“Well, if they do, then it will be the first time—at least for Craig,” Conan rejoined.
“Unlike you, who always knows what he is doing and never makes a rash or unwise decision.”
Conan arched a brow at the sarcastic, but fierce defense of his brothers and openly assessed her. Raelynd forced herself to remain motionless and act unfazed by the candid scrutiny. “I think I just might have been wrong to think you weren’t pretty enough to marry. If you ever need anything, I am only a floor away.”
Raelynd could not help but let her jaw drop in shock as he left her side and disappeared up the stairs. The man was incorrigible, but at least they were no longer trying to verbally flay the other alive . . . at least for now. But his singling out Craig about not knowing what he was doing had her perplexed. What did he mean? And why had he not included Crevan?
Crevan snuck into the North Tower through the murder hole located in a hidden spot on the external side of the tower’s plinth. His anger still simmered inside and he knew it would not dissipate until he spoke with Raelynd and made sure she understood the dangers of flirting with Conan.
The man was notorious for treating women poorly and then seducing them. The illogicality of it still confounded him, but he had accepted the fact that, with very few exceptions, his little brother could charm almost any woman into doing anything. And after tonight, it was clear that Raelynd was not among those impervious few.
“Good night, a bragadair, na mblat is na mbreth.”
Hearing Raelynd, Crevan stopped abruptly in the stairwell, remaining hidden. Good night, oh boaster of might and knowledge? And he did not need to wait long before his guess of whom she was talking to was confirmed.
“You, Lady Schellden, I just might have underestimated.”
The gaduiche! Crevan felt his insides turn. It was one thing for Conan to charm women, but it was another when he himself was beguiled.
As Crevan continued to listen to both of them claim to dislike the other with obvious joy, his usually wellcontrolled temper started to rear. What was Raelynd thinking? First Craig, then him, now Conan? Did she intend to seek out every McTiernay brother? Good thing you aren’t around, Clyde, or you would be mincemeat in this woman’s hands.
The sound of Conan’s footsteps continuing up to the fourth floor reclaimed his attention and the image of Raelynd going upstairs with him suddenly flitted through Crevan’s mind. Unable to shake the unthinkable idea, Crevan ascended the last few stairs to the third floor. He did not know what he expected to find, but he was not prepared for Raelynd to still be out in the hall, lost in thought. That was until he came into view.
“What are you doing here?”
The cold welcome in contrast to her demeanor toward Conan left him feeling empty with only anger to fill the void.
“Maybe I should be asking what Conan was doing here,” Crevan snapped.
The jolt of seeing Crevan just as she was thinking about him instantly disappeared, leaving only a wintry feeling in its wake. How the man got along with anyone was beyond her. Even Conan was easier to handle for he was always contemptuous; one just had to be ready and refuse to respond to his barbs. But Crevan was another matter. The friction between them was personal and it was not in her power to keep his words from hurting.
“What do you think he wanted?” she asked sarcastically. Crevan had been right there at the dinner listening to her threaten his brother with her knowledge of his being upstairs.
Crevan took a deep breath and sought to get a firm grip on his resolve. One of them had to stay calm and rational and he was determined it was going to be him.
Refusing to have an argument in the hallway where his brother and her sister could hear, he marched down the hall and, catching Raelynd’s arm in a light grip, brought her into his room and closed the door. Instantly, he knew he was in trouble.
Just last night he had stood in this room with her and nothing had happened between them. He had truly believed he could do it again. But unlike Raelynd, who was just learning what it was to be a woman, he was fully aware of his needs and desires and what it would take to alleviate them. And while a cold swim was far from what he wanted, when it came to Raelynd, it was his only option.
Raelynd watched as Crevan silently pivoted and grabbed the rope handle to open the door. She could not believe it. He just dragged her inside and intended to leave without a word? “Where are you going?”
Crevan didn’t turn around. “Away from here.”
“You mean away from me.”
“Aye.”
Raelynd crossed her arms in frustration. “So, you came to look at me, snap a few words in my direction, and disappear. What kind of man are you?”
Hearing that final question, Crevan’s spine went rigid and he moved in close to look down at her. “I’m the kind of man who knows when to leave.”
“I think you want to stay.”
She was right and they both knew it. So when she went up on her tiptoes and pressed her open lips to his, he did not refuse. At first her kiss was tentative and Crevan struggled to keep from responding. However, Raelynd, stubborn about everything, refused to stop and the kiss gradually turned possessive and sensuous, tantalizing his very core. Crevan knew she would only continue her pursuit until he caved and returned the embrace.
Gathering her in his arms, Crevan pressed his lips softly against hers intending to break away almost immediately. But when Raelynd’s arms went around his neck, her tongue took advantage, mating with his. Gone was any remaining willpower as they teased and tasted the other. He kissed her, hard and deliberately, letting her feel the frustration and temper she had aroused in him, letting her know that he was now in command.
Raelynd moaned with sheer pleasure. When Crevan remained resistant for so long, she almost had given up hope. Maybe she was wrong and he did not have feelings for her, but the pressure against her mouth was deep and persuasive and undeniable. Crevan desired her just as she did him. Something primitive and utterly feminine deep inside compelled her to press her body against his and she felt him begin to shake.
Cold air hit her face and her eyes sprang open. She was no longer in Crevan’s arms and she struggled to remain standing as her numbed senses came back to life. Raelynd knew she was to blame for the abrupt ending. There had been no thought behind her actions, only desire. Her body had craved to experience the same passion and attention her mouth was receiving. It had been unexpected and her reaction had been instinctive. And yet, it somehow had caused Crevan pain. “I . . . I’m sorry. I just wanted to prove that you and I—”
“Don’t worry about it,” Crevan said, interrupting. He gave a slight shrug in an effort to appear unaffected by the embrace. “You’re just discovering things and wanting to kiss men is not unusual, but uh, you shouldn’t with me. Everyone thinks you belong to my brother.”
“For only three more weeks.”
Three long weeks, Crevan thought to himself, and raked his hand through his hair, glad he had moved to the other side of the room. “Well, I don’t need any more practice so you’ll have to find someone else to have fun with.”
Raelynd swallowed, unwilling to comprehend what Crevan was saying. It was as if he was telling her that she only wanted to be kissed, that she would have thrown herself at anyone. And what was that “find someone else to have fun with” comment? Didn’t he understand that she had met a lot of men, mostly not by choice, including him. But he was the one who made her heart race and her skin tingle. He was the last thing she thought about before she fell asleep and the first thing when she opened her eyes. And the way he just kissed her, Raelynd couldn’t believe that Crevan didn’t feel the same.
“I don’t believe you. What just happened proves you are attracted to me.”
Crevan took a deep breath and exhaled. With a small shrug, he said, “Aye. I’m attracted to you. What man wouldn’t be? And this casual flirtation needs to stop, because you, my lady, are not ready for more.”
My lady, Rael
ynd huffed internally. You, Crevan McTiernay, are the one who is running away. “I believe I am.”
“Really? Because ‘more’ is a relationship. More is marriage. And for those to thrive takes hard work. You avoid anything that is not easy or done for you. That makes us wrong for each other.”
Raelynd felt the full impact of his assessment and the honesty that went behind it. It hurt, deeply, but pain had been his goal. Her work ethic was not behind Crevan’s fragile desire to put not just physical, but emotional distance between them. And though hard to imagine, she knew of only one thing that would cause Crevan to shrink away from something that he wanted. Fear. Not for himself. But for her.
“Look at me,” Raelynd quietly ordered. And when his blue eyes finally locked on to hers, she saw stark need etched into every line of his face. She also saw the control and self-discipline that governed that need, and was once again reminded that with him, she would always be safe. “Can you ever remember a single time that I was unsure of what I wanted or of myself?”
Crevan swallowed. Raelynd was many things, but indecisive was not one of them. It was a character trait he admired. Hesitation caused from self-doubt put one at a disadvantage of being easily manipulated. “I cannot.”
Without releasing her gaze, Raelynd moved toward him until once again she was in arm’s length. “Until you, I never desired to be kissed, touched, or even to have a man in my presence.”
Crevan’s jaw clenched and his eyes slightly narrowed with cynicism. “If you recall, it was what? Only a few days ago you were chasing my brother . . .”
Raelynd threw her hand up in the air, cutting him off. “I was not chasing your brother, if I was chasing anything . . . it was . . . well, I don’t know how to put it . . . but it was knowledge! How was I supposed to know that he had no idea how to kiss someone? I thought if anyone knew how it would be a McTiernay and Craig was leaving. I never wanted him. I never wanted any man until you.”
“Raelynd,” Crevan said with the patient tone one used with a child, and reached out to grip her shoulders, “you just learned what it means to want someone.”
Raelynd licked her dry lips, noting his set face, clamped mouth, and fixed eyes. Crevan was both right and wrong. While she was inexperienced, he needed to understand that what made her desire him was not simply a good kiss, but something far more powerful and rare.
Reaching up, she put her hands on his in the hopes that it would keep him from moving away from her once again. “Of all the men whom I have ever met, I rely on your judgment the most. Aye, even more than that of my father. I love my father, but to him I need to be coddled, even protected, from the truth. You”—Raelynd paused as she blinked back the tears starting to well in her eyes—“have always been honest with me, but only in the past few days have I understood what a gift that is. Please, please don’t treat me as a child. Stop protecting me. I need to understand my feelings and I only become more confused when you push me away.”
Raelynd waited for Crevan to do something, say anything. She had tried kissing him into admission and knew she could do so again, but that was not how she wanted to gain his affection. She choked on a sob as tears she had been trying desperately to hold back scalded her eyes, flooding them until her sight disappeared.
Crevan gathered her up in his arms and buried his face in her hair to hold her. He had only meant to protect himself, not hurt her. All his life he had been sure of his actions—of what was right and wrong. Problems, regardless of size or nature, had clear solutions . . . just not always easy ones. But with Raelynd, Crevan was finding it difficult to even define the problem. In his mind, there were many and for each one there was a different, and often conflicting, resolution. He was in a battle for his sanity and whichever way he chose—leave or stay, he was going to lose.
Raelynd lifted her head, her eyes still filled with tears. Crevan’s heart clenched in his chest, knowing what they both wanted and what it would mean.
Tenderly, Crevan stroked her face, brushing back her hair. “If I kiss you . . .” he whispered.
“I know and I don’t care.”
And no longer did Crevan. Right and wrong be damned, he thought as he placed a hand on the back of her neck and laid a kiss on her mouth that was so soft, so beautiful, they both trembled. Slowly, he parted her lips and drew her in to him, seeking all the passion that she had to offer. Her body pressed against him, snuggling against his chest. A deep groan of satisfaction escaped his throat.
When his lips finally had touched hers in a soft, deep kiss, every nerve in her body sprang to life. She could feel the power of his restraint and it only excited her more. The feel of his tongue in her mouth, touching every corner, tasting her, reached down to the very depth of her soul, paralyzing in its intensity.
He pulled her even tighter against his torso, straddling her legs over his powerful thighs as he untied the laces to her gown. She could feel the throbbing mass of his erection, and her lower body instantly responded to the intimate contact of his male arousal. Raelynd bit her lip upon the onslaught of wet desire and a small whimper escaped her lips. The growing need to touch and be touched by him was one unlike she had ever known. And in that moment, Raelynd knew he was the only man she would ever give herself to.
Raelynd’s soft cry did nothing to restrain Crevan’s intentions, it only motivated them. His questing hands roamed all over her body as he maneuvered her bliaut over her head, swooping down to hungrily recapture her mouth lest she protest. He delved deep inside until she was once again under his spell, meeting his driving tongue, thrust for thrust, taking and giving back in turn. Her honest response ignited an unquenchable desire for more.
Knowing she would not protest, Crevan edged aside her chemise to expose the curve of her shoulders, and shifted his attentions lower. Delicate kisses soon turned passionate as he found the sensitive vein on her neck pulsating with the rhythm of her heart. He nuzzled it and gently sucked, delighting in her quiet gasps, while she buried her head in his chest and clung to him tightly.
Before he could leave evidence, Crevan made his way to her chest in a line of searing kisses. His right thumb brushed over a nipple, and began to tease the already taut nubs. His heart pounded. Crevan thought he would go out of his mind with the craving he felt.
“Ah, love, tell me to stop,” he begged, knowing only Raelynd’s plea would give him the ability him to end this growing need.
The palms of his hands were cupping her breasts fully, kneading them, making her unable to speak. And yet a distant part of Raelynd heard Crevan’s plea and answered him the only way she could. Arching against him, seeking the excruciatingly sweet pleasure, Raelynd laced her fingers into his wavy hair and offered her breasts to his hungry mouth.
Her impassioned response caused Crevan to lose restraint and he lowered his mouth to encompass a pink bud. It was firm and ripe and the taste of it sent a shudder of excitement through him. “You’re so beautiful,” he told her as his tongue left a trail of fire as he moved to the slope of her other breast. “You take my breath away.”
Raelynd’s body began to throb and she could no longer hold back her moans as again and again, he stroked her hardened peaks while gently rasping his teeth against them. But when Crevan knelt down and began to rain hot, wet kisses over the thin chemise, down the length of her belly, the added stimulus became too much. Raelynd could no longer stand up. Her legs crumpled but instead of falling she was in the air, being carried to the single big chair in the room.
Nuzzling his ear, Raelynd whispered, “I bet you never had so much fun in this chair.”
“Not as much fun as you are about to have,” Crevan chuckled. He knew she was still riding the sensual high he had created. And while a lone voice was murmuring about the hazards of what he was about to do, a much louder one was reminding him that Raelynd wanted this just as much as he did. She wanted to feel desired, learn what passion meant, and experience physical pleasure. And he wanted to be the one who introduced her to such ecstasy.<
br />
Finding the opening to his leine, her hand dove in and her fingers began to stroke the dark, silky chest hairs they found. Sexual tension seized his insides and he grasped her wrist, stilling the burning touch. Tonight had to be just about her, not him. His gift would be the memory of her responsiveness to him. Otherwise, they would be tied to each other forever. Something Crevan knew she did not want, even if she didn’t realize it.
When Crevan halted her hand, the amorous fog that had surrounded her began to lift. Raelynd tensed and was about to protest when his mouth reclaimed hers in a kiss that was much deeper than before. It was as if all their previous kisses were a mere prelude to what was about to follow.
She had hoped he would return his attentions back to her breasts when his hand moved to her leg and began to caress her silky skin. With each stroke, he lifted her chemise higher and higher. Her heart pounded as her body burned and trembled with anticipation, instinctively seeking what was to come. She had the wildest urge to jump back as he edged closer to her core while depositing kisses over her cheek, then earlobe, and finally her lips.
Blood pounded in her veins, her knees trembled. Her entire body began to shake as his hands drifted lower, finally tangling his fingers into the intricate twists of her honey-colored curls. She arched against him. “Oh, God,” she moaned, and began to writhe in his lap.
Soon the pressure of his palm wasn’t enough and her hips begin to rock against his hand. Crevan needed no further encouragement and eased one finger into her damp heat. She was burning for him and that heat belonged to him. With a low, husky groan, he began to stroke and caress until Raelynd was twisting in his arms.
Raelynd cried out when he slid into the most secret of places with a touch so gentle she couldn’t believe the pleasure streaking through her. Stunned, all she could do was cling to him helplessly, letting the pleasing sensations take over her mind and soul. No one had ever touched her like that, but he had only begun. Adding another finger, he drew lower finding all the previously unknown places of pleasure until her lower body tingled with tremendous need. And yet, she craved even more of him inside her.
Tempting the Highlander Page 17