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Damn, but he did love her. How, when, where it had happened, he didn’t care. He only knew that he loved her down to his very soul and he’d let nothing, absolutely nothing stand in their way.
He stripped before he went to her and wrapped himself around her.
“I wondered how long it would take you to join me.” Her hand settled over his arms.
He nibbled at her neck and nipped teasingly at her ear. “Was I fast enough?”
“It’s slow and gentle I’m looking for, since the stew has time to cook yet and the storm looks as if it’s here to stay for a good while.”
“Then we have all the time in the world,” he said and believed it so, since he intended to spend the rest of his life with her.
He took hold of her hand and tugged her along to the bed. They settled beneath the folded blanket, though it was only their calves it covered. They lay on their sides facing each other. Their hands began to explore ever so gently and lovingly.
“I will never grow tired of touching you,” he said between nipping at her lips and then settling a kiss on her that turned more heated than he had planned.
Their passion took control and soon they were hungry and eager for each other. Their touches turned more demanding and their kisses more fiery. They both didn’t want to wait, couldn’t wait and they joined quickly; Lachlan slipping over and in her.
It was magical between them, but then it was always magical between them. Each time was special, different and more than satisfying. And he never wanted this to end between them. He wanted to love like this forever with her, and he knew it would be so. He knew their love was strong enough to make it so.
Before he slipped off her, with his breathing still labored he whispered in her ear, “I love you.”
He rolled off her onto his back and lay there spent and content. He could hear her breathing had yet to calm, and wasn’t concerned when she did not immediately return his declaration of love. She would in time; he was sure of it.
He wanted her to declare her love when she was ready, not because she felt obligated. She would need to choose her time to tell him what he already knew, and he would be patient. He wanted to savor the moment as she did now, though she could be pleasantly surprised.
He turned on his side toward her, hoping to receive some comment from her and disappointedly saw that she was asleep, a slight purr pouting her lips. A pang of frustration struck him. Now he wondered if she had even heard him declare his love.
He could wake her, but he really didn’t have the heart. He’d let her sleep and when she woke they would eat and afterward make love again, and then he would tell her again, after their breathing had calmed, after she was once again fully rational, after she was completely satiated from making love…he would tell her that he loved her and wanted to marry her.
Chapter 18
Terese sat at the head of the table in the common room deep in thought while the other women took their seats. Her heart ached and she felt close to tears but she kept both contained as she had when she heard Lachlan whisper in her ear, I love you.
She had feigned sleep, though she had wanted to leap up and throw her arms around him and tell him the same. But she couldn’t, she had always known it wasn’t possible no matter how many times she dared daydream or hope for a miracle. She knew in her heart that in the end she would have to bid him farewell.
Later after they had eaten, she had taken control of their lovemaking. And she made love with him as if it were their last time, which she feared it was.
She savored every kiss, every intimate caress, lingering until she had driven them beyond reason and in their loving insanity they had joined like two lovers who could not get enough of each other or like two lovers’ last night together forever.
She wanted to cry at the aching thought, but she reminded herself that she could no longer allow this to continue. It would grow only more difficult not only for him, but for her to say good-bye.
Tears choked at her throat with the thought of never seeing him again, never talking with him, waking beside him, loving him. What a fool she had been to start this. She had thought she could easily keep it all in perspective and what did she do?
She went and fell in love with him…madly and deeply in love with him.
After they had made love, she had feigned sleep once again fearful of him not only repeating his declaration of love, but of her losing all sanity and blurting out her love for him. She had then waited until she was certain he was in the thick of sleep, and had snuck out of the cottage.
