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He watched her eyes widen and stroked her warm cheek with his knuckles. Her lips parted and her eyelids closed.

“That’s not what I meant,” she said, her voice softer. “I meant, just go out somewhere. I love the mountains, the woods we saw yesterday—although I didn’t have time to truly admire the beauty. But I haven’t felt that good in a long time.”

Craig loved the mountains, too.

“Do ye want to go to the mountains?” he asked.

“Yes. How about we take the horses, I pack a picnic, and we make a day of it. Let me feel a bit free. Let me see the country around us. Let me show you I’m not the enemy. And allow yourself to show me you aren’t mine.”

“And if ye try to run?”

“I won’t. And if I do, lock me up for all eternity. I just want to feel a little freedom. Is that too much to ask?”

Craig studied her bright-blue eyes. Her lips, so close to him he could just lean down and kiss them. She looked earnest, but he’d fallen for that before.

Still. His instincts told him, at least in this, she wasn’t lying.

And the idea of spending time with her alone, in the mountains—which he also missed—was more delicious than he could admit to himself.

And if she began to feel more at home here, mayhap she would be his wife, truly. Mayhap, she’d let him into her bed.

His groin burned and his cock hardened at the thought. He leaned down and kissed her. She took him in, without hesitation and with a barely audible moan. Her mouth was warm and soft, and he sank into it like it were the waters of a loch. He wrapped his hands around her and pulled her to himself, pressing her into him, inhaling the scent of her clean skin and hair and a little whiff of stew from working in the kitchen. She smelled like home, like a woman, and he wanted her.

He deepened the kiss, unable to resist the hunger for her that roared in his blood. He swiped her tongue with his, and nipped her lips, and glided and tasted her.

And she answered. Her arms around his neck, her soft breasts pressed against him. He ran his palms over her thin waist. Then his hands found her bosom and he cupped it. His thumbs circled the hard buds of her nipples. She moaned and shuddered and pressed herself tighter to him. He left her mouth and kissed her chin, then made his way down her neck, the vein there beating violently against his lips.

His fingers itched to undress her, his mouth to taste the naked skin of her stomach, his tongue to lick her nipples. Locking eyes with her, he fell to his knees, and ran his hands from her hips down to her ankles, indicating his intention. The only way to relieve her of her gown would be to have her pull it over her head.

“Lass, I’ve wanted ye since the moment I saw ye,” he said.

She blinked, her hands lay on his shoulders and dug into them.

Taking this as an invitation, he gently cupped her ankles and ran his hands up the woolen stockings she had on. He passed the garters just below her knees and caressed the soft, bare skin of her thighs. Her legs shook.

He put his hands on the sides of her hips and glided higher and higher. He cupped her buttocks and squeezed, savoring the feel of her tight, abundant flesh in his fingers. Her skin was so soft and silky, he must be scratching her with his callused palms.

But she didn’t complain. On the contrary, she tilted her head back and gave the most delicious moan.

He growled in response. He wanted to hear how she would sound once he was inside of her. He buried his head in the apex of her thighs, through the dress, nipping the fabric slightly.

He stroked her hips, his fingers making their way under the dress to where his mouth was now. When he found the soft curls of her hair, she sucked in a gasp.

And stepped back.

Lost, confused, he looked up at her face again.

She shook her head as though shaking off a dream.

“I—” She stepped back. “I don’t think it’s such a good idea right now.”

The space where she’d been a moment ago felt empty and cold. He exhaled and closed his eyes. His cock throbbed and ached for her. There was his beautiful wife. There was the bed. What was he waiting for?

But he couldn’t. There was no way he’d do anything against her will.

He nodded. “I respect yer no. But why? Are ye testing me?”

“No. No. That’s not it. It’s just, I still don’t know you, really. You’re my husband, but I have no idea who you truly are and what you’re made of. You know?”