Page 33 of Highlander Lord Of Vengeance (Highland Revenge Trilogy #3)

E sme shivered once she was naked even though the heat from the hearth caressed her body.

She couldn’t help but feel vulnerable, never having recalled ever being completely naked and certainly not in front of anyone.

But then her attention was caught by how easily Ryland shed his garments in front of her.

There was no hesitation in his movements, no doubt in his eyes, and for some reason that eased her worry.

When he stood naked, he immediately reached out and drew her slowly against him.

She shivered again when their flesh touched, she was so shocked by how warm he felt.

Her nipples tightened against his chest and when his hand caressed along her back down to her backside to give it a gentle squeeze, she felt herself grow damp between her legs.

“I love the feel of you,” he whispered close to her ear.

Tingles ran through her from his warm breath faintly brushing her cheek.

And she felt an overpowering need to touch him, but Torrance always warned her she was not to touch him without permission, but he wasn’t Torrance.

Cautiously, as if she expected to be admonished, she let her hand roam over his back.

Warm, smooth, hard muscles that felt good to the touch and she smiled when she felt him shiver.

“Let’s explore,” he said and scooped her up in his arms and carried her to the bed in the alcove behind the curtain.

He laid her down, drew the curtain aside so the fire’s heat could reach them, then joined her lying on his side next to her.

“We will get to know each other. I want to see and touch every part of you, and I want you to know you can do the same to me when you’re ready, when you feel comfortable doing so. ”

He kissed her, needing no response, knowing she was unsure yet willing to make new memories. And he intended to make a lot of new memories with her.

His kiss was tender, loving, purposeful, and Esme loved it, loved how he did what he could to make her feel comfortable, desirable, loved.

She had never felt that before now. His hand began to roam over her body, his touch light as a feather, but it was when his mouth settled on her nipple that her passion struck hard and fast. And when he finished with one, he tasted the other and by then she was moaning with pleasure.

And his hand? Good, Lord, he worked magic with his hand.

He roamed and caressed intimate places she had never touched, having been told to touch herself was sinful.

But his touch was anything but sinful… it was amazing.

The desire to touch him had her shifting and realizing what she intended to do, Ryland moved, freeing her hand to slip down and settle on his manhood, and her unexpected but welcome touch elicited a moan from him.

Her hand froze where it was. “I hurt you.”

He rested his brow to hers. “Nay, Esme, just the opposite. Your touch feels wonderful.”

His words encouraged her and just as he caressed her, she did the same, finding she quite enjoyed the feel of him, smooth, hard, thick.

Passion grew quickly with their hands exploring each other and it almost tumbled him off the edge when Esme moaned his name.

“Ryland.”

That Torrance’s name never once slipped from her lips more than pleased him and he moved over her.

“I need you, Ryland,” she said, her passion-filled eyes confirming just how much.

“You have me… always,” he said and slipped inside her with gentle firmness and his thrusts were slow at first so as not to hurt her.

She cried out.

He halted inside her. “I hurt you.”

“Nay. Nay. It feels unbelievably wonderful. Please. Please don’t stop.”

“As you say,” he said with a satisfied smile and continued to please them both.

It didn’t take long. Esme was close, so close, and yet she didn’t want to let go, didn’t want the pleasure to end, didn’t want him to stop loving her. But his strong thrusts took her over the edge, and she couldn’t help but scream his name.

Ryland saw what she was about to do and dropped his head down, his mouth capturing his name as he kissed her and dropped off the edge along with her.

He tore his mouth off hers when he realized his name lingered no more on her lips and he braced himself over her to urge the last bit of pleasure out of them.

Esme moaned softly, her hands gripping his taut arms. “I think you are right. I may pester you often.”

“I’m glad I won’t be the only one who pesters.” He bent his head to kiss her when a pounding at the door startled them both.

“My lord,” came the shout and Brack’s familiar voice.

“Scream Torrance’s name like you were about to scream mine before I stole it from your lips,” Ryland ordered as he hurried off her and out of bed. “Now!”

Esme did her best to scream as if in the throes of climax. “Torrance!”

Ryland waited a moment, then yanked the curtain across, and went to the door naked and flung it open. “You dare disturb me, Brack, when I finally have her tamed enough to do her duty?”

“Forgive me, my lord,” Brack said, keeping his eyes on Torrance’s face. “But Gavin has arrived here and has news.”

“How did he know to come here when he was ordered to return home and get help?”

“I sent word to Chieftain Eagan when we finally found your trail as to where we would be in case, we somehow missed you and you made your way there. Gavin waits in the meeting hall.”

“I will be right there,” Torrance said and shut the door.

He turned and, seeing Esme peeking out from behind the curtain, he pressed one finger to his lips and went to her.

He kept his voice low. “Forgive me for leaving you so shortly after such intimate pleasure when I want nothing more than to take you in my arms, hold you close, and tell you how much I love you.”

Her heart thumped rapidly at his endearing words. “I look forward to that upon your return.”

He kissed her quickly. “A very good reason for me to make this quick.”

She shook her head. “Nay, take what time you need to discover the truth. The sooner this is done, the sooner the charade can end.”

“Aye, and the sooner we can start our life together.” He hugged her to him, then released her with haste, worried he would linger, she felt so good naked in his arms.

As he dressed, Esme slipped into her shift. “Be careful.”

“I don’t like leaving you alone or trusting you to warriors I don’t know if I can trust,” he said once he finished dressing.

“I will keep the door latched and open it to only you.”

“That helps me worry a bit less,” he said, slipping his arm around her waist and lifting her up against him to kiss her.

She rested her brow to his when the kiss ended and whispered, “Go and be done with it, Ryland. I miss you already.”

Ryland left, resuming his role as Torrance as soon as the door closed behind him. That she bid him good-bye as Ryland gave him hope that one day she would not see Torrance at all when she looked at him.

“See that no one enters… no one!” Torrance ordered the two warriors who stood guard at the sides of the cottage.

He walked off, two warriors following behind him to the meeting house.

The meeting house sat quiet beneath the late-night sky. Brack stood just outside the door, arms folded, a sour expression on his face.

“Gavin is anxious,” Brack said as Torrance approached. “He claims he has news worth hearing.”

“Let’s see if his tongue proves as useful as his sword should’ve been,” Torrance muttered, pushing the door open.

Inside the room, the firepit burned brightly, casting a good warmth throughout the large area.

Gavin stood near the long table closest to the heat, his cloak damp and his boots caked with mud.

A travel-weary slump bent his shoulders, but his eyes lifted quickly at Torrance’s entrance, and he straightened.

“My lord,” he greeted with a respectful nod, though his voice carried a tight edge, forced yet calm, perhaps even practiced.

Torrance said nothing at first. He took his time removing his cloak to drop on a bench, drawing out the moment as his gaze raked over the man. “You said you have news.”

Gavin nodded, stepping forward. “I did. Keeping to the trees, on my way home as you ordered, I caught sight of a few riders. I followed at a distance.” He paused, turning a quick glance toward Brack before continuing.

“Mercenaries, I’d wager. The sort who fights for coins and little else or entices others with coins.

I would not be surprised if it was them who caused the betrayal among our warriors. ”

Brack’s brow furrowed, and he looked ready to speak, but Torrance raised a hand, bidding silence. He moved to the table, resting both palms on its edge, leaning slightly toward Gavin.

“That’s quite the tale, Gavin. Mercenaries, skulking through the woods, plotting betrayal.” Torrance gave a faint, humorless smile. “You must have followed them far to be gone as long as you were.”

“I did. I thought it important,” Gavin said quickly, too quickly. “They led me past the ridgeline. I returned as soon as I lost their trail.”

“And yet,” Torrance said with a hard gaze on the man, “I saw you.”

Gavin’s eyes narrowed. “Saw me?”

Torrance straightened. “At Clan Stott. You were speaking with Chieftain Eagan.”

The room went still.

Brack stiffened beside him, turning sharply to Gavin, whose jaw flexed as if working through his next lie.

Torrance’s voice sliced through the heavy tension like a sharp blade. “Strange, isn’t it, how a man so busy tracking mercenaries ends up in conversation with a chieftain of the clan where I was meant to stay?”

Gavin opened his mouth but said nothing. The spark of surprise, or was it calculation, had already given him away.

Torrance held his gaze. “So go on, Gavin. Tell me again… about these mercenaries.”

Gavin hesitated, his mouth parting slightly, then snapped shut again as if weighing his words.

“Don’t keep me waiting,” Torrance cautioned.