What she wanted, she wasn’t entirely sure. More, mercy, something—as much of him as he was willing to give her. She tried to pull at his shirt so that she might pull him up onto the bed with her. She wanted to feel him over her, stretching her thighs. She wanted to kiss him as she had moments ago, when she reached her pinnacle.
She justwantedhim.
But no matter how hard she clawed or grasped, he didn’t slow down. If anything, he only doubled his efforts. She barely had strength in her arms, but she tried once more to pull him closer, to touch him. She just wanted to feel his skin under her fingers.
And then climax crashed over her.
The wanton sounds that escaped her were more than indecent. Kaden’s free hand lifted to cover her mouth and muffle the sounds as he chuckled darkly at her utter loss of control.
He didn’t stop until her legs ceased quivering and her breath was coming in deep bursts. Only then did he relent.
As amazing as she felt, there was still a small part of her that wished he would share in the pleasure with her.
There is no part of him that would ever be able to listen to thunder again without thinking of her. How would he ever see lightning and not remember the way she had convulsed on his tongue and fingers?
The storm outside gave no indication that it would die down any time soon. It seemed that it was only growing in intensity. No doubt his mother and sisters were worried that the pair of them hadn’t returned to the castle when they were so clearly expected.But they should have enough common sense to put two and two together. Or so he hoped.
He had always had an affinity for stormy nights. They were the only times that the torture he had endured would let up. It was how he had first learned that the place he had been held in for so many years was attached to the main part of the castle he had been the unwilling guest of.
The guards didn’t want to make the trek in the rain. Never mind that it would get colder and give some palpable relief to his aching joints and muscles. The only thing that cut the insufferable heat from the stuffy Scottish summers.
Now, he had another delicious reason to add to the list.
For the first few months after returning home, every time it had rained, he had forced himself outside just as a reminder that there was nothing and nobody that would ever keep him locked indoors ever again. Not bad weather, not shackles—nothing.
Well, perhaps the half-naked woman still panting beneath him might be a reason to linger indoors a while longer.
Her breathing still hadn’t steadied, even though the tremors in her legs had stopped. Tempting as it was to feast on her again, he allowed himself to indulge in the sight of her, the curve where her back met her rear. Her pale, perfect skin, unblemished by scars, unlike his. Other than a rare few marks that he had yet to question her about, he was looking forward to the day when he felt the freedom to ask her whatever he liked about the marks onher skin and the archery calluses on her hands. He wanted to see her shoot an arrow.
“Will the books that we got today help ye in yer project?” he asked as the tips of his fingers trailed down the curve of her spine.
Emily shifted from where she lay on her belly, her arms curled under her breasts so that she could see him better. “I certainly hope so.”
“What are ye hoping to learn from them?” Kaden asked with genuine curiosity.
He always envied those who liked reading that much. He thought he might have liked reading as a child, but now he couldn’t allow himself the mental space to relax enough to enjoy a book. It was hard enough to focus on the battle reports he had to read.
“Usually, when somebody finds out that I wish to write, their questions are filled with pure sarcasm or derision.”
Kaden was confused. “Are ye accusing me?”
“Nay, quite the opposite, actually,” Emily said as she pushed herself up slightly. “Ye seem to truly want to ken. I must thank ye for that.”
Kaden wasn’t entirely certain what to say to that.
Thankfully, Emily continued speaking. “I am hoping to learn more about the trade agreements and land disputes. I hope it will give better insight into conflict resolution for the next chapter in me book. As ye ken, lairds tend to want things to go their own way.”
Kaden almost laughed at that. “Aye, better than most, I would reckon.”
Absently, he scratched the scars on his thigh, the familiar phantom itch irritating him like it so often did. It hadn’t been an easy thing to get accustomed to when he had stepped into his father’s role. He had made more than a handful of mistakes that he liked to think he had learned from, but perhaps he was being foolish.
Silence fell between them, and Emily took the moment to nuzzle up to him, her arm curled on the center of his chest, her fingers tracing lazy patterns over his shirt.
“Ye daenae have to stay covered all the time, ye ken?” she whispered, as if she was afraid that he would take her words the wrong way.
Kaden just didn’t know what to say to that.
“I willnae think any less of ye,” she added.
