by Alisa Adams
She peeled her clothes off layer by layer, letting them fall to the ground. The grass was dry and she left them there in a pile, her body naked under the soft glow of the sun. It tingled as she felt the sun’s gentle warmth, though the winds still chilled her, and she carefully stepped to the water’s edge, keeping her hands positioned so she retained some modesty. Still, Seamus wasn’t looking and she admired his self-control.
Sarina let her hair fall down and it came to the middle of her back and covered her breasts. It was thick, long, and felt soft as it rested against her skin. She dipped her toe in the water and watched the ripples expand. The water was frigid and she shivered as she submerged herself under the surface. Goosebumps prickled her sink and her lower lip began trembling, but she didn’t complain as she did not want to seem weak in the face of Seamus. She bit her tongue and braced herself against the cold, willing her body to grow used to the temperature. With the water maintaining her modesty, she felt a little less ashamed and called out to Seamus. He turned around and looked at the pile of clothes and then at her. He strode forward with hunger in his eyes. Sarina’s heart fluttered with excitement.
Seamus pulled off his garments as he walked, throwing them down with reckless abandon. He didn’t show any sign of modesty and it was Sarina who had to turn away for she had always been taught not to gaze at a naked man. There was a loud splash as Seamus jumped in the water and he swam toward her. Sarina squealed as Seamus ducked underneath and then rose. The water spilled from his head, down his broad shoulders, and made the hair on his chest form dark lines, all pointing south. He rubbed his face and shook the water off in a fine spray.
He smiled at her and his gaze never lowered from her own eyes. “How dae ye feel?” he asked.
“Wet,” she said and they both laughed. “But also good.” Seamus walked toward her, reaching a hand across the surface of the water and trying to touch her skin. Beads of water rested on her shoulders, but they were quickly brushed aside as she swam back toward the waterfall, teasing him.
Seamus narrowed his eyes at her, aware of the game she was playing and followed her. She giggled as she splashed him with water, trying to dissuade him and then used the foamy water of the waterfall to hide her nakedness. The water crashed around, a deafening sound which hid her yelps as Seamus came upon her. He playfully splashed back, sending huge waves toward her. Sarina squealed with delight as she raised her hands and before too long he was upon her, dwarfing her with his virile masculinity. He stood with the waterfall behind him, the water reaching to his waist. The hair on his body narrowed like an arrow pointing down and she found her gaze drifting toward his groin. His muscles glistened as water trickled down and she was still hiding under the water, showing only her shoulders and head.
Her heart beat as powerfully as the waterfall crashing around them. Never before had she been this close to a man and although they were out in nature, it felt as though the two of them were completely alone in the world. The two horses were idly grazing by the lake’s edge and occasionally she saw a fish swim by (although the marine creatures kept their distance from the two humans) and other than that, there was nobody else around.
“Stand up,” he commanded. There was something in his voice that made her want to obey him. In this land, he was the master, the Laird, and her husband. When he gave her an order, Sarina felt it was her place to do as he asked. She swallowed her fear, looked in his eyes, and although nervous tension rippled through her body, she knew that everything was going to be all right.
Still, it was a big moment for her to reveal herself like this to another man. The only people she had undressed for were the serving girls as they bathed her and it had not been anything like this. Here, the air was thick with tension. Her body simmered with an ache that she didn’t quite understand and she found herself craving the approval of this man.
Slowly, she pushed her feet against the soft bed of the lake and rose. The water dripped from her skin, creating thick ripples that expanded all the way to the shore. Each breath was hot against her throat. Her cheeks reddened as she made herself vulnerable to him. She told herself that it was still virtuous because it was his right as a husband to look upon her body, but that did nothing to quell the nervous tingling in the pit of her stomach.
Inch by inch, her body was exposed as the water fell away. Her slender shoulders appeared first, followed by her white arms, and then the swell of her pert breasts. She gulped as she saw Seamus’ eyes widen at her voluptuous figure. Her first instinct was to turn her head away and fold her arms across her breasts, but as soon as she went to move, Seamus’ hand shot out and stopped her. She looked up at him. The water rested against the curves of her hips, the foamy crest of the waterfall lapped against the inside of her thighs and gave her a wholly new sensation, but the most powerful feeling came from Seamus. He tensed his jaw and looked upon her with the same awe as he looked at nature. In his eyes, she saw unbridled desire and lust so primal that it almost frightened her, but at the same time she found herself enjoying the fact that she was pleasing him.
Seamus let go of her hand and brushed the back of his fingers against her face. Then he touched her shoulder. She trembled, wondering where else he was going to touch, but his hand rested against her arm.
“Ye are the most beautiful and sweetest thing.” He gasped, his voice so soft that she could barely hear it over the waterfall. He placed his other hand on her other arm, squeezing a little. Sarina found herself moving toward him, inexorably drawn by a desire to press herself against his taut, rugged body.
“Ye are a work of art, Sarina, I am honored tae have ye as my wife,” he said. By now, she was directly in front of him and could see the droplets of water hanging on the ends of his hair. She looked up at him and wondered if he could tell how nervous she was. Her entire body shivered and trembled with anticipation. She had no idea what was going to happen next. Seamus tilted his head and plucked a kiss from her lips. The warmth spread all over her body as she opened her mouth and felt his tongue explore, finding hers. Their tongues danced together as heat rose between them and suddenly, the natural surroundings fell away.
One of Seamus’ hands found the small of her back while the other ran around her neck, his fingers entwined in her wet hair. She murmured a little as she pressed her body against his, her breasts flat against his torso, her arms stretched around his sinewy back, and her fingers plying the ripples of his muscles. All of a sudden, she jumped back in shock and looked down.
“Is everything all right lass?” Seamus asked. Sarina stayed quiet for a moment and then burst out into a loud laugh.
“I’m afraid I thought your manhood was some beast lurking under the water,” she said, hoping that the jest would hide her nerves. Her eyes darted to the surface again. Seamus smiled broadly. Sarina had never imagined they came in such big, impressive sizes. It was somewhat daunting, although a deep curiosity began to rise within her.
“Ye make me laugh, lass,” he said, settling back into the water. He rested against a set of rocks that made something of a chair and pulled Sarina onto his lap, facing away from him, before wrapping his arms around her body. Her breasts were pushed together and the surface of the water lapped against them just above her nipples. She twisted her head around and gave Seamus a longing kiss before nestling into him and enjoying the feeling of being held in his arms. She stroked the sinewy forearms and enjoyed feeling the heat from the fire of his blood surge around his body.
“This is so peaceful,” she said.
“Aye,” he replied, kissing her neck. This simple act brought a new wave of sensations which began dancing in her soul and she wondered how much else there was for her to learn. However, she was not quite ready to give herself to him yet, even though he was evidently ready for her. There was still much she had to learn and a matter on her mind that she had yet to discuss with Seamus. It wasn’t something she necessarily wanted to bring up, but now that she had confirmed with herself that she wasn’t going to kill
him, it was something they needed to talk about if she was to truly be at ease with him.
“Seamus,” she began, “I hate to ruin the mood, but there is something we must discuss.”
16
Sitting in the lake with the waterfall crashing beside them was utter happiness for Seamus. It was a home away from home and he was already beginning to feel more intimate with Sarina. Sharing a bed was one thing, but sharing this was something else entirely. It was just the two of them in the world with nothing to distract them and she was staggeringly beautiful. He didn’t think he would ever forget that moment when she rose from the water like a fairy, the water trickling down her slender, womanly body. She was everything he desired in a woman and the flame of love was now burning strongly within him. For the first time in a long time, Seamus had hope for the future and it was all because of this girl.
In their long, languorous kiss Seamus had lost himself and, for a moment, he thought that she was going to give him her virtue right there in the lake. It was certainly something he was ready for. While he had been grieving and brooding over the past, he had lost something of his natural vigor and despite being a man of passion, he had his doubts that they would return. But those doubts had been utterly vanquished. It was as though a volcano had erupted within him and all the hot, fervent desire poured out as thick as lava and it would only be a matter of time before he enjoyed the sweetness of Sarina’s body properly.
Yet, she was still hesitant. Her shyness was alluring and, for the moment, he was content to wait. He had waited this long after all. It was just as pleasurable holding her in his arms, feeling her soft skin against his fingers, and enjoying the sight of her perfectly round breasts. When he kissed her, she squirmed with delight and he looked forward to showing her the subtleties of passion.
He would have been quite content to linger there in silence, simply enjoying the presence of one another, but she had something on her mind. Women always seemed to enjoy talking and filling the silence with incessant chatter. It was something he was going to have to get used to again.
“Speak ye mind, lass,” he said. Sarina wriggled on his lap and, although he could only see half her face from this vantage point, he could tell that she was troubled. A spike of fear shot through him and he wondered if she was having second thoughts. He looked down at his own body and hoped that he had not scared her off.
“I don’t wish to ruin the mood,” she began, and his heart inevitably sank, but he braced himself for whatever she was going to say. “But I need to talk about something that is playing on my mind. It is something of a barrier between us and it is to do with my father.”
Seamus remained quiet, allowing her to speak.
“I have only heard stories of the battles between our two families, but by all accounts, they were bloody and brutal. This peace between us is a good thing, but the fact of the matter remains that there are some people who will never see the benefit of this peace, such as my father. I still grieve for him as I now grieve for Matthew and I must apologize for my behavior after he died. I never should have blamed you for his death. Matthew was always one who wanted to make a name for himself as an esteemed warrior and he was never going to turn down a fight, no matter how unfortunate the odds.
“But still, the fact remains that you killed my father and that is troubling for me. I have been searching my feelings, trying to understand everything that is passing through my mind. When I was riding here, I was sure that I could never love a man who had killed my father and when I see these hands, I am reminded that these are the hands who took his life. You asked for there to be no secrets between us and perhaps talking about this matter will help me to understand it better,” she said.
Seamus let her words settle. The water crashed down around them and Seamus was taken back to that fierce battle. The rage and the heat were summoned as he closed his eyes and was back there amid the confusion. The horses crashed against the ground, the song of steel filled the air, and a cloud of arrows soared through the sky casting a huge shadow on the clashing armies. He could taste the blood and smell death.
“These hands hae killed many men and by the end of that battle, they were covered in blood. I still see the faces of those men now, but ye father’s was nae among them.”
“What do you mean?”
“I dinnae kill ye father, Sarina. I could see in his eyes he wanted tae get tae me and I was prepared tae fight him tae the death, tae put an end tae the battle one way or the other. We saw each other over the battlefield. He glared at me and cut an impressive figure in his armor. His sword gleamed as he raised it and roared, rushing toward me. I braced myself, ready to defend my life with all I hae, but ye father never made it tae me. A thousand arrows crashed down and pinned him tae the ground. He never got tae me. I dinnae ken who told ye that I killed him, but our swords never met that day. Maybe they wanted tae give his death a ring of heroism or maybe they just wanted tae blame me for his death because I was leading the enemy, but he died as many men dae in battle: by bad luck. Ye dinnae hae tae hate me for that,” he explained.
“Oh, I’m so glad,” Sarina gushed and almost melted with relief. She turned to him and threw her arms around his neck, burying herself into his warmth. Seamus stroked her back, musing on that battle. Although he was a warrior and prided himself on his prowess in battle, he never reveled in the fact that he had killed countless men. They all had lives they wanted to live and he had deprived them of that.
Sarina lifted her head up and stroked his face, wiping away the flecks of water that gathered on his beard. He felt the stirrings of desire again and kissed her, his hands moving to her hips. Occasionally, he opened his eyes, enjoying the sight of her shimmering, lithe body, but otherwise, he kept them closed, letting the moment control him.
The more they kissed, the more confident Sarina grew and he enjoyed experiencing her journey of discovery. She murmured softly and her sweet breath lingered against his lips. She tasted of summer and spring, of everything sweet and new, and his desire for her was insatiable.
“Let’s gae dry ourselves on the grass,” he said. Sarina nodded and bit her lower lip, an act that heightened Seamus’ desire for her. The two of them sank back into the water and swam back to shore, but when they reached the shallow point of the lake, Seamus stood up and swept Sarina in his arms, carrying her out. She was light and threw her head back with delight as she was carried by him. Water dripped from their bodies as they went back to their clothes—not that Seamus had any intention of dressing. He carefully lay Sarina on the soft grass and she sunk into the ground, looking utterly alluring.
Seamus fell over her, his powerful body casting a shadow upon hers. She cupped his face in her hands and kissed him softly. For the first time since they had been married, they truly felt like man and wife. He kissed back and their bodies slowly began to melt into each other. He breathed in her scent and the scorching heat of their desire soon dried the water left on their flesh. Seamus bowed his head and kissed her neck, shoulders, and her arms. Then he moved to her breasts, cupping them in his big hands. He kissed and sucked and when he breathed on her nipples, Sarina shuddered. He used his tongue to pleasure her and enjoyed the long moans that escaped her lips and drifted up into the heavens. He plied her milky flesh, enjoying the way it surrendered to him and as her eyes fluttered open, she looked down at his desire too. Her mouth opened wide with both shock and hunger.
Seamus lost himself in her body and in her cascading hair that splayed over the ground—in every aspect of her being. She was the essence of femininity, beautiful in every way, his desires made flesh. As he dragged a finger along the hot insides of her thigh, she squirmed. He went slowly, respecting that she had never been this intimate before. The thought that he was her first made his entire body rigid with tension. He was so heated that he was surprised the ground was not scorched by their bodies. He stroked and caressed her body, kissed her softly, and whispered sweet nothings in her ear. He cupped her breasts in his hand an
d watched her writhe as he toyed with her, enjoying the way her face scrunched up as she tried to process the sensations that were pulsing through her body.
He explored every inch of her body and his fingers grazed against her burning inner thighs. She moaned and her legs parted for him, offering him her sweetest spot. His fingers felt the heat and he plunged them into the wetness. Sarina’s body tensed and a rush of air exploded from her mouth, her eyes opened wide, and then she settled back on the soft grass. Seamus curled his finger slowly, taking note of the way she responded to his touch so he could give her exactly what she needed. He delved into the most intimate part of her and felt the effect it had on her entire body. She gasped. He grunted. Her mouth opened wide to sigh. He nibbled at her skin.
Their bodies glistened in the sunlight. They were creatures of nature, doing what came most naturally. Sarina was his wife and her virtue was his as well. In that moment, he wanted her, truly and completely. There was no other woman on his mind. He extricated his hand and placed it on her hip, pinning her to the ground. She looked up at him and no words needed to be spoken. The gaze that passed between them told them everything they needed to know. Seamus shifted his position. Sarina looked down in fearful anticipation, but just as he was about to take her virtue, just as they were about to consummate their marriage, they heard the thunder of hooves approaching.
Sarina gasped and Seamus looked up as they saw a horse and a rider emerge from the forest. Sarina pulled her clothes toward her and scrambled into a sitting position, using her clothes to cover herself. Seamus glared at the rider, a messenger boy called Rory. He got to his feet and covered his manhood then approached the rider.