She knew Lachlan had returned and waited. She sensed his presence. How? She could find no sensible answer. She only knew that he eagerly waited for her as eagerly as she wanted to go to him.
She opened the door slowly, for a moment thinking perhaps this was all a dream and then she saw him.
He stood with his arms folded across his chest, a slight pitch to his stance, and the half-moon spotlighted a charming smile on his handsome face.
She felt her breath catch, her heart flutter, and her flesh tingle. She wanted this man, needed him and so without further thought, guilt, or regret she ran to him.
His arms spread wide and she ran into them. They wrapped lovingly, protectively and strongly around her and for a sheer moment she felt as if she had arrived home. The thought near buckled her legs.
“I knew if I stood here long enough that my mere presence would wake you.”
She kept the tremble from her laughter, though it was no easy task, for it rippled through her entire body. “You did wake me.” She hesitated almost afraid to give voice to the truth. “I could feel you.”
“My magic worked,” he whispered. “For while I stood here, I envisioned touching you.”
“Where?” she dared ask.
His hand slipped slowly beneath her blouse and she knew he waited to see if she would stop him.
When she didn’t, he whispered, “Here.”
She startled when he gently scooped up her full breast in his cool hand and ran his thumb across her nipple until it hardened at his will. Her already weak knees almost gave way, especially when his lips and teeth began to nibble along her neck and up along her ear, sending a myriad of tingling sensations rushing over her flesh.
“That’s just the start of where I plan to touch you,” he murmured and continued nibbling.
This time her knees did waver, but his arm caught her firm around the waist.
“You’ll sleep with me tonight,” he said softly.
It wasn’t a question or a command. It was simply what they both wanted, and he knew it just as she did.
“I will be yours tonight,” she said willingly.
“And every night, and day and morning and afternoon and—”
She giggled for he punctuated each reference with a nibble and a kiss. “Have you the stamina?” she teased, feeling as insatiable as he.
He released her and staggered backward with a hand to his heart. “You wound me, woman.”
She laughed and sauntered over to him. “I heal all wounds with a kiss.”
He grinned. “I have a lot of wounds.”
Her voice was low and whispery. “Show me.”
He tapped where his hand rested at his heart. “Here.”
Her hand reached in his shirt and slowly spread it open. Then she splayed her hand on his chest, her body further titillated by the warmth of his flesh and his hard muscles. She had no experience with intimacy, though she wasn’t ignorant of it, she and the other women talked about men and sex. The women who were familiar with it advised those that weren’t that it came more naturally than one would expect and to trust your instincts when the time came.
She found that her instincts were much more aware than she was and so she freed them and followed their lead, which was why she did not pause when she felt the urge to kiss his wounds and make them all better, so very much better.
Warm and delicious, that was how he tasted and the need to nibble at his flesh and sample his nipple with a light flick of her tongue caused a jolt to them both.
Lachlan grabbed hold of her arms and forced her an arm’s-length away. “We need to go to my cottage now.”
She nibbled at her bottom lip missing the taste of him.
“Stop that,” he ordered with a gruff groan.
“I like the flavor of you,” she whispered. “I’d like to taste more.”
Lachlan’s groan turned deep and urgent, and he grabbed her hand and pulled her along behind him as he marched off.
Unfortunately, they didn’t get far.
“Terese!”
She knew from the frantic call there was a problem and being it was Rowena, it could mean only one thing. There was a problem with the mercenary. She stopped, forcing Lachlan to halt, though he did so with an annoyed grunt.
“I need your help,” Rowena said.
“Can’t someone else help?” Lachlan asked a bit sharply.
“I’m sorry,” Rowena said with sincere regret. “I need Terese’s help.”
“Whatever for?” Lachlan demanded.
“That doesn’t concern you,” Terese snapped. “If one of the women needs another we do not bother to ask why. We are there.”
“Let someone else be there,” Lachlan argued.
Terese yanked her hand out of his. “No. When I am needed I go without question.”