Page 52 of Her Forbidden Highlander Husband

He’d never realized it could be like this. He’d thought he’d not be capable of going slow. In the past, the urge had overpowered him, and he’d given in to it without a thought. But being with Evelyn was a different experience entirely.

It was all about her. He wanted to give her pleasure. He wanted to see her break apart at his touch even more than he wanted to find his own release.

His own need was certainly there. Her warmth called to him to go deeper and take, but he didn’t allow it to overpower him. He settled against the coolness of the earth seeping through his plaid and focused on the way her fiery skin felt under his calloused fingertips. He listened to the sounds she made, accompanied by the birds singing high above them. He twined their fingers together when her breathing became ragged.

She was close again, and this time he wanted to join her when she reached her peak of pleasure. He didn’t slow her this time, instead moving his hips slightly to greet hers with each thrust.

Like the other times, it was his name she called out, her voice echoing in the trees around them until they were nothing more than a buzz as he poured his seed into her.

She collapsed on him in a pile of warm woman and soft skin, and he had just enough strength to reach up and wrap her in his arms.

The sun had moved quite a distance in the time they lay there. She’d shifted to his side while he had dozed to some place beyond this world where peace surrounded him. He’d never known such joy.

He tilted his head to look at his wife. When their gazes met, she smiled at him. This was how he thought it’d be between them, the way he’d imagined. Her hair was tumbled from its usually neat twist, and a rock jabbed him in the hip.

This was real and all the more powerful because of the minor discomforts.

He reached out and touched the corners of her lips where they pulled up. He’d known his wife was beautiful, but when she smiled after being loved, she glowed.

“Are you well?” he asked, wanting to make sure she felt as content as he. She nodded, though her dark gaze glanced away, and the smile fell a bit under his fingertips. Some of the glow faded.

“What is it?” he asked, hating whatever had cast a shadow over this moment.

“Nothing is wrong, truly. I just…” She shook her head slightly. “I know it does no good to wish, but still, I wish I’d been a maiden. You deserved a chaste wife, not one who—”

He pressed his fingers to the center of her lips to stop her words.

“I don’t want them here with us. Don’t let them take this from us. You are mine. Whatever happened before is gone.”

She nodded. “This is so different. It’s easy enough to keep the thoughts away. I thought only that it might have been better for you.”

He laughed then and fell back to his plaid. “Better? Nothing could have been better than this.”

He rolled to his side, ignoring the stone, and kissed her. He meant it to be reassuring, but feeling her nipples harden against his bare chest had him deepening the kiss until her fingers were tangled in his hair.

Both on their sides, he hitched her knee up to his hip and pushed closer.

She gasped, her eyes opening. He smiled. “I’m glad you’re not a virgin, for it means I don’t have to worry about taking you again.” He pressed against her heat and waited for her reaction.

Her face didn’t give him a sign either way if she wanted this or didn’t. But then she angled closer, taking him in.

His breath left in a rush, and he grasped her hip to join them more securely. Her warmth surrounded him and, while he should have been able to make it last longer the second time, he already felt his body urging him toward release.

“You’re perfect, Evelyn,” he whispered so she’d know he wanted for nothing when it came to her.

A tear rolled down her cheek. He might have worried over it except she was still smiling at him. He thought perhaps she was just overcome by the moment. He kissed the moisture away as they found their way to the edge of passion. Together, as it should be.

…

It was late when Evelyn entered the hall behind Liam. He held up his hand and peeked around the door before motioning her to be quiet.

“Just a few warriors sleeping on the benches. Let’s go.”

She nodded and squeezed his large hand in her smaller one. She didn’t want them to be seen sneaking back into the keep at this hour, especially with her hair a mess and their clothing rumpled, but they’d been so hungry after their afternoon of napping and making love. She would not be able to sleep the rest of the night over the growls of her stomach. Or his.

It may have been such a noise that alerted a few of the men as they walked between the tables.

“I imagine we’ll have a late start on drills tomorrow, lads,” one of the men said with a hearty laugh.