Chapter 13

Boyd's arm dropped from about Annie's shoulders as he turned to Fulton. The loss of his heat made her shiver. "After all this time, ye're finally ready to settle."

"Finally?" Fulton grumped. "My brothers are the only reason I'm still in England. And friends like you. Under different circumstances, Sophie and I would have left for Italy ages ago. But I couldn't leave all of you to face the threats that have plagued our business alone. Who will go sailing about to rescue you people?"

Boyd reached out, shaking his friend's hand. "Thank ye for that. And I'm glad ye're here, truly. Aside from the rescue, the beginning of my relationship with Annie mirrors yers and Sophie's. It is odd, starting a relationship from such circumstances, and I'm glad to see it going so well for ye."

Her stomach flipped. Was he worried they didn't have a good base for a marriage? That his attention would wain when there wasn't so much excitement?

She'd worry about the same, many times.

"What circumstances are those?" she asked, barely above a whisper.

"Stealing from a criminal, racing from London, attempting to send yer uncle to prison. We might have topped Sophie and Fulton in scandalous beginnings."

Sick dread pulled at her limbs. She knew Boyd had wanted adventure. She'd long worried she was just another adventure to him. What if he could never settle down the way Fulton planned to?

She tried to ignore the worry that gnawed at her chest all through the meal. She sipped at her wine listening to the conversation about her, but not really participating.

"Ye're nervous," Boyd leaned closer, his hand finding hers under the table.

Touching him never failed to calm her nerves and she gave him a genuine smile as she shook her head. "I'm fine."

"Ye can tell me if ye're not." He moved her hand into his other, slipping an arm about her shoulder.

Could she? Would it make her feel better to ask the real questions? Will you grow tired of our marriage when it settles into a routine? Bored in Scotland when it lacks the excitement of your life in London? Tired of me?

But her nerves got the best of her instead of asking her questions she dipped her chin. "I know."

"And ye know I'll be as gentle as I can be."

Her head snapped up as her gaze clouded with confusion. What were they discussing?

He moved closer whispering in her ear. "I've heard it hurts the first time, but we'll go slow."

Was he discussing their…relations? She shook her head. He'd been right about their relationship starting from the most scandalous of places. "Boyd, I lived in a whorehouse. I'm fine with our relations."

He rose then, pulling her up and tugging her out into the hall and pulling her close. "Annie, I just realized I've never asked."

"Asked what?"

"Are ye still a virgin, love?"

A blush crept up her cheeks, heating filling them. "Oh. Yes."

"It doesn't matter to me. I just want to be prepared and I was worried about hurting ye and…"

Annie had only heard him ramble like this before and all at once, she realized he was scared too.

A wave of relief rolled through her, gently loosening her shoulders. "I have every confidence that tonight is going to be wonderful."

He smiled back, his shoulders relaxing. "Do ye think we need to wait until tonight?"

Her eyes widened as she gasped in a little breath. "When?"

"Now." He started tugging her down the hall once again.

She giggled despite herself her feet taking twice as many steps as him to keep up. "But won't everyone know?"

"They'll know either way," he laughed back. "It's our wedding night."

Their wedding night. Those words settled over her like a warm blanket as he pulled her into their little bunk room and closed the door.

"Unpin your hair," he said as he made his way around her, "While I get this dress off you."

She nipped at her lip to try and keep from grinning as she started pulling all the pins from her thick locks. "All that work Sophie did."

"Worth every bit," he answered as the ties to her bodice came loose. "Ye looked like an angel."

He untied her corset, pushing the garment down over her hips just as the last of her hair cascaded down her back.

He was up, burying his face in the strands, his arms coming about her waist. "Last night was excellent but this…" He slid a hand down her neck and over her shoulder.

She brought her fingers over his. She'd heard the ladies say that some men lost interest after ye laid with them while other's desires only intensified. "I'm excited too." She had to push her worries aside and focus on the fact that she'd never felt about anyone the way she did him.

His mouth captured hers as he slid an arm about her waist, pulling her back to his front.

"Are ye really?"

"Oh yes." She sank back into him. "From the first, no man has ever…" She swallowed down a lump of emotion. "Handsome, strong, brave. You are everything a woman could ever want."

He looked down at her for a moment, his dark eyes glittering before he kissed her again.

The rest of her clothes and his came off, Annie only aware of their removal because it required them to let go of one another long enough to pull them away from their bodies.

Before Annie knew it, she was in nothing but her chemise, Boyd stripped down to only his breeches.

He lay her down on the narrow bunk, her legs naturally coming about his waist.

The sweet ache building in her core, only intensified as the length of his staff dragged against her womanhood.

In answer, he eased back, bringing his hand between her thighs. At the gentle brush of his fingers, she bucked against him.

"I'm afraid ye won't finish the first time I'm inside ye," he murmured against her lips even as he stroked her along her slit causing more desire to rock through her.

She grasped his shoulders, riding his hand until he gently pushed a finger into her channel, the heel of his hand coming to her nub of pleasure.

Her eyes flew open as a low moan escaped her lips. The sensation was deeper, more fulfilling as he moved inside her body, sliding out and then back in.

"Boyd," she scratched at his shoulders, her body so tight, the torturous pleasure had every muscle in her body taut. "I'm…"

His answer was to add another finger to her channel, making her feel so full, the sensations inside her doubling, and then she was falling. She gasped, her body exploding in pleasure.

The moment she wilted into the bed, Boyd was up, tugging at the buttons of his breeches, pushing the fabric down over his hips.

Her mouth went dry as she looked down at him, his manhood so much more than she'd imagined it would be. Wordlessly, she looked back at him, her lips parted, her eyes wide.

He gave a small chuckle. "It'll fit. Promise."

"You're sure?"

"I'm sure," he grimaced. "But I'll go slow."

And then he was coming back down on top of her, the tip of his manhood pressing into her flesh.

Which yielded, though a slow burning pain radiated through her that only intensified the deeper he sank.

Once again, she found herself hanging onto his shoulders. He wrapped his arms about her back, cradling her to his chest, until finally, he'd sank all the way inside her.

He kissed her temple, holding still for a minute or more as she relaxed in his arms and then, he pulled out, his movements just as slow as they'd been when he pushed in.

But the pain had lessened and when he moved back inside her, it hurt half as much as he had before.

And by the third time, it was a mild and bearable ache.

She tightened her grip about his neck and kissed the spot just under his ear. "I'm better," she whispered.

His answer was barely a grunt as he picked up the tempo, his touch still light but his thrusts more regular.

She could feel him holding back, trying to be gentle.

"It's all right," she whispered. "I'm all right." It was important to her that he enjoy this time as much as she did. She needed him to return to her arms.

He held her tighter, keeping his movements easy even as his body jerked with a spasm, his movement irregular and his breath catching in his throat.

And then he came undone, his guttural moan filling her ears as she held him tight to her chest.

He rolled onto his side, banging the wall and then he laughed. "We're going to need a bigger bed."

She looked into his eyes, certain she'd spend a thousand nights in a tiny bed like this if it meant that she got to keep this man as her own.