"Slow down—"
"Quiet."
She let out an offended gasp as he trudged along without pause. When they reached the tower, Tynan wrenched the door open. Once inside he secured the door and turned back to her. As he stood in front of the door, his looming presence assured no escape. His gaze burned like a brand, holding her captive, reminding Alenna of the first time she’d tried to escape this room. Then he’d taken her in his arms and kissed her with a passion she’d never before experienced. Every time he’d kissed her, her pleasure had increased, her need had blossomed. Back and forth she’d argued with herself, denying this desire that raged within her and didn’t show any sign of dissipating.
She dangled over a cliff, unsure whether to jump or to step back. To jump meant an uncertain fate. To step back meant this ache in her soul for fulfillment, for connecting with this man, would go unanswered.
As he swung away and lit the candles on the table, Alenna stood as stiff as a board, befuddled by anticipation and trepidation. Tynan would never harm her, that she knew for certain, but the moment crawled out long and sinuous like a snake until tension drew her muscles tight. He turned back to her.
"Now ye can yammer all ye like," he said quietly, as if nothing of consequence had happened at the great hall.
"For your information, I wasn’t planning to yammer." She crossed her arms and turned away. "Thank you for … for saving me by accident from the baron."
"Eh?"
"I know you didn’t really want to do this. You did it out of a sense of obligation, and because you hate to see women abused by other men. You’ve done a very honorable thing."
Arms at his sides, his fists clenched, he moved closer until he towered over her. "Ye dinna ken."
"What don’t I understand? You saved me from the baron. I was just surprised. I thought you said you weren’t participating in the games."
He swallowed hard. "I changed my mind. The thought of ye bein’ taken’ by that—"
He stopped, and at his revealing words, her heart turned over with dawning wonder. Silence hung like a cloak over their heads, until she could barely stand the quiet.
Finally Tynan asked, "Are ye all right, sweet?"
The softness of his words, and the gentleness of his expression made her throat tighten and tears come to her eyes. She couldn’t look at him or speak.
"Jesu," he whispered, and reached for her. Drawing her into his arms, he gathered her close until she felt the heat of his hard chest, his loins, his rock-solid thighs. He pushed his hand under her veil and smoothed her hair with his fingers, rubbed her back with soothing strokes. "I canna stop my need for ye any longer. I had to get to ye before the baron."
"You saw him coming for me? But you said—"
"I did see him. But I was already on my way. If he had tried to leave with ye, I wad have taken ye from him."
Surrendering to the joy she felt at his words, Alenna put her arms around his waist and sank into the comfort he offered. A silence wrapped around them, filled with unspoken confessions.
When she found her voice, she said, "Did you put Dougald up to choosing Caithleen?"
"Nay. I dinna have to. But I told him what I planned to do."
Pleased, Alenna relaxed. She hadn’t expected this of him, hadn’t believed he would come through for her. A bit of shame, like a drop of water in a bucket, pricked her conscious.
"Why?"
"Because she is a good woman, and the thought of the baron treatin’ her ill stung me. When I told Dougald how she was bein’ hurt, he had no doubt about takin’ her with him tonight."
"Thank you," she said, a lump growing in her throat.
Tynan drew back from her the smallest bit. She removed her arms from about his waist, placing her hands on his chest. Underneath her fingers his heart beat steady and strong. The feel of him beneath her fingers, the male scent of him, the steady regard of his gaze was all she needed for now. The roof could fall down around her and she wouldn’t care.
With infinite care he leaned down and touched her cheek with his lips, cupped her face gently with one palm. His lips lingered and pressed. Comforting and warm, his palm slid along her skin, reaching around to remove the band holding her veil in place. The silky material glided along her sensitive skin as he removed the veil, tickling and arousing almost as much as his fingers. He cupped the back of her neck and his other arm went around her waist.
"Do ye know how much I want ye?" he asked.
Doubts crowded her mind. "I wasn’t sure …"
"Not sure?" Tynan asked as he pressed a kiss to the tip of her nose, then to her forehead. "Ye have bewitched me with a spell so deep I canna escape. Shall I call ye a witch?"
A smile parted her lips. "Is that a compliment?"
His mouth traced her cheek, and the dazzling pleasure of his simple touch rocked through her.
"Ye are sweet, and wild, and I ache for ye," he growled.
As his mouth touched her ear Alenna gasped. The sensation ignited her passions and she ached to have him within her. Deep within her.
Her need for him had been building for so long it was too late to be startled by the force of her desire. Nothing now made any difference, nor meant anything except having his hands on her. His lips on hers. His body joined with hers.
"Ye have tempted me beyond my guid sense, Alenna."
"As if you had any sense to begin with."
He grunted, reaching down to lightly smack her butt.
Alenna gasped. "You … you …"
"Big hairy oaf?"
A giggle slipped from her. Mortified by the silly sound, she blushed.
The glimmer in his eyes turned serious. "If I take ye tonight, I’ll want to take ye every day of the fortnight."
His bold words startled her, and challenged her to get the truth from him. With a perverse sense of pleasure, she asked, "Why do you want me?"
Instead of answering with words, he touched his lips to hers. A feather brush, that sizzled with heat, and flitted away in a second.
"Why?" she asked.
"Ye are a wee, silly clootie, if ever I saw one. Ye dinna ken by now that I’ve wanted ye from the first time I saw ye?"
"Well, you were aroused. I mean in bed … and the first time you kissed me I could feel—"
"Like ye feel me now?"
He cupped her buttocks in both hands. Surprised yet again by how easily he shocked her, she moved against him and felt him hard against her.
"Yes," she whispered.
He tilted her chin up with his index finger. "Ye ken I wadna hurt ye. That I’ll protect ye from the baron. From anythin’. When I saw ye there in the great hall tonight, I thought I’d die with need for ye. If ye want this night to end right here, right now …"
No. She wanted him and would no longer deny it to herself or to him. She reached up and twined her arms about his neck.
"I want you," she whispered.
Happiness slammed through Tynan as he took her mouth, molding her warm lips. The heat of his need drummed in the heavy beat of his heart, the hammering of his pulse, and the unmerciful throb in his loins.
There was no going back. No stopping the stampede as it rushed toward them, all thoughts of restraint melted. Memories of Mary and Florie disappeared under the sheer weight of his need for Alenna. He would die if he couldn’t have her.
With a deep groan he plundered her mouth, tracing her lips relentlessly with his tongue until she parted them and allowed him to push deep within.
Alenna pressed herself tight against him, groaning as he kissed her again and again. As his tongue caressed hers, moving in and out of her mouth in an erotic tempo, her nipples hardened, and the arousal between her legs rose to a tormenting pitch. With an animal need she grasped at him, returning the steady thrust of his tongue with her own.
Never mind what the consequences would be. Never mind that someday she would be forced to leave him. Right now she wanted to live to the full extent her heart and body would allow. Everything
in her pulled tight, begging for release.
Seconds flowed into minutes for Tynan as he plundered her mouth, caressed her back, reached to cup her breasts. With his thumbs he traced circles over her cloth clad nipples, and delighted in hearing the gasps and whimpers of excitement erupting from her throat. He wanted to rip the dress off her and taste those budding nipples with his tongue, but excitement slammed through his body and made his fingers tremble.
Tynan had to have her now.
Now. Now. Now.
Tearing his lips from hers, he pressed his forehead to hers and gasped for breath.
"Have ye never done somethin’ wild in yer life? Somethin’ ye had to do or die?"
"No," Alenna whispered, feeling his hands delineate her ribs, trailing a pattern of heat, sparking an earthquake tremor within her body.
With deliberate steps Tynan backed her up until she felt the stone wall behind her. He lifted her against the wall, shoving her skirts up and situating himself between her thighs. She wrapped her legs around him and with his powerful body he held her in place. The hot, startling feel of his naked arousal made her lips part and her eyes widen. Staring into her eyes, he dared her to look away, and she saw the fever of his need reflected. Gently he nudged her folds with his erection, barely parting her. A tiny sound ripped from her throat almost unwillingly.
He answered with a sound of deep, male appreciation. "I willna hurt ye."
"I …" her voice broke, and she swallowed hard. "I’m not a virgin. But I’ve never done this … exactly like this."
For a second Alenna wondered if her lack of virginity startled him. Instead a soft, sexy smile covered his mouth.
A flush moved from deep in her loins and traveled to her throat, brushing upwards to her face. In the past her lovemaking with men had been so tame. She’d never imagined a need this hot … this uncontrollable.
"Ye have never felt a man’s need like this?"
"Never," she whispered, a small gasp uttered with pleasure as he pushed a little further into her.
She hummed with the very shock of his boldness, the straightforward taste of his passion. With tiny thrusts he tested her, dipping just a little way inside, retreating, dipping. All the while he stared deep into her eyes.
Another whimper came from her throat. The heat of his steady probing set a throbbing deep into her loins.
"It has never felt like this," she said, gasping in pleasure.
He made a primitive sound, deep in his throat, and his lips captured hers, hot and sudden. As his tongue sought hers he thrust firmly, and his arousal seated within her, taking another sound of startled excitement from her throat. He filled her deep … he completed every inch of her until her entire world pinpointed down to this moment. This unbelievable urgency. Eager for his taste, she kissed him frantically, meeting his tongue with a fervor all her own.
She expected him to thrust against her with haste. Instead he began a slow, gyrating circle, each stroke a gentle, though thorough penetration that generated pleasure so exquisite she felt dizzy with the sensual tumult. Time disappeared and divided as Tynan moved slowly within her, turning her world into minutes of pleasure she’d never had in all her days.
She raked her hands through his hair, assuaging her need to feel the texture of the dark strands. And yet it wasn’t enough. As she strained against him, savoring each movement of his body, she explored his shoulders, feeling the muscles strain as he held her against the wall.
She tore her lips from his, gasping with her need for release. Her excitement had never charged forward so quickly, nor had her need been as potent.
"Oh, God," Alenna whimpered, shuddering, burying her face in his shoulder. "Please. Please."
"Aye," he said, his tone hoarse and strained with passion. "Aye."
He thrust harder, spearing into her with jabs that drew out the animal in them both. Hearing his deep moans of satisfaction, she shook with pleasure.
"Aye," he said again, his breathing fast and heavy.
She strained against him, moving to give them both the end result they needed. Behind her closed eyelids a red fire sparked, and her world coalesced. A scream rent her throat, but his lips sealed the sound. She worked her hips as the climax slammed through her, shaking and arching as the liquid heat melted her with pleasure.
He shoved and shoved, deep, hard.
And although she’d never known it was possible for her, the pleasure peaked yet again, and again, again … a series of explosions that eased and spiked with each thrust. Alenna cried out as the climaxes threatened to blind her forever, until one last tremor of enjoyment remained. He tore his mouth from hers as he drove hard and buried his face in her neck, groaned and trembled as he poured into her.
Tynan thought he might never get his breath back. But he also knew if he died at that moment, he would be a happy man. He realized his heavy weight held her against the wall, and not only did he remain buried within her, but her legs stayed about his waist.
Her body trembled, and when her inner muscles clenched around him yet again, he grunted.
"Jesu, sweet, yer killin’ me."
He watched Alenna intently as she smiled, soft and slow. She clutched at his shoulders and moved her hips. The slight friction sent a hiss through his lips.
"Ye’ll be the death of me if ye keep on doin’ that."
Mischief lit her eyes. "Little ole’ me?"
"Wench."
"Don’t call me that—"
He silenced her with a kiss. He didn’t want to let her go. He kissed her lips softly. Not once, but twice. Three times. Murmured tender words, erotic words that described everything he wanted to do to her … planned to do to her. He’d never said any of these things to any other woman.
As Alenna twined her arms about his neck and tightened her hold, he felt his body harden inside her. He’d been too long without a woman, and the lust within him stayed fierce.
"Oh, God," Alenna said, like a fervent prayer. But Tynan didn’t ask what she was praying for.
Softly she kissed his cheek, caressed his lips with her fingertips. The heat he saw in her eyes warmed his heart as well as his body.
Keeping her clasped tightly to him, he headed through the doorway to the other room. Gently he laid her down on the bed, regrettably leaving her body at the same time. She reached for him.
"Nay," he said. "I would have ye naked this time."
Alenna felt the removal of his hardness like a loss. As if part of her left with him as he stepped back.
In an infinitely small corner of her mind a warning flashed. It threatened to hold her back from the wild desire gathering within her once again. Shoving it ruthlessly away, she watched as he removed his plaid and unhooked the belt from around his waist.
"Hurry," she said.
His smile appeared somewhere between amused and shocked. "Nay. I willna."
He was teasing her. The infernal man was teasing her.
Sliding the belt off, he let the plaid fall to the floor. With a quick, startling move, he drew the shirt over his head and it fell to the floor. His boots followed. She stared at every impressive inch of him.
Every long, hard inch.
"Oh my." The words were out of her mouth before she could stop them. He was the most magnificent male animal she’d ever seen.
Yes, she’d seen those broad shoulders, muscled chest, and powerful arms before. She’d seen those stalwart legs sprinkled with dark hair. She’d felt the heat of his arousal deep within her.
She hadn’t seen them together in one totally amazing package.
"Is that meant to be praise, then?" he asked.
She smiled. "Yes."
Tynan’s answering grin was cocky and arrogant. As he came toward her she slid back on the bed to make room for him. "Nay. Come to me."
Alenna did as he asked, and as he brought her close he helped her remove her garments one by one, until she stood naked in his arms. He stared at her breasts until they burned, and a hard throbbing started again
between her legs as he gazed at her belly, then to the soft down at the top of her legs.
"So bluidy beautiful," he said, awe in every deep, husky tone.
She thought she’d found happiness when he’d driven her over the edge of passion only minutes before, but his regard, the need in his eyes surpassed any physical passion. With reverence he brought her against him, kissing her softly, gently. Using his lips and tongue with expert skill, he brought a fire deep into her softest center.
He found her secrets. Secrets Alenna had kept hidden from other men. Testing, his fingers took the wetness of her and used it to circle her hot opening. He teased her with flicks of his fingers across the most sensitive part of her, fondling and playing. His tongue tasted one nipple continuously, driving her insane with the gentleness of his touch. He moved to her other breast. Lashing and licking, he treated her to a double dose of lunacy when he suckled her nipples and continued to bring her to crazed need with the rhythm of his fingers. When he stopped, she let out a moan of frustration.
She opened her eyes and watched as a wicked grin spread over his face. Gently he lowered her to the bed. He separated her legs with his hands. As he knelt between her legs he touched her gently from ankle to thigh, and all the while he watched her, observed her reactions. With every sensation that battered at her, she feared for her heart.
She couldn’t hold out for long.
She was in danger of falling in love with him.
Then Alenna ceased to think as he tasted her. A gasp came from her throat, as much from surprise as excitement. A man had never tasted her this way. Had never feasted on her as if she were fine wine and a precious delicacy. As he traced his tongue around her, swirling and licking, she bucked against him. He held her hips still as she writhed, letting any caution or thoughts dissolve under the lash of desire.
Tynan couldn’t believe how delicious Alenna was.
Without reserve he devoured and consumed her until he felt her trembling increase.
He couldn’t stop. Like a stallion bent on charging into the fray of battle, he pursued her pleasure more than his own. On and on he pushed her toward the edge, wildness mixed with a tenderness he’d never felt for another woman. A sense of urgency drove him to bring her to the border, then hold back until she begged him, pleading for release.
A Bridge Through The Mist Page 21