Her thoughts fled when he began exploring her skin. He caressed her as though he intended to learn every part of her. She felt her nipples rising and a mysterious ache echoed between her thighs.
His mouth travelled from her shoulder to the top of her breast, but when she looked into his eyes, they were devoid of emotion. He was tightly locked away, in complete command of every action.
Nairna tried to reach out to him, but he took her arms and held them still.
‘No,’ he bade her. ‘I lost myself last night and took you without any thought of your needs.’ His touch skimmed down the dip of her waist and over her hips, then down to the sensitive skin of her bare calves. Though he touched nothing but her leg, she caught her breath at the caress. When she felt his hand between her thighs, Nairna couldn’t stop the startled gasp that escaped.
‘I want you to feel good this night,’ he swore, bringing his mouth to her stomach, moving even lower. As if she were a holy offering, he worshipped her flesh.
He stroked the soft inside of her thigh and she struggled to calm the shivers that he’d provoked.
‘Close your eyes,’ he whispered. She did and his breath warmed the intimate skin that guarded her womanhood.
‘Bram,’ she breathed, reaching to grasp the back of his head. When he raised up to look at her, she confessed, ‘It doesn’t seem right, not to touch you.’
She wanted to open up the guarded side to him, so that it would be a shared moment between them.
The scarred flesh on his back was rough, mingled with smooth, unmarred surfaces. Bram’s brown eyes seared into her own as she explored the texture of his shoulders.
‘Don’t, Nairna. It’s better this way.’ He removed her hands from him and confusion clouded her mind. Jenny had told her that a man liked to be touched, that if she kissed him on any part of his body, he would enjoy it.
She almost asked him why, but when his fingers moved to touch the folds of her womanhood, the sudden flare of heat took her without warning.
Against his fingers, she grew embarrassed as her flesh grew wet and aroused. He touched her intimately, changing the pressure as he learned what pleased her. And when he lowered his mouth to her entrance, the unexpected tenderness sent her body into a pool of sensations she didn’t understand. Her fists gripped the coverlet as he feasted upon her with mouth and tongue.
He tasted her secret flesh and the gentle pressure rose hotter. She was nearly sobbing with frustration, arching against him in search of the fulfilment that lay just out of reach.
‘I need you inside me,’ she begged. ‘Please, Bram.’ But she couldn’t seem to break past the mask of control he wore. She reached out and tried to loosen his clothing, but the moment she touched him, he slid a finger inside her.
Her body trembled and she bit back a gasp. When his thumb pressed hard, rubbing against her centre, she found herself panting for breath. He kept up the relentless rhythm, watching her as she arched to receive him. She was drowning in his touch, and when he leaned in to kiss her the needs cracked apart, sending a wave of heated delirium throughout her body. She shuddered, crying out when the release pulled her under.
He stroked her again and Nairna convulsed in the aftershocks. She understood that he was trying to please her, but she needed more from him now. Her hands moved up to unfasten his trews.
Bram stopped her, shaking his head. ‘Not tonight, Nairna.’
He’d meant only to touch her, taking nothing for himself, but it made the act meaningless. Did he truly believe that she would want to experience lovemaking without him? She couldn’t understand why he was punishing himself, but it seemed he intended to leave her alone now.
‘I want a child, Bram,’ she murmured. ‘And I need you inside me for that.’
He said nothing, so she reached up to touch his hair. She stroked the side of his face, running down to his neck. ‘Look at me, Bram.’
He did, and in his eyes she saw the raging needs locked away beneath the surface. Right now, she wasn’t about to let him push her away. Not if she had the power to seduce him.
The first night they’d shared had been his first. And she wanted his second time to be even better. Stubborn, was he? She’d show him stubborn.
‘You’re going to let me see you naked now,’ she ordered, reaching for the tunic that covered his chest.
‘Nairna—’
‘No,’ she cut him off. She walked over to her belongings, moving slowly to catch his eyes. After digging around, she found a dagger and brought it towards him. ‘I’m a reasonable wife. But you’re not behaving like a reasonable husband. So you’re going to take off your clothing for me now or I’ll be cutting it off you.’
She brandished the knife, asking, ‘Which will it be?’
He propped his head up, leaning against his elbow as he stared at her. His eyes flared with interest. ‘You wouldn’t dare.’
She moved over to him and straddled his waist, bringing the tip of the dagger to his tunic. Holding the fabric firm, she put a slight cut in the linen. ‘Wouldn’t I?’
He eyed the dagger, but he didn’t look as uncomfortable around the blade as he once had. Instead, he looked interested in what she planned to do.
Nairna took both sides of the fabric and tore it apart. The edges fell to the sides, revealing his chest. She leaned against him, pressing her bare breasts to his skin. The darkness in his eyes turned hooded with even more desire.
‘You’ve ruined my tunic.’
She shrugged. ‘And I’ll ruin your trews as well, unless you stop denying me.’
He raised his hands behind his head. ‘What are you planning to do?’
She didn’t really know, but he’d given her permission to lower his trews, so she did. His erection was thick and long, springing to rest against his stomach. When she’d removed his clothing, she took her hand and explored the velvety texture of his manhood.
Bram looked intrigued as she stroked him. She rather thought she could bring him to his own pleasure in this way, but there was something else she wanted to try.
Though she was slightly embarrassed about it, she lowered her mouth to him. Bram’s reaction was instantaneous, as he let out a growl.
‘Nairna, I… What are you doing?’
She suckled against the head of him, using her tongue to stroke his length. ‘Seducing you.’
He dragged his hands through her hair, and as she took him into her mouth he let out a rigid groan. ‘Nairna, I don’t think I can hold back if you do that.’
She released him and straddled his waist. Jenny had been right, she realised. She could indeed bring her husband a great deal of pleasure.
Bram guided her up and lifted his shaft to her wet entrance. She lowered her body atop him and a tremor seized her at the sensation.
Bram let out a slight hiss when she adjusted herself, rising up and down. His fists were clenched, his muscles taut.
‘Am I hurting you?’ she ventured. She kept her movements slow and smooth, rising and falling as she took his length inside her.
He looked as though she were torturing him, and with every penetration his body grew tighter.
She remembered that her previous husband would sometimes increase the pace, so she experimented with taking Bram faster, bouncing against him as she sheathed him.
Strangely, the motion began to conjure up the startling warmth she’d experienced earlier, the shimmering tremors that echoed inside her womb.
Abruptly, Bram took her waist and started driving inside her, in counterpoint to her own thrusts. Her breathing grew shaky and she felt herself building tighter, her body shifting and reaching for something.
Then she felt it, the pulsing of her body melting against him, shuddering with wetness as he forced her to ride him. His palms filled up with her breasts and he suddenly let out a shout of his own, lifting her a few more times until she collapsed upon him.
She couldn’t put into words her own feelings right now. Neither did he. Instead, she lay over him,
with his body still joined with hers.
And wondered if she’d done anything at all to break through to him.
Chapter Fifteen
The next morning, Bram lifted the heavy claymore with both hands, swinging the sword in a wide arc. The blade glinted in the morning sun and he faced off against Ross, trying to lose himself in the training. Though he’d grown stronger in the past few weeks, it wasn’t fast enough to suit him.
His blade met Ross’s shield; no longer did he feel the weakness of his early days. The weight of the weapon was balanced in his hands, the punishing pace welcome.
There was still no word from the messengers Alex had sent. They were no closer to learning the whereabouts of Callum, and Bram’s impatience had reached the edge of reason. He wanted to be among the men searching.
But after the disastrous fight at Cairnross, he knew that his time was better spent here, preparing for the next English garrison he might face. The unnerving silence from Cairnross made him all the more suspicious.
He swung the claymore again and the metal struck hard against Ross’s shield.
‘You’re improving,’ the older man commented. ‘But you’re too stiff, lad. Relax your movements. Move with the claymore and let it become a part of you.’
Bram tried to loosen his stance, but the tension was what kept his grip firm upon the iron weapon. As he trained, he kept his control tight, his movements focused upon precision.
Perspiration slid over his forehead, but he never wavered in his attack. The minutes slipped by and he answered Ross’s own blows by lifting his claymore with both hands. His mind began to drift, and when he saw his wife walking past the training field his thoughts wandered just long enough for Ross’s blade to slice into his forearm.
The pain was swift, the blood rising up upon his skin. Nairna rushed over to him, but Bram hardly heard her words of concern, or Ross’s curse about his lack of attention. He stared at the redness flowing over his arm, and he set the claymore aside.
He removed his tunic and swabbed at the blood, forcing himself to walk to the edge of the loch.
‘Bram.’ Nairna caught up to him, her gaze focused upon his arm. ‘Are you all right?’
He gave a nod, never ceasing his stride. The blood flow had already slowed, and though it might take a few days to heal, it was nothing serious. ‘It’s fine.’
It irritated him that he’d let his concentration slip. Though his fighting had improved, he wasn’t satisfied yet. He needed to be ready for the fight against the English, as soon as Callum was found.
‘Do you need me to stitch the cut for you?’ Nairna asked.
‘No. It’s shallow.’ He knelt before the stream, bathing his arm in the wetness and washing away the blood. The morning sun warmed his skin; too late he realised he’d bared his back to Nairna.
Her fingers moved across the scars and she spoke not a word. With infinite gentleness, she traced the years of his past, as if she could smooth away the mark of his imprisonment.
He didn’t want her touching that part of him. Rising to his feet, he hid his scarred back and kept the tunic pressed to his wound.
When he regarded her, he saw the blush rise upon her cheeks. Her deep brown hair was working its way free of the braid she’d woven, and the strands framed her face. He wanted to kiss her, to pull her body close and fill her with himself.
‘We’ll finish the house today,’ he told her. ‘I’m going back to the ridge.’
‘I’ll come and help,’ she offered. Her gaze centred upon his wounded arm. ‘Are you truly all right, or are you just saying that?’
‘I’ve experienced worse,’ was all he would tell her.
She lowered her chin and took a step closer to him. ‘Some day, I hope you’ll trust me enough to tell me about it.’
He didn’t intend to. What good would talking about his imprisonment do? Dwelling upon it wouldn’t change what had happened. It was over and finished. No need to reopen the past.
Behind Nairna, he spied the dog he’d given her. The animal was seated, calmly waiting for his mistress. For a long moment, Nairna waited, as if to see whether or not Bram would change his mind.
‘There’s something else I want to ask you,’ she ventured. ‘I’ve some goods that I…want to sell to the parish of Inveriston, not five miles from here. I would like to journey there with an escort. I could be back by nightfall.’
She bit her lip, as though she were hiding something. Whether or not she was telling the entire truth, he didn’t know, but he didn’t want her going anywhere, not with the English threat. ‘We’ve no need for the money right now, Nairna. I’d rather you stayed here.’
‘Dougal could escort me,’ she said. ‘He did well enough when we went to Locharr.’
‘I don’t want you leaving Glen Arrin,’ he said. ‘Not yet.’
She reached for his hand. ‘I could find someone else to go in my stead. It would mean a great deal of money for us.’
‘Why is it so important to you?’
She met his gaze squarely. ‘Because money gives us power. And if we’re to face the English again, we shouldn’t be struggling at every turn. I’ve had a look at the accounts and there are ways we could improve—’
‘Don’t.’ He cut off her arguments, soothing the harsh tone by kissing her. ‘Alex is the chief. The funds of Glen Arrin are nothing for you to worry about.’
‘But they are,’ she insisted. He was about to cut her off again, but there was anger flashing in her eyes. ‘You don’t understand. I’m not skilled at weaving or spinning. This is the only thing I can do.’
He stared at her, unable to think of an appropriate answer. It didn’t matter, for she hadn’t finished speaking.
‘When we were parted, and even when I was married to Iver, I learned how to take coins and earn more. I learned where to save, how to bargain.’ Her face held an energy he hadn’t seen before. ‘I can do the same here.’
He didn’t speak, but studied her, wondering why this meant so much to her. His gaze fell upon her ragged woollen gown and he asked quietly, ‘You take care of others, I know. But when was the last time you bought something for yourself? A new gown or a ribbon?’
Confusion lined her face and she shook her head. ‘Why would I need that? It’s more important for our clan to have enough food to eat and supplies for the winter.’
‘And clothes to wear?’ he ventured, touching her gown. With a finger, he revealed one of the holes in the garment.
She stepped away from him. ‘Don’t, Bram. I’m fine the way I am.’
‘Why would your needs be any less than anyone else’s?’ he demanded. ‘You’re my wife, not a beggar.’
She said nothing, as if she didn’t quite believe she deserved more.
‘You don’t need to prove your worth, Nairna,’ he continued. ‘And you needn’t sell your belongings, just to earn coins for our clan.’
She folded her hands, the guilty look returning. ‘That wasn’t what I wanted to sell. And it’s not for me. It’s for Laren.’
He stopped walking with her, resting one hand against a birch tree. ‘Why would you want to sell something for Laren?’
She glanced around and admitted, ‘Because she doesn’t want Alex to know. It’s something she’s made, not anything that belongs to the chief,’ she clarified. ‘And I’ve promised to keep her secret.’
Bram didn’t like the turn this conversation was taking. ‘Nairna, no. You won’t be involved in this.’
‘She needs help,’ his wife insisted. ‘And I believe in her talent, even if Alex doesn’t.’ She sat down upon a fallen log, drawing her knees up.
The sadness in her voice tightened his chest. ‘She should trust him,’ Bram said. ‘Alex wouldn’t turn his back on her.’
‘Look at them, Bram. He doesn’t love her and he certainly doesn’t care what she does. Why do you think she avoids the keep every day?’
He drew Nairna to her feet. ‘What does it matter whether he loves her or not? He takes
care of her and provides for their children.’
She lifted her eyes to his, and in them he saw a tiredness he hadn’t noticed before. ‘I don’t want to be like them, Bram.’
‘What is it you want, Nairna?’ His voice held a hard edge to it and she flinched as if he’d struck her.
‘I want to love you,’ she whispered.
‘Don’t,’ he warned. ‘If you knew the things I’ve done—’
‘You won’t tell me.’ She rested her forehead against his cheek. ‘And I know it’s tearing you apart inside.’
His hands moved to pull her away from him. A coldness settled into his skin, but she pressed again. ‘What happened, Bram?’
He moved towards their house, staring at the hills surrounding them. For a long time, he said nothing, wondering if he should admit the truth.
But God above, she wanted to love him. He needed her to understand that he wasn’t the man she believed he was.
‘All summer I watched the guards, learning their habits,’ he began, not meeting her eyes. ‘What time they ate, what time they slept. I kept my head down and tried not to be noticed.’
She was listening intently, with far too much compassion on her face. Bram forced himself to tell her the rest, for he owed her the truth. He’d made an unforgivable choice. And it haunted him still.
‘One night, after we’d been building a wall, I let myself fall to the ground. One of the guards came to see what had happened and I smashed a stone into his face. Then I ran to the opening we’d created.’
He rubbed at his eyes, but continued on. ‘I shouted to Callum, ordering him to join me. But two of the other guards grabbed him. They held him and threatened to kill him.’
Nairna came up beside him and took his hand. She squeezed his fingers, as if trying to obliterate his guilt.
‘I chose my life over Callum’s,’ he admitted. ‘I ran when they could have slit his throat.’
‘But they didn’t.’ Nairna leaned against him. ‘Marguerite said he’s still alive.’
Claimed by the Highland Warrior Page 17