He set her atop the covering of the bed and stood beside her. His gaze darkened with passion. Emlyn lay back and watched with widened eyes when his hands shifted to his belt. A lady would be shocked, wouldn’t she? Hell if she knew. But she’d play the part.
He dislodged the sheath of his sword and placed it standing upright beside the bed. She couldn’t help but admire the weapon as it was likely the largest sword she’d ever seen. How she wished she was strong enough to wield such a weapon.
“Emlyn?” He chortled and turned her face to look at him. “If you would rather sleep with my sword …”
She couldn’t help it, and giggled a girlish laugh. “I’m sorry, but it is a beautiful sword. Come, I do wish to sleep with you. Only you.”
He unbelted his tartan and dropped the belt and the large piece of fabric fluttered to the floor. Emlyn scrunched her eyes, taking in his naked form.
“You are verily the most handsome man I’ve ever laid eyes upon.”
“Am I?” He crawled onto the bed and kissed her abdomen, and kept kissing her until he reached her mouth. The gesture made her drunk with desire.
“You make me want you,” her words came out in a breathless whisper.
“You excite me, lass.”
Emlyn used her hand to caress him in return. His muscles tightened under the perusal of her fingers. His skin hardened beneath her soft caress and flexed when he moved. She was in awe of his strength.
“I vow I don’t want to wait. It seems forever since I’ve been with you in this way.”
Emlyn pulled him so he lay against her. “You make me urgent. I don’t want to wait either.”
James knelt between her legs. He caressed her knees and caused her to giggle. She couldn’t help it, because they were indeed sensitive to the touch.
“Ah, I forgot you were ticklish. Where else, hmmm?”
His hand moved over her body, but she didn’t dare laugh. It only made her wish he was inside her, loving her again.
“Please, James, don’t make me wait.” She gripped his arms and bent forward.
He hunched over her and the wondrous feeling of him entering her brought forth her moan.
“Oh, that feels akin to nothing else.” She couldn’t relax though and gripped his biceps, holding on as tightly as she could, knowing she was in for a wild ride.
James groaned in pleasure and as he thrust, she pushed her hips toward him. Twinges of her culmination riveted through her body. Emlyn tilted her head back and closed her eyes. Desire such as she never felt swarmed her body and soul.
He slowed his movements, and she reveled at his lips on her neck. His sweet mouth suckled her skin and she could do nothing but shake as an intensely wicked aura took control of her entire body. She couldn’t catch a thought.
James’ breath hitched and he too succumbed to the exquisite tumult. Emlyn was glad they’d reached the end together. She set a hand on his chest and felt the rapid beat of his heart. He set his head in the crook of her neck and placed gentle kisses there.
“You didn’t speak a falsehood, James.”
He raised his head and grinned. “When?”
“When you said it was always like this.”
His shoulders shook with his laughter. James took a hold of a tress of her hair and rubbed it across her cheek. “I cannot cease looking at you. Do you know how bonny you are?”
“You flatter me, James, and it is not necessary.”
“Aye, but it is. I want you to know what you mean to me.”
Emlyn leaned on her elbow and faced him. “I wish you wouldn’t speak so. There will come a time when we must part.”
“It doesn’t have to be that way.”
She sighed. “But it does. Let us put this talk aside. This is the first time I’ve ever slept next to you. You don’t snore do you?”
James touched her nose. “Nay, and it is not the first time we’ve slept near each other. You know I do not. Och you do.”
She pinched his forearm. “Will you hold me?” Emlyn scooted to the side of the bed and relaxed back against him when his chest touched her back.
“Everything, Emlyn,” he said aloud and squeezed her.
“What say you?” She held onto his forearm which he’d placed over her stomach.
“You mean everything to me.”
She peered over her shoulder at him and noticed he’d closed his eyes. She couldn’t bring herself to respond to his sweet words, but instead mouthed, ‘and you mean everything to me.’
Chapter Nineteen
Never had he such a contended night’s sleep. James grinned as he felt her soft body stretching alongside his. He couldn’t see her face as her body faced away from him. With all his heart, he wanted to watch her in sleep again for she was verily his when she slept. It was the only time he could concede that she belonged to him.
“Emlyn, are you awake?”
She turned and placed her face against his chest. Her hands splayed his abdomen, and she gasped when he moved against her.
“I’m amorous in the morn.”
Her light laughter instantly changed the mood and he chuckled. Without speaking, he gently pushed her onto her back and entered her. Their morning romp was just as frenzied as the night had been. James wanted to please her and kept at the ardent love play until she squealed with pleasure.
He lay in her arms, content and completely sated. She sat up and her naked back was within his line of vision. James let his fingers glide down the center.
“We should leave. I am not sure what time of day it is.”
“Can we not stay abed all day?” She flopped back upon the bed and rolled on to her stomach.
James snatched the covering from her body. He stood, looking at the exquisite curves of her body. “You have a lovely arse.” He clasped a cheek with his fingers and set a kiss on the flesh of her buttock.
Emlyn gasped. “Keep doing that and we shall never leave.” She rolled over and flashed a grin.
“How did I not know what a sweet arse you have?”
“You were too busy looking at my breasts.”
He laughed at the blunt way she spoke. “Aye, I seem to recall saying they were the loveliest bosom I’d ever seen. I didn’t lie. But that arse …” He whistled and leaned forward, and grabbed it and gave her a light squeeze.
“James …”
He locked eyes with her and noticed her worry.
“I’m sorry we have to travel to your father’s farmstead. If you would rather, I can return home and you can return to the Gunn keep. I know that’s what you’d want. I ask too much of you.”
“We’re on this path, lass, and we may as well see where it leads us. Were you to travel home, you’d put yourself in danger. Lest you forget Marshall wants you and deems you his betrothed.”
She sighed visibly and looked at her hand which played with the covering.
“If you were to wed me, Marshall might give up his quest … but I will not force you, Emlyn. When and if you ever wed me, I want it to be because you want me and for no other reason.” Humility overcame him, and James didn’t care to feel such a way. But she had him ensnared, and he’d crawl through a field full of embers to be with her. He refrained from telling her that, but that’s exactly how he felt.
“I agree, and it is not the answer. We should go. I’ll need to change. Will you retrieve my satchel? I wish to wear breeches and don’t want to ride in that gown.”
“Of course.” James tugged on his tunic and wrapped himself in his tartan, and belted it. He reached for his sword and before he could sheath it, Emlyn got off the bed and stood next to him in all her naked glory.
“May I hold it?” She held out her hand.
He pushed it forward, and she took it from him. Her hand waned from the weight of it. Its height almost reached her chest, as long as it was.