Page 12

Chapter

Twelve

S urely he had not meant. . .

Avelina paced the comfortable chamber. Though a manor house, Tannochbrae was nearly as large as her own keep, and the size of bedchambers reflected as much.

The maid had prepared warm water for her to wash with, and now in nothing more than her shift, having used the lavender soap to scrub every bit of skin she could, Avelina could not lie in the bed.

Surely he would not risk coming to her chamber.

As the hour grew even later, she began to doubt she had heard the words correctly.

Still, something kept her awake, the remnants of sleepiness she’d felt at the supper table long gone.

Back and forth she walked, sometimes over to the hearth, staring at the fire so long her eyes began to burn. And then back toward the canopied bed, where she resumed her pacing.

Just as she began to contemplate crawling into the very inviting-looking bed, its cream coverlet seeming to call her name, a quick knock at the door was followed by its opening.

Niall.

His shoulders filled the frame and then he moved inside quickly, the wooden door clicking shut behind him.

It was as if she had to relearn how to breathe. Niall’s presence in her bedchamber was so much more intimidating than in the hall or the open fields. His promise of a kiss was never far from her mind, but it was certainly not so now as he closed the distance between them.

“I was not certain you heard me,” he said, stopping short of her. His eyes dipped, and Avelina was never more aware of her own body than she was at this moment.

“I was not certain I had either,” she admitted.

Why did he appear so much larger in this chamber?

“I’d have come sooner, but I wanted to be sure I was not followed.”

“By my brother?”

“Aye.”

“Because you should not be in here.”

He laughed. “Certainly not.”

She simply had to know. “Are you here to kiss me?”

He breathed in deeply, watching her, as if undecided.

Avelina would not leave this to chance. Taking a step toward him, wanting very much to feel his lips on hers, she was about to reach up when Niall made a sound halfway between a groan and a growl.

He reached her in one stride. Niall cupped both of her cheeks, holding her head and forcing it upward.

They were strong, capable hands, and yet held her so gently she could have cried.

If not for the other type of feelings coursing through her.

Avelina’s heart slammed in her chest as Niall’s head lowered.

At the first touch of his lips, Avelina closed her eyes.

His lips were both hard and soft, somehow exactly how she imagined.

But then his tongue was there—something she’d not experienced during any stolen kisses her suitors had taken.

Running along the crease of her lips, ’twas as if he wanted her to open her mouth for him. And so, she did.

Suddenly, his head slanted as Niall’s tongue was once again there, demanding from her that she touched her own tongue to his. And so, she did, and was rewarded for it by another groan. This time, she could feel the vibrations of the sound on her lips, and she made one of her own.

Now his tongue did not just touch hers but swirled around it. As Niall’s lips moved over hers, his tongue became increasingly demanding, and Avelina was glad to give him what he silently demanded.

The kiss deepened.

She learned quickly, her arms now around his waist and Niall’s hands still on her face, holding it in place as if she would dare leave. There was no place in the world Avelina would rather be at that moment but in this man’s arms, learning how to kiss properly.

When he pulled away, she wanted to fight him. To beg him to continue. But he did so only enough to look at her, his eyes penetrating deep into her soul.

“That was your first.”

“Like that? Aye. I’ve been kissed before, but never. . .”

“I understand,” he said, ensuring she did not have to. “But know this, Lina. Kissing does not always feel this way.”

He was so close she could smell the fresh soap he used to cleanse himself. Lina could feel his breath and wanted so very much to kiss him again.

“Does it not?”

He slowly shook his head. “Nay. It does not.”

He leaned down once again, his hands moving from her cheeks to around her shoulders. It was as if she were being consumed by him, engulfed in Niall’s embrace. If the kiss was not enough, being held to his chest, Avelina felt his body against hers. . .

She gripped the material of his tunic as Niall’s mouth opened even more widely.

Her very core clenched. Avelina had never experienced such a feeling before.

It startled her enough to pull away. Looking up into his eyes, she asked the silent question, already knowing the answer.

Or suspecting, at least. Mary had told her a bit, enough for Avelina to consider this must be what her maid referenced.

“Your desire scares you?” Niall asked, his voice deep and low. Soothing too.

“I’ve never felt that before,” she admitted, still engulfed in his arms.

“Tell me.”

“It’s just, when you kiss me. Hold me against you like this. . .”

“Go on.”

She shook her head. “I cannae.”

His jaw flexed, and Avelina resisted the urge to reach up and touch it to see if the angles were as hard as they appeared. But she didn’t dare pull her arms away from him.

“Between your legs,” he said, vocalizing what she could not. “Aye?”

“Aye.”

“Desire, Lina. I feel it too.”

“’Tis a powerful feeling.”

He chuckled. “Men have died for it.”

“I think perhaps I would too.”

In response to that, he lowered his head once again. This time, he offered no quarter. Niall’s tongue tangled with hers, the rhythm of their kiss so natural it was a wonder this was her first time. That the two of them had not been kissing each other forever.

It was there again. Avelina didn’t even realize she was pressing against him until she felt him against her. Their hips circled each other’s, and that’s when she knew. This was a precursor to what it would be like to make love to a man such as Niall.

“Mmmm, Lina,” he said, pulling away. This time, he took a full step back.

The expression on his face underscored the fact that he moved away from her.

“A kiss is just a kiss. But we dance around more that cannae be explored between us. I should have known. Should have realized this was not a good idea.”

“I think ’tis a good idea indeed. That felt. . .” She sighed. “Like something I would like to do again.”

He made a sound low in his throat. “As would I. Very much. But I fear it was too good—”

“How can a kiss be too good?” she genuinely wondered. “It seems such a thing is not possible.”

“And yet.” He licked his lips, Avelina spying that tongue which had so recently been inside her mouth. How she would like it to be again. . . “This was a mistake.”

She disagreed. “You do not truly believe that?”

“I do.”

“Why?” To her, ’twas just the opposite. Her heart sank that he felt otherwise.

“Because I’m experienced enough to realize, or should have realized, there was more between us.”

“More? More than what?”

“More than just the desire for a simple kiss.”

Neither said anything for some time.

“I should go,” Niall began.

Lina reached out her hand, stopping him. His shoulder was muscled, strong, beneath her fingertips. “I do not wish for you to leave.”

“Neither do I wish it, but ’tis wise. You are not mine to take, Lina. And there’s naught more I wish to do at this moment than to make you mine. To pull you into my arms, kiss you again, undress you, love you.”

Shivers ran from her neck downward at his words. She wished for the same. But, of course, he was right. That could not be.

Unless. . .

“There is one way.”

Again, they looked at one another, neither breaking eye contact.

“Lina. . .”

He seemed to know precisely what Avelina was thinking.

The question was, had she really said as much aloud?

Had she actually meant it? For they both knew that the only way was for them to become husband and wife.

And surely she did not wish to take the eldest son of the Duncraig clan chief to husband.

Did she?

She dropped her hand. “I know not what I am saying. Of course, ’tis a silly notion.” She laughed uncomfortably. “One taste of desire, and I speak of such things as. . .”

Though Avelina’s hand dropped to her side, he captured it. Brought it to his lips.

“Marriage,” he finished for her, kissing the top of her hand. “I’ve thought little on the matter.” Niall turned her hand over, palm upward. “Though my parents wish otherwise.”

He kissed the center of her palm and then her fingers. Then the tips of her fingers.

“Certainly, they would have something to say about me taking a MacKinlay as a wife.” He then kissed the tip of her pointer finger, just before he wrapped his lips around it.

Avelina swallowed.

He took her finger in deeper, suckled it. That feeling assaulted her once again, the one between her legs. “Niall. . .”

He stopped. Unfortunately. “Aye, ’tis a silly notion indeed.”

Of course, he was right.

“And one we should discuss further.” He dropped her hand.

Avelina’s heart raced. Had he truly said. . .

“’Tis madness,” she said.

“Aye.”

“To even consider such a thing.”

“Indeed.”

“We are enemies.”

“Our clans, are, aye.” Niall smiled. “But it seems we’ve proven this eve that we are not.”

She swallowed.

“If I do not leave your chamber, there will be no thought or discussion on the matter. We will, instead, make a rash decision.” He smiled. “Though admittedly, ’twould be an enjoyable one.”

It was as if her entire life had just shifted.