Chapter 18
He was drawn to her in a way he couldn’t explain.
It seemed that his whole life and every relationship he’d ever had was leading him to this moment.
Brenna was so beautiful to him. Her innocence intrigued him, but also urged caution.
She was eager for more than kisses. She’d made that abundantly clear as she led him to her bed chamber on the second floor.
“Are you sure?” Zeke asked. He was prepared for her to tell him it wasn’t right, that they should wait.
“Aye,” she replied with a certain fire in her eyes.
They stood at the foot of the bed, Zeke gently caressing her face and then running his fingers through her silky, soft hair. He could have stood there all day gazing into eyes the color of a dusky summer day - green, gold and bronze. “You’re so beautiful,” he whispered.
Brenna sat on the edge of her bed and reaching for his hand, guided him to join her.
He examined her face once again marveling at the woman he saw.
The one he’d missed until this moment. Her lips were inviting.
He needed to kiss them again, to feel them open for him, to taste her eagerness to be with him.
Brenna melted in his arms, pressing herself close, her fingers searching for an opening in his shirt.
He helped her undo the buttons and removed his shirt.
Much to his delight, her hands explored his chest, his back and his belly.
The kilt he wore did little to hide his need for her.
“Do you see what you’re doing to me, Brenna? ”
Her hand snaked its way beneath the kilt and latched onto his hardness, causing him to gasp in ecstasy. She smiled and kissed him again as the hand beneath his kilt was bringing him great pleasure. “Are you sure you’ve never done this before?”
“Never,” she answered a bit breathlessly.
Zeke hadn’t been with a woman in a long time and he didn’t want their afternoon tryst to end abruptly, so he removed her hand.
Slowly he began to undress her, marveling at the number of layers there were between him and what he wanted.
She tried to help, but he stopped her and when she would protest, he put his finger to her lips. “Let me.”
Brenna wasn’t sure what to do with her hands at this point.
Zeke was removing her clothes one piece at a time as she watched his face for signs that he wanted her, occasionally moving or shifting to accommodate his efforts.
She could hardly breathe at the thought of what might happen next.
She ran her fingers through his sandy blonde hair, which he wore cropped short and which she found very attractive.
Her finger traced a line down his neck, to his shoulder and then back up to his lips.
She leaned her head down and kissed the corner of his mouth as he squatted down to remove one last piece of clothing, leaving her completely naked.
She should have been embarrassed, but she wasn’t.
Her hands made quick work of his kilt and then he lifted her onto the bed before covering her body with his hard muscles and satiny soft skin.
She was in heaven as Zeke kissed her all over, finding several sensitive spots that caused her to wriggle beneath him.
Those were the spots he concentrated his efforts on.
Returning again and again to touch her lips with his and her tongue with his.
All thoughts had gone from her head except the one that told her how much she wanted Zeke.
The small cries of ecstasy escaping her lips encouraged him to continue.
His lips moved down to her breasts, where he took one and then the other into his mouth.
The tingling sensation this created went straight to her core.
She could feel the hardness of his manhood as it lay between her thighs, never once having even a momentary second thought about losing her virginity to this man.
She knew what was to come and she welcomed it.
Zeke had never been with a virgin before, so he never had to worry about what that first time might be like for them.
He knew there might be some pain, but that it would pass, so he wanted to be gentle with her.
Making the pleasure she felt outweigh any discomfort was foremost in his mind.
His pleasure could wait. She was his focus and he’d take his cues from her.
“Brenna, if you want me to stop, just tell me and I will,” Zeke said.
“I don’t want ye to stop,” came her breathless reply.
Zeke slid his hand between her thighs, softly touching and caressing her womanly folds.
He inserted one finger and then another as his thumb gently circled her sensitive pearl.
Moans of pleasure escaped her lips and he knew she was ready.
Positioning himself over her, he entered into the warmth that awaited him.
Inch by inch, ever so slowly until he was fully engulfed in her.
“Brenna?”
“Mmm …”
He continued slowly sliding in and out as Brenna began to join in and match his movement with her own, clutching his shoulders as she drew closer and closer to her release.
He waited for her and when she began to convulse in his arms, he took his own release before lying spent, arms and legs entwined with hers.
As their breathing returned to normal, Zeke rolled onto his back, taking Brenna with him.
She rested her head on his chest, “Zeke?”
“Yes?”
“That was verra much better than I thought it would be.”
He kissed the top of her head. “I’m glad.”
“How often can we do this?” she asked.
“As often as you’d like,” he said, feeling sleepy. He closed his eyes and drifted off to sleep.
***
They were awakened by the sound of Dougall calling his sister’s name. “Brenna!” He sounded frantic.
“Brenna!” Helene joined him.
“I’m here,” Brenna called out.
Footsteps pounded up the stairs and towards her chamber. “Are ye alright? We were worried about ye.” Helene opened the door and froze. Dougall who was right behind her almost ran into her.
“What’s going on in here?” Dougall said, pushing his way past Helene who seemed unable to wipe the shocked expression from her face. He pulled his sword from its sheath and pointed it at Zeke. “Remove yerself from me sister’s bed.”
“Dougall, stop it!” Brenna cried.
“How dare ye take advantage of me sister!” he shouted.
Zeke covered himself with his plaid as he got out of bed. “Let me explain,” he said.
“What is there to explain, I can see with me own two eyes what has occurred here.”
“Dougall, we’re handfasted. Zeke and I have every right to be together.” Brenna pulled the covers up to her chin. “Now if ye’ll leave me room, Zeke and I will meet ye downstairs.”
“She’s right, Dougall. Come.” A red-faced and obviously embarrassed Helene grasped Dougall’s arm and pulled him from the room. “We’re sorry we barged in here. We shoudnae have done so.”
They left the room, closing the door behind them. Zeke and Brenna listened as they made their way back downstairs with voices raised.
“I’m sorry, Brenna. I should have known this might happen. It’s my fault for falling asleep.”
“’Tis nae yer fault. Me brother shouldnae have come in here accusing ye of being with me when ye’ve every right to be.”
“I don’t think he ever thought our handfasting was for more than just fooling yer Da. We need to go speak with him.”
Brenna climbed out of bed and watched as the plaid that Zeke held in front of him tented. She smiled and went to him. He held her in his arms. “As much as I want you right now, we’ll have to wait,” he said.
“Aye,” she agreed. They got their clothes on and then went downstairs to face Dougall’s ire.
Dougall paced back and forth in front of the hearth, while Helene sat nearby wringing her hands.
As they entered the room, Dougall opened his mouth to speak, but Brenna had other ideas.
“Dougall MacRae, who do ye think ye are? I cannae believe the way ye’ve spoken to Zeke.
He’s me husband. Why is it that ye feel ye can tell me what I cannae do, when I ken ye were with Helene before ye married? ”
Helene turned scarlet again and Dougall stood mouth agape.
“Me husband will be staying here with me from now on. We’ve been separated too long, but willnae be any longer.” She looked from one to the other. “If ye dinnae wish us to stay here, then we will stay with Sara and Logan. ’Tis up to ye.”
Helene seemed to get a grip on herself first. “Brenna, we’re ever so sorry. As ye’ve said, ’tis nae our business. Yer legally bound to one another. There is nae reason ye should be apart. Is there Dougall?”
“I can think of one good reason. Zeke isnae staying here. He intends to go back home to his own time.”
“I ken he’ll be leaving. While he’s here, he’s me husband. If ye dinnae approve, we’ll go.” She reached for her cloak by the door.
“Nae. Stay, please.” Helene said. “Ye are both welcome here. Brenna, yer brother loves ye and he just wants to protect ye. He cannae help himself.”
“Aye. She’s right,” Dougall said. “Me apologies to ye. And to ye, Zeke. When she was a wee bairn, it was me duty to watch over her, ye ken. And now that she’s here with me again, I want to protect her still, but that isnae me job anymore.
‘Tis yers. She is still me sister and so I must warn ye that if ye hurt her in any way, ye’ll have to answer to me. ”
“Apology accepted. You can be assured I won’t ever hurt her.” He took the cloak from Brenna’s hands and placed it back on the hook.
“Good,” Helene said, apparently eager to change the subject. “Are ye hungry?”
“Very,” Zeke said.
“I’ve brought some food from the castle. Come let’s sit in the kitchen and share it.”
Brenna took Zeke’s hand and they followed Helene and Dougall into the kitchen. It was obvious this was an awkward moment for everyone but Brenna. She had a glow about her that only shined more brightly when Zeke was at her side.
***
The Thistle & Hive Inn, Glendaloch, Scotland - 2017