Page 22 of Highland Sky

“I think it’ll help ye relax.”

“Then do it already, and stop standing there gawkin’ at me.”

He hesitated, and then shook his head. “Nay,” he said, dropping her hand.

“Nay?” She didn’t understand. Was he really going to walk away now? He couldn’t. She didn’t get naked in front of him for no reason. They had to consummate the marriage. What was he doing?

“Let’s just go lie down.” He led the way over to the mattress that was on the floor.

“Oh, ye want to make love without all the foreplay. I understand. Why bother, right?”

He held out his hand again to help her step over the side of the bed and onto the pallet. Then he followed her, and they both laid down on their backs, staring up at the stars and moon above.

“I rather like lookin’ at the outdoors while I’m inside in bed,” he told her.

“Aye. It’s bonnie,” she said, staring out the open roof.

“Kellina, ye ken, we need to consummate the marriage,” he told her, after they both remained silent for a few minutes.

“I suppose so. What are ye waitin’ for? Do it already.”

“Lass,” he said, pushing up on one elbow, his long hair making a tent around him as he spoke to her in a soft, sultry voice. “I ken that, right now, the entire clan is most likely standin’ right outside the hut.”

“Ye think so? What for?”

“They are waitin’ and listenin’ for the sounds of consummation. With the roof open the way it is, it’ll be easy for them to hear us.”

“Lovely,” she replied, not happy about this at all. “What’s yer point?”

“I ken ye dinna want to make love to me, and I willna force ye to do it.”

“How can ye say that? We were told we have to do it. Everyone is expectin’ it to happen. They are countin’ on us. The alliance between our clans will be broken if we dinna obey.”

He let out a frustrated sigh. “I was thinkin’ . . . as long as they believe we did it, they’ll be satisfied. That should be enough. No one ever needs to ken the truth.”

“Wait. What are ye sayin’?” Curious and intrigued as to what he meant, she slowly unfolded her arms from over her breasts and looked up into his beautiful, hazel eyes. There was just enough light from the moon to see small specks of green and brown and even ochre within his orbs. They had a soft, caring quality to them, and she believed him when he told her that he didn’t want to hurt her.

“Shhh,” he said, putting his finger to her lips, making her body quiver as he slowly pulled his finger away. Her tongue shot out to taste his essence on her bottom lip. “We dinna want everyone to hear our plan.”

“Our plan?” she asked, taking a deep breath. His scent was of woodsmoke and fresh air, and of course, straw.

“We will fake our . . . consummation with our cries of passion. They will hear it and think the marriage was finalized, and then they will leave us alone.”

“B-but it will no’ be finalized. The alliance willna be real.”

“They dinna need to ken that. The only ones who will ken the truth are me and ye.”

“Why would ye do this? I dinna understand.”

His eyes looked down at her body and he wet his lips with his tongue. “I have never forced myself on a lass in my life, and I dinna plan on startin’ now, even if ye are my wife.”

“But it’s yer duty as a husband to take yer wife. It’s what ye are supposed to do. Why wouldna ye do it?”

“I see the way yer body trembles, and I hear the malice ye hold for me in yer voice. Nay, I willna bed ye, Kellina, since I ken ye despise me and dinna want me to touch ye. Therefore, I willna lay a hand on ye tonight.”

“Y-ye willna?”

He shook his head. Part of her felt better to know this, but there was an aching in her heart at the same time. Was she so undesirable that he really didn’t want to make love to her after all? Even when they were married, and he was looking at her naked body? She probably should have been grateful, but somehow this only infuriated her more.