Chapter 22 #2
For her husband, who was so afraid of losing people that he pushed them away before they could leave.
"I'm not your mother," she said quietly.
"I ken that."
"And I'm not going anywhere." She reached out, taking his hand. "But you have to let me in, David. You have to trust that I'm strong enough to handle whatever you're feeling. Whatever you're afraid of."
"I want tae." His fingers tightened around hers. "I want tae trust ye. Tae let ye in. But I dinnae ken how. I've spent so long buildin' walls, I dinnae ken how tae tear them down."
"Then let me help you." Elinor shifted closer. "Stop trying to protect me from everything. Stop making decisions without me. Start treating me like your partner instead of your responsibility."
"And if I fail? If I shut down again?"
"Then I'll call you on it. Just like I did yesterday." She managed a small smile. "And you'll apologize. And we'll work through it. Together."
"Taegether." David repeated the word like he was testing its weight. "I like the sound of that."
"So do I."
They sat in silence for a moment. Then David lifted her hand to his lips, pressing a kiss to her knuckles.
"I meant what I said yesterday," he murmured. "That kiss, it meant somethin' tae me. More than I was ready tae admit."
Elinor's heart stuttered.
His smile was rueful. "Because carin' about ye means riskin' losin' ye. And I've lost too many people I cared about."
"You're not going to lose me." She cupped his face with her free hand. "I'm right here. And I'm not going anywhere."
"Promise?"
"I promise." She leaned in, pressing her forehead against his. "But you have to promise something too. Promise you'll talk to me when you're scared. When you feel like shutting down. Promise you'll let me help you instead of pushing me away."
"I promise." His hand came up to cover hers. "I'll try, at least. It might nae always work. But I'll try. Fer ye. Fer us."
"That's all I ask."
They stayed like that for a long moment, breathing together in the quiet room. Then David pulled back slightly, his eyes searching her face.
"Can I…" He stopped. "The rules ye set. About touchin' and kissin'."
"The rules are stupid," Elinor said. "I was scared. Trying to protect myself too. But I don't want to be protected anymore. I just want to be with you."
"Ye're sure?"
"I'm sure." She leaned in, closing the distance between them.
He kissed her then.
Not like the desperate kiss in their bedchamber. Not like he was afraid she'd disappear.
The kiss was different. Slower. Deeper. Full of promise and apology and the tentative hope that maybe they could make this work.
His hands cupped her face, gentle and sure. Her fingers threaded through his hair. And when he pulled her closer, settling her across his lap, she went willingly.
He kissed her again.
And that time, when his hands moved to her waist, when his mouth trailed down her throat, when he pulled her tighter against him—she didn't pull away.
She melted into him, letting herself feel everything she'd been holding back. The desire. The need. The desperate want for this man who'd bought her freedom and somehow stolen her heart in the process.
He stood, lifting her with him. Elinor gasped, wrapping her legs around his waist as he carried her to the pillows. He laid her down gently, his body covering hers, his weight welcome and right.
The rough fabric of the upholstery scratched her thighs as he laid her down, the sensation both jarring and exhilarating. The fire crackled nearby, its warmth enveloping them, a stark contrast to the cold outside.
David knelt between her legs, his kilt pooling around him like a royal mantle. He looked up at her, his eyes dark with hunger, his beard shadowing the hard line of his jaw. "Ye’re mine, Elinor," he growled, his voice a low, possessive rumble that sent a thrill through her.
She nodded, breathless, her heart pounding in her chest. "Yes David. I’m yours."
His fingers hooked into the waistband of her skirts, pulling them down slowly, his gaze never leaving hers. The fabric slid over her hips, exposing her to his hungry stare, and she felt a flush creep up her neck, warming her cheeks.
Her core throbbed with anticipation, already damp from the mere thought of his touch.
David leaned in, his beard brushing her inner thighs as he pressed a kiss to her knee.
His lips trailed upward, leaving a path of fire in their wake, his breath hot against her skin.
Elinor arched her back, her fingers tangling in his hair, as he nuzzled her core, his breath teasing and tantalizing.
"David," she whispered, her voice trembling with need, but he silenced her with a deep, devouring kiss to her clit. His tongue flicked and swirled, sending sparks of pleasure through her, and she gasped, her body arching off the settle.
He parted her folds with his thumbs, his mouth following, lapping at her like a starving man.
His tongue plunged deep, with slow, deliberate strokes, while his fingers pressed into her soft flesh, holding her open for his feast. Elinor moaned, her hips bucking against his face, her nails digging into his shoulders.
"More," she demanded, her voice raw with desire, and he growled in response, a primal sound that sent a shiver down her spine.
He sucked, teasing her bud with his teeth before soothing it with his tongue, his rhythm relentless and intoxicating.
Her orgasm built like a storm, relentless and all-consuming. She cried out his name, her body tightening around his tongue as she shattered, her juices flooding his mouth.
David drank her in, his hands gripping her hips to keep her still as he continued to lick and suck, milking every last drop of her pleasure.
When she was trembling and boneless, he rose above her, his manhood thick and flushed, leaking pre-cum onto his belly.
Elinor reached for him, her hands trembling as she guided him to her mouth. He grabbed her head and thrust into her mouth in smooth motions, filling her, and she pleasured him with her mouth. Teasing him at the tip and taking everything in in equal measure.
As his breath turned ragged, she teased his manhood with her tongue, her body still buzzing from her first orgasm.
He growled her name, his grip on her head as he lost control, his manhood twitching inside her mouth. "Faster, Elinor," he commanded, his voice hoarse with need.
She obeyed, her mouth clenching around him as she kept pleasuring him. David pulled his manhood out and poured his seed out, his body shaking as he emptied himself in front of her.
He collapsed on top of her, his weight comforting, his heart pounding against hers. Elinor ran her fingers through his hair, her breath evening out.
"I’m yours, David," she murmured, her voice thick with emotion. He lifted his head, his eyes soft as he brushed a strand of hair from her face.
"Aye, lass," he replied, pressing a tender kiss to her lips. "Ferever. I love ye.”
“I love you too, David.”
And as the fire died down, they lay entwined, their hearts beating as one, the world outside forgotten in the warmth of their love.