by Alyssa Stark
“Do not fear me, Beth,” Lachlan purred as he rejoined her on the bed and settled himself between her thighs. “Ye were made to fit me,” he reassured her. “That feeling that you just had,” he whispered as he trailed kisses over Elizabeth’s neck. “When you find out what that feeling yields, I want to be inside of you,” he whispered, his voice overcome with carnal desire.
Lachlan’s mouth settled on Elizabeth’s nipple once more. He suckled her, bringing her back to the brink of ecstasy. His cock ached with need to enter her, but he held back. He would make sure that Elizabeth was completely ready.
Sliding his finger down between their feverish bodies, Lachlan found the bead of Elizabeth’s desire once more. He circled the nub with his finger, teasing Elizabeth back to the edge of orgasm. When he was certain that she was ready, he took his cock in his hand and positioned it at the entrance of her sheath.
He buried his face in Elizabeth’s hair and drove into her powerfully, ripping through the barrier that shielded her virginity.
Elizabeth gasped and dug her fingernails into his shoulders. Pain reverberated through her body, slicing through the pleasure and causing her eyes to fly open. She felt as though Lachlan had just torn her in half. She could feel him inside of her, filling her up so completely that the pain overwhelmed her.
“Shh…love,” Lachlan said as he propped himself up on his elbows. “The pain will last only for a moment,” he assured her.
Never before had Lachlan felt such a wonderful pleasure as being buried deep inside of his wife. She was so tight and so deliciously wet. Elizabeth fit him perfectly as if she had been made just for him. He fought the instinct to move, to withdraw his cock and sink deep inside her again. But he could not, for from the way that Elizabeth’s body had tensed, he knew that he was hurting her.
He hated himself for hurting her.
Tears spilled silently down Elizabeth’s cheeks.
Lachlan kissed them away. He placed soft kisses on her eyebrows and her eyelids, wishing to the depths of his soul that he could take her pain away.
“Shh…sweetheart. ‘Twill feel better in a moment,” he promised.
“Kiss me,” Elizabeth said, her voice shaky.
Lachlan obliged her and kissed her with aching sweetness. His kiss told Elizabeth how sorry he was that he had hurt her. Lachlan guided her legs apart further, causing Elizabeth to wince as he sunk deeper inside of her. Lachlan was too big. He stretched her to the point that she felt like she was tearing apart.
Lachlan threaded his fingers through her hair and kissed her tenderly. Feeling his mouth upon hers, the spicy and warm taste of his mouth lessened the pain. Elizabeth felt the fire growing within her again. Lachlan’s kiss kindled that fire. His hand cupped her breast and his thumb grazed over her erect nipple, sending a ripple of pleasure down Elizabeth’s spine. Lachlan nibbled at her lower lip and a delicious surge of ecstasy replaced the sharp pain of his invasion.
Lachlan felt Elizabeth relax. He deepened their kiss, brushing his tongue against Elizabeth’s. He moved experimentally, withdrawing his cock ever so slightly to gauge Elizabeth’s response. He gritted his teeth. Elizabeth felt like Heaven.
Every muscle in his body screamed for him to move.
She arched her hips against his.
Lachlan smiled against her mouth.
He withdrew himself and then plunged into Elizabeth’s wetness, growling as he sank inch by delicious inch into her.
“Lachlan!” Elizabeth moaned as she clasped her husband’s broad shoulders. A surge of electricity shot through Elizabeth’s body, setting her nerve endings afire with passion. Her pain had been completely replaced with a pleasure so intense that it curled her toes.
Lachlan drove into her gently at first, using his hand on her hip to teach Elizabeth the rhythm of their love making. She was a quick study, and when Elizabeth began to arch her hips up to meet his thrusts, Lachlan thought that he might die from the erotic pleasure that Elizabeth gave him. He threw his head back in ecstasy and increased the cadence of his thrusts.
Elizabeth cried out with pleasure. The feeling of Lachlan inside her, stretching and expanding her to the brink with each powerful thrust was unlike anything that she had ever imagined. When Lachlan reached his finger between their joined bodies and stroked the bead of her desire, she nearly screamed with euphoria.
That delicious feeling was building within her again as Lachlan touched her most intimate flesh. With each stroke of his manhood, the feeling grew stronger. Elizabeth called out her husband’s name again and again, running her hands over the planes of his muscled back and shoulders.
And then the feeling exploded.
Elizabeth moaned loudly and her inner muscles began to quiver as Lachlan brought her to orgasm.
“Aye, Love,” Lachlan whispered as made delicious circles around her clitoris. “Give yerself tae me,” he gritted through clenched teeth. Feeling Elizabeth find her release made him want to spill his seed, but he refused his own pleasure, seeking to heighten Elizabeth’s.
“Lachlan!” she cried as the overwhelming sensation consumed her. Wave after wave of pleasure rippled through her body. It was as if her body had shattered into a million tiny pieces.
Lachlan buried his face in Elizabeth’s hair and pumped into her powerfully. When he was sheathed inside of her to the hilt, he growled and spilled his seed deep in her womb. His release was intense and all consuming, causing his muscles to tense with pleasure. Never in his life had he experienced such an overwhelming orgasm.
Regaining control of himself, Lachlan placed light kisses on Elizabeth’s collarbone and nuzzled her neck. He inhaled the sweet scent of her hair.
“Are ye well, love?” he asked tenderly as he rose up on his elbows to look down at his wife. Her auburn hair spilled onto the pillow, framing her lovely face. Lachlan could see the look of wonderment in her green eyes, which caused him to smile softly.
“Aye,” Elizabeth smiled as she toyed with the hair at the base of Lachlan’s neck. “I had no idea!” she giggled.
“Neither did I,” Lachlan laughed as he kissed his wife’s nose.
“I had heard things…I had heard all sorts of things about what happens between a man and a woman, but I never imagined that,” Elizabeth said with an awestruck smile.
“Sae, I’ll endeavor that ye liked it,” Lachlan chuckled. He brushed his fingers lovingly down Elizabeth’s cheek.
“Aye,” Elizabeth admitted. A blush colored her cheeks.
“As did I,” Lachlan agreed. He nipped at the nape of Elizabeth’s neck, causing her to giggle. “I hope that I didna hurt ye overmuch. I’m sorry for hurting ye, love,” he whispered sincerely.
“It hurt a bit at first, but after….after it was wonderful,” Elizabeth sighed.
“Aye,” Lachlan agreed. “It was wonderful.”
“You don’t suppose that we could try again?” Elizabeth asked shyly.
Lachlan bit Elizabeth’s shoulder playfully. A smile spread over his face as he lifted his head to look into Elizabeth’s eyes.
“Are ye no tired, love?” he asked with a teasing, devilish smile.
“Nay,” Elizabeth said in a sultry voice. She bit her lower lip and slid her hand languidly down Lachlan’s back to cup his buttock. “I’m not the least bit tired,” she said wantonly.
Lachlan growled.
“Neither am I,” he said huskily as he captured his insatiable wife’s mouth and rolled her on top of him so that she straddled him.
Elizabeth leaned down and captured her husband’s lips in a possessive kiss. Her auburn hair fell around them like a curtain. The closeness, the bond that she felt with Lachlan was maddening. She loved feeling him inside of her. It was as if they were made of one flesh, two halves of the very same soul.
..ooOOoo..
Lachlan awoke in the first light of morning. Elizabeth lay wrapped up in his arms, still soundly asleep. He moved so that he could admire her, being ever so careful not to wake her. His eyes scanned ove
r her alabaster skin, her thick auburn hair that was disheveled from his hands running through its masses last night, her dark eyelashes resting on her cheeks as she slept. Her sensual, kissable mouth turned up into the slightest smile.
Elizabeth looked happy.
Lord above! How he loved his wife!
Until this very moment Lachlan MacFarland had not known it was possible to love another person so much.
“I love you, Beth,” he whispered into the quiet room. He reached down and tenderly brushed a stray lock of hair from her face.
Drills with the soldiers would have to wait today. Lachlan wanted to enjoy the first morning waking up next to his wife, no matter what price he would pay in the lists tomorrow. Hell, most of the MacFarland warriors would be a bit worse for the wear after the Hogmanay celebrations of last night. Perhaps they would not even notice his absence.
Lachlan carefully disentangled his limbs from Elizabeth. He padded barefoot over to the chair that held Elizabeth’s few possessions. He had requested that the maid bring her things to their chamber. On top of the pile sat her copy of The Taming of the Shrew.
Lachlan grabbed the book and smiled. Perhaps he would read awhile as he waited for Elizabeth to wake. He settled himself back in the bed next to his wife and opened the book. Something was caught between the well-worn pages midway through the volume. Lachlan flipped to the culprit and his heart skipped a beat.
His thistle. Elizabeth had kept it.
She had kept it between the pages of her most valuable possession.
Lachlan made the mistake of touching the wee flower.
“Ye wee buggar!” he cursed under his breath and then chuckled quietly. He rose from the bed once more, glancing warily over his shoulder to ensure that he had not woken Elizabeth. The lass slept like a log!
Very carefully, he opened the heavy chest of drawers by the fireplace. It took him a moment to find what he was searching for, but when he felt to cool metal underneath his fingers, he knew at once he had found the perfect solution to the thistle.
His mother’s locket.
Lachlan removed the bit of jewelry from the chest of drawers. He had nearly forgotten the small bauble, but the prick of the thistle had spiked his memory. When his mother had died, he had found the jewelry amongst her things. The locket was of the perfect size, fashioned of fine silver with a Celtic knot intricately engraved on the front. It hung on a delicate chain that Lachlan fancied would look beautiful against Elizabeth’s skin.
He pried the locket open, revealing a small space between the two pieces of hinged metal. Taking the thistle carefully between his fingers, he placed it inside of the locket. It fit perfectly! Lachlan closed the hinge of the locket and heard a satisfying click. He could hardly wait for his wife to wake up so that he could give her the gift.
His eyes turned to the book that lay open where he had left it on their bed.
The Taming of the Shrew.
Comparing Elizabeth to Kate the Shrew was akin to madness. Lachlan laughed beneath his breath. He would purchase Elizabeth some new books, and they would read them together.
Lachlan longed to give his sweet and gentle wife the world.
..oo Chapter Thirteen oo..
“Lachlan!” Angus MacFarland boomed as he pounded on his son’s door. “Get out of bed with ye! We’re under attack by the Campbells!” he thundered.
Lachlan sprung from the bed and dressed hurriedly.
Elizabeth pulled the covers over her breasts and sat up, watching in terror as her husband prepared for battle. Her heart raced as she watched him morph from a loving protector into a fierce warrior.
“You will stay here. Bar the door behind me!” Lachlan ordered as he laced his boots. He stood and sheathed his sword in his belt.
“I could speak with him, perhaps he will listen!” Elizabeth exclaimed in desperation. “If I tell him that it is my fault, that I went willingly with you, perhaps he will…”
“You will stay here!” Lachlan warned. “I’ll not put you in danger.”
Elizabeth wiped away the tears that gathered in her eyes.
She was terrified.
What if Lachlan was injured? What if he was killed in battle?
Losing Lachlan would break Elizabeth irreparably.
“Do not leave me,” she whispered as she watched Lachlan tie back his hair.
“Aye, love,” he nodded. “I willna leave ye. I promise tae return in one piece.”
Lachlan strode over to the bed and kissed Elizabeth soundly. He kissed her with all of the urgency and the terror that thudded with each beat of his heart.
You will not take her from me, Campbell!
Lachlan pressed the locket into Elizabeth’s palm.
“What is this?” she asked as she sat up and brushed her auburn hair away from her face.
“It was my mother’s. And now it is yours,” Lachlan said with love in his eyes. “Think of me when you wear it,” he added. Fear crept into Lachlan’s heart. If he was killed in battle, at least his wife would have a token to remember him by.
“I love you, Husband,” Elizabeth said with stormy eyes. Her heart was heavy as she watched Lachlan prepare himself for battle. They had stolen such precious little time together.
“I love you too, lass,” Lachlan said as he leaned down and gently kissed Elizabeth’s lips. “Bar the door behind me,” Lachlan ordered. “And if they take control of the keep, which I plan to make damn certain that they do not mind ye, but if they get to you Elizabeth, tell them that I kidnapped ye against her will. ‘Tis the only way.”
Lachlan’s gaze lingered on his wife for a moment and then he was gone. She looked so damn beautiful and yet so alone nestled in the mountain of quilts that covered their bed. Her eyes were forlorn as she watched him leave.
Elizabeth rose from the bed and barred the door behind Lachlan, just as he had ordered. She leaned back against the door, tears welling in her eyes. The locket was clasped tightly in her palm. She pried open the hinge and her heart caught in her throat when she saw what Lachlan had placed inside of the pendant.
Their thistle.
The token that Lachlan had given her as a promise of his love.
Elizabeth wiped her tears away.
She would not allow John Campbell to take this away from her too.
Love was worth fighting for.
Elizabeth looped the thin chain of the necklace around her neck. The locket rested just above her heart, symbolizing the love that she shared with her husband.
You will not take him from me, John Campbell!
Elizabeth dressed quickly, unbolted the door and fled down the stairs.
..oo Chapter Fourteen oo..
Liam strode towards the Campbells, eyes trained upon the archers who had sighted their arrows upon him. He focused on John Campbell, whose fist was in the air, waiting to signal for the archers to unleash their fury of arrows. If Campbell dropped his fist, Liam was a dead man for sure.
Liam marched forward without fear.
He unbuckled his leather belt and let his claymore and dagger fall to the ground.
He did not want war.
He was tired of killing Campbells for a feud that had started before his birth.
He was tired of watching MacFarlands die at the end of Campbell blades.
Liam MacFarland had loved a Campbell once. In fact he loved Olivia Campbell still. And for her memory and for the love that he held for their daughter, he planned to settle this feud once and for all.
Or die trying.
“Campbell!” he called out across the snow covered field.
John Campbell did not respond.
“Speak to me as a man!” Liam bellowed.
Lachlan stood with the MacFarland warriors, ready to charge the bloody Campbells if they made any aggression towards Liam. His heart thundered in his chest. Liam was acting the part of a fool. The Campbells would kill him without hesitation.
Lachlan’s heart sank.
Liam was too far a field.
There was nothing that Lachlan could do to save him.
His heart wrenched for Elizabeth.
Having only been reunited with her father on Hogmanay, they had been given so little time together. ‘Twas a pity that Elizabeth would not get to know her father, for Liam MacFarland was a brave and honorable man.
Movement at the edge of the snow covered field caught Lachlan’s eye.
Her sky blue gown and auburn hair stood out in stark contrast to the white snow as she ran towards her father.
“Christ, Elizabeth! No!” Lachlan gritted out through clenched teeth.
His heart flip-flopped in his chest and threatened to stop beating completely.
Lachlan’s muscles tensed. He kicked his stallion into motion.
If only he could get to her before the Campbells saw her.
Mayhap there was time.
“No, son!” Angus yelled as he reached over and grabbed the reins of Lachlan’s horse, wrenching the beast’s head around and bringing him to an abrupt stop. “Ye willna do this, Lachlan! Ye canna save her now. They’ll kill her for sure if they realize how much she means to ye!” the old man reasoned with his son, his stern eyes challenging Lachlan to disobey his orders.
Lachlan watched in horror as Elizabeth ran towards Liam, her skirts a flurry of blue satin against the backdrop of the snow. He watched numbly as she reached her father and took his hand. Father and daughter walked as one to meet the Campbell war party.
Fear gripped Lachlan’s heart, making breathing nearly impossible.
Liam and Elizabeth walked up to John Campbell. They stood just in front of his horse. Liam moved to speak, but Elizabeth dropped his hand and stepped forward.
“I urge you to stop this madness,” she said powerfully as her intense green eyes locked with John Campbell’s. “Do you even remember what started the feud between the Campbells and the MacFarlands?” she asked, her eyes daring Campbell to look away.
“Nay lass. ‘Tis of no consequence,” Campbell answered dismissively. “My feud is not with you, although you’ve disappointed me greatly,” he added the insult for good measure. “Step aside or ye may get killed in the crossfire.”