Page 46 of Her Forbidden Highlander Husband

“It was Mari’s suggestion, but she’s right. A newly married couple should be alone at times.”

He let out a deep breath and hung up his sword again. He came to sit on the bed as if he were heading for the gallows. He didn’t appear eager for them to be alone and all that meant for them. He focused on his hands before speaking.

“I promised you I’d never force you into anything. And while I know I haven’t pressured you physically, I fear you may be offering this only because it’s expected. And maybe you feel that my patience is to be rewarded before I give up on ye. But I don’t want you to lie with me because it’s expected. Or because a certain amount of time has passed. Not because we’ve touched and you feel I’m not content with that, and especially not because Mari has told you it is the way things should be between us. When—if—we are to be together, it must be because it’s right for us. And not before.”

He rested his forehead against hers. “I want you so bad I ache with it, but it’s been that way since I first met you. I’m quite used to it by now.”

She licked her lips and nodded. “I have recently felt the ache of which you speak.”

He smiled, that easy grin that made him look like a naughty boy. “I can ease the ache, as I have before, but leave the rest of it—the bedding—for another time.” He kissed her softly. “Can you trust me to stop if you ask it?”

She nodded immediately. She might not trust her own body, but she trusted Liam’s completely. He’d not harm her.

She swallowed and set him back so she could look into his eyes. “You’ll show me how I might ease your ache as well.”

“You needn’t—”

“Am I your wife, Liam MacKinlay, or no?”

He grinned and nodded. “Aye. Though sometimes I’m sure I’m dreaming. If I am, I don’t ever wish to wake up.”

…

Liam thought himself a king when he was able to make Evelyn scream out in pleasure. She’d called his name when she reached her peak and he thought hearing it would end him as well.

With her lovely chest heaving, she slumped against him, her eyes closed. He assumed the offer of returning the favor was forgotten for the night. He didn’t expect her to put her hands on him in that way. She owed him nothing.

But her eyelids flickered back open, and she stared at him as if she were not yet satisfied. He didn’t see how that could be. He’d felt her body clasp his fingers and heard her breath catch. Perhaps she was quick to recover. He’d gladly spend the rest of the night seeing to her needs.

She kissed him and he kissed her back, pulling her on top of him so she could set the pace as Mari had suggested. She kissed his lips for some time before moving to his jaw and his neck. He enjoyed it but gasped when she nipped the skin above his collarbone.

“Vixen,” he said with a smile and reached for her to return her mouth to his.

She held back and looked down at him. “Take off your shirt.”

“Take off my—but then I would be naked.”

She giggled. “Aye. I want to see you.”

He looked at her, still in her night rail, though it was pulled up to her thighs and hanging off one shoulder low enough to expose her breast. He’d feasted on that bared nipple as well as the one still covered by fabric. Still, she hadn’t been completely naked.

But who was he to withhold anything his wife wished? With a shrug, he sat up and tugged the garment off to toss it to the floor.

She wasn’t subtle as she stared straight at his cock and gasped. Perhaps he shouldn’t have thrown the shirt so far away. He reached for the blanket to cover himself, but she stopped him.

“No. I’m sorry. I was just surprised. I wasn’t expecting it to be so…”

Rather than push when she remained silent, he took her hand and gave her fingers a squeeze. “This is the bastard that’s been nudging you awake in the mornings.”

She smiled slightly. “It’s as if I should say, ‘Pleasure to make your acquaintance.’”

Liam laughed. “When it’s right, I’ll make sure it is indeed a pleasure.”

When she reached out, he grabbed her hand. “You don’t need to touch me. This is more than enough for tonight.”

She brushed his hair back and smiled at him. “Lie back and let me do what I wish.”

He thought perhaps this had been a bad idea. When her fingers stroked over his chest, across his stomach, and into the thatch of hair surrounding his manhood he couldn’t help but hiss at the perfect torture of her touch.