Eight Hunting Lyons (The Lyon’s Den Connected World)

Chapter Sixteen

B eatrix stared at Lucas, certain a handsomer man did not exist. He was taut and trim despite the broadness of his shoulders and the coil of muscles that ran up and down the length of him. His torso was firm and rippled, and he moved with the dangerous grace of a lion.

Goodness, he looked as though he wanted to devour her.

She could not wait to see what he had in mind to do.

On the beach, no less.

But there was something quite exhilarating about the sun and the salty wind carried in from the sea, something quite lulling in the whoosh of the waves breaking upon the sand, their quiet dip and roll managing to calm her despite her growing excitement.

She closed her eyes and felt the warmth of the sun on her face.

Lucas had partially undressed her, and his tongue now lazily circled the tip of one exposed breast. She gasped, and her body responded to the sensation with a flood of heat.

She grabbed his shoulders and held on for whatever else was to come. Whatever it was, would not take long because she was not going to hold out at all. Her body was already fiery, and he’d barely gotten started.

His hand ran up her leg, and his fingers sought her intimate spot. He began to gently stroke her there. “Och, lass,” he said with a groan. “Ye’re ready for me. I promised I would not have ye. I dinna want to bruise ye.”

“Lucas, break that promise. It is a foolish one. Do I not have a say in the matter?”

“Aye, lass. But…”

“Then I say yes. I am not a delicate flower. I will let you know if there is anything I do not like.”

“Lass…”

“Still arguing?” She wriggled her hips against him.

He put his hands on her hips and laughingly groaned. “Beatrix, I want ye so badly.”

“Then have me.”

He looked so charmingly pained as he said, “All right, but I mean to be gentle.”

And she intended for him to lose control, to be wanton and wicked, as he brought her to passion, and they spent themselves in the sand.

She got her wish.

With a final anguished groan, he lifted her up in his arms and wrapped her legs around his waist. Her eyes popped wide as he positioned her over him. Then both of them laughed as they awkwardly and exquisitely struggled to couple.

Somehow, they got it right. He pushed deeply inside of her and began a steady ebb and thrust, all the while his mouth was busily kissing and his tongue languidly stroking so that she felt the full impact of their connection and the undying depth of his love.

This physical act was not merely meant to give her body pleasure, which it did with embarrassing force. She was noisy when tumbling over the edge of passion, it turned out. So he had to silence her with a long, drawn-out kiss on the mouth, which continued as he took his own passionate tumble.

She was still in his arms, her legs wrapped around his waist, when their bodies finally calmed. His face was still buried against her neck. They were both sweaty and laughing. After a moment, he looked up and leaned back against the cliff wall, his breaths deep and rapid. “I’m bringing ye back here tonight, lass. I’m going to have ye in a thousand different ways…assuming I survive past two.”

She giggled.

He kissed her on the nose. “I love ye so much, Beatrix. I hope ye know it is not only yer body I worship. The pleasure to my heart is ten times this physical pleasure.”

She held onto his shoulders as he pulled out of her and gently set her on the sand. He took a moment to button his falls, then turned to assist her in drawing her shift and gown back in place. After helping to lace her gown, he took her into his arms and leaned once more against the cliff wall. He turned her so that her back was to his chest, and both of them faced outward to watch the sea.

They remained in silence for several minutes.

Beatrix had never felt happier.

This big, wonderful man loved her.

It felt so good to be loved.

As the minutes passed, they knew it was time to return to the castle and prepare for the day ahead. The hour was still early enough that the staff was only now starting to stir.

They hurried back to Lucas’s bedchamber, arriving only moments before Mairi and Cheyne’s valet came to assist them. She went back to her chamber with Mairi, trying not to be obvious about how much fun she’d had with Lucas.

But it showed.

Mairi was not above gently teasing her. “He took ye down to the beach, didn’t he? I bet he had ye at Booson’s Rock.”

“Is that what it is called?”

“Aye, that little outcropping against the cliff wall just big enough to hide a couple? There’s a tale to that rock. Booson grew up here until he was grabbed one day and impressed onto a ship. He spent the rest of his boyhood as a sailor, well into his manhood, too. My grandmother’s mother was the love of his life, even though they’d only known each other as children. But at the tender age of ten, they had vowed to love each other until death. That was not a vow either of them took lightly. I’m named after her. Mairi, she was.”

“What happened to them?”

“Booson came back for his Mairi once he’d made his fortune at sea.”

“That is so romantic.”

She cleared her throat. “Not for her husband, who happened to be the local tavern owner and a very jealous man. Not a nice man either. He used his fists on her more than a time or two.”

Beatrix’s eyes widened in horror. “Oh, no.”

“But Mairi endured because nothing mattered to her anymore. She had never stopped loving Booson, only she was sure he was dead. When it turned out he was not, she knew he was the only man for her. She went to those rocks to meet him whenever she could. They’d get to doing what I expect ye and Master Lucas were doing this morning, judging by the color in yer cheeks. She was not always able to get away because she often helped her husband out at the tavern. But Booson would always be at the rocks in the hope she would come to him.”

“Wasn’t it dangerous?”

“For certain, but love is a wild thing that canno’ be tamed. As was inevitable, the husband caught them and shot Booson. Ye can still find specks of his blood on the rocks if ye look carefully.”

“Mairi, that is awful!”

“Dinna fret, Lady Beatrix. The tale has a happy ending. The husband was beating her and dragging her along the beach when he had an apoplexy and keeled over dead. Mairi ran back to Booson, determined to save the love of her life. She tended to his wound, which turned out not to be fatal. Mairi inherited the tavern, and she and Booson ran it until their deaths. My grannie is Booson’s daughter.”

Beatrix shook her head. “Well, that is a tale.”

She shrugged. “Some of us is meant to live dangerous, and some of us is not. Their love ran deep and hot. Not me, though,” she said with a shrug. “But I am content with the man I have. Of course, he’s very good to me, so I would never have a mind to leave him, even though he is no’ much to look at. I’ll have a bath brought up for ye. Master Lucas is a handsome knave, isn’t he? It’s nice the way he looks at ye. Like no one else in the world exists for him.”

She walked out, leaving Beatrix alone for a moment.

But in the silence, she did not really feel alone because Mairi was right. Lucas loved her, and that meant she would never be alone again.

Within the hour, she was washed and dressed. Since the main rooms of the house were being cleared under the supervision of Castle Lyon’s long-time housekeeper, Mrs. MacNaught, everyone did their best to stay out of her way. She was an iron-fisted, but kindly lioness in her own right, and not even Cheyne dared contradict her as she directed the staff in her thick, Scottish brogue.

Although the tea party was meant to take place outdoors, the housekeeper also insisted space was to be made indoors to accommodate the food and townspeople in the event it chose to rain. No one uttered a squeak of protest when she ordered that each member of the family was to be served breakfast in their chambers.

Beatrix shared hers with Lucas, marveling at how well he had cleaned up. Her hair was still damp and had yet to be pinned up. She would manage it herself since she expected Mairi to be busier than ever today.

“I asked Cheyne if we could help, but he said we were the guests of honor and should just keep out of Mrs. MacNaught’s way,” Lucas said, laughing as they lingered over their breakfast. “So, what shall we do to amuse ourselves? And I dinna mean hopping into bed again. I should no’ have taken ye again this morning. How do ye feel, love?”

“Happy. Only the littlest bit sore.”

He caressed her cheek. “I’ll try to take it easy on ye tonight. But it is a chore to keep my hands off ye.”

She shook her head and laughed. “It is not your hands that are leaving me sore.”

He shot her a naughty grin. “I was trying to be polite about it. Come on out to the balcony with me. I’m going to ravish ye again if we stay inside much longer.” He led her out, and they watched the staff prepare the tables in the garden. The weather appeared promising, hopefully remaining clear at least for the next few hours. No food was set out yet and would not be until noontime when guests began to arrive.

All would be moved inside if clouds began to gather.

“Shall we see if Posy needs to be taken for a walk?” she asked, seeing Lucas was growing restless.

“Grand idea, lass.”

“We’ll take him into town. Ye haven’t seen much of Stonehaven, and this will keep us out of the way until we’re needed.”

They strolled down the now-empty High Street arm in arm, Posy obediently at their heels as they made their way to the harbor. The fishing vessels were all still moored. “They will no’ go out today. Everyone will be at the castle to pay their respects to the duke and his family. Ye’ll notice most of the shops are still closed, too. They’ll open later this afternoon.”

Lucas took the opportunity to introduce her to those who were awake and not looking green in the gills. But they did not tarry overly long since they would be introduced again at the castle.

Beatrix was a little sore from their lovemaking but had no intention of ever admitting it to Lucas. She walked with a spring in her step and was genuinely cheerful as he proudly showed her the sights. Posy marched beside them as though he owned the place, and Beatrix noted that his ribbons were no longer pink silk but the sturdy Lyons of Mar tartan.

The afternoon tea would soon start, so they returned to the castle. Lottie came into her chamber to do up her hair and assist her in changing into one of her finer tea gowns since Mairi was rushing about downstairs.

Lottie wore the heart locket Beatrix’s father had given her yesterday. “You’ve brought on a miracle, Beatrix. I never thought I would…” She swallowed hard and shook her head. “I know he will always love your mother. But he’s now found room in his heart for me. It is all your doing. Thank you.”

Beatrix shook her head. “He was ready. I think it is Lord Greenock we must thank, if anyone. He was so unsuitable for me, even my father could not ignore the ridiculousness of his scheme to match me with that nodcock. I am certain this is what made Papa question what he had been doing all these years.”

“One only has to see you with Lucas to know the mistake your father almost made with you.”

Beatrix took Lottie’s hand. “Seeing how much in love we were finally opened his eyes to the love he’d always held for you. What are your plans now?”

“We will return to Edinburgh in the morning. You know how he hates to be away from his office for long. I shall go with him, of course. There is no one else for me and never has been. But now I know he cares for me, and it is enough. He called me ‘his love’ last night and again this morning.” She shook her head. “I am walking on air.”

Beatrix heard her father whistling a merry tune as they walked downstairs to join the others beginning to gather in the parlor to await the first guests. He was actually whistling. She had never seen him do this before. Nor had she ever seen his eyes unmarred with pain until today.

By noon, the castle grounds were filling with townspeople, all of them dressed in their finery. Lucas looked beyond handsome as he strode forward to greet them all.

He held her hand, often giving it a light kiss, as he proudly introduced her.

Since the weather had remained sunny and splendid, there was no need to scramble indoors until the midges came out at sunset and began to attack them all. The party was coming to its natural end by that time. The last of the townspeople bid their hasty farewells and ran for their homes. The staff efficiently carried the remains of their feast inside, clearing the garden in the blink of an eye.

There was still work to do, of course. But it was done indoors, without anyone’s flesh being bitten raw.

As night fell, they were all tired and ready to turn in.

However, once the elders had retired to their bedchambers, Cheyne led his brothers and their wives into his study and poured a glass of champagne for each of them. “I wish our youngest brother John was with us. But I’m hoping he and his wife will be with us at Hogmanay. In the meanwhile, raise yer glasses and drink to Beatrix. Welcome to the family. May ye and Mouse know only happiness.”

She laughed.

Lucas groaned. “Happiness, is it? I’ll be happy to beat the tar out of ye if ye dinna stop calling me Mouse.”

Cheyne wrapped him in a bear hug. “Ye think ye can ever beat me? I’ll let ye think ye can just for today because ye’re newly married and wish to impress yer wife.”

“Oh, Lord. Here it starts,” Jenny said with a roll of her eyes.

The two men now had their jackets off and were already rolling up their shirt sleeves.

Were they going to start punching each other?

Matthew noted her distress and patted her hand. “They only intend to arm wrestle. Lucas will win, but he’ll never know if he beat Cheyne fair and square or if Cheyne let him win. Mark my words, he’ll moan about it while ye lay in bed tonight. Meanwhile, Cheyne will chuckle about it to Jenny. None of us will ever know if he was truly beaten. But,” Matthew said, now taking off his jacket and rolling up his sleeves, “I am the strongest, and they well know it.”

His brothers drained their champagne glasses, all thought of toasting the newly married couple forgotten as they began to taunt and prod each other, their teasing soon escalating to knocking over chairs as they playfully fought for the title of strongest of the Lyon pride.

Beatrix laughed and ran behind Cheyne’s desk along with Jenny and Danielle.

“Little boys,” Jenny called them.

Danielle nodded. “I wonder if all brothers behave as they do.”

“Only when they love each other,” Beatrix remarked, watching these Lyon men behave like lions in the rough.

Lucas won their playful battle, no doubt because his brothers allowed it. He let out a mighty roar and crossed the room to scoop her in his arms. “Ready for bed, love?”

She laughed and wrapped her arms around his neck. “Your shirt is ripped. You all behaved like idiots,” she whispered as he carried her out. “But you were marvelous as they leaped atop you and beat the stuffing out of you.”

He laughed. “Ye’re a wicked lass. Is that all ye have to say to yer husband?”

She kissed his cheek. “I love you to pieces, Lucas Lyon. Take me to bed and make lusty lion love to me.”

He emitted another mighty roar as he carried her into their bedchamber and kicked the door shut behind them.

Honestly, was lion love even a thing?

She was most eager to find out.