration had never been doled upon her.

She slipped her dress off, letting it fall to land upon her satin sash, and she stood there, in front of Gunn, her shift the only covering she had left. In the past, she’d felt embarrassed in such a situation. But with Gunn? She felt empowered.

Strong.

Sexual.

He toed off his boots and she watched him as he finished undressing. He stood naked in front of her, a feral look in his eyes, as he licked his lips.

Her eyes dropped to his chest, tracked down, following the rippled muscles of his abdomen.

She reached out, trailed her fingers along his skin.

Smiled when it pimpled under her fingertips.

Lower, lower, to the vee of his hips. Down to his manhood.

Like the rest of him, it was massive, standing tall.

Proud, the tip angry and purple. She touched the tip, and it jerked violently.

Gunn grasped her hand. “I canna have ye doing that, Joss. This night will be o’er much too soon if I do.” He smiled wickedly, his eyes flashing.

He released her hand and clutched her shift. His eyes focused on hers, he lifted the gossamer material slowly. It tickled as it drifted over her legs, her hips, her breasts. She lifted her arms, and he pulled it over her head, casting it away.

His eyes blew wide with approval as he looked at her.

“I’ve said it before, but I will say it for the rest of my life. I’ve ne’er seen aught more beautiful.” His voice was low, gravelly with barely contained passion.

She smiled shyly. Though she didn’t know why she suddenly felt shy after being so forward. Deciding to throw her shyness through the window, she wrapped her arms around Gunn’s neck, pulling him down to her.

He reached an arm out, drawing down the duvet, and gently eased her back onto the mattress, covering her body with his as he settled between her legs.

“Are ye certain this is what ye want? Ye only have to say nay, and I’ll stop. Leave. Find someplace else to sleep tonight.”

She shook her head. “I won’t allow you to do such a thing. If this wasn’t something I wanted, I would not have started it.”

He growled, dropping his lips to her neck, nipping at the sensitive skin, causing her to yelp with a giggle.

“I dinna think I’ve e’er wanted something so bad in my life as I want ye right now.”

“I must confess, I feel the same,” she whispered, running her fingers through his short hair, scraping her nails across his scalp, making him shudder.

“E’ery touch from ye is heaven, but hot as fire.” He kissed his way down the column of her neck, down to her collarbone, then lower until he finally sucked a nipple into his mouth.

She let out her breath on a hiss. His lips were searing. He teased and nipped. Suckled and pinched. Worked her into a frenzy until her nipple was hard as glass. His teeth grazed the taut skin, gently biting, just enough to cause a sting, then he licked away the pain.

As he teased her breasts, he trailed his fingers down her stomach, burying them into her nestle of curls, and found her wet core.

His fingers explored. Dipping into her, then retreating, circling the bundle of nerves, that had her thrashing her head from side to side.

Her heels dug into the mattress, and just when she thought she couldn’t take any more, he shifted his hips and sank himself into her fully. In one long thrust.

She gasped at the fullness, feeling herself stretch around him, to accommodate his entry.

It felt divine.