To Tempt Highland Fate (The Mac Coinnach Brothers) (18 page)

             
Dusk had long since fallen, and an owl swooped down from a nearby tree as it flew off in search of prey, startling them both.  Drust pulled away from her, dazed, his breaths coming short as if he’d just run a dozen miles.  His eyes swept over her red, swollen lips and heavy-lidded eyes with a sort of removed fascination. 

             
What have I done?  Hell…

             
He had broken the kiss, this time.  But now things would never, ever be the same for him, not even if he were to leave tomorrow and never look back.  In this moment, he had been forever ruined for the life he had before.

             
He could not turn back time and take back the knowledge of how that kiss had felt.  Now he would crave it forever, that feeling of… what?  His whole body aflame with pleasure and lust, peace and ecstasy?  How could he go back to his life at Creagmor, knowing
that
even existed?  Knowing that there could be so much more…

             
His cock was so hard and aching that he could hardly think for wanting relief.  But there would be none forthcoming.  He was not alone.  He would have to suffer.

             
Willa was studying him, as if gauging his reaction, afraid he might lose his head.

             
“Come”, she said softly.  “Let’s go in.”

             
Like the fool he had apparently become, Drust followed her.

Chapter 11

             
Willa peered out from the darkness of the bedroom where she had gone to put away her shawl and boots.  She watched as Drust shifted in his chair and adjusted the front of his breeches, wincing as he did so.  Poor man must be bloody uncomfortable, especially since he’d been in that condition so often lately.  His honor was certainly not bringing him any relief. 

             
But I could…couldn’t I?

             
Yes.  I could.

             
With her heart beating in her throat, she walked into the room and stopped directly in front of Drust.  He looked up at her and shifted again in his chair uncomfortably. 

             
She tilted her head to the side, watching him, gathering her courage before she lost her nerve.  “You look as if you’re in pain.  I can take care of that for you.”  She took a step closer, her lips quirking into a little smile.  “I don’t like to see anyone suffer…”

             
Drust made a startled sound, his lips parting in shock.  He shook his head, running his hand lightly over the sight of his wound, as if deciding that’s what she must have meant. 

             
“No, I’m fine.  I hardly feel it anymore now, ye did a fine job, lass.  There’s only pain when I move too fast, and even then it’s less every day.”

             
She gave him a bemused smile.  “I’m glad, but that’s
not
what I meant.”

             
He looked up at her, bewildered.  “What did ye mean then?”

             
She let her gaze fall meaningfully to his lap, and the obvious bulge there.  His eyes flew open wide and he sucked in a breath.

             
“No.  Absolutely no’!  I’ll no’ touch ye.”

             
She knelt on the floor beside him and looked up at his beautiful face, his long tangled locks falling around his shoulders, making him look more than a bit untamed.  Then she rose up on her knees so that her lips were only inches from his.  “You don’t want me?  Tell me you don’t.”

             
Drust narrowed his eyes.  Damn her! 

             
He licked his lips as if they’d suddenly gone dry.  “I think it’s obvious to both of us that I do, lass.  I am a man and ye are an attractive woman, and ‘tis a natural thing.  But I am no’ some beast that I canna control my baser urges.”

             
“Ah, of course.”  His eyes were dark with hunger, sparking with need.  His whole body was tense, taught as a bow string, and he was holding himself carefully back from her, denying her what she wanted most.  Oh, what would it take to make him break?

             
She ran her hands up his muscular thighs, feeling him jolt as if he’d been shot with a crossbow.  He grasped her shoulders, holding her away from him at arm’s length.

             
“Lass… Willa.  Please stop…” 
Ah hell, what was he saying?  Damn honor!

             
“Hush.”  She put a finger to his lips for a moment to silence him, then moved it away and replaced it with her lips.  Raw heat exploded between them and after a moment his arms rose and wrapped around her, pulling her closer.  He kissed her back, pure instinct taking over, blocking out all other thought except that he couldn’t get enough of the taste of her mouth.  It was warm and sweet and made him crave her all the more. For the life of him, he couldn’t remember why he shouldn’t be kissing this woman.

             
Willa reached down to touch him through the fabric of his breeches, rubbing gently up and down the rock hard length.  His arms fell down her back and a tortured groan escaped him, though he never broke contact with her lips.  If she kept that up, he was damn well going to come in his breeches, but hell if he wanted her to stop… 

             
To have her hand on him… it was such blissful relief and such bittersweet torture all at the same time.  He bucked his hips against her palm, and this time he broke their kiss when his head fell back against the chair.  His body was swiftly taking over, his free will receding farther and farther into the back of his mind.  Aye, he was lost in overwhelming need, and nothing could have made him stop her now. He heard another groan escape his throat.  She was driving him crazy, her touch felt so good, but it was not enough.

             
“I need… more…” he ground out on a husky breath.

             
She nodded, a triumphant little smile playing at her lips, and her hands moved to loose the ties of his breeches.  Oh aye, she had won this time. 

             
Willa pulled the ties open and slipped the fabric down to free him.  Although she had seen this part of him many times already, it was so very different now that he was awake and fully aroused.  Large and engorged and throbbing.  He was a young, virile warrior and his body needed release.  And she knew how to give him what he needed.  She took a breath to ease her nerves, letting instinct take over. 

             
As she took him in her hand and gently squeezed, he closed his eyes and made a pained sound that she knew was intense pleasure.  Never had she felt more powerful, or more gloriously feminine than in this moment.  This big, powerful warrior was held completely captive to the pleasure she could give him, the release.  She was grateful to the ways of her people, who worshipped all of nature, including the gift of carnal pleasures, for it gave her more knowledge of a man’s body than most unmarried women could hope to have.

              Drust was so tightly strung that he thought he could come with only one more soft touch of her hand, but he staved it off, wanting more, greedy for the pleasure she gave him so freely.  She stroked the length of him, slowly, firmly.  It was hell.  It was bliss.  He was getting closer…
no, not yet!
  As he watched she held him in one fist and stroked him up and down his length.  He held his breath, heart pounding painfully in his chest.  He gripped the arms of the chair hard, sweat beading on his forehead.  He was so close…

             
“Ah bloody hell!  Fuck!  Ah God… Willa…  Yes!”

             
Her other hand slipped lower and gently squeezed his balls while her fist continued to pleasure him.  It was too much… too little… he had to keep himself from bucking wildly against her as the pressure built, so fast and so hard that it was nearly more than he could bear.  It seemed to hold him there, suspended for several long moments at the very peak where he couldn’t even draw a breath.  Just when he thought he might die, the peak crashed down through his body in a wave of pure bliss, and he came harder than he had ever thought possible, roaring in ecstasy as he spurted into her soft hand.  After the last ebbing shudder, he collapsed back against the chair, breathing as if he’d just run to the bloody sea and back.

             
Ah hell…
never
be the same.  Completely, utterly damned…

             
Willa dropped her head down onto Drust’s chest, her lips curving up in a little smile of feminine satisfaction.  Perhaps she hadn’t played fair, but this was her win just the same.  Beneath his steely strength and iron resolve, her warrior was just a man after all.  A man that was starving for all she could give him.  His hand came up to smooth her hair back from her face, his fingers trailing through it to her nape.  Finally he lifted his head, and she did the same.

             
“Lass, that was… so… good.”

             
She cocked an eyebrow at his glaring underrating of what just happened.  Her own body was alight with desire, but it was enough for now that he had let her pleasure him.

             
“I’m glad you enjoyed it.”

             
He gave her a disbelieving smile. 
A real smile, at long last.
  It was natural and almost boyish, and made him all the more beautiful.  She smiled back, then to make things less awkward between them, she stood and brushed off her skirt.  She grabbed a towel from the table and handed it to him.  He quickly cleaned himself off and reached down to tie his breeches. 

             
“It’s past time for dinner.  I’ll bet you’re hungry.”

             
Willa was relieved to see the echo of a smile still lighting his face. 

             
“Aye, I am, at that.  But ye sit yerself down.  I’ll find some food.”

             
“Oh, I can get us something…”

             
“Sit”, he told her.  “Ye’ve been waiting on me since we came here.  I can manage a bite to eat.” 

             
She sank obligingly into a chair at the small table and rested her chin in her hands, watching him.  Even his step seemed a little lighter.  She smiled.  Maura was right, men were
much
less irritable when they didn’t go too long without release.  Perhaps that was what was wrong with him all along.  Either way, this was a side of Drust she had not seen before.  She leaned her elbows on the table with her chin in her hands and watched him.

             
He opened the cupboard and took out a loaf of bread and some cheese.  Then he reached into a basket of apples, selecting two of the largest.  Using a kitchen knife, he cut the apples into perfect wedges and set them on the table before her.  She took one and bit into it.  It was crisp and juicy; delicious.

             
“Mmmm… I must say, you are a very good cook.  Perhaps you should give up fighting for the kitchens.”  She gave him a teasing smile.