The Highlander Takes a Bride
Page 16
"Oh, I'll be coming," he assured her with a wicked smile and started into the water. He walked out until the water was just above his knees, then raised his arms and made a shallow dive under the water's surface.
Saidh watched the water between them, trying to spot his approach, but didn't see him until he suddenly splashed up out of the water directly in front of her.
"Good morn," he growled and she felt his arm slide around her waist under the water, and then he dragged her against his chest and claimed her lips. Saidh smiled against his mouth and wrapped her arms and legs around him to keep from swaying in the water. Feeling his erection bob against her bottom, she pulled back from his kiss and arched an eyebrow.
"How are ye feeling this morn, me laird?" she asked sweetly.
"Better now," he said with a grin, shifting his hands down to clasp her bottom and squeeze gently.
"And did ye enjoy playing with me brothers?" she asked dryly.
"No' nearly as much as I enjoy playing with you," he assured her, shifting her slightly. Saidh's eyes widened when his erection rubbed against her and then was caught between them.
"How did they convince ye to play their drinking games?" she asked a little breathlessly as he shifted her to rub against him again.
"They said ye could drink all o' them under the table and surely I wanted to prove I was a better man than ye," he admitted wryly.
Saidh chuckled and shook her head. "I have drunk all o' them under the table, all but Aulay," she added. "And only one at a time."
"Ah," he said dryly and then shrugged. "If nothing else, they seem to hate me a little less now. At least only one o' them threatened to kill me this morning."
"Aulay?" Saidh asked with amusement.
"Aye," Greer said wryly. "Although he did include the others in the threat, saying they'd all come after me if I hurt ye."
Saidh tilted her head and eyed him with interest. "Ye do no' appear to be overly concerned by the threat."
"Because it's no' a worry, since I ha'e no plans to hurt ye," he assured her solemnly.
Saidh stared at him silently, and then tightened her legs around his waist and stretched up to kiss him.
Greer kissed her back briefly, but then pulled back to point out. "Ye ken we've yet to consummate the marriage?"
"That is no' my fault," she pointed out dryly. "I was waiting patiently abed last night when me brothers carried yer drunk arse in and dropped ye on the bed, antlers and all."
"Antlers?" he asked with a start. Greer had been carrying her toward shore, but paused now to peer at her with amazement.
Saidh nodded. "Ye had antlers strapped to yer head. The strapping was tied under yer chin like a bairn's bonnet. Ye looked quite ridiculous," she added.
"Yer brothers must ha'e done it," he said grimly as he continued out of the water, and then added, "They do no' seem to like me much."
Saidh nearly laughed at his confounded expression as he said that. She managed not to though, and simply pointed out, "Ye seem surprised."
"Aye, well, e'ery one likes me usually . . . except mayhap the men I've killed," he allowed thoughtfully.
Her eyebrows rose. "Ha'e ye killed many men, then?"
"Oh, aye," he said as if it was of no account. "I would ha'e had to be verra bad at what I did to earn me coin if that were no' the case."
"Oh, aye, ye were a sword fer hire," she recalled as he stopped in the middle of the clearing. Saidh waited until he'd set her on the plaid he'd discarded earlier, and then leaned back on her elbows and asked, "What was that like?"
Greer was silent for a minute, his gaze sliding over her naked wet body. Once he'd looked his fill, he turned his attention back to her face and arched an eyebrow. "Would ye rather I talk or get to the consummating?"
"Can ye no' do both?" she taunted.
"O' course. I just did no' think ye'd want me to," he said as he dropped to his knees beside her. "Since it would mean no' being able to kiss ye."
Saidh's eyes widened at that announcement and she sat up. Slipping one hand around his neck to urge him toward her, she whispered, "Ye were right," against his lips, and then slid her tongue out to run along them.
Releasing, a low growl, Greer slid his arms around her and covered her mouth with his in a slow, sweet kiss that left them both breathless and clinging to each other.
"I need ye, lass," Greer groaned, urging her back to lie flat on his plaid, his hands now moving over her body, caressing every inch revealed to him.
Saidh shifted restlessly under his touch, her hands covering his and giving a brief, encouraging squeeze before moving on to touch him. One hand slid up his arm to find and massage his chest, but the other dropped to the knee beside her and began to run up it. She'd nearly reached the stiff erection poking up between his legs when Greer gave off caressing her to snatch the hand away.
" 'Twill be over ere we've begun do ye--" his words died on a startled gasp as Saidh suddenly sat up, letting her other hand drop to claim the prize the first had failed at grasping. Holding him firmly, she prevented any protest he may have offered by kissing him.
Greer hesitated, and then opened his mouth to kiss her back. Saidh sighed her pleasure into his mouth as his tongue plunged inside, and was so distracted by his kisses for a moment that her hand remained still, merely clasping him. When she did recall what she'd intended to do and started to slide her hand tentatively along his sheath, Greer broke their kiss.
"But--" Saidh began in protest, and then snapped her mouth closed in surprise when he abruptly caught her by the waist and turned her in front of him so that she knelt with her back to his chest. "What--?"
Saidh nearly bit her tongue off with surprise when he plastered his chest to her back, his arms snaking around her body so that he could cup and caress a breast with one hand, while the other slid down between her legs.
"Oh," Saidh moaned, pushing back against him as his skilled fingers slid between the folds of her womanhood to find the nub it hid. When his fingers then began to dance lightly over the sensitive flesh, she shifted into the touch, gasping, "Oh, husband."
Greer nipped and then suckled at her neck in response, then removed the hand at her breast to urge her face around for another kiss. Saidh responded eagerly, alternately thrusting her own tongue out to meet his, and then retrieving it so that she could suck on his instead. All the while her hips were riding the caressing hand between her legs, her bottom pressing and rubbing against his rock hard erection where it was caught between their bodies and then moving forward again into his touch.
When he suddenly broke their kiss, Saidh moaned in protest, then gave a gasp of surprise when he pressed on her back, forcing her forward on her knees. Releasing the stranglehold she hadn't realized she'd had on his hands, Saidh reached out to catch herself, hands flat on the ground, and then she cried out with surprised pleasure as he suddenly thrust into her from behind.
Already on the verge of succumbing to her pleasure, his suddenly filling her pushed Saidh over the edge and her surprised cry was followed by a scream of pleasure that sent the birds flapping in the trees overhead.
Greer froze, his erection planted deep inside her as her body convulsed around him. But he didn't stop caressing her, and, finding herself extremely sensitive there of a sudden, Saidh braced herself on one hand and started to reach back with the other to urge his caressing fingers away, but then gasped in surprise and quickly returned her hand to the ground to brace herself as he withdrew and then thrust into her again. Much to her amazement, after three or four thrusts, the excitement that she'd thought was spent began to build in her again, stoked by both his touch and his erection sliding in and out of her.
Planting her hands more firmly and shifting her knees a little further apart to adjust to a more pleasing angle, Saidh began to push back into his thrusts almost violently, demanding the release that lay just out of reach. She had nearly found it again when Greer suddenly withdrew both his hands and his body. Saidh glanced sharply over her
Saidh simply gaped at the man's face where it was framed by her ankles, not at all sure she liked this position. Apparently, he wasn't as pleased with it as he'd thought he'd be either, because just as quickly as he'd changed positions earlier, he released her ankles, then caught her by the waist and lifted her up even as he sat back on his haunches. Now she was straddling his lap and she was able to wrap her arms around his shoulders and hold on as he raised and lowered her with his hands on her bottom.
Her breasts rubbed against his chest with each motion and while he wasn't able to caress her with his fingers this way, his cock did that for him, rubbing against her core each time he withdrew. Saidh liked it, especially when he began to kiss her as well . . . although, she soon had trouble concentrating on the kissing, and began merely to suck on his tongue almost desperately as her body pulled into a tight ball of anticipation.
This time they both found their pleasure almost at the same moment, Saidh barely beginning to cry out with release before Greer joined in with a bellow that was probably heard all the way back to the castle. They rode out the waves together, clinging to each other like children lost in a storm, and then Greer tumbled backward, taking her with him to lie on his chest in the safety of his arms as they both struggled to regain their breath.
Chapter 11
Saidh smiled and lay still for a moment, enjoying the warmth of Greer's embrace. But restlessness soon moved her to raise her head to peer at him. Finding his eyes closed, she tapped his chin. "Are ye sleeping?"
"I am trying to," he said dryly and blinked open sleepy eyes.
"How can ye sleep after something like that?" she asked with amazement.
Greer arched his eyebrows and countered, "How can ye not?"
Saidh chuckled at his expression and pushed away from him to get to her feet. "I feel most wonderful and wide awake meself."
"While I am spent," he muttered, his gaze warming as it ran over her body.
Saidh grinned at his expression and turned to saunter down to the water's edge, putting an exaggerated sway in her walk as she'd seen a maid or two do to tempt her brothers.
"Oh, lass, yer like to wake the beast do ye keep that up," Greer warned.
"And what beast would that be, m'laird?" Saidh asked, glancing back with a sassy smile. She let her gaze drop to his groin and arched her eyebrows. The man was well set in that department. At least he was if she was to judge by the glimpses she'd had of her brothers over the years. None of them were shy or overly concerned about being seen in all their glory. If she were to believe their bragging, they were all well endowed, a Buchanan trait. From what she could tell though, Greer was easily their equal. Still, she couldn't resist pinching his manly pride and teased, "Surely ye do no' mean that wee thing?"
"Och!" He was on his feet in a trice and rushing toward her.
Laughing, Saidh turned and started into the water. She'd barely taken two steps into the cold liquid when he caught her from behind and swept her up into his arms. Greer didn't stop there, but carried her quickly forward until he stood knee deep in the cold water.
"Take it back," he ordered, holding her out over the water.
"Take what back?" she asked innocently, unconcerned. She'd intended to swim after all.
"Wife," he growled in warning and Saidh's smile changed, softening with wonder.
"I am yer wife now," she said softly and when confusion filled his expression, explained, "We've consummated the marriage. We're truly husband and wife now."
Smiling faintly, he nodded, drawing her against his chest. His voice was a soft growl as he agreed, "Aye. We're man and wife now."
They smiled gently and leaned toward each other to share a kiss. Their lips never met, however. The sound of snapping branches followed by whinnies from their horses made them both glance sharply toward the beasts as the mare and stallion shifted nervously away from the edge of the clearing.
Saidh wasn't surprised when Greer suddenly turned and carried her quickly out of the water. The moment he hit dry land he let her legs drop. Once she was on her feet, he also removed the arm from around her back and then he abandoned her to hurry to his plaid and grab up his sword. Saidh was already doing the same thing herself, snatching up her own sword from where she'd left it. She then moved toward the horses even as he did.
"Do ye see anything?" she asked when he paused at the head of his stallion and peered at a fixed spot in the trees.
"Nay, you?" Greer responded and cast a quick glance her way. At least she suspected it was only supposed to be a quick glance, however his eyes locked on her and stayed, his expression turning from grim concern to flabbergasted dismay. "What the devil are ye doin' woman? Get dressed!"
Saidh rolled her eyes at his distress. She didn't point out that he was naked, or that bandits jumping out at them while she was in the middle of dressing would be worse than being seen naked. Nor did she point out that the dress would only hamper her ability to fight. She did think all those things though and mutter under her breath about them as she strode impatiently to her clothes and snatched them up.
The moment he saw that she was doing as requested, Greer turned his attention back to the woods. Saidh scowled at his back, then stabbed her sword into the ground so that the handle would be easily accessible should an attack happen while she was trying to dress, then she tugged on her chemise.
During the brief seconds that her vision was obscured by the soft cloth sliding over her face, Greer disappeared from the clearing.
Checking the woods, no doubt, she thought with irritation as she snatched up the dress next. She didn't bother doing up stays or even troubling to tug it into place. The moment it was on and had dropped over her hips, she snatched up her sword again and strode after her husband.
When Greer stepped out of the woods as Saidh reached the horses, she paused to run a soothing hand down her still nervous mare's nose as she peered at him in question. "Anything?"
"Nay. It may ha'e been a stag or some other beastie," he said with a sigh and ran a hand around his neck as if to soothe tensed muscles.
"Ye do no' sound like ye think that's the case," she said solemnly and he grimaced.
"Me stallion's no' a nervous beast. He only reacts as he did to a threat. A simple stag or doe would no' make him dance away from the woods."
"Hmmm," Saidh murmured and peered at her mare. Her horse was well trained and not prone to nerves either. In fact, if Saidh were to judge by her behavior, she'd have said the mare had reacted as if a human had been approaching rather than an animal. Glancing back to Greer, she suggested, "It could ha'e been one o' me brothers. Or even a couple or more. They all like to swim. They may ha'e come in search o' the loch, saw that we were here and what we were about and headed away without interrupting."
Greer snorted at the suggestion. "I suspect yer brothers are no' the type to discreetly slip away. In fact, I'd venture to say they would ha'e taken pleasure in interrupting us."
Saidh grinned at the words and nodded. "Aye. They would," she agreed with amusement and then shrugged. "Then mayhap it was one o' yer men. I ken Bowie likes to swim here."
"Aye, he does, but I left him to watch o'er the men in practice," Greer said. "He is no' the only one who likes to swim here though." Giving up on his neck, he headed for his plaid, adding, "That being the case, I suppose it was foolish to behave so out here. We should return to the keep."
"Aye," Saidh agreed and quickly unhitched her mare from the tree both horses were fastened to and mounted. "I'll race ye."
"What? Wait!" Greer bellowed when she started to turn her mount toward the woods. When she paused and glanced to him in question, he pointed out, "I still ha'e to pleat and don me plaid."
; "I ken," Saidh grinned widely. "That means I might actually beat ye back."
Greer shouted at Saidh to wait for him, but she didn't obey. It seemed she hadn't taken that part of her vows seriously. That or she hadn't heard him over her own laughter, he thought with irritation as he quickly laid out his plaid and began to pleat it. The woman was . . . well, she was magnificent, he acknowledged, some of his anger slipping away and a smile caressing the corners of his mouth as he quickly made clumsy pleats in his plaid. Damn, she had passion aplenty, a hell of a temper and more courage than most of the men he'd walked into battle with over the years. Few of them would have had the balls to take on the seven Buchanan brothers at once, or to face off against him with swords even in a friendly battle. The woman seemed to have no fear and she didn't half enjoy life, she did so fully.
Greer had never met a woman like Saidh before. She took his breath away . . . and he couldn't believe he'd been lucky enough not only to find her, but to win her.
Shaking his head, he acknowledged that his life had certainly taken an unexpected turn. If someone had suggested to him even weeks ago that he'd be a wealthy laird with his own castle and a woman like Saidh to wife, he would have laughed himself silly. This was not something he'd even allowed himself to dream of as a mercenary defending other lairds' lands. Yet here he was, a man who had it all.
For some reason that thought tugged a thread of fear inside Greer. He had so much . . . and so much to lose. Leaving the plaid only half pleated, he threw himself down on it and quickly tugged it into place. The large pin he used to secure it wasn't even fully fastened before he was on his feet. He finished that task as he strode to his horse.
Once on the beast's back, Greer sent him out of the clearing at a run. That thread of fear was becoming a whole skein and it suddenly seemed urgent to him to catch up to Saidh as quickly as he could.
Greer was in such a rush he nearly trampled her. It was his mount that saved the day, slowing despite his urging and coming to an abrupt halt almost before Greer saw the mare next to the body on the path. In fact, he was lucky he didn't sail off the beast's back and break his neck tumbling arse over heels. He managed to keep his seat, however, and instead threw himself from the mount to rush to Saidh's side and see what was about.
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