Page 20

Chapter

Twenty

H e vowed to go slowly with her, but Niall simply could not stop touching every bit of this woman’s body. She was so perfectly formed. Her breasts, her hips. The taste of her still on his lips.

Laying her down on the bed, Niall removed his clothing piece by piece, watching as Lina pushed down the coverlet and climbed under it.

She watched him in apparent fascination, Niall waiting for her reaction when he removed his plaid and, finally, the tunic under it.

He would not preen like a schoolboy at her expression.

“Niall,” she exclaimed as he climbed into the bed with her.

Tearing the coverlet down, he moved between her legs once again. Kneeling, he smiled as she continued to look at him.

“That cannae possibly go inside me.”

“It can, lass, and ’twill be pleasure for us both, I can assure you.”

Still, she shook her head. And since Niall did not wish for her to worry, he distracted her by running his hands up both of her legs. Between her thighs then, he used his thumbs to massage the soft flesh there. Then, pushing her legs open, he bent between them once more.

“Niall.”

He saw her grasp the coverlet with both hands balled into fists just as he began to lick, to entice.

’Twas working wondrously well, his beautiful, former enemy so wet so quickly.

Her response to him was something Niall could have predicted.

Lina was as passionate in the bedchamber as she was outside it.

“Niall,” she called again.

In response, he pulled away and moved between her legs, ready to make this woman his. But he would be certain first.

“If we do this—”

“We are bound together, aye.”

Her knees bent, Lina’s braid hanging down her chest. . . she looked so damn perfect, Niall nearly came at that moment just gazing at her.

Overcome with the need to claim her, waiting in that breath as long as one did before being rushed during a battle, he finally watched as Lina smiled into the darkness, the candle and distant light of the fire the only thing illuminating her.

“I would not part from you,” she repeated the refrain from the battlements.

Neither would he wish to part from her. And so, Niall moved between her legs and positioned himself, slipping just the very tip of him inside her.

“’Twill hurt but a moment, I am told,” he said. “Though I do not make a practice of taking women’s virginity, so I cannae say for certain.”

Lina blinked, clearly worried. But she underestimated how easily he would slip inside her, courtesy of a wetness that made it difficult to go slowly. He did, however, pushing ever so gently until he was pressed against her barrier.

Leaning down atop her, careful not to crush her, Niall groaned as his chest made contact with her breasts. Inhaling the sweet scent of her, he lowered his head to her, kissing Lina thoroughly, his tongue swirling and touching hers until, without warning, he broke through.

Avelina was a virgin no longer.

She stilled, as did he. But Niall never stopped kissing her, and she responded in kind. He wanted to ask her if it hurt but could not stopping kissing the woman. Thankfully, she gave what likely would have been her answer as her hips began to move.

Niall moved with the rhythm of her hips. Slowly, at first, and then faster. Pressing his hand between their bodies, he rubbed the spot that would make her call out his name, and sure enough, her hips bucked off the bed, but he did not stop.

His tongue matched their movements below. Niall was determined for Lina’s first time to be nothing less than the kind of lovemaking she’d be thinking of every waking moment on the morrow.

She broke their kiss then, looking at him in wonder as her fingers clutched both of his arms. “I never imagined,” she began, stopping as he slowed his movements and began to circle his hips.

Lina moved with him.

“I want you to come for me,” he said. At her confused expression, he added, “As you did before the fire. I want you to find release before I spill my seed in you.” Niall held her gaze. “You are mine now, Lina. Do you understand?”

She nodded. “As you are mine.”

He was and would prove it. Thrusting harder now, he rode her until Lina grabbed him with everything she had and dug her nails into his arms. “Niall,” she said, as he circled and rubbed, thrusting now relentlessly.

“Lina,” he said. “Come for me, love. Come all over my cock.”

“Oh,” she said, perhaps a bit shocked by his words. Eyes wide, lips open, she made a sound that told him she was close.

“Come for me, Lina. Let it go.”

“I am, Niall. I am,” she said, and sure enough, there was even more wetness than before. With a final few thrusts, he came with her, exploding into this woman who was now his—if not his wife yet.

Burying himself in her, Niall collapsed against her, ensuring he did not crush her in the process.

Lying with his face buried in her neck, still inside her, Niall closed his eyes, hardly able to believe he had just taken Lady Avelina of MacKinlay’s innocence after declaring his intention to make her his wife.

Wife.

Husband.

A word that did not terrify him as it once had. Yet a title he felt little worthy of. A man such as him, one who was in all likelihood incapable of love, his actions too measured for such an emotion. . . yet worse than that for Lina.

She was a MacKinlay.

She would not have an easy time of it at Duncraig Castle.

Lifting his head, Niall kissed her neck, still not willing to move from her. “I would stay inside you all eve,” he said, kissing her everywhere his lips would reach.

“I would welcome it.”

As would he.