The final note droned on.
A loud MacIntosh bellowed out, “Take ‘er upstairs!”
Aileana blushed. Damn, she played the innocent so well. The aunt and the maid removed her from the festivities, not soon enough. Chattan kept some good ale in his buttery and James would need a good deal of it in order to keep him from her this night.
Chapter Twelve
Aileana dismissed both Sheena and Gwen after an hour of enduring their endless chatter. Sheena didn’t know James was about to break the agreement and the last thing Aileana wanted was a discussion on that topic or, in truth, conversation of any sort. She needed sleep—good old sound, dreamless sleep.
She removed her dress, donned a thin linen night shift and moved to open the window shutters. The cool night air would calm her frayed nerves and enflamed senses. A light cough startled her. The damned guard. She’d forgotten all about him in the stairwell, by order of the overbearing and infuriating tyrant she would soon call ex-husband-to-be. She slammed the shutters in protest and was somewhat satisfied when the man scurried further up.
Just as she was about to crawl into bed, a knock echoed through her door. Aileana shook her head and stomped across the chamber. Which one of the ladies was this with some excuse to come in and pass more comment about the night, and on and on and on. She was in no mood for it and thought she had made herself clear. She flicked the latch up and tore the door open.
“I told you I am not in need of anything—” She stopped mid sentence. James’s gaze fell to the flimsy garment she wore. His lips parted and he didn’t even try to avert his eyes.
“I beg your pardon, my lady.” His voice cracked. “I heard your window slam and I feared you were in danger.” His last words were barely a whisper.
I am in danger. She moved to position her body behind the door, but he pushed it further back so she had no way to conceal her body from the heat burning in his eyes or how they travelled over her. She could not let this happen again.
“Lord MacIntosh, as you can see, I am well and not appropriately dressed to receive anyone but my maid. I bid you good night my lord.”
She turned to reach for something, anything to cover her body but he caught her by the arm and pulled her back against his chest. He smelled of ale. James reached down and grasped her bottom, pulling her tight to his hips. His erection throbbed against her, sending terrifying thrills to her core. She had no defence against him. Her traitorous hips arched against his and his resulting growl drew moisture between her legs. The sensation was intoxicating. He trailed moist kisses down her throat to the crook of her neck where he grazed his teeth across her flesh. She shuddered and clung to him.
Why did he have to be such a tyrannical oaf? He thought everything bad in this world about her, yet here he was, seducing her again. He wanted her misery and her passion and she would fight him to the bitter end. He shifted his hold on her, grasped her breast and encircled her nipple with his thumb, the garment she wore offering no barrier from his onslaught. Her body pressed hard into his. Her control slipped. If she didn’t stop him now, she soon wouldn’t be able to.
“Please let me go,” she said.
“I don’t want to. I want to bed you Aileana, and I know you want me too.” Even his ragged breath increased the heat down below.
“You’re drunk, my lord and I’m not decent.”
“That I know. I would like to share in your indecency - over and over, in truth.”
He leaned down capture her lips. She didn’t have the strength to fight him off and in his current state there was no way to reason with him. Perhaps the man on the stairs could serve purpose after all.
“You there! On my stairs, come man, help me with his Lordship. He’s drunk and about to fall.”
She was happy and sad when James’s head snapped up to glare at her.
“Anyone but me, it that it?”
“You don’t know what you’re saying.”
The guard approached him and attempted to lend aid.
“Get off me man, I don’t need your help.” James glared at Aileana. “And she has just proved she doesn’t need protection either. You are relieved.”
The guard sighed and left the room. She had nothing left to save her from James’s advances. Though, the look on his face suggested he’d not make any more this night. His hands clenched at his sides and his frown grew.
“I leave at daybreak, Lady Aileana. I will send word of the king’s decision as soon as the deed is done.”
He didn’t wait for her response and left her chamber. With that, she closed the door and latched it. Thank God her uncle had insisted on inside latches years ago.