Chapter 22

"Och, 'tis good tae see ye laugh after such a difficult couple of days," Maddison said, smiling at Odhrán as she leaned over and kissed him soundly on the lips. Feeling a great upwelling of love for her, he caught her hand and drew her nearer to him. "I'm so sorry I put ye in danger like that today, Maddy," he apologized. "I dinnae deserve ye."

She looked up at him, her eyes wide with obvious disbelief. Then she softly stroked his cheek. "What are ye talkin' about, Odhrán? Ye saved me life! Fer the second time."

"But I should have sent guards with ye, tae protect ye," he countered, unable to let himself off the hook so easily. Deep down, it was still hard for him to really believe that she was his and that he deserved her.

She shook her head. "Ye were busy with Tadgh. It was me responsibility tae protect mesel' in the circumstances. I'm nae a child. I could easily have taken some guards with me. Ye've told me tae dae so several times, but I wouldnae listen. Tae be truthful, this time, I didnae even think of it, fer I was in such a hurry. It was me who put mesel' and ye in danger. And if ye try tae blame yersel' fer it even one moment longer, ye'll be back tae sleepin' on the floor, d'ye hear me?!" She embraced him around the waist and hugged him tightly, laying her head against his skin. Her mahogany tresses fanned out across his chest like a curtain of silk.

Their butterfly softness was thrilling to his rough, battle-scarred hand as he stroked them. "I love ye so much, Maddy, I couldnae cope if anythin' bad happened tae ye."

She raised her head and gazed into his eyes, "Och, wheesht! Naethin' bad is gonnae happen tae me, nae with ye by me side tae protect me."

"I promise tae dae a better job in future."

"And so dae I, so we're even." He had to laugh, until it hurt his head.

Dinner arrived then, and several burly manservants lugging cans of hot water for bathing. The domestic bustle cut their conversation short for a while. However, once the tub had been positioned by the hearth and filled and the dinner trays had been deposited on the table according to Maddison's instructions, she finally closed the door on the servants.

Glad they could be alone again, she handed Odhrán the wine to deal with, while she dished up their plates, making sure he had a generous portion of his favorite roast beef and carrots in gravy, with mashed turnip. They sat on the bed and ate, drinking wine and talking quietly.

"Tadgh took the dagger blow that was meant for me," Odhrán told her.

"Someone tried tae kill ye?" she exclaimed, her face aghast. "Was it Rollo?"

"Nay, Rollo was conspicuously absent from the battle altogether."

"Was he? So, the bastard's still alive." She sounded as disappointed as he was. "I suppose he's still lickin' his wounds from the thrashin' ye gave him."

"Maybe, but 'tis worryin'. I have tae keep on wonderin' what he's plannin' next. He's tryin' tae destabilize me and me forces piece by piece. And it hurts me tae admit it, but he's succeedin'."

"Dinnae fret, Odhrán, I have faith in ye. Ye beat him once, and ye'll beat him again, fer good next time, I'm certain of it." She squeezed his hand and smiled at him encouragingly. He wanted to believe her.

"I wish the council looked at it that way. They say they'll only sanction an army tae attack him if I can prove he's behind all this."

"Then I'll help ye tae convince them," she assured him. "That soldier who attacked me, he said something strange. He said, ‘"I was told nae tae harm ye.' D'ye think he could have meant Rollo? Did he intend tae kidnap me? But how would he ken who I was?"

Chilled to his marrow, Odhrán sat up straighter. "Jesus! Was that what this attack was all about? A distraction so he could try tae snatch ye? The swine! I should have guessed." He looked her in the eyes, deadly serious now. "From now on, dinnae go anywhere without a guard if I'm nae with ye, Maddy, I beg ye. Rollo is as despicable as me faither. There's naethin' he willnae dae tae hurt me. And takin' ye from me would be the worst he could dae. Promise me!"

"I promise, Odhrán. I've nae wish tae be abducted by another Lennox, present company excepted, of course," she assured him.

"Never forget. If he gets his hands on ye, there's nae tellin' what he'll dae." He was scared and furious at the same time. "What if I hadnae come lookin' fer ye today? Ye could be his prisoner by now."

"But ye did come lookin', and ye saved me. Now I understand the threat, I'll be more careful, I swear."

"Ye dinnae ken what ye mean tae me, Maddy. I never had much of a family. I had nae siblings like ye. I was lonely a lot of the time, until Liam and Tadgh came. Me faither made me life a constant misery, along with Rollo. Between them, they all but convinced me I was a worthless brute, who couldnae find a wife.

"But now I have ye. I have a wife I love, and who I think cares for too. I have me own family. That is so precious tae me, more precious than all the gold in the world. More precious even than bein' laird. I cannae loose ye, Maddy. If that happened, I'd have nae reason tae live."

She gazed at him, her gray eyes shining. She took his hand and held it in her own, pressing small kisses to his knuckles. The sweet gesture made his heart clench.

"Ye'll never loose me, Odhrán, not if I can help it. And I trust ye tae keep me safe from harm."

He breathed a small sigh of relief at the earnestness in her expression. Her soothing words made him feel a hundred times better about the dangerous situation they found themselves in. And she made him feel better about himself too. She made him want to be a better man. "Thank ye, Maddy."

"I like it when ye call me that. Ye can dae it again later," she whispered, kissing his knuckles again before letting him go. A thrill shot through him, and something stirred beneath his kilt. But his head was throbbing, and his belly was full, so he tamped down his desire for the moment, content to wait for the ‘later' she proposed.

"Now, how are ye feelin'?" she asked, getting to her feet and removing the dinner plates.

"Me head aches a bit," he confessed, "but I'm all right. I'm nae dizzy anymore."

"Good. Thank the Wee Man for that thick skull of yers, eh?" she teased him. "Maybe ye should have yer bath now, wash off some of that battle grime. We could have some puddin' afterwards if ye feel like it. I ordered yer favorite, strawberry tart."

"Ye ken me favorite? But how? I've never told ye."

"I asked the cook of course," she told him with a smile. "Now, come on, in the tub before the water's too cold."

Before too long, he was reclining naked in the tub, steam rising all about him as he sipped his wine.

"I feel like a king," he repeated, watching as Maddison got out of her dress and petticoats, peeled off her stockings, and came to kneel by the tub clad only in her shift. It was an arousing sight.

"Lean forward, and I'll wash yer back," she told him, taking the glass from his hand and setting it on a nearby table before picking up a washcloth.

"Where's the soap," she asked, looking around. Odhrán held up his hand, the bar of soap clearly visible between his fingers. He deliberately dropped it into the water with a loud plop.

"I think it fell in the tub. Ye may have tae search fer it," he said, straight-faced. She giggled, exciting him even further. He quite forgot about his headache when she reached into the water and began groping around for the soap.

"I thought ye were supposed tae be lookin' fer the soap," he pointed out as her hands brushed his belly and thighs and skimmed teasingly close to his already hard member.

"I am, but I found this instead," she said with a mischievous twinkle in her eyes as she took hold of his shaft and began caressing it.

"Ye cannae wash me back with that," he said, groaning at her touch.

"Oh? What can I dae with it then?" she asked coquettishly, working her hand up and down slowly, the way she knew excited him.

"C'mere, and I'll show ye," he said and pulled her bodily into the tub with an enormous splash and a lot more giggling. Her soaking shift soon landed on the floor, making a puddle.

Her slippery, naked body in his hands stoked his ardor, making him forget about all their troubles. He simply let himself get lost in her, savoring the taste and feel of her glistening breasts against him, his hands everywhere as she knelt before him in the water, insisting on washing him now that she had found the soap.

The feeling of her small, soapy hands moving over his back and shoulders, washing under his arms, his neck, and even his ears, while her breasts swung temptingly like ripe fruit before his eyes was an exquisite pleasure, he had never imagined would happen to him. That made it all the sweeter.

Can anything be better that this? Nay, nothing in the world!

Maddison was enjoying washing Odhrán almost as much as she was enjoying what he was doing to her with his mouth and hands. Everything he did seemed specially designed for her pleasure, like when he lapped and nuzzled her breasts, tantalizing her with his bristly stubble as it rubbed against her tender skin.

She nearly swooned when he covered her neck in hot kisses and sighed when his fingers stroked her between her legs, then slid inside her, teasing and toying with her until she was moaning with want. The soap slid out of her hand as she abandoned herself to the blissful sensations he was causing her body to feel. And though he was restrained, she knew he was just as excited as her, for his shaft was throbbing rock-hard against her legs.

"Let's stand up," he murmured, rising in one swift movement and bringing her with him easily, both of them oblivious to the small tidal wave that splashed over the rug. "Turn around." In a blissful trance, she obeyed without question, awaiting further intoxication as she leaned back against his chest. She shivered in delight as his hands glided over her, cupping and squeezing her breasts while he bit and sucked gently at her neck. His other hand moved over her belly and praised her thighs apart, stroking her rosebud with his thumb while opening her with his fingers.

"Och, Odhrán, the things ye do tae me, ye'll drive me mad," she whispered raggedly, her legs turning to jelly. But she had no fear of falling, for he held her pinned against him. She lifted her arms and linked them around his neck, tilting her head to bestow hot, urgent kisses on his lips, which he returned with equal passion. "I feel like a goddess being worshipped."

"Ye are," he murmured, devouring her mouth as she leaned back against him and working his fingers deeper inside her, making her moan his name repeatedly as he strummed her excited bud. "And after waitin' fer ye fer so long, I intend tae worship ye like this every night until I'm a poor, decrepit old man and cannae do it anymore."

She burst out laughing against his mouth, loving the vibration of his deep- throated chuckle against her back.

"I'm only just findin' out what a comedian ye are."

"Mmm, 'tis just another of me hidden talents," he whispered, biting her shoulder and sucking hard on the skin. He groaned as he pressed his member against her back.

"Och, Odhrán, I need ye," she gasped in her ecstasy, keeping one arm around his neck as she reached behind her and gripped his shaft in her hand. "Ye're so hard and big, I have tae have ye, now!"

"Yer wish is me command, me lady," he said huskily, taking her by surprise as he put one arm around her waist and lifted her up, his hardness nosing against her hot wetness.

"How much d'ye want me, me Maddy?"

"With all of me, Odhrán," she breathed, weak with desire as he teased her with his length, pressing it into her soft folds, back and forth.

"Mmm, I like tae hear me name on yer tongue. Say it again," he told her, his voice deep with desire.

"Odhrán, Odhrán, Odhrán!" she moaned, helplessly caught in the throes of passion. She cared for nothing but to have him in her.

With a grunt deep in his throat, he thrust himself all the way into her, hard, and began moving his hips urgently.

"Oh, God! Aye, fill me up, Odhrán, I canna get enough of ye," Maddison screamed, clinging to his arm as he pounded into her, panting in her ear, murmuring her name.

"Maddy, me Maddy, ye're mine, mine, mine," he panted, his free hand frantically working her stiffened rosebud.

"I-I'm coming," she gasped as the waves of heat began traveling up the length of her body.

"Aye," Odhrán breathed, speeding up, using the weight of her body to increase the power of his thrusts.

Maddison bounced against him, close to the peak of her delirium. "Harder, Odhrán, harder!" she cried, the waves of ecstasy finally overwhelming her. She clutched at his arm screamed and shuddered against him, feeling him stiffen and grow inside her before he too reached a shattering climax.