by Fiona Faris
Georgiana smiled. “I didn’t even remember that we are essentially on the run from your parents. At least we have my dowry now.”
“Aye. It was a guid idea for yer faither to keep the marriage portion in yer name. That way, I canna be accused of fraud.”
“Very true. We need to keep you out of jail. Otherwise, how would we do this?” she leaned over and planted a kiss on his lips. His eyes widened as he stared into hers.
Ethan reached for the tray and put it aside on the bedside table. He turned back to look at Georgiana. “Do ye want to…?”
She nodded jerkily, reaching out tentative hands for him. He pulled her to him, locking his lips with hers as she stole the breath from his body. Pushing her back down on the bed, he lined himself on top of her and was soon inside her.
Chapter Nine
Georgiana jerked awake, and for a moment, she did not know where she was. A snuffling sound beside her had her jumping until she turned and saw her new husband sprawled out on the bed beside her. He lay on his stomach, and the sheet had ridden down, exposing the entirety of his naked back to her gaze.
Having never seen a man without his shirt on before she could hardly tear her eyes away. Her hand reached out of its own volition and traced the lines of his shoulder blades before trailing down the curve of his spine from broad shoulders down to narrow waist. A breathy sigh escaped her, and she snatched her hand away, afraid that she had woken him.
He continued to snuffle contentedly into his pillow, so she returned her hand, catching hold of the sheet and inching it away from the luxuriant curve of his bottom, her eyes following the lines of him in fascination.
A soft knock on the door had her scrambling off the bed in a panic. Ethan lifted his head from the pillow and surveyed her questioningly. “What’s the matter?”
“N-nothing. Somebody’s knocking.”
“Ye should answer then, aye?”
“Y-yes, I probably should,” Georgiana shuffled to the door, fingers flailing before she paused and took a deep breath. “Who is it?” she called softly.
“Oh, tis Misty ma’am. I brought your breakfast.”
“Oh.” Georgiana felt relieved as she reached to open the door. She didn’t think she was up to facing Mrs. Herriot quite yet. She knew full well that she was a married woman, entirely within her rights to be sleeping with her husband. Yet she wasn’t ready to look into Mrs. Herriot’s eyes and see in them the woman’s awareness of what they’d been up to last night. It was a little embarrassing.
Looking in Misty’s eyes was hard enough.
“Thank you, Misty, I’ll take the tray,” she reached for it, all the time looking anywhere but at her lady’s maid. Shutting the door firmly in Misty’s face with her foot, she carried the tray to the bed.
“Well, breakfast is served.”
Ethan sat up, studying her consideringly. “Are ye alright?”
“Of course I am. Why would I not be?” Georgiana busied herself arranging the slices of cake on the plate before passing them to Ethan.
“Ye seem fashit.”
“Well, I am not.”
“Humph.” Ethan sat up in the bed, and the sheet fell to his lap, allowing a little of his pubic hairs to peek out and distract Georgiana completely.
“Aren’t you going to put on some clothes?” she felt a flash of irritation at his callous disregard for her sensibilities.
“Why would I? It’s just ye and I here.”
She looked away, cheeks heated, wondering if all wives were this affected by their husbands’ bodies. If she could pluck up the courage, she might ask Mrs. Herriot. Ethan was holding out a honey cake to her. “Eat.”
She took the cake and put it in her mouth, smiling shyly. Ethan watched her chew while she basked in the warmth of his gaze.
They ate in silence, sipping at their hot chocolate as they watched the snowfall from the window.
Ethan looked to Georgiana and smiled. “D’ye want to go out today, or stay in where it’s warm?”
Georgiana smiled. “I don’t know. What do you want to do?”
“I thought we might stay in and read,” Ethan grinned.
Georgiana swallowed her disappointment. “Oh? You want to read?”
Ethan threw back his head and howled with laughter. “No. Ah’m just footerin aboot wi’ ye.”
Georgiana glared. “That’s not funny.”
“Ah, I’ll apologize then. Come here.”
Georgiana blinked at him, noting the hot heaviness in his eyes and how the sheet was tenting around his lap. She could not breathe properly, and there was a slight tremble in her hands. “W-why?”
“I want to show ye something,” he grinned wide and naughty, and she bit her lip to stop herself from laughing.
“Oh? And what is that?”
“Come here, and I’ll show ye.”
Georgina hesitated and then sidled closer until she was flush against him. Ethan leaned in and brushed his cheek against hers. “Ye’re so warm, so saft.”
“T-thank you.” She breathed as she arched against him, brushing her body against his. His hand rose to her shoulder and pushed down the neckline of her shift so that her left breast was peeking out. She gasped, staring at Ethan with wide eyes.
“Ye’re so bonny. I dinna think I’ve ever seen anyone as lovely as ye.”
Her cheeks heated and she bit her lip, blinking at him as she wondered what she was supposed to do. He leaned in and touched his lips to hers. They were warm and soft, pliable yet questing. She parted her lips, and they kissed for what felt like hours.
Suddenly, she pulled back to stare into the green depths of his eyes, chest heaving.
“What is it?” he whispered.
“I…I just never expected this.”
He smiled and leaned in again, capturing her lips with his. She surrendered to his ministrations, thinking that marriage might be a lot more interesting than she had hitherto imagined.
* * *
Georgiana loved frolicking in the snow. So, as they took a midday stroll, bundled up against the cold, she launched a snowball at her husband. It landed on Ethan’s shoulder, and he looked up at Georgiana with a raised eyebrow.
“Have I offended ye?”
“What? No. I thought we could have a snowball fight,” Georgiana grinned.
“A what, my lady?” Misty interjected.
“You know, you throw snowballs at each other for fun,” Georgiana said. When Misty and Ethan both give her blank looks, she enlisted Fergus’ help. “You know what I’m talking aboot, right, Fergus?”
“They dinna let us go outside in the snow at the orphanage. Nay money for potions if we took sick,” Fergus answered.
“And I suppose you wouldn’t have had a chance on a ship,” Georgiana added.
“Aye, not sae much. I dinna suppose anyone ever brought it up. It mighta been a novel idea.”
Georgiana’s shoulders drooped a little. “So, nobody wants to take me up on the snowball fight?”
Both Fergus and Ethan look at her. Ethan clearly didn’t want to stop her happiness but didn’t want a snowball fight, either.
Before anyone could say anything else, Misty bent down and launched a hastily made snowball at Georgiana. It exploded against her chest, covering her whole front with snow.
“Got you!” Misty proclaimed.
Georgiana grinned and got ready to strike back.
They tossed snowballs and tumbled around with each other in the snow. Their small, captive audience fell away, as Georgiana focused on getting even with her lady’s maid. It was exhilarating, and Georgiana smiled wide.
The fight ended when Misty tackled her, both of them crashing into the snowdrift behind Georgiana. Their laughter rang out, and that seemed to motivate Ethan to join in, helping them to their feet before pelting them both gently with snow. They were much less merciful in their retaliations.
Suddenly Georgiana slipped and fell, and Ethan leaped forward to catch her, and they both ended up in the snow.
Ethan leaned down to press their foreheads against each other.
This was bliss, and he could see now why Georgiana wanted to do this.
“You win,” Georgiana said. “I surrender to you.”
“Never thought I’d hear you say that,” Ethan laughed.
Georgiana grinned and leaned up to kiss him. “Only to you.”
Ethan flushed a little and ducked his head, trying to hide his pleasure.
“You made Ethan bashful,” Fergus chuckled with some incredulity. “I dinna think he was capable of that emotion.”
Georgiana tilted her head back and grinned at him lazily. “Keep making fun of him, and I’ll dump a whole blizzard of snow on your head.”
Fergus ran further away from her. “I think ye would, for Ethan.”
“Good man,” Georgiana said before turning her attention back where it really belonged. “Next time, let's leave the audience behind.”
“No arguments from me,” Ethan said. “You're much more fun.”
Georgiana pressed her bare hand against Ethan’s cheek, sending a surge of heat coursing through him.
“Ooh, that's nice,” Ethan practically purred. “You and your fingers, always a winning combination.”
“Good day Fergus, Misty,” Georgiana said, sitting up abruptly. She wanted to have Ethan all to herself. “It’s time for you both to take some time off. We’re married now, we don’t need chaperones.”
Ethan laughed and got up, bringing Georgiana with him. They continued their game in private.
* * *
“But maybe we should make one more… for the road,” Georgiana whispered, resting her head against Ethan's shoulder. Her heart had been racing ten miles a minute trying to close the gap between them, but one look into the forest green of those relaxing eyes of his made all her thoughts turn to mush.
“What d’ye have in mind?” Ethan lifted his arm and wrapped it around Georgiana’s slim waist so she could lean more comfortably against him. He smiled down at her and kissed the top of her head. “Would ye like to read or have a last cup of chocolate. Whatever ye want.”
Georgiana loved his considerate nature and the way he always put her first, but tonight she wanted something special—it was their last day in this bed where they’d started their marriage. Tomorrow they would leave for the South of France.
“Georgiana?” he called questioningly when she didn’t respond with her usual quick wit. “Are ye alright?”
“I’m wonderful!” she snorted out laughing, slapping his chest playfully and sandwiching his face between both her hands, forcing the Scotsman to look directly at her. “There is something I need from you tonight if you would give it to me?” Georgiana asked as bravely as she could muster. “Be honest with me, please.”
“Oh, aye, I always am.” He grimaced, “at least I try tae be.”
“Do you love me, truly?”
He melted in her touch, smiling fondly. He nodded his head, smiling even wider, “more than anything and anyone in this world.”
“I need you to say it.”
“I love ye, Georgiana.”
Taking in the deepest breath her lungs could hold, Georgiana exhaled and quickly positioned herself to straddle Ethan's lap. She had both hands planted squarely against his chest, pinning him back to the feather bed.
He looked up at her curiously and saw she had her eyes shut tight. Georgiana was trembling against him, but every time he tried to push her back, she dug her nails deep into the fabric of his shirt and clamped her thighs to his waist. Ethan was at a loss for words but understood what Georgiana was trying to do.
“Aye lassie, Georgiana, ease up for a bit,” he said softly, trying to comfort her. Ethan brushed his fingers across her loose curls and cupped her face lovingly with his hands. “Look at me.” Georgiana shook her head. “Please?”
She quickly gave in and slowly opened her eyes to stare back at him, blushing a bright crimson when she saw his unwavering smile. “Don’t… Don't look at me like that!”
“Like what?” he asked, looking as innocent as could be.
“Like that…” Georgiana gestured at him. “As if I'm the only woman in the world…” Her words ended on a whisper as she lowered her gaze again. “My heart can’t handle it.”
“Weel,” Ethan said while looking around the empty parlor, “I dinna see anyone else here, so ye'll have to forgive me for that.”
She rolled her eyes, hiding a smile. "Idiot..."
Georgiana’s winter-grey eyes settled on Ethan’s lips, flickering back to his curious stare for permission before leaning in. Their lips met for a chaste kiss, mindful that anyone could walk into the room at any time.
Georgiana’s cheeks held a rosy blush that made Ethan’s chest fill with pride; he did this to her.
Him. And only him.
Georgiana had nerves of steel. He had seen that when she helped him pull off the heist of a lifetime with this marriage. He saw it every time they discussed the possibility of his father and brother catching up with them. And to add insult to injury, she didn’t even realize her own strength or even how much she truly meant to him.
She was the first person to be wholly in his corner since his mother died. Sure others had helped him along the way, but no one had ever made him feel as though he was not alone.
Until her.
“More,” she mewled, pawing at his chest, “I want more.”
Ethan readily complied and captured her lips with his, ruthlessly plundering her mouth. Soft kisses were better reserved for greetings and goodbyes, though they had not been apart in all the time they had been at the castle.
When they were alone with no chance of being caught or happened upon, their kisses and touches breached the boarders between the moderately risqué and the full-on indecent. No one would believe him if he admitted it, but Georgiana had become the instigator when it came to their not-so-innocent exchanges. Ethan had been thoroughly surprised the first time her small hand slipped under his shirt while the other playfully grabbed at the bulge in his breeches.
Georgiana particularly enjoyed teasing him during their more heated exchanges by grinding herself against his crotch, leaving him hard and desperate for more.
“I love ye,” Ethan whispered after he broke the kiss and nuzzled his face into the crook of her neck. She giggled and sighed as she ran her hands across his toned back. “I really, really love ye.”
“Then take me upstairs,” she commanded fearlessly with confidence that blossomed more and more each day.
Shaking his head with a laugh, Ethan moved forward, holding Georgiana tightly against his body, and stood up. She yelped in surprise before giggling gleefully and wiggling her suspended legs in the air. Ethan smiled at her and repositioned his arms so he could carry Georgiana as safely and as comfortably as he could.
“Who needs riches when I have you!” Georgiana exclaimed.
“But I thought ye loved yer comfortable little life?”
“Ah, we live to learn, do we not?”
“We do, indeed.”
“Now, why are we still standing here?”
“I havena a clue,” Ethan carefully climbed up the stairs with one arm holding Georgiana and the other gripping the banister. “But I'm never going to let ye go.”
“That better be a promise," she whispered in his ear when he laid her down upon the bed.
Chapter Ten
Lachie began to pack his things with the utmost reluctance. He had no wish to marry a Sassenach. He had heard that they were a pain in the behind, and he wanted nothing to do with them. He snapped his satchel closed, resentment pouring off him like sweat. They were to get on the road the next day and travel by coach until Edinburgh before they took a ship to London. They were lucky it was a short journey otherwise they would have been unlikely to find a boat.
He snatched his cloak up resentfully and marched out of the house, heading for the stables. He grabbed his horse and galloped off towards the village in need of somewhere to work off
his rage.
Stopping at the tavern, he tossed his reins to the stable boy and strode into the room.
“Barkeep! A tankard of your finest uisge!” he banged the table, glaring around the room at large. Nobody met his eye, and he grunted in dissatisfaction. The innkeeper appeared shortly with a full tankard of whiskey and placed it by Lachie’s side.