Sacrificing his Highland Heart by Kenna Kendrick
Chapter Eighteen
“Drink up, Rose!” Siobhan was encouraging her. “It will help give the blush on yer cheeks the look of having consumed too much ale, nae having been kissed so…fully by yer husband.”
Rose blushed even more, but she did as Siobhan asked. “Should I be embarrassed?” she asked when she swallowed. “He is my husband, after all.”
“And yet,” Siobhan said wryly, the two of them watching the dancing, “I ken that ye have hardly spoken much tae each other since yer arrival. It seems only in the last day or so that the two of ye seem tae have mended things. That kiss proves it. I hate tae attribute the change tae Laird Prestone’s arrival, but the timing is right.”
Rose nodded, and she breathed out slowly. Telling Siobhan was better than Susan, as they were closer in age and experience. Siobhan was a good friend of Euan’s and not in her employ. “I do not know what consumes me, Siobhan. We spent time together the other day. I saw a side of him that I did not know existed. I feel that it must have changed things between us. Perhaps we can now be friends of a sort.” It sounded ridiculous after all they’d been through together.
Siobhan snorted. “Friends? Friends donnae kiss each other like that as if their lives depended on it.”
“Siobhan, please,” Rose pleaded, looking around to make sure that no one else was listening to their awkward conversation. Susan was at last speaking to a few of her friends and wasn’t close by. That kiss had awoken something in Rose, and she was glad that Euan hadn’t given her another chance to refuse him. At the moment, she hadn’t wanted to part but knew that she must. There were others nearby after all, and she and Euan didn’t have that kind of relationship.
At least she didn’t think so. But the way her body had responded to him this time made her think otherwise. She sipped at her ale nervously, hoping that the alcohol would help soothe her frayed nerves. She felt like she wanted to go everywhere at once, and against her will, her eyes constantly seemed to seek out Euan amongst the crowd.
Siobhan chuckled and lifted her own mug of ale to her lips. She turned to follow Rose’s gaze, where Rose was watching Euan speak with Walter. “How about we discuss you and Walter instead of me and Euan?” Rose said. “You cannot keep your eyes off him. You have not been able to do so all evening.”
Siobhan snorted again. “Donnae joke with me. Ye must be mad! I look around at everyone here, nae just him.”
Rose grinned and rolled her eyes. “Certainly, and I just accepted a chaste, quick kiss from my husband.”
Siobhan blinked and then burst into laughter. “Fine then. I have looked at him a few times. I will grant ye that.”
“Well, then why do you not speak to him?”
“He looks well this evening. I am certain that he will have many women clamoring after him, eager tae have his attention.”
Rose, taking another sip, nudged her elbow against Siobhan, who was looking towards Walter again. “But I think that it is you he wishes to speak to, perhaps even dance with?”
“Dance?” Siobhan turned back to her. “Donnae be ridiculous, lass.”
Rose giggled, feeling the warmth of the ale, and smiled with relief. “Well, perhaps you could show me how to dance then. I am Lady Rede after all and wish to learn your ways.”
“Now that I shall agree tae.” They finished their mugs and, leaving them behind, Siobhan dragged Rose to where the dancers moved. It was a dance done in a group, and they jumped in right away, clasping hands with those already there. Rose was surprised but not afraid, and she did her best to follow the rhythm of the others.
Everyone was so kind to her. “Step here, my lady,” one man called to her, pulling her towards him and spinning her to clasp another’s hand.
“And then tae me,” another woman said. Soon enough, she could follow the pattern, and she was breathless and laughing by the time the music ended. She ended up standing next to Siobhan again.
“Did ye like it, lass?” Siobhan asked, grinning.
Rose nodded. She placed a hand on her belly, trying to catch her breath. “Yes, very much. I confess I did not expect it to be so difficult! I can barely catch my breath!”
“Ye were a superb dancer, Rose,” a man’s voice said, and Siobhan jumped back a little in surprise as Walter stood at their side.
“Thank you, Walter. How kind of you.”
“Now,” he said, using his smoothest tone. He turned to look at Siobhan, who was watching him with wide eyes, her usual clever wit apparently abandoning her. “I had a hope that young Siobhan might honor me with a dance. What do ye say tae that, old friend?” He held out a hand. Siobhan’s lips were pursed to say something, and Rose smiled.
“Of course, she will, Walter.” Siobhan threw her a dark look, and Rose nodded, mouthing encouragement to her.
“I will, Laird Prestone,” Siobhan bit out, and with a handsome grin, Walter took Siobhan’s hand and led her out in the middle of the new dance. Rose only watched them for a few seconds when she caught Euan staring at her, not far off. He kept his eyes on her as he drank from his cup.
I must speak to him. Tell him that I am not some sort of wanton woman who can be taken for a kiss. It was just that I got caught up in the moment of the festival. That is all. I must also explain to him my behavior from last night. That is what I wanted to say earlier, right? To make sure he knew that I…oh, never mind.
She was so busy thinking about what to say that when she returned to the present, Euan was already standing in front of her. He reached out to steady her, his rough hands on her elbows.
“Euan,” she breathed.
“Ye are a fine dancer, lass. It made me happy, watching ye laugh and smile with the others.”
His eyes were boring into hers, and the sound of his voice made her limbs weak. She had to speak to him. It was best to get it out of the way before things got out of hand and before he discomfited her any longer with that heated look in his eye. “Thank you, Euan. But I must speak to you. Will you?” she stopped and took his hand in hers and began to pull him away toward the woods.
He laughed, but he didn’t stop, letting her pull him along. She knew that she must look foolish, but she had come this far, hadn’t she? She wasn’t about to stop and lose all her courage. They hurried away from the crowd and ended in the forest. The light from the various fires was enough to keep their faces lit, but they were hidden from the eyes of the others by a pair of large trees. He leaned back against them, his arms crossed, a sly grin on his face.
“What is it, wife? Why do ye wish tae speak tae me and in such a lonely setting?”
“Why do you keep calling me that?” she asked hastily and without thought.
“That is what ye are, are ye nae?” he replied with another chuckle.
“I am, but I thought that, well I thought that you did not think of me in that way. You have only begun to use that word regarding me, and I am afraid I find it quite disconcerting.”
“I see.” He smiled again, and Rose had to look away, or she feared her mind would remain muddled. He said, “Is that what ye wished tae say tae me?”
“No, that is not it,” she said, frustrated at herself. She began to pace in front of him, and without looking, she could still feel his eyes watching her. “I only wished to explain my behavior from last night. I did not mean to reject you in such a brutal way. It is just that I…I am not an experienced woman,” she said, groaning inwardly at the way her explanation was turning out. “And I fear that I will not live up to anyone’s standards.”
“Anyone’s?” he cut in, and she shook her head. Really, she was making a mess of things.
“Well, no, not just anyone’s.” She shut her eyes tight. “I meant to say this. This morning I wished to explain to you that I was not attempting to offend you by stopping you from what you were about to do to me.”
She opened her eyes when she heard his sarcastic tone. “And just what was I attempting tae do tae ye, wife?” He had moved closer, and he was now standing over her, looking impossibly handsome, his forearms still exposed, and the ties of his shirt loose at the top.
She swallowed and closed her eyes again. “You were attempting to kiss me, or so I thought.”
He merely made a “Hmm” sound in the back of his throat. She wondered why that sound was even more enticing than words. She had to keep focused. “But then you kissed me tonight, and I wished to say that you must not think me a wanton woman who can be forced into kisses which make her weak at the knees.”
“Do they?” She frowned at the look of enjoyment on his face.
“Do they what?” she asked, nearly at her wit’s end.
“Make ye weak at the knees.”
Rose shook her head, trying to clear her mind. This was all going so terribly. She couldn’t precisely remember what her overall point had been. “Why should that matter? I was only caught up in the moment of the festivities, and that was what I wanted to say.” She nodded as if to put a distinct end to her poor, muddled speech, and Euan made that sound in his throat again.
Rose licked her lips as she looked up into his eyes. The feeling was stronger now, this desire to be close to him, to feel him inside her. She had no idea what that meant or what two people might do together in the dark of night. She swallowed, trying to keep the strength of the feeling at bay, but it wouldn’t let her be. It pressed and prodded her, coming from some deep part of herself that she had never known before.
She had never felt such a thing before, and she was afraid of it, even if it compelled her to do something that she might have before thought foolish. Things like kissing him again. And that was exactly what she did.
* * *
Euan Rede was used to drinking, so he knew that it wasn’t the amount of ale or whisky that he’d consumed that evening which were making him feel like he was on fire. It was as if he could feel the blood moving through his veins when Rose kissed him again, grasping at his neck and bringing his mouth down to meet hers. She felt hot and tasted sweet, and he couldn’t get enough of the feel of her soft mouth. Now they were out of sight, all the yearning and longing he’d been pushing away rose to the surface. It wasn’t just about the heir that he needed to make his plan work. It was about her: Rose Sayer, beautiful, witty, adorable, intelligent Rose Sayer, and he could honestly say at that moment that he’d never wanted another woman as much as he wanted her.
The kiss deepened instantly. Their tongues were touching, savoring, tasting, and his hands moved to cradle her face for a few moments. She was innocent, and she kissed in a trusting, tentative way, even though there was heat behind it. He treated her gently, afraid that she would pull back as soon as he pushed too far. Her skin was so soft, and he wondered just then if she was just as smooth everywhere else. He moved her forward gently so that her back was against one of the tree trunks. Now, no one could see them, and no one would even think of disturbing them. Even though their bodies were pushed against one another, and he could feel the shape of her breasts against his chest, he wanted more. He reached down and lifted her up. With a moan, she acquiesced, lifting her legs about his waist while his hands cupped her bottom.
His mouth moved from her lips to her neck, and he loved the sound of her ragged breathing and tiny gasps as he kissed down the length of her, reaching nearly to her breasts. “Do ye want me as I want ye, lass? Tae be inside of ye?” he whispered against her skin, hoping and praying that she’d say yes.
“But what does that mean?” she asked, still breathing hard.
He smiled at her innocence, loving her for it. He would teach her; he would help her and show her all the ways that one could give pleasure. He placed one of her small hands on his breeches front, where she gasped at the hardness beneath her hand. “This is how much I want ye, lass. I am hard for ye. I want tae push myself inside ye, here.” He pressed against the soft place between her thighs, and she gasped again to his delight.
When he returned to her mouth, she said, “Yes, I want that,” before kissing him again, and he lost all sense of time and place. They were the only two people in the world, and this was the only moment there ever was. He knew that she was innocent, so he would have to be gentle, no matter how hard it would be. His hand slipped up her thighs, revealing her skin until he met with the parting in her undergarments. He slid inside and was gratified to hear her gasp once more as he pushed his fingers to touch her hot, wet flesh.
“Ye are ready for me, lass,” he said in a hoarse tone. He untied his breeches, exposing himself. She wriggled to assist him, and he moved aside her undergarments, the tip of him poised in front of her entrance. She tightened her grasp on him, and slowly, painstakingly, he slid inside of her. His eyes rolled back in his head as he felt her tight sheath around him, grasping him so tightly.
“By God, Sassenach,” he said, and once he was fully inside, he felt her tense and look back at him with wide eyes. He kissed her, and she kissed him back, letting him know that all was well.
He began to move, his hands gripping her hips, feeling the most exquisite pleasure he’d ever known. Slowly, he moved, sliding in and out of her, their mouths locked together in a fierce, passionate kiss. He picked up speed, wanting more of her. Rose was driving him wild with her taste, her feel, the tiny sounds she made at each of his movements. In a matter of moments, he was pounding her with speed, the sound of their bodies filling the forest. He nuzzled her neck as he kept his rhythm fast and steady. Rose moaned, and her nails clenched into his back.
“Euan!” she cried breathlessly until he could feel her tremor, crying out but not loud enough for the villagers to hear.
He sank into her again and again until he felt his muscles tighten and filled her with his seed. A rough groan escaped his throat, and together they stilled, still united and embracing each other. They waited until their breath became steady, and Euan slid out of her, dropping her slowly to the ground.
He tied his breeches, a new and strange feeling coming over him. He had never made love like that before, and as he looked at Rose, he realized she was far different than anyone he had ever met. Something sparked in him when he stared down at her, and he feared that it was something akin to love.
