Page 28

ROSE STARED UP at Kerr’s face. Half of it was cast in shadow, for the moon was behind him, yet she could see his expression well enough.

A sigh slipped from his lips, the tension ebbing from the strong body that pressed against hers.

Her breathing caught, her pulse racing now.

She still couldn’t believe he’d told her such a thing, or that she’d admitted she felt the same way.

But he had.

And she had.

His head lowered then, his mouth hungrily capturing hers. Back by the Beltaine fire, she’d been a little self-conscious. Desire had pulsed through her, yet she’d kept it in check. But they were alone now, and there was no need to restrain herself.

She kissed him back, sucking upon his tongue as he thrust it into her mouth. Their teeth clashed, and then when he nipped at her lower lip, a whimper escaped her.

She couldn’t bear this sweet torture. It made her writhe against him. It made her want . A blend of tenderness and fierce longing twisted inside her.

Their kisses turned feverish. It was uncomfortable to remain seated side-saddle, and Rose longed to twist around to face Kerr properly. However, in doing so, she risked falling off his horse.

Growling a curse, Kerr ripped his mouth from hers and buried his face in her hair. “Christ’s blood,” he muttered. “I’d better stop kissing ye now … before I go too far.”

Disappointment lanced through Rose. She might have stopped things from going further a few days earlier when they’d kissed for the first time—but, tonight, all reticence had fled.

“I don’t want ye to stop,” she whispered.

Kerr raised his head, drawing back and cupping her face with his hands as their gazes met. “I don’t want ye to regret this, lass,” he said huskily. “Or for ye to think I’ve taken advantage of ye.”

Laughter bubbled up although she choked it down. His words weren’t amusing. It was just an irony that the most noble-hearted man she’d ever met would worry about such a thing.

The tenderness welling within her overflowed then, and her throat tightened, her vision misting. “Ye can’t take advantage of me, Kerr,” she whispered. “For I give myself to ye freely. I want this as much as ye do.”

He stared down at her, his face kissed by the moonlight.

Moments passed, and then he wordlessly swung down from the saddle before drawing her down after him.

And the instant Rose’s feet touched the ground, their mouths found each other once more.

Their kisses were wild now, their hands everywhere.

Rose was untutored, yet her instincts screamed that there were far too many layers of clothing between them. She wanted to feel his skin against hers.

“Rose,” Kerr rasped as he ripped his mouth from hers and kissed his way down her neck. “What are ye doing to me?”

She didn’t answer. She couldn’t. She was too busy sighing at the feel of his lips on her throat. She wanted to drown in him.

“Come, lass,” he said then, his voice still rough with need. “We should get off the road and find somewhere private.”

Kerr would have no argument from her. Clutching his hand, she let him lead her and the horse from the road. They walked through the pine thicket, weaving their way amongst the trees until they came upon a small glade where moonlight pooled upon a soft bed of pine needles.

Kerr looped his horse’s reins around a tree branch before leading her into the center of the glade. And there, bathed in silver, they undressed each other.

Rose shivered as her kirtle, and then her lèine, fluttered to the ground.

Not from cold, for the night was mild, but from a wanting that made her feel as if she had a fever.

She had to get closer to him, feel naked skin against skin.

Her fingers fumbled at the hem of Kerr’s vest when she helped him strip it off.

But when she unlaced his leather trews and slid them down, her breathing caught.

His shaft sprang up to meet her.

Heat started to pulse between her thighs. Lord, his rod was much bigger and thicker than she’d imagined—and aye, she’d spent a little time over the past days thinking of such things.

However, she had little time to admire Kerr Mackay’s manhood or to reach out and touch it, for he was lowering himself to his knees before her.

A heartbeat later, his mouth was on her breasts. He suckled each one in turn, gently at first, and then working himself up into a frenzy.

There was something both vulnerable and tender about this act, and emotion welled up within Rose, constricting her chest. Her gasps filtered across the glade as she threaded her fingers through his hair and urged him on.

She’d never realized her breasts could be so sensitive; his treatment of them sent darts of pleasure through her, straight to her core.

And then, after he’d spent a long while devouring her breasts, his hands slid down the curve of her naked back, squeezing her bottom, before moving around and parting her legs.

“Hold onto me, Rose,” he whispered.

She obeyed, gripping his shoulders, and leaning into him as his fingers slid between her trembling thighs and stroked the sensitive flesh between them.

Rose let out a soft, choked cry, wet heat and pleasure throbbing there.

It was so intimate. She’d thought she was ready for this, but maybe she wasn’t.

Whispering an endearment, Kerr pushed her legs farther apart still. Rose leaned forward, her gasps filling the clearing. He was stroking her once more, playing her as if she were a lyre, and the sensations he aroused made her push against his fingers, aching for more.

Answering her wordless plea, Kerr slid a finger gently inside her, pressing deep.

“Kerr,” she gasped. The Lord help her, this man knew exactly how to touch her, and where.

“Aye, lass,” he murmured. “What do ye want?”

“Ye.” She couldn’t believe she was behaving so lustily, yet the word burst from her before she could stop it.

The emotion building inside her was too intense to hold back.

She was a maid, and although she knew what couples did together, she wasn’t sure what happened now.

All she understood was that she was ready to give herself entirely to Kerr Mackay.

“Aye, and ye shall have me,” he crooned, “but first, let me give ye this.” Slowly, he slid two fingers inside her, and Rose let out a low, needy groan.

He was stretching her, yet the penetration of his fingers caused pleasure to coil in her lower belly, especially when he curled them upward.

She leaned into his hand, driving him deeper.

And when his thumb caressed the tight nub of flesh within the petals of her sex, Rose went wild, bucking and writhing against him as she rode his hand.

Eventually, she fell against him, limp and gasping in wonder at the pleasure that still throbbed through her loins.

Wordlessly, Kerr lowered himself to the ground then, bringing her with him.

Stretched out upon his back, he pulled Rose astride him. She sat there, still struggling to catch her breath, yet aware of how his skin felt against hers. She traced her fingers over his broad chest, exploring the hard muscles there.

Kerr stared up at her, his breathing fast now. “Ye are the loveliest thing I’ve ever seen,” he said, his voice catching.

She sighed. “I was just thinking the same thing about ye.” It was true. Frosted by the moonlight, he was achingly beautiful.

Rose loved the way he watched her—with a mix of tenderness, desire, and awe. It made her feel sensual and powerful.

She leaned forward then, letting the swollen tips of her breasts graze against the rough hair on his chest before teasing his lips with hers.

A moment later, she was kissing him hungrily, exploring his mouth as boldly as he’d done hers earlier. She liked that he’d lain down upon his back and let her perch on top of him. He’d deliberately let her set the pace between them.

Their kisses drew out until Rose started to rub herself against him. The ache between her thighs grew unbearable now. She had to find a way to ease it. She had to join with him.

With one hand, Kerr gripped hold of her hip, lifting her up and shifting her backward just a little. He then reached between them and took his rod in hand, positioning its swollen tip at her entrance. “I’ll go slowly,” he promised her huskily.

Rose nodded. This was all so new to her, and there was a part of her that was nervous about their coupling. He was big, and she was a virgin. But she trusted him and so didn’t resist as he slowly pressed down on her hips.

He worked his shaft gradually, stopping every inch to give her time to adjust.

It felt strange at first, as he stretched her in places she hadn’t even realized existed, but as he sank deeper, the aching in her womb slid toward pain.

There was too much of him, and she was too tight.

Gasping, she stilled. Worry fluttered through her then. What if she wouldn’t be able to do this? Disappointment arrowed through her. She wanted to lose herself in Kerr, to bond with him, but maybe it wasn’t possible.

“Rose,” he murmured, stroking her lower back. “All will be well … just breathe.”

She did, although she couldn’t see how they could go any further.

His hand slid across her hip then between her spread thighs, his thumb finding the place that had unraveled her earlier. Gently, he began to stroke it.

Melting pleasure rippled through her loins, the sensation so intense that she cried out. Moments later, her cry died to a whimper, and she rolled her hips against him, impaling herself deeper—and before she knew it, she was sitting flush against him, with his shaft buried to the hilt inside her.

Groaning an oath, she rolled her hips once more, rounding her back as she felt him touch her deep inside. This was what she wanted, to feel him inside her, to know that she was his and he was hers.

Kerr took hold of her hips, helping her move. “Good, lass,” he growled. “Like that, aye. Oh, Christ … Rose!”

She was writhing against him, circling her hips feverishly.

They were still a tight fit, but she was so wet now he moved easily within her. And with every roll of her hips, the pleasure in her womb wound tighter, driving her faster.

Rose started to ride him then, rocking back and forth on his rod. The glide of his thick length, in and out, was exquisite, and a sob escaped her.

No one had ever told her that coupling could feel like this.

It was powerful, like being caught in the midst of a swirling tempest. It felt so good, it was almost too much—as if it could tear her heart, body, and soul to pieces. For most of her life, she’d never had anything that was truly hers, but this was.

It was freedom in its purest form.

“Aye!” Kerr panted, his voice hoarse, desperate. “Let yerself go. Give yerself to me! I need this. I need ye !”

Rose screamed, shattering. Her back arched while wave after wave of delicious pleasure broke through her body. She sobbed, the emotion of the moment overtaking her, tears trickling down her cheeks.

Her cries lifted high into the night, and she trembled and shook as Kerr gripped her hips hard and raised his own to meet her. He then found his release inside her with a hoarse cry.