Page 22 of The Lyon’s Lass

She swayed again and put her hand out to catch herself, but he was the closest, steadiest thing and she found her fingers gripping his hard chest through the thin shirt he wore.

Before she could pull it back, his larger hand pressed it closer to him and he leaned down. She realized then he planned to kiss her.

She’d never been kissed, and never understood the way Caroline went on about how enticing it could be. Except now, she did know. She closed her eyes waiting for his lips to touch hers.

When they didn’t, she opened her eyes, worried she’d misunderstood. But he was still there, a breath away from kissing her. His gaze dark and hungry. Yet he waited.

And a second later she realized he was giving her a choice. To back away or move forward. He was not going to take a kiss, he was offering one. Somehow this made it inevitable. She had to kiss him that instant. She raised up on her tiptoes and pressed her lips to his.

She didn’t know what happened beyond that, but the initial touch of their lips was all Iain needed to catch flame. His hand moved from her jaw to her hair as he took over. He kissed her lips, top then bottom for a moment before his tongue touched gently at the edge of her mouth.

She was to understand, tongues played a part in kissing, but hadn’t thought she’d ever like such a thing, but as she opened to him and his tongue tangled with her own, she thought it was possibly the very best thing two people could do.

His deep groan vibrated throughout her body. His arm came around her, pressing her closer, so close, yet not close enough.

“Maisy,” he whispered her name in her ear, when his kisses moved from her mouth to her ear and neck. Everywhere he touched quickly became her favorite place until his lips landed somewhere new.

She couldn’t seem to get enough air, despite having plenty of it all around her. The salty, night breeze should have cooled her body, but she was burning from his every touch.

“Yes,” she said, though she didn’t think it was the first time she’d said it. And while she didn’t know what she was agreeing to, she knew she wanted it.

His lips met hers again, hungrier still and his hands moved down to her hips pulling her against his body. She felt his hardness and knew what it was intended for. Still, she worried if Caroline had been telling her the truth or was jesting at her expense, because it didn’t seem rational.

Not that anything felt rational at the moment.

When his hand came up to grasp her breast under the robe, she gasped. It was a shock to have a man touching her so intimately, but no part of it felt wrong. And when his thumb brushed over her nipple, she made a sound she hadn’t realized she was capable of making.

Some wildness washed through her veins as her leg rubbed up the outside of his. And then when she was hoping he would touch her where she throbbed and wanted the most, he pulled back.

She felt as if she’d been dashed awake by a cold bucket of water when he called back loudly.

“I’ll be there in a moment.”

Someone must have called for him and she’d not heard it. Truth be told, she’d not even realized they were still up on the deck of the ship where anyone could have come upon them. The bright moonlight would have done little to hide them.

“Let me see you to our room before I see to the issue with the ship.” He ran a hand through his dark hair in what she assumed was the same frustration she felt at the moment.

She followed him in a daze as he led her to the door to their room.

“I hope to return soon,” he whispered before pressing another kiss to her lips. Then he was gone and she felt as if her mind was a muddled mess of need.

She took off his coat but held onto it as she climbed into the bed, hoping he’d be lying next to her shortly. He’d said he wouldn’t force her for wifely favors. She appreciated that, but she was ready to give them to him freely, as soon as he returned.

Chapter Ten

Iain would have gladly thrown the blasted rudder into the ocean if he didn’t need it so badly. It took him and three crew members most of the night to get it back in working order. The sun had risen as the cursed thing began to work properly once more.

Fortunately, their schedule was not impacted by the lack of steering. A stiff wind had more than made up the time they’d lost the day before. However, Iain would not have minded the extra time if it meant being able to spend it in bed with his wife.

While he’d not pressure her in treating him like a proper husband by offering her body, he could tell things had been moving in that direction the night before and that she was just as eager as he.

Perhaps it was better it had not worked out. She may have regretted it later if she’d lain with him when caught up in the throes of lust. She was likely glad he’d not come to their bed, once her mind had cleared from the passion of his kisses.

Jack was up with the sun and his normal good-natured self as he came out on the deck. He offered his assistance where he could. But every time Iain tried to speak to him, he didn’t seem to understand.

Once he’d pulled a small slate and a bit of chalk out of his coat and wrote a message.

“If you write it down, I can read it,” he’d written.