Part 21 (1/2)

Ryan's face drifted through her mind and she fought the urge to cringe. If they failed to make it to England, he would be her fate.

He would never make her feel the way Ewan did.

Her body was hot and s.h.i.+very. Needful.

What if no man save Ewan ever made her feel this way again? If she turned him aside, she would go to her husband with her body intact.

Ryan cared not a whit about her virginity; 'twas only her coffers that concerned him.

But Ewan...

He needed her. She felt it deep inside.

She'd always wondered what it would be like to lie with a man. In her mind, she had always pictured a softspoken troubadour who won her heart.

But it was the quiet bear who called out to her.

Don't.

The word hovered in her mind. If she did this, it would change her forever. She would no longer be innocent. She might even conceive his child.

But something deep down inside told her that carrying this man's child would be far from a hards.h.i.+p.

In the end, it was her curiosity and desire that got the better of her. Her mother had always said it would lead her astray.

Tonight it had led her to Ewan MacAllister, and here she was where she wanted to be.

”Make love to me, Ewan.”

Chapter 7.

Ewan was dumbfounded by Nora's words. He had expected Nora to turn him away, not welcome him to her body.

She wasn't supposed to want him.

A decent man would pull away from her. But he wasn't decent.

He was feral and hard. The kind of man who took what he wanted without thoughts about tomorrow.

It was what had gotten him into trouble with Isobail. He had acted in the heat of pa.s.sion and then paid dearly for it.

Decorum and he were strangers.

He'd never been that kind of man. He'd left manners and refinement to his brothers, while he had made his own way without those strict bindings that society and his mother would have placed on him.

Now he wished he did know the words to tell Nora how much this moment meant to him.

How muchshe meant to him.

He'd been so long without the comfort. So long without the warmth of a tender caress.

How could he walk away now? Especially since her sweet, precious taste was branded on his tongue.

The silken heaven of her mouth was more than he could resist.

He was a mere mortal, not some saint.

Nay, he'd never been a saint.

Ewan traced the curve of her swollen lips with his fingertip before he parted her lips and kissed her deeply.

He closed his eyes and inhaled the sweetness of her breath as he let loose his tongue to dart against hers, to sweep up to the palate of her mouth until she moaned and writhed from it. Her supple body pressed against his while he loosened the stays of her chemise.

”You should push me away,” he said, pulling back from her kiss to stare down into her gentle, welcoming eyes.

”Perhaps, but I oft do the opposite of what I should do.”

”Aye, la.s.s, you do. And that is one of your more endearing qualities.”

”Are you mocking me?”

”Nay, love, I would never mock you.”

Nora's heart fluttered as he offered her a real smile. It was unexpected and breathtaking.

His eyes fair glowed in the faint moonlight. His heat surrounded her as his arms cus.h.i.+oned her from the cold, damp ground. The heat and strength of him surrounded her.

And she wanted more.

She actually purred as he returned to her lips to kiss her softly. She'd never been touched like this.

Never thought a mere kiss could be such a wondrous experience.

And when his warm, callused hand closed around her breast, she jumped in nervous excitement. Pain and pleasure stabbed through her body as heat pooled itself between her legs.

What was this burning in her body? This strange ache that craved him?

She didn't understand these foreign sensations. They were confusing and consuming.

Electrifying. Tormenting. And they left her wanting more of him.

Ewan left her lips to kiss a trail down her throat to the breast he cupped. Nora swallowed at the sight of his dark head at her breast, at the feel of his tongue teasing her taut nipple. His tongue was rough and hot, his lips soothing and tender.

She clasped his head to her, and let the locks of his hair tease her fingers.

He was so beautiful there, tasting her, teasing her. His beautiful face showed the pleasure he received just from touching her.