Chapter Ten

He showed her how to shift forward, how to take her weight on her knees, how to trust him.

And then she sank down, encompassing him fully, settling against his lap until his cock was nestled inside her.

Where that dildo had once been.

Where she'd wanted him from the moment she'd set eyes on him.

Where he belonged.

With wide eyes, she pressed her naked chest against his, knees tight against his thighs, trying to come to terms with this feeling of fullness.

"Cam?" she whispered.

"Shh, lass. Dinnae move." His eyes were closed, his head tipped back against the chaise. "I'm trying not to die."

Well, that sounded promising. "Do you…like it?" she asked shyly.

"If I liked it anymore…" His lips twitched. "It feels fooking amazing."

Fooking amazing. She liked that.

And she would like it more if she could…

Despite his warning, she moved. Just a small, rocking motion, forward, then backward. It pushed her core against him, made her feel him more deeply.

And he groaned.

"Fooking amazing," she whispered.

She did it again, each movement causing pleasure to streak through her. Different kinds of pleasures, different kinds of streaks, each impossible to identify or name until she rocked again, duplicating the sensation. She was breathless, desperate.

In no time, she was drunk on the haze of pleasure, joy, ecstasy, which had settled over her.

She knew she was panting, knew she was using him, knew his big hands had settled on her hips and were helping her rock…but she could not seem to stop. Didn't want to stop.

Ai-ya, this was what she'd been needing!

"That's the way, lass," he murmured. "Ye feel it building, aye? Ye want to let it release?"

She whimpered in agreement, her eyes squeezed tight so she could concentrate on the sensations rocketing through her.

"Come for me—"

"No!" Her eyes flashed open as she remembered what happened the last time he'd commanded her. Already she could feel her release building, and tried to squeeze her legs together to control it.

"Nay?" His hands left her hips, stroking upward until he could cup her breasts. "Aye, lass, let me feel ye—"

"I want—I need you to spend as well, Cam!" she gasped. "That's the point of this exercise."

One corner of his lips twitched. "Exercise? I thought this was about yer pleasure."

"This is about our pleasure." She rocked against him again. "Please, Cam. I need this as much as I need…" Relaxing her thighs, she managed to sink down even farther, taking more of him inside her. "This."

They both groaned.

He still didn't seem to understand. She took his cheeks in her hands, and captured his gaze. "I'm not a client, Cameron MacKay. I'm your bride. Make me yours."

How could he deny such a order?

A long moment passed before he blinked, then snaked his arms around her back to pull her closer. "My bride," he repeated hoarsely. "My bride."

"Yes, Cam." Her hands fell to his shoulders, then around his neck, as their chests pressed flush against each other. "Yours."

With his hands on her buttocks, he showed her how to move, how to push herself up slightly, then sink down again, in the rhythm which made him groan. He seemed to like it slow and deep, the same as her, and ai-ya! It was empowering to feel his chest tightening, his breaths coming shorter and faster.

Knowing he was pushing toward the edge as surely as she was.

And then his fingers spread her arse cheeks, pulling—straining—urging, and one callused tip brushed against an area she'd never considered particularly erotic.

She was wrong.

Her climax burst over her, surprising her enough to let out a sort of shriek and tighten her hold on his neck as her inner muscles clamped around him.

She was strangling him.

And he froze. She thought she'd hurt him—not that she could do anything more than keen as her pleasure pushed her higher and higher—until he groaned soft and low, and she felt a surge of wet heat against her core.

There they sat, her choking the poor man, his face burrowed in her neck, their breathing ragged. She could feel him inside her. Not…not stretching, but just…he was in her. He was a part of her, now.

Now that she wasn't being distracted by wonderful, terrifying, delightful, all-consuming passion, she could focus on the way his pulse beat against the top of her opening. The way his breath cooled her skin. The way his sweat dampened his blond curls—the way they tasted when she gently brushed her lips across them.

The way she felt the smallest trickle of moisture where his face was pressed against her skin.

"Cam?" she murmured.

"I love ye," he whispered hoarsely. "I tried no' to, Treasure, because I kenned it wasnae what ye wanted, but…"

Gently, she loosened her hold on his neck, rocking back, allowing him to lift his head. They were still intimately attached, but now they could see each other.

And she saw she'd been right; he was blinking back moisture.

"I was wrong, Cam," she said with a soft smile, taking his cheeks between her palms once more. "I was wrong about you, and about marriage."

His blue eyes flicked back and forth between hers, searching for—for what? For the truth? This was the truth.

She leaned forward and captured his lips gently, showing him exactly what he meant to her. And she felt the moment he relaxed and accepted this. Her. Their future.

They kissed until she felt him hardening inside her once more. They kissed until their lips trailed across sweat-dampened skin, until they were both moaning and panting with need once more.

This time, he laid her down on the chaise, her feet planted on the floor, her legs spread wide. He knelt between her knees and kissed every inch of her. And when she was flying so high she thought she might touch the sun in her pleasure, he pushed into her once more.

Ai-ya, but this was joy! This was pleasure!

No wonder her mother had left her homeland to follow the man she loved.

Loved?

Yes, she loved Cam MacKay. Loved her husband.

That realization sent her crashing upward, her pleasure claiming her in a spiral of breathless delight.

And once more, he groaned low and thrust deep into her core, spending against her womb.

When he collapsed atop her, holding and stroking and murmuring, she felt…complete.

Also bone-weary, from the adventures of the day, and the fencing, and this marvelous new exercise. But mainly complete.

This was what she'd been missing. Not fooking, exactly, but companionship. Trust. Love. Someone to share her life with—the life she'd built. The life she hadn't missed so very much over these last days at The Cottage. Her managers were keeping Thacker Shipping in line, and now she didn't have to worry about Lord Buthert harming her business or her.

Because she had Cam. She loved Cam.

And she'd tell him that, as soon as she woke up.

***

She fell asleep under him, and the realization made Cam smile. He stayed there until his cock—exhausted, the poor thing—slid out of her, and he was able to roll to one side. He gently cleaned her, expecting her to wake as he did…but he'd learned over the last few nights holding her that Jade was a sound sleeper.

It was just lucky she wasn't drooling now.

Once they were both cleaned up, he was tempted to just curl up on the chaise and take her into his arms. But that was…

Well, frankly, it was a fooking terrible idea. He was too tall for the damn thing, and they'd likely both roll to their dooms. Or one would squish the other.

Chuckling at the image, he bent his knees to get his arms under Jade. He held his breath as he lifted, half-expecting her to shriek or wake up flailing. But instead she murmured softly in her sleep and pressed her cheek against his bare shoulder.

He had to smile. How could he not?

Whereas moments ago, he was soft and comfortable, lying atop her, now he felt…energized. The woman he loved trusted him—not just with her body, but with her safety. She was snuggled up against him, and he felt as if he could stand here forever, reveling in the feel of her trust.

But there was a big bed calling to him, and he turned his back on the waning fire and padded toward the rear of the house.

It was a bit of a struggle to pull the counterpane back and tuck her under it, while still holding her, but she did little more than murmur again and roll against the pillow, throwing one long leg out, as if trying to capture a sleeping partner.

By the time he finished, Cam was surprised to discover he wasn't at all tired. He'd been looking forward to crawling into bed beside her and taking her into his arms. Although he felt drained now, he was confident in a few hours he—and his cock—would be up for another master performance. The idea of taking her in his arms and waking her in the most erotic way…it was tempting.

And ye can still do it, ye dobber. Just give her a few hours' rest!

Aye, and he knew if he climbed in beside her, now, neither of them would get much rest. His blood was pounding, and frankly, he wouldn't mind something more to eat…

So he wrapped his kilt around himself and padded into the kitchen.

The last few days, they'd been reduced to cheese or eggs on bread, and whatever they could make from the increasingly sparse larder offerings. They had made another batch of cookies yesterday, and he gathered a few on his way to the closed-off parlor, to pour himself a brandy.

Standing there, barefoot and shirtless in the dark room, he realized he needed a way to occupy his mind. So he turned toward the cabinet where he'd stored the reports he hadn't found time to go over.

It was a bit of a juggle, getting the cookies, the brandy, and the reports back into the dining room, but once he deposited everything on the table, he was able to focus on building up the little fire once more.

When it was crackling merrily, he turned up the lamp to keep the outside darkness at bay, and began to fold and stack the clothing which had been thrown around the room in their earlier haste.

Was it any wonder he was smiling as he settled himself on the chaise? He'd likely never look at this room—this piece of furniture—the same way again. Without thinking of her sinking down atop him. Without remembering her claim she was his, his bride. Without remembering the way she tasted and felt and sounded and smelled and—

God Almighty, another cockstand?

Grinning wryly, he reached for the brandy. He didn't think he had enough energy left for another round. Best focus on sustenance and something boring.

Like last quarter's reports for Thacker Shipping.

His man of business had done a good job keeping Cam's involvement anonymous, and he'd become used to signing only his initials. After all these years, it was just simpler to keep his investment success a secret, he supposed. A quiet sort of victory which mattered only to him.

Jade kens ye're no' a whore, now.

Aye, that was true. Cam munched thoughtfully on a cookie as he stared at the fire. She did know he didn't keep the money his clients paid him, but she hadn't asked how he afforded the townhouse or scarlet leather fencing gloves or the thatching on The Cottage, or any of the other expenses associated with the extravagant lifestyle he led.

Those in Society who knew him as The Scot assumed he financed all this with his earnings, but he knew differently. And that had been enough, a sort of quiet nose-thumbing at those who thought themselves better.

So why had he kept his interest in Thacker Shipping a secret, especially from her? Originally, it had been because he didn't want anyone to realize he had the business acumen to manage an investment of this size. But once he realized who his latest client—who his new bride, thanks to his father's high-handedness!—really was, he should've told her.

But she'd come to him under the assumption he was courtesan. She hadn't realized the truth about him.

Now she does.

Aye, he needed to tell her, and apologize for not telling her sooner.

With a sigh, he flicked a few crumbs off the reports and tilted them so he could read them better. The company was doing brilliantly under Jade's management—not that he'd known it was being run by the daughter of "J. Thacker." Although Cam wasn't sure if that would have mattered to him.

But now that he knew her, he saw her hand in each of the decisions; the boldness, the commands, the daring new choices and destinations and cargo. She'd taken her father's kingdom and made it into an empire.

And in some way, Cam had helped.

The evening they'd sat in the parlor and she'd told him of her plans and goals, he hadn't expected her to be so angry about having to take on a silent partner. When he'd jumped at the opportunity, all those months ago, he'd assumed it was mutual.

But he'd learned she'd only done it because she needed to keep Buthert at bay, and planned to buy Cam out…and then the conversation had turned to the marriage by proxy, and he'd completely forgotten to bring up his silent partnership again.

But now he knew he'd helped her keep her company. Helped her to keep it running the way she wanted. And that was worth quite a lot to him.

A sound from the doorway had him turning, a cookie lifted halfway to his mouth.

It was Jade, looking adorably rumpled, her hair falling down around her shoulders, and the counterpane pulled snug about her.

From beneath the heavy fabric, he could see her bare ankles and feet peeking out. Knowing she was naked under that did nothing to help him in the cockstand department.

"Cam?" she asked with a yawn. "Come to bed."

He was grinning. "Aye, Treasure, I will. I was trying to give ye time to rest."

"I can't rest without you." She sounded grumpy as she padded across the floor, skirting the table and plopping beside him on the chaise. He got his reports out of her way in the nick of time, moving them to his lap as she snuggled up beside him.

With her cheek pillowed against his shoulder, it was easy enough to lift the half-eaten cookie to her mouth, and allow her to take a little nibble.

"Better?" he murmured.

She hummed. "The fire is nice."

He slid one arm around her, pulling her up closer. "I'm nice, too, eh? I planned on joining ye, I swear, I just thought ye could use the sleep."

"Before you climbed into bed with me?" He could hear the teasing in her voice. "No telling how long you'd last before I pulled you into my clutches."

Chuckling, he pressed a kiss to the crown of her head. "Insatiable."

"Only for you," she reminded him. "Now that I've finally convinced you to fook me, I'm making up for lost time."

Is that what she thought they were doing? Making up for lost time? Well, he'd fought it long enough, hadn't he? "Making love," he corrected softly, and liked the way her sigh sounded happy.

She took the cookie from his hand and popped it into her mouth. With her other hand, she reached across his lap and picked up the second page of the reports. "What's this?" she asked around the cookie.

And Cam considered stopping her. Considered pulling it from her hand, making an excuse, trying to explain things so it didn't look so bad.

But he knew it was time.

"It's my investments."

He felt the moment she realized what she was looking at; her shoulders stiffened and she slowly sat up. "This is my company," she whispered.

"Earlier, I told ye I didnae keep the money from the women I pleasured. Well…" He sighed, and tapped his finger against the edge of the paper she held. "I am verra good at choosing investments. I research and extrapolate, and I have a man of business I trust implicitly."

She didn't seem to be paying him attention. Instead, she shuffled through the papers and swallowed audibly. "These are the reports from last quarter. I went over them the week I met you."

"Aye. I'd already had an eye on the company, because of the profits it was posting. When the opportunity became available…" He shrugged.

Slowly, her wide eyes turned his way. "It's you? You're my silent partner? And you never told me?"

He tried for a charming grin. "That's the point of a silent partner, Jade. I didn't want anyone to ken."

"Not even me?" she hissed.

Well, shite. This wasn't going well. "To be fair, ‘J. Thacker' is a common enough name—"

"I'm your wife, Cam!" The words exploded out of her as she scrambled to her feet, clutching the counterpane in one hand and the sheaf of papers in the other. "You know how hard it was for me to take a silent partner, how worried I've been!"

"I planned to tell ye." He kept his tone calm as he stood as well, his hands out, palms down in a conciliatory gesture. "As soon as ye mentioned that ye planned to buy out the partner, I meant to tell ye then. But we were talking about other things, and—"

She smacked him in the bare chest with the papers. "I cannot believe you just forgot to mention it, Cameron MacKay! You own shares of my company!"

"Our company," he corrected, and as soon as the words left his lips, he knew it was the wrong thing to say.

She shrieked in outrage, and this time threw the papers at him. They hit his chest and drifted to the floor, and he ignored them as he reached for her.

"Jade, be reasonable. I didnae ken who ye were—"

"And once you did? We've been stuck together for over a week—I can't believe I thought this relaxing! You knew my company name—"

He stepped forward, trying to gather her as she twisted away. "Treasure, I'm sorry—"

"Don't Treasure me, Cam!" She shrieked again, wordlessly, tossing her free hand up, then hurried to gather the blanket as she turned toward the door. "I'm so angry, I could scream."

"Ye are screaming," he pointed out unhelpfully.

"Arrgh!"

It was an impressive exit, he had to admit. She held herself like a queen, wrapped in her robes, stomping—actually stomping!—barefoot from the dining room. And he didn't think he'd ever actually heard someone say "aargh" out loud before, but there you go.

He followed her, arms still outstretched, and winced when she slammed the door to the bedroom. With her inside, and him most definitively outside.

The lock clicked into place.

With a sigh, Cam ran his hands through his hair and turned back to the dining room. No matter how uncomfortable that chaise was, it looked as if he'd be attempting to sleep on it tonight after all. Or perhaps that sofa in the damp parlor…

Ye idiot. Why did ye no' tell her sooner?

Because he'd been thinking with his cock when it came to Jade Thacker.

And now that he'd made her his in every sense of the word, he wasn't satisfied. No matter what Da said, no matter what the laws were concerning marriage by proxy, Jade was now his, and he'd fight to the death to keep her.

But she'd just made it clear she didn't want anything to do with him.

God Almighty, he was completely and utterly fooked, wasn't he?