Chapter Fifteen #2
She lifted her head. “Ah, yes. You had to swear to love and serve the laird of the clan.” She kissed his chest and looked at him. “Why didn’t you ask me to take that oath?”
His hand stroked down her back as he smiled. “We have a family tartan, but I’m not a clan chief.”
She kissed him again, a few inches lower. “You always think of yourself as responsible for the happiness of others.” She flicked her tongue farther down, raising gooseflesh across his skin. “I think you need to let someone take care of your needs for awhile.”
His eyes gleamed green in the firelight. “And what needs do you think require attention just now?”
Her hand slid down to fondle the rapidly hardening flesh of his erection. “I can think of one I’d like to take care of.” Becoming serious again, she placed a hand in the center of his chest. “You’ve thought enough tonight, Kier. Just lay back and feel.”
He did as she asked. He watched her, though, as she moved down his body, kissing and stroking her way to his cock.
And she watched him. Watched his chest rise and fall as she nudged his thighs apart to make room for her to crouch.
Watched his neck cord as she ran her fingertips over the insides of his thighs.
Watched his eyes darken to black as she removed the chemise she had slept in.
When she took the head of his shaft into her mouth, his eyes closed and he sucked in a breath. As she explored the hard flesh with her mouth, he buried his hands in her hair and moaned her name, urging her to go faster and deeper.
Then, panting, he sat up and flipped her over, spreading her wide with shaking hands. “I need to be inside you, Dina.” He poised himself at her entrance, but although she was willing, her body had too little moisture yet.
Wild-eyed, he lowered his mouth to the apex of her thighs and used his tongue to tease her nub while slipping two fingers inside her.
She groaned as the familiar tension started to build. As soon as the thick digits could plumb the depths of her body easily, he lifted himself over her, positioning his cock once more at the opening of her channel.
She looked up at his beautiful face, now contorted with need and desire. “Come to me, Kier.” And then she gasped as he thrust smoothly inside.
He set an ever-increasing rhythm, pounding in and out of her as he whispered his need of her.
She met every movement eagerly, matching herself to him.
They mated wildly until he raised himself up on his hands and ground into her with a hoarse cry.
His release set off hers and she could only cling to him as tremor after tremor shook her.
They remained joined for a long time afterward. Then Kieran moved to her side and gathered her close, tucking the blankets into a warm cocoon around both of them.
When she opened her eyes again, the shuttered room had chilled and she lay alone in the blankets. She faced the bed.
Golden light came from somewhere, so Kieran must have lit a lantern or candle before he’d left her. She buried her head in her arms, afraid she would start crying.
“Dina? I brought you some breakfast.”
She twisted to her other side. Kieran sat, fully dressed in a fisherman’s jumper, corduroys, and boots, beside the hearth.
Amazed, he watched her face light up when she saw him. None of the worldly women he had sought as mistresses had ever looked at him like he brought the morning sun with him. Part of him thrilled at the idea that he meant that much to her.
The rest of him wanted to run in terror.
He nearly hadn’t come back to the cottage this morning. He could have made the excuse of needing to get started on the grim task of moving debris and carrying bodies.
But he had used her so violently last night. He knew he needed to ascertain that he had not frightened her, and that he probably owed her an apology. So now he handed her breakfast and hoped she would not throw it at him.
Instead, she smiled her thanks and started to eat, sneaking wee peeks at him as though she couldn’t believe he sat beside her. She did not appear frightened at all.
But he had to be sure. “Are you all right?”
She swallowed a bite of porridge. “Of course. Why wouldn’t I be?”
He cleared his throat. “I’m sorry I lost control of myself last night.”
“Oh.” She stared into her empty porridge bowl. “Is it because my behavior disgusted you?”
He sucked in his breath. “No, no, no! Dina, Diantha, look at me.” She did, and he was reminded of the day on the Columbia when she’d thought he was about to hit her.
He moved to her side and pulled her into his arms, blankets, bowl, and all. Gazing into her worried eyes, he tried to find words to tell her that inexpert as her mouth had been on him, he had never had a woman touch him with such honesty and care.
He shook his head, caressing the silken skin of her cheek.
“You did not disgust me.” Her intense blue gaze bored into his and she seemed to understand what he did not say, for she nestled her head against his shoulder with a contented sigh.
With a sense of shock he realized that his need for her included moments such as this.
Diantha chanced to look out of the Herring House window later that day when Kieran was walking by the cart as it carried a few corpses up to the church.
His arm supported a redheaded girl carrying something bundled in a shawl and sobbing bitterly.
She finished drying the dish she held and slipped out the door, drawn by the devastated expression on his face.
By the time she reached the church, Kieran had disappeared inside, but the girl stood by the door outside, still weeping. The bundle in her arms gave a squawk and she held it to her shoulder tenderly. Her swollen brown eyes met Diantha’s.
She still felt awkward offering sympathy to strangers. “I’m sorry.”
The girl’s pointed chin dipped in acknowledgment. To Diantha’s relief, Kieran reappeared. He took in her presence, but held the door open for the other woman. “He’s ready.”
His voice sounded strained. Diantha followed both of them inside the dim room.
A precise line of covered bodies lay on the floor, awaiting coffins.
She stayed by the door as her husband led the girl to a body covered not by a blanket, but by a length of tartan.
“It was my father’s. I brought it for him when I heard about the boats. ”
The girl sobbed once more, and then gained control of herself. “Thank you, my laird. He deserves this.”
Kieran pulled something silver out of his pocket. “For your son.” Diantha thought it was a coin until he pinned the badge on the shawl in her arms. “It belonged to my father as well.”
She did not bring the episode up until they lay before the fireplace in the cottage that evening. “That was a kind thing you did for your brother’s widow.”
He stared at her. “How did you know?”
She chose her words carefully. “Barclay mentioned it to me, and I asked your mother.”
He sat up, the blanket falling off his bare chest. “How could you bring up something so painful to her? Has she not suffered enough because of my father’s neglect?”
“Please listen.” She held up a hand to forestall his protest. “The situation was not quite what you think.” She repeated what his mother had told her about his father’s liaison.
Something dark went out of Kieran’s eyes, but the sadness that replaced it tore at Diantha’s heart. She stroked his bare back, cherishing the feel of corded muscles under his warm skin. “What is it, my dear?”
His back rose and fell in a heavy sigh. “I had playmates on the estate as a boy, and friends at school. But I always envied the boys with brothers and sisters. I understood early on that my mother couldn’t have more children, so I didn’t complain. But I always felt the lack.”
She curled up next to him. “This was obviously before you met my family.”
He placed an arm around her shoulders. “The discovery of my father’s other family made me even angrier at his infidelity. Not only had he hurt his wife, he denied me a brother.
“My half brother refused to approach me or accept anything but the occasional gift. I don’t suppose he had an easy time of it growing up as the laird’s by-blow.” His face stiffened and his eyes glittered with unshed tears in the firelight. “I’ll never get a chance to ask him about that now.”
Diantha reached for his hand. He gripped it tightly and pulled her closer.
After a moment she let go and hugged her knees with her arms. “His son is still your nephew. You could sponsor the boy’s schooling.
” Her voice trembled. “If something happens to Barclay, he may be your only heir, since I can’t seem to conceive. ”
Kieran pulled her down on the pallet and stretched out beside her, leaning on an elbow. She echoed his position, facing him. “That bothers you a great deal?”
“One of my few consolations during our engagement was that I would at least be able to have a child of my own to love.” She rested her hand on his hip. “I didn’t think I would come to—” She caught herself before ‘love’ escaped her lips. “To care for you as I have.
“I want to have your child, Kieran.” She couldn’t see his face in the shadows, which gave her the courage to continue.
“Not because it’s my duty, but because I’ve thought about being a mother since I was small.
” She rolled onto her back. “I wouldn’t be like mine.
I’d want my children to feel loved for who they are every single day of their lives. ” She spoke the last words vehemently.
He gathered her close. “If we’re blessed with children, I will be thrilled. You would make an excellent mother, I’m sure of it.” He grazed her temple with a kiss.
“The difficulty might lie with the Rossburns. My grandfather only had two children, and so did my father.”
“One of life’s mysteries.” Diantha shivered as Kieran’s mouth possessed hers.